Customized: Magda & Travis - Dahabiya!

The couple were on a customized tour of the Land of the Pharaohs and did it in classic style, sailing the Nile on a beautiful and elegant Dahabiya.

The Dahabiya during sunset.

Backpacker Concierge uses different Dahabiyas for our programs depending upon individual tastes and timing. We opted for a motorized boat, as Magda and Travis had limited time to work with. The two were impressed with the Rihana - specifically its cleanliness and value for money.

Standard cabin on board the Dahabiya.

Our local tour guides are also able to facilitate some very unique experiences for our clients. Magda says, "When we were in Aswan we told our guide that we wanted to take a camel ride and experience local food, so he took us to a Nubian restaurant on a private island and on a boat tour around the islands. We then hopped on some camels and made our way to a local village."

Cruising the Nubian village on camelback.

It is holiday after all... Why not sit back, relax and watch the world go by on the bank of the river. It's an exceptional experience that we encourage everyone to have whilst travelling in Egypt. There's nothing quite like the old world feel and style of the Dahabiya.

Chilaxing on the Dahabiya.

Customized: Jan & Kate do Siwa

Jan & Kate contacted Backpacker Concierge when we were leading a tour through Syria. Which then led to a spur of the moment in-person meeting at the Apple store in NYC. Eventually the duo made it to Egypt and embarked on a very special customized program, featuring the amazing Adrere Amellal Ecolodge in Siwa.

As usual, there are some classic elements that must be included for any one's first visit to Egypt. There is of course the obligatory visit to the Giza Pyramids. Jan and Kate obviously have a real knack for camel photography!

The more recent Islamic history is also of great importance. Jan and Kate had a guided tour of the Islamic area of Cairo including visits to the famed Muezz el Deen Street with its many Mosques and Islamic schools.

And no trip to Cairo would be complete without a stop at the amazing, and often pleasingly chaotic, Khan al Khalili Bazaar! We're not sure what's more fun- searching the markets for hidden treasures or simply wandering the narrow medieval alleyways.

The itinerary included a stay at the incredible Adrere Amellal Ecolodge in Siwa!
Each meal at the lodge is served in a unique setting and the views are truly breathtaking...

Above: View of freshwater pool at Ecolodge, what a wonderful way to start your day!

Above: View of Adrere Amellal from the lake.

Above: View from the mountain of the magnificent Ecolodge Complex!

The pair, of course, did not spend all their time at the Ecolodge (though we wouldn't blame them if they did). They also sailed the Great Sand Sea! Whilst in the Western Desert Jan and Kate were able to experience the desert at its best. Hot springs, cold lakes and of course - sand!

Jan and Kate also spent some time exploring more of the land of the Pharaohs with a trip down the Nile! Here is an amazing photo they managed to snap at Mediant Habu Temple, one of our favorites!

All in all an amazing trip with stops at the most incredible places in Egypt!

Customized: The Faboulous 4

The gang wanted to see it all, so that's what we gave them! Kristen, Randy, Chris and Peachy traveled the Western Desert to the Eastern Desert and all which lies between! Starting with the iconic Pyramids of Giza

and the Sphinx!

They had an amazing tour of Islamic Cairo with our favorite guide!

The Fabulous Randa and the group relaxing at Khan al Khalili.

They then headed out west to Bahariya Oasis for an unforgettable experience. Their excursion to Bahariya and the Western Desert included dinner at El Bawity Ecolodge, a night camping out under the stars and a 4x4 jeep safari through the desert itself.

There's nothing like the rock formations in the White Desert. It is an alien landscape that runs away with your imagination! Sometimes it's also just nice to sit back and soak up the serenity of it all!

Before heading to the Sinai, the group took a cruise down the Nile, stopping to explore the temples of ancient Egypt along the way. Here's one of their more "artsy"photos at Edfu Temple...

Even amongst the columns of Karnak's great hall, there's always time for fun!

After what was already an amazing trip, the group said goodbye to the Nile and headed East...

In our opinion, after spending days running around the sights of ancient Egypt it's fantastic to take some time to realx and see things a bit differently.

The group spotted some camels on the beach in Dahab, our favorite Red Sea getaway!

There's nothing better in Dahab than that which comes from the sea! The group feasted on the freshest seafood around!

Time to head home, these guys even make a taxi ride fun!

Edna and Thomas (also from NYC) make an appearance in this shot. We teamed them up during the cruise and sightseeing to make things a bit more economical.

Egypt is an amazing destination! And what better way to see it than on a tour that is fully tailored to your specifications? (With the added touches that can only come from the experience of our team, living and working in the Middle East).

