Misleading Tour, Poor Service, and Unprofessional Behavior
We booked this tour about a month before traveling to Hurghada, expecting a similar experience to the excellent trip we had with the company in 2019. Based on that experience, we were clearly under the impression that this would be a private tour. At most, we thought there might be one other couple.
Instead, my wife and I were placed in a minibus together with six other people, with barely any legroom. It immediately felt uncomfortable and far from what we had been led to expect.
The guide only made things worse. He came across as rude and unprofessional, and we often felt more like a burden than paying guests. He was difficult to understand, scolded people for minor delays, and at times seemed far more interested in greeting acquaintances than actually taking care of the group. When we declined to pay extra for an additional boat trip, his attitude clearly changed.
It was also awkward to realize that the other six people in the group were just as surprised as we were — they believed they had booked a private group, just like we did. This created an uncomfortable atmosphere and clearly reflects poor organization and misleading communication.
The situation became genuinely unpleasant on the way back. The driver drove aggressively, making us feel unsafe. When we asked him to slow down, he responded sarcastically that he was already driving slowly. That kind of response, in a situation where safety is a concern, is simply unacceptable.
What is most disappointing, however, is how the company handled our complaint. Instead of taking responsibility or showing any understanding, they responded:
“We are not negotiating because we owe you nothing.”
And when we mentioned leaving a review, they replied with threats about “prosecution” for defamation. This felt both intimidating and deeply unprofessional.
Our clear impression is that this company is focused on pushing as many customers as possible through their system, with profit as the main priority. The experience felt rushed, impersonal, and poorly managed. They should seriously reconsider their approach and focus on quality over quantity.
Luxor is absolutely worth visiting — but choose a different company than this one.
Reply from Pharaohs Tours
Mr. Olav,
About a month before your trip to Hurghada, you messaged us on WhatsApp asking for a private tour to Luxor and a cruise. We sent you a link with all our Hurghada tours, and you picked a group tour to Luxor instead of a private one. This group tour had a fixed plan and a special price, and we clearly told you it wasn’t private. You didn’t reply or ask any questions. Later, we even offered you a private one-day Luxor tour, but again, you didn’t answer. All of this is saved in our WhatsApp chats, so anyone can check and see what really happened.
For group tours, we always follow the rules set by the Ministry of Tourism: 8 people can ride in a 13-seat minibus, 15 in a 22-seat bus, and 40 in a 55-seat bus. No bus is allowed to leave Hurghada for Luxor or Cairo with more people than these limits. The group tour price is based on these official numbers.
At the start of the trip, you tried to get half your money back by saying there were too many people on the bus, and you threatened us. We didn’t agree because we followed all the rules and you chose this tour yourself after checking all the details.
Our tour guide has worked with us for 15 years and never had any problems with guests. Even though your complaint wasn’t true, we still suspended him and investigated. We talked to the six other people on your tour, and they all said your complaint wasn’t true. We’ve asked them to write reviews about their experience, and you’ll see those soon.
About the driver, he did not drive dangerously or too fast. All our vehicles have GPS, and the speed was always between 90 and 110 km/h.
We’re a company that really cares about our customers and always follows the rules in Egypt. Our main goal is to treat everyone with kindness and respect. That’s why we offered you a free trip—to show you we appreciate you and to make sure you’re happy. But when you asked for two trips instead, we had to say no, because it’s not fair to ask for more than what’s offered. We just want to be honest about what happened, and if anyone wants to check, we have a recording of our chat on WhatsApp. Thanks for understanding!