I’ve finally gathered reviews and comments about Mara House and our Salahadeen Restaurant here on my own website. There aren’t many for Salahadeen, as it’s been open only to Mara House guests for years and TripAdvisor has since removed those reviews. These come from TripAdvisor, Google Maps, guest blogs, letters, and other kind words shared over time. Some are missing, as I hadn’t realized TripAdvisor began deleting reviews from tour guests who did their tours with us but who didn’t stay at Mara House. I hope these words give you a true sense of who we are and what Mara House is all about. Enjoy, Mara
477 entries.
We were extremely privileged to be able to take the exclusive private access tour of the Great Pyramid (Cheops), which was perfectly organized by Mara. What an experience! Two unbelievable hours on our own exploring the Kings and Queens chambers and even the subterranean chamber. Our guide Ahmed was so knowledgeable, informative, and even inspirational as he led us all through the sacred spaces. Thank you Mara for working so hard to secure the necessary permits and permissions, which we know is far from being an easy thing to do! Thanks to you we have a memory that will last a lifetime!
Wonderful oasis in Egypt.
Just spent 6 nights here (October 26) with authentic Egyptian food and hospitality. The owner Mara looked after us with great attention and kindness.
Luxor Tours + Cairo, Alexandria, El Alamein by Mara House were also excellent.
Located in quiet neighbourhood. Amazing evening meals by Amr - local dishes. Breakfast substantial and excellent.
If you want a carefully curated trip to Luxor stay here! The room was a large suite! Air-con worked well and fridge was helpful.
Reviewed on googlemaps 29 Oct 2026
Just spent 6 nights here (October 26) with authentic Egyptian food and hospitality. The owner Mara looked after us with great attention and kindness.
Luxor Tours + Cairo, Alexandria, El Alamein by Mara House were also excellent.
Located in quiet neighbourhood. Amazing evening meals by Amr - local dishes. Breakfast substantial and excellent.
If you want a carefully curated trip to Luxor stay here! The room was a large suite! Air-con worked well and fridge was helpful.
Reviewed on googlemaps 29 Oct 2026
** Highly Recommended!**
We are currently staying at Mara House in Luxor and sadly leave tomorrow. We can honestly say that this stay has exceeded all our expectations, and we already doubt we will find anything quite like it for the rest of our journey through Egypt!
From the moment you arrive, you are made to feel welcome. The atmosphere is warm, personal and friendly, with genuinely lovely people who care about making your stay special.
The house is traditionally decorated, comfortable and full of character, giving you that wonderful feeling of being in a home away from home. Amr goes above and beyond in every possible way to ensure you are looked after, and the hospitality is truly exceptional.
The tours organised by Mara are outstanding, and her knowledge of Egypt, its culture and how things work here is worth its weight in gold. Having someone so knowledgeable makes such a difference to your experience and allows you to explore Egypt with confidence and peace of mind.
The service throughout our stay has been exceptional. You can genuinely feel the care, kindness and thought that go into making guests feel comfortable and welcome.
We are genuinely sad to be leaving tomorrow, which says everything about the experience we have had here. It is rare to find somewhere that makes you feel so at home, and we have been made to feel like so much more than just guests.
If you get the opportunity to stay at Mara House, do not hesitate. The whole experience is far beyond what you would normally expect, and you certainly will not be disappointed.
**We cannot recommend Mara House highly enough.** Exceptional hospitality, wonderful people, a beautiful home-from-home atmosphere and a host who goes above and beyond. We only wish we could stay longer!
Reviewed on Googlemaps Oct 2026 Traveled as coupld
We are currently staying at Mara House in Luxor and sadly leave tomorrow. We can honestly say that this stay has exceeded all our expectations, and we already doubt we will find anything quite like it for the rest of our journey through Egypt!
From the moment you arrive, you are made to feel welcome. The atmosphere is warm, personal and friendly, with genuinely lovely people who care about making your stay special.
The house is traditionally decorated, comfortable and full of character, giving you that wonderful feeling of being in a home away from home. Amr goes above and beyond in every possible way to ensure you are looked after, and the hospitality is truly exceptional.
The tours organised by Mara are outstanding, and her knowledge of Egypt, its culture and how things work here is worth its weight in gold. Having someone so knowledgeable