Customized: Janet & Family from USA

As part of a multi-day customized program, Backpacker Concierge brought one of its most popular excursions to life for Janet & Family - an overnight felucca sailtrek on a private felucca. Starting in Aswan, the trio headed north for Kom Ombo - what a relaxing and authentic way to travel the Nile!

Some post-felucca words from Janet:

The felucca trip was exactly what we had hoped - a fully relaxing day sailing with the breeze to cool us as we soaked up some sun. The crew was great and prepared better meals than I ever have camping! Drifting to sleep as the moon rose over the Nile is one of my best memories of the trip.

http://www.backpackerconcierge.com

We're Shortlisted for Travelmole Award!

Backpacker Concierge was shortlisted for the 'Travel Agent' category of this year's Travelmole Web Awards. Votes were cast over a one-month period and now it's the panel's decision who is the ultimate winner. The awards ceremony will be held at Canada House in London on June 24th. Thank you to everyone who voted for us!

http://www.travelmole.com/stories/1136891.php

June 17, 2009 - The shortlist for the 2009 Travelmole Web Awards has been unveiled today.

The companies, voted for by Travelmole susbscribers, will now be judged by an independent panel. In total, the awards received over 300 nominations and more than 15,000 votes were cast.

The panel consists of Peter Healey, founder and chief executive of The Vertical Group, former Teletext MD Matt Cheevers, now MD of consultancy business Smooth Direction, Helena Beard, marketing director at KBC PR and Marketing, Jérôme Moisan, Travelport general manager UK & Ireland, and Liz Craig, founder of Oneglobe Network, a boutique digital agency.

The winners will be announced at a lunchtime ceremony on Wednesday June 24 at Canada House, London.

http://www.backpackerconcierge.com/

Customized: Ayesha from Vancouver

Ayesha was in Cairo for business and decided to book something a little adventurous during her time off. Backpacker Concierge arranged their signature 1-night White Desert Safari with their friend Waheed. Check out Ayesha's experience in words at the end of the post.

www.backpackerconcierge.com

A view from Waheed's house

Atop the chalk formations in the White Desert

The famous "Chicken + Mushroom"

Waheed and Ayesha

Ayesha even got to test out her driving skills in the desert!

The AMAZING Black Desert

Ayesha's re-cap:

I came to Egypt for work, on a week tour into Cairo and then down the Nile River. I decided that I wanted to do something a little different after the tour and on my own. Ever since I saw pictures of the White desert I've wanted to go and see it for myself, so that's what I did, I mean I might as well, since I was all the way over there. I contacted Backpacker Concierge and they helped me arrange a private 2 day tour out to the White Desert. They had arranged for me to take the local bus to save a little money out to Bahariya Oasis, the starting point to get into the desert. The tickets were purchased and dropped off at the hotel for me in Cairo and the following morning I made my own way to the bus station to board the 5 hour unairconditioned bus journey. This ride was long but neat to see such vasted as you drive away from such an overcrowed city like Cairo. Everything worked out perfect; and the bus was on time and uncrowed and didn't break down...

Upon arrival in Bahariya, I was greeted by my guide Waheed, who picked me out as soon as I arrived, being a single girl. He threw my bags in the jeep and we went to his family's house for a nice home cooked lunch before we left. After lunch we picked up a few necessities, water, gas, beer etc... and drove out to the HOT desert, we passed a few check points and answered a few qustions, but my guide seems to know them all and they were excited to know that my name was also Arabic. we stopped at the springs for mint tea at the Bedoiun village, the black desert, and the crystal moutian before we really got into the White Desert, the landscape started to look like we were entering another planet. We dropped off from the miles of the long flat stretch of paved road and ontop the sand when the 4X4 came into use. We drove down these huge sand dunes and Waheed even let me drive the truck, which was pretty cool and raced along beside his friend Zachy that we met up with.

I loved that we set up camp under the open sky that night beside those huge white chalk rock formation. At night we saw lots of foxes come right up close to our camp around the fire, the whole thing was a unique experience. Waheed was a great guide, and very caring when I accidentally stepped bare foot into the hot coals and burned my foot…oops, silly tourist, too much mint tea inthe desert I guess!!

We ate a delicious vegetarian meal that was jsut wipped together as I sure he has doen this a million times, as his sister did back at their house the next day.

Waheed, arranged my bus ticket back and made sure that I left with a box of fresh dates and then waved good bye as the bus pulled away. My only regret is not staying longer as I wish I could have experienced more and gotten further into the desert.

Even though it was far to go, it was well worth it! Overall I had a great trip to Egypt, I saw so much, learned so much and met so many great, humorous people but the overnight into the white desert with a private guide was by far a highlight!! I can’t wait to come back and stay longer.

