This was the most suprising aspect of the trip for me. Yes, we are all solo travellers, but a lot of us are that way because we can never find people from back home who have the time/money to travel with us! SOFE brings together like minded adventurers from all over the world, and every lady there was a badass with her own story to tell. LOVED IT.
The itinerary itself I thought was very well done. Of course there were little details that everyone could nitpick but this is based off personel preferences--you are not going to get everything you want on a group tour. There are simply too many people to please. That being said, I was very happy with how it all went. It was such a luxury to not have to think about transport from one town to another, booking cars, safety, how to navigate the local attractions, etc. I was able to switch that planning part of my mind off, and that was AMAZING!!
Egypt is a newer tour I believe and there were very minor kinks that were being worked out real time, but I was impressed with the leadership and their willingness and ability to both troubleshoot, find solutions, and listen to our feedback. I'm sure every tour they do will get better and better.
The tour leaders (Melinda & Nikki) were fabulous--approachable, impressive and fun--fellow travellers like ourselves. Egypt--perfection!!! A group tour was the right way to see Egypt without a doubt. I was a bit hesitant to tackle this country on my own and after being there, I know I made the right decision. I felt safe with the Egyptologists/Guides who were always with us, helping us navigate respectfully the local customs/culture. And speaking of, without a doubt another major highlight was the Egyptologists who led us in all activities. Sameh & Adham--would highly recommend to anyone. They immersed themselves in our groups so that they were just another friend--but a smart one who knows everything about Egyptian history 😉 Without the backstories and details they brought to the table, I fear the monuments, temples, ETC would have fallen just a little flat. They brought the whole thing to life with their obvious passion.
I never thought group tours would be my thing but I had such a memorable (dare I say lifechanging without ppl thinking I'm making up this review??) experience that I will definitely book another. Before you book just remember, not everything will be perfect. Some flexing is necessary. Groups mean different personalities. Focus on peoples positives--everyone brings something to the table. Do yourself a favor and give the reigns to someone else for a change and book a trip w with SOFE. You won't regret it!'