Customized: Harvard Business School

After the success of Columbia University's custom program in March 2008, a group of 16 Harvard Business School students decided to embark on an amazing 9-day program with Backpacker Concierge. Traversing the Nile from north to south, the group experienced Egypt like no other!

Instead of starting the program with a museum or temple, we went sandboarding!! Our tour leader Siobhan and our associates at Dune Raider took awesome care of the group - sandboards, frisbees, snacks, and tons of drinks were provided to keep everyone happy and healthy in the heat.

On the way to the dunes 60km outside of Cairo

Getting ready for the first run down a dune much higher than you'd imagine...

View from afar

After sandboarding, the group was escorted to the Giza Plateau to meet our Egyptologist Randa. They had the opportunity to venture inside the Great Pyramid and take the requisite pictures.

After sightseeing, we treated the group to a private cocktail party in our associate's renovated colonial area flat. It was a catered affair with plenty of booze and live music.

Abdallah and his friend played traditional Sudanese songs on the oud

Stephanie took it one step further and tried her hand at the oud!

(Abdallah was totally rocking the Micky mouse t-shirt)

Enjoying drinks on the balcony overlooking downtown Cairo

The following morning, the HBS students flew down to Luxor. They visited Karnak Temple upon arrival and had some free time to enjoy the hotel pool and amazing views of the River Nile. In the afternoon, they embarked on a bicycle ride around Luxor's West Bank before enjoying dinner at one of our favorite roof-top restaurants.

Getting fitted for bikes on Luxor's West Bank

Backdrop: Colossi of Memnon

A delicious family-style meal overlooking Luxor's East Bank

Valley of the Kings (home to King Tut's tomb) was the first stop the following morning. After the visit, the group was transferred to Esna where they met their private Dahabiya. Yes, a completely private Dahabiya! Their home for the next three nights.

The 7-room Dahabiya with a staff of 10

Relaxing on the Dahabiya's rooftop deck

Local color in Edfu, one of the stops

The friendliest children are usually found in the Nubian enclave of Kom Ombo. After visiting the temple in town, Jake poses for a picture.

No Dahabiya trip is complete without a little chugging from the Obelisk wine bottle!

Aboard the Dahabiya with Khalid

Khalid presenting a delicious cake courtesy of Backpacker Concierge!

On Day 4 of the Dahabiya journey, the group arrives in Aswan, where a local child surrenders to the groups antics!

Inside the memorial to the Soviet-Egypt partnership in building the Aswan High Dam

After a day of camel riding, sailboat trekking, and relaxation at the Movenpick pool, the group left Aswan for Cairo. One last day of sightseeing in the City Victorious rounded out their trip.

Collins in Khan al Khalili Bazaar

The ladies at Al Azhar Mosque

www.backpackerconcierge.com

Customized Itinerary: Sabine from Hamburg

Backpacker Concierge put together a city-break program for Sabine in May. The program touched on the city's highlights and featured a delightful stay at the always-pleasant Talisman Hotel in the heart of Cairo. Check out some pictures below of Sabine's adventure, a link to her blog, and an excerpt from the follow-up email she sent me.

At the Giza Plateau

Inside the Mohamed Ali Mosque

The beautiful panoramic view from Mojito

A morning in Coptic Cairo

Backpacker Concierge sent a follow-up email to Sabine after her trip for feedback, this is an excerpt of her response:

This is going to be a much longer feedback, than you might expected, sorry, but i have to tell you, what happened in [a] taxi ! The driver got a phone call, was very excited and obviously very happy afterwards. He immediately told me, why: His wife Fatma had just born a baby, a son. He made and received another phone call and then turned to me and said: "Name my baby, please !" Of course, i was very surprised and told him, that i couldn´t. But, he insisted, told me his name Mohammed and asked me to find any other boys name, that would fit. He asked for my name and nationality and really insisted. "Name my boy, please !" I thought of any arabic boys names, i ever heard of and remembered the name "Sayed or Said" and suggested this name, however it might be written or pronounced properly. The taxi-driver understood, which name i meant, told me, that it would be a very good name and Sayed/Said Mohammed would sound really good. The name was chosen in that very moment. He made another 2 phone calls, in which he told first somebody and then second his wife Fatma, that a german woman called Sabine, who´s just sitting in his taxi, had suggested this name and so it would be. The boy is now named Sayed/Said, wow ! I had to write my name and the shortly chosen name of his son onto the bill of money, i paid the taxi with and he told me, that he would keep this banknote, because it would bring good luck to his son. Incredible !!! This is my personal 1001-nights-story of Egypt !

Check out Sabine's blog here:

http://www.umdiewelt.de/Afrika/Nordafrika-und-Sahara/Aegypten/Reisebericht-4541/Kapitel-1.html

Backpacker Concierge hosts the University of California on Study Visit to Egypt

Backpacker Concierge and the administration of the University of California - San Diego have teamed up to offer a 17-day study visit to Egypt this September.


20 Students and 4 Professors will be traveling to Egypt during the Ramadan season for an in-depth look at the country's monuments and ongoing archaeological digs. The group will be traveling to some of the lesser known sites in the Lake Nasserarea in addition to extended visits in Cairo and Luxor.

Backpacker Concierge has incorporated some more interesting elements to keep the students entertained, as well - a Hot Air Balloon ride over Luxor's West Bank, 4x4 Motorbikes through the Theban Mountains, a Desert Safari through the White Desert, and a Felucca Journey and Camel Trek in Aswan.

Eco-tour with American NGO, HANDS

Backpacker Concierge and Hands Along the Nile Development Services have just teamed up to offer a truly one-of-a-kind eco-tour in September 2009.

Check out the program at - http://www.handsalongthenile.org/program/InsightTrips.htm

HANDS is an American 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that is committed to building bridges between the people of Egypt and the United States. In addition to their program of exchange and dialogue, HANDS also supports projects aimed at bringing socioeconomic stability to Egyptian communities.

The program that Backpacker Concierge and HANDS have put together features the services of a private Professor of Marine Biology from the University of Maryland, visits to lesser-known areas of Egypt, visits to local organizations that strive to improve the lives of everyday Egyptians, and overnight accommodation that honors the environment and features local building techniques.

We hope to see you in September!

Customized Itinerary: Conner & Kate from NYC

Conner and Kate were referred to us by one of the Columbia University tour participants. The newlyweds asked us to design a customized program before they continued onto the Maldives. We put together a great 6-night whirlwind tour of mainland Egypt. Get jealous!

www.backpackerconcierge.com


After spending two fantabulous nights at the Oberoi Mena House in Cairo, overlooking the Giza Pyramids, Conner and Kate were whisked away by private car to the Bahariya Oasis. They enjoyed a local lunch before beginning their jeep safari with Waheed's family (a fixture of all our Western Desert excursions). Above, Connor is hanging out in the camp the crew prepared for him and Kate.

Our safari crew prepares this typical desert cuisine from scratch over a few burners and a fire. Nice, filling food after an amazing trip.

Conner and Kate traveled down to Luxor by the overnight Sleeper Train. An experience in and of itself (check out Pat and Claud's itinerary below for their take on the Sleeper experience). Mostafa, our expert Egyptologist, graciously took the two around to the best sites in Thebes. As guiding is not allowed INSIDE the tombs at Valley of the Kings, Mostafa explains King Tutankhamun's chamber (above).

Here is a nice snapshot from Luxor's countryside. This is a typical West Bank scene and just so happens to be the same area Conner and Kate spent their night in Luxor. We prefer to place our clients on the quieter West Bank - it's more authentic and sorry to say, there's less harassment than the East Bank. More on their West Bank accommodation below.

Here, Conner is speaking to Eric, owner of Backpacker Concierge. All of our custom itinerary clients receive a mobile phone with local SIM card upon arrival in Cairo, Luxor, Sharm, or any other port of entry. This is a great way for the BC team to keep in touch with clients, but also a way for the clients to keep in touch with their friends and family.

So, back to the accommodation. Since this was a honeymoon, we recommended the romantic Moudira Hotel in Luxor. Above, Kate sits by the pool.

Yep, this was their room. The Moudira features local architectural techniques, including domed ceilings to keep the rooms as cool as possible, especially during the summer months.

After Luxor, Backpacker Concierge arranged a private car down to Aswan where they met their felucca captain for an afternoon sail through the islands, followed by a camel ride through the Nubian villages.

And back to Cairo again. This time, the Egyptian Museum with our Egyptologist Faten. Backpacker Concierge tries to use female guides as often as possible, as the average tourist will not have much contact with the women of Egypt. Pairing our clients with a gregarious guide is a nice way to them to expose them to a somewhat hidden world.

Conner takes one last puff on the sheesha in Khan al Khalili market before returning to Cairo Airport for their onward flight to the Maldives!

Itinerary:
- March 4 - Arrival and transfer to the Mena House for free afternoon
- March 5 - Full day sightseeing to Giza Pyramids and Saqqara, overnight at the Mena House
- March 6 - Transport to Bahariya for 1-night White Desert jeep safari
- March 7 - Return to Cairo for overnight Sleeper Train to Luxor
- March 8 - Early morning visit of Valley of the Kings and Hatchepsut Temple before a relaxing afternoon at the Moudira
- March 9 - Morning visit of Karnak Temple and onward transport to Aswan. Upon arrival, felucca excursion and camel trek on the West Bank.
- March 10 - Morning flight to Cairo and guided sightseeing of the Egyptian Museum and Islamic Cairo

Customized Itinerary: Pat & Claud from USA

While on their around-the-world adventure, Patrick and Claudia spent one week in Egypt with Backpacker Concierge. With such limited time, we focused on a cost-efficient program that took in the Nile at a somewhat leisurely pace.

Itinerary:
January 9 - Transfer from Cairo Airport to Giza Station for overnight Sleeper Train to Aswan
January 10 - Morning camel ride on Aswan's West Bank and 2-night felucca trip to Kom Ombo
January 11 - Full day sailing
January 12 - Transfer to Luxor, via Edfu Temple and free afternoon
January 13 - Sunrise hot air balloon ride, guided visit of Valley of the Kings, and return flight to Cairo, sunset guided tour of Islamic Cairo
January 14 - Full day guided excursion of the Giza Pyramids and the Egyptian Museum

http://www.backpackerconcierge.com

We have copied their blog below for everyone to enjoy!

Egypt.... is the one place we would like to go back to, first. There are so many things to see that are like no other place we've been. We started our trip by traveling for 36 hours from Beijing, including an 8 our layover in Qatar (lots of email time in the Qatar Airlines Lounge) and a 12 hour, overnight train from Cairo to Aswan.

When we arrived in Aswan, Egypt we were whisked off by our boat (felucca) guide, Mamud, to a guesthouse on the Nile for tea before our camel ride through the desert.

Mamud went on the camel ride with us as we saw the vastness of the desert and the charm of a Nubian Village.

After the camel ride we hung out with the locals at the guesthouse (there were no actual guests at the guesthouse while we were there) and waited for lunch. Our stomachs full, we stepped aboard our felucca (a traditional, Egyptian sail boat). This was going to be our home for 2 days and there were no bathroom facilities on the boat. Eeek! But instantly we were awed by the beauty of the Nile. It was such a “peaceful, easy feeling”. It was perfect! Our boat crew, Hussein and Luli, let me steer for a while (it was heavy). We spent our nights with our crew talking over the yummy Egyptian meals Luli made. It was such an unique and authentic experience. We sailed for 2 days and nights before disembarking in Edfu.

Did we mention it was freezing at night and blazing hot during the day. It is the desert, after all.

We drove through the Sahara Desert to our guide Mamud's home where his mom had prepared us lunch. His nephew impressed the teacher in me by saying the letters of the English alphabet accompanied by their sound and a word that starts with that sound (b, “b”, book). So cute.

Then we explored Edfu Temple and traveled on to Luxor.

The next morning, we got up early to go on a sunrise hot air balloon ride. It was, in a word, incredible.

Without a nap, we then went on a guided tour of the Valley of the Kings, an alabaster factory, and the temple of the artists (where the artists of the kings temples lived and painted their own temples). We got one photo in the first temple before a guard took our camera (only to return it to our guide). The detail in the art work was incredible.

(head archaeologist at the Valley of the Kings)

Then, still with no nap, we flew back to Cairo and went on a guided tour of Islamic Cairo. Our guide, Randa, was wonderful and I especially appreciated that she was a women. (Most of Egypt is a male dominated society. Women do not usually initiate conversation with a man so it was nice to be in the presence of another woman I could trust and was super assertive to boot.) Islamic Cairo was the original, walled city of Cairo. It is filled with shops and mosques and people. The market hidden deep in the maze of streets was a destination in itself. I could have stayed for hours and spent loads of money. Patrick thanked his stars we were on a schedule.

We explored the Citadel Mosque with 200 year old oriental rugs and an interesting history.

The next morning, our driver took us to meet Randa at the Egyptian Museum where we saw several items from the famed King Tut's tomb. Then off to the Pyramids. They are absolutely amazing. The sheer size made our jaws drop and then we heard the stats and history.

We also saw how papyrus (original paper) was made. It was hectic but bursting with history. We loved it! The Red Sea and Mt. Siani are among the sights we hope to see on our next trip to Egypt.

Our New Project (ResponsibleTravel.com)

This just in...

Founder of Backpacker Concierge, Eric Monkaba, has been appointed the new Travel Expert for Egypt on Responsible Travel's new internet initiative.

Check him and all of the other great Travel Experts out at -
http://www.responsibletravel.com/community/company/experts/

Customized Itinerary: Jenn & Alex from SFO

Backpacker Concierge worked closely with Jenn and Alex for weeks on the perfect 9-night itinerary. We mixed adventure, culture, and cuisine together for yet another one-of-a-kind customized itinerary.

Jenn and Alex were joined by Archana and Victor, two other travelers from America and Romania. One of the great things about Backpacker Concierge is that we always strive to pair like-minded customers together to save on costs and increase the fun factor!

www.backpackerconcierge.com

Alex venturing underneath the Step Pyramid in Cairo

Jenn trying her hand at sandboarding 60km from Cairo at Qataneyea Dunes

Waheed works his magic again to create a memorable atmosphere in the White Desert
(it looks like snow in the background, but it's actually simple rock formations)

Alex, Jenn, Waheed, Archana, and Victor in the Black Desert

Alex is getting up close and personal with a camel near the Black Desert
Young camel boys watch over the animals for weeks in the desert, as they feast on vegetation and
drink from the natural springs before returning to town

REAL Egyptian food - not tourist slop!
Tomato & cucumber salald with cumin, Koshari (pasta, chickpeas, lentils, fried onions, and spicey tomato sauce), Hawowshi (our personal favorite - a very unhealthy, but tastey fried meat sandwich)

Archana is ready to rumble on the 4x4's in Luxor

Jenn is working on her game face

Bahariya's White Desert

Melissa and Tim from America took a 2-night jeep safari with Backpacker Concierge in January and made this little video to commemorate their experience.

We think it's pretty awesome!

www.backpackerconcierge.com

One Year of Success

Backpacker Concierge would like to thank all of our fantastic, open-minded clients, service providers, and supporters for an outstanding first year of business.

2008 Facts & Figures (this is where we pat ourselves on the back):

- 53 Customized Itineraries, with
- 193 Passengers
- 6 nights: Average program length
- 67% of people who contact Backpacker Concierge decide to book with us in the end
- 2,095 Unique visitors to www.backpackerconcierge.com
- 6 Service providers working exclusively with Backpacker Concierge

Customized Itinerary: Josh & Cari from NYC

Backpacker Concierge customized an amazing 10-day private program for Josh and Cari from New York City. Their program coincided with the feast Eid al Adha, which was certainly an eye-opening experience for the duo.

www.backpackerconcierge.com

After starting in Cairo, Josh & Cari traveled almost 1000 kilometers south to what was once called "the edge of civilization" by 19th century British adventurers. Aswan is home to a large Nubian population like these friendly women below.


Josh took it one step further than the average tourist and agreed to a local shave and haircut. A bargain at $2!


Starting in Aswan, stretching all the way down to Sudan, is (arguably) the largest artificial lake in the world - Lake Nasser. The best view of the lake is from Abu Simbel, home of Ramses II's masterpiece.


In Aswan, the New Yorkers boarded our Princess Sarah felucca. They had the entire boat to themselves for a two-day/one-night excursion to Kom Ombo.


It's a little chilly in December, but remains a beautiful experience.


Our fantastic felucca crew prepared all of the meals on-board (Mahmoud, Hassan, and Luli).


Josh & Cari eventually made it back to civilization and enjoyed a guided tour of Karnak Temple with our Egyptologist Mostafa.


Backpacker Concierge works with a charming hotel on the West Bank of Luxor, the Sheherazade. As a British-Egyptian partnership, the lodging is simple, unique, and quiet. Josh & Cari spent the night and enjoyed a complimentary dinner from Backpacker Concierge here.

A twin room at the Sheherazade

The Sheherazade facade

The amazing entrance

The hotel grounds, soon to feature a swimming pool (one of the first on the West Bank)

A rugged add-on to any trip is a 2, 3, or 4 night jeep safari through the White Desert. In this itinerary, we arranged a two night program - one night in Dakhla and one night camping in the White Desert. The safari passes through Kharga where a local woman sells her hand-made baskets.


The "old" way of life still lives on in the oases.


Our safari coordinator and driver, Waheed, set up a one-of-a-kind camp for our pair in the White Desert.


Even though you're not really supposed to, Josh climbs one of the White Desert's chalky outcroppings. These monuments are scattered about the desert, making one feel like they are on another planet!


Waheed (in the upper left) invites Josh & Cari to one of the most important feasts in the Islamic calendar - Eid al Adha. This festival commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ishamel and is celebrated by sacrificing cows, goats, and sheeps and giving a significant portion to poorer individuals and families.


Customized Itinerary:
November 29 - Arrival in Cairo
November 30 - Sightseeing excursion to Giza, Saqqara, and Islamic Cairo. Overnight train to Aswan.
December 1 - Morning arrival in Aswan and free day to explore.
December 2 - Day-trip to Abu Simbel
December 3 - Beginning of one-night felucca sailtrek to Kom Ombo
December 4 - Arrival in Kom Ombo and transfer to Luxor
December 5 - Full day's sightseeing: Valley of the Kings, Hatchepsut's Temple, and Karnak
December 6 - Transfer to the Kharga Oasis to begin the two-night jeep safari. Overnight in Dakhla.
December 7 - Jeep Safari into the White Desert and overnight camping.
December 8 - Arrival in Bahariya itself and overnight in the safari camp outside of town.
December 9 - Transfer from Bahariya direct to Cairo International Airport for onward flight to Amman, Jordan.

Customized Itinerary: Doug & Sally - Seattle

www.backpackerconcierge.com

Doug and Sally embarked on a 25 day customized itinerary with Backpacker Concierge during the Ramadan 2008 season. They covered a lot of ground, including all of the Western Desert Oases, Lake Nasser and its amazing temples, and even enjoyed a 2-night excursion with the Bedouins in the Sinai Peninsula.

To commemorate Sally's experience with the Bedouins, she wrote a short story and forwarded it to us. Enjoy an excerpt:

We immediately leave the little village of [St. Katherine] and head directly off the highway into the mountains of Sinai [towards the ecolodge]. The road became sand, the ruts big enough to swallow a wild boar and dust flying everywhere. An hour of that ride and it dawned on me that the Bedouins weren’t coming into civilization with an Ecolodge along the highway, but rather we were going to them and we’d be on their turf! What an epiphany that was!

The EcoLodge consists of a compound of small round rock buildings which were clustered together and each held several, separate guest rooms. The rooms were adequate in size, stuccoed on the inside with grass mats covering sand floors. There were thin pads on the floor atop the mats. A hard pillow and a blanket made of goat or camel hair was also provided. The room had one piece of furniture, a low, round table with 2 candles laying on it for the two nights we’d be staying. This didn’t look even remotely like the Metropole Hotel in Alexandria where we’d just slept the night before. But hey, that's why we travel, right?....

As we sat at the big outdoor wooden table watching our guide leave in a trail of sand dust, the five Bedouin men tried to make us feel welcomed. They were friendly and smiling and speaking in their tribal dialect. If only we knew that language, or even Arabic would have helped. Just then, a man with a Scottish accent came round the corner of the patio and introduced himself! He looked like a vision'; a real travel angel perhaps? We quickly introduced ourselves and wondered how he had arrived and why? He told us Eric Monkaba, our Travel Planner had arranged for him to come and share an evening of astronomy with us. Can you believe that?....

[That evening,] on my mat on the floor I could see the star studded sky from an open, screened, window above me. The sky was friendly and brilliant, the room felt safe, and slowly I sank into the isolated beauty of this wondrous desert. This had been a remarkable evening and I was ever so grateful to have been included.

Press: The Denver Post

www.backpackerconcierge.com

Journalist Thom Wise interviewed us for what would turn out to be a critical analysis of tourism in Egypt. While this Denver Post article points out hardships a lone backpacker may experience in the country, he did admit by a frantic telephone call from Alexandria that he should have used our services.

"..this might be the one country in which I would suggest going on a tour, or at least finding some way to insulate yourself from the grind, the grime and the grim realities. Sitting in one of those double-decker monsters, careening down the side streets of a busy market, starts to have a certain appeal here.

"Everything is an obstacle in Egypt," says Monkaba, "as many independent travelers quickly find out. Tourists must travel (by law) in convoys between certain cities, foreigners are only allowed on a few trains each day, walking down the street can be an exercise in patience with the harassment, noise and traffic. Egypt is a great country — so much to see and do — and the people are so hospitable and welcoming . . . but it's not easy to do by yourself. Without a little help, there's a good chance the independent traveler won't see the beauty of the country.

Click below for the entire article:
http://www.denverpost.com/travel/ci_10741490?source=bb

Press: LAN Chile Airlines

One of Backpacker Concierge's very first customized clients, Juan Edwards, sent us a .pdf of the photo series he completed for LAN Chile's in-flight magazine. Captain Hassan and our felucca, the Princess Sarah, were featured in this stunning photo series.

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Captain Hassan looking very Ralph Lauren

Sunset on a felucca

http://www.in-lan.com/en/

Customized Itinerary: Francoise & Thierry

Backpacker Concierge customized an amazing 17-day private program for Francoise and Thierry from Singapore. Both are avid photographers who were wiling to travel during the hottest summer months and wake up before sunset everyday to capture their journey on film. We think the results were worth it!

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As Thierry is in the hospitality industry himself and expects a certain level of service, we put together what we call a "Backpacker Concierge: Elite" program. By working with Abercrombie & Kent's luxury cruise ships, the opulent Sofitel and Oberoi hotel brands, and pairing the adventure-seekers with Smithsonian-approved Egyptologists and guides, we put together that once-in-a-lifetime trip everyone wishes for when they travel to Egypt.

The White Desert, between Bahariya and Farafra

The Aswan Spice Market

Local color in Luxor

The majestic Giza Plateau at sunset

Francoise gives us perspective on just how big the pyramids are

A view of Mohamed Ali Mosque (inside the Citadel )from the serene Al Azhar Park

Travel Dates: June 8 - 24, 2008

Inaugural Tour with Columbia University

On March 8, 2008, fourteen MBA students from New York's Columbia University journeyed with Backpacker Concierge on an 8-night customized tour of this fantastic country!

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New cast of "The Real World: Egypt"?

We jump-started the program with an evening walking tour of Khan al Khalili, followed by a fantastic Sufi performance at Wikalat al Ghouri.


The next day, our guide Shima took us the last remaining ancient wonder of the world - the Giza Pyramids!

Eric and Jessie at the scenic lookout.

Sattish and Angela taking a break from the sun.

Later in the evening, we boarded an overnight Seater Train to Aswan, where we met our camels for a trek through the Nubian villages and onwards to St. Simeon's Monastery.

Ryan absolutely loving the camel ride.

And since no trip to Aswan is complete without a ride on a traditional sailboat (felucca), we enjoyed a local meal and some cold beers in the afternoon.


Of course we visited Abu Simbel, home of Ramses II's masterpiece.


Some of our clients prefer to stay at more authentic, local lodging. So, for the Columbia students, Backpacker Concierge arranged a private Nubian home north of Aswan.

The guesthouse by night

A little dancing to work off the amazing barbeque dinner

Sattish ... pondering life

We traveled north to ancient Thebes, now known as Luxor. In between bicycle rides through the villages and visits to the temples, we had a chance to hang out in the pool and catch some sun!

Traveling by pick-up truck is worth it when...

cold beers are waiting for you on the other side!

A few days of sightseeing later, we flew to Sharm al Sheikh for some SCUBA and snorkeling.


We rented three villas for the students with private swimming pools - their last chance to rest up before returning to the Big Apple!


Complete Itinerary:

March 8 - Arrival in Cairo, Khan al Khalili Night Bazaar Tour

March 9 - Full day Egyptologist-guided tour of Pyramids at Giza and Egyptian Museum, overnight train to Aswan

March 10 - Morning arrival in Aswan. Free morning, afternoon camels to St. Simeon's Monastery.

March 11 - Private land transport to/from Abu Simbel, afternoon lunch on felucca while en route to village guesthouse accommodation
March 12 - Private transport from Aswan guesthouse to Luxor (with stop at Edfu). Afternoon guided tour of Karnak Temple in Luxor
March 13 - Morning bike ride to the Valley of the Kings, Hatchepsut Temple, and through the West Bank villages. After a late lunch, fly to Sharm el Sheikh.
March 14 - Full day in Sharm el Sheikh for diving/snorkeling.
March 15 - Afternoon return flight to Cairo
March 16 - Departing flights to USA

Backpacker Concierge Launch!

After 4 years in the making, Backpacker Concierge is open for business!

www.backpackerconcierge.com

The Backpacker Concierge travel consultancy was founded by Eric Monkaba, a former tour leader for several of the region's largest tour operators. For years, Eric witnessed first-hand the steady degradation of product offered by the major players, as quality was being sacrificed for shareholders' returns. Not to mention, the negative impact these companies were having on the local culture and work ethic was an unfortunate side effect. Eric was left wondering, "isn't there a better, more responsible way to go about this?"

Backpacker Concierge has positioned itself as the one-stop solution for globe-trotters, whether they be true backpackers or are simply looking for more unique experiences. By actually listening to their customers, the Concierge team is able to put together a program that compliments the clients' tastes and utilizes the expertise of their expansive network of service providers.

The team recognizes and understands the apprehension some adventure-seekers may have when it comes to traveling in Egypt. And therefore, adds a personal touch to every excursion, itinerary, and experience, such as:

• free, local mobile phone and SIM card upon arrival
• an "our doors are always open" policy - call us 24/7 for assistance
• English-speaking service providers along the way

Additionally, Backpacker Concierge is only working with a select network of tried, trusted, and reliable partners, such as:

• affordable boutique hotels with personalized service
• international, non-government organizations (NGO)
  
• Fair Trade and microfinance start-ups
  
• eco-friendly sailboats for multi-day trips
• Brooke Animal Hospital-approved/supported animal owners (for camel, horse, and donkey excursions)

www.backpackerconcierge.com
backpackerconcierge@gmail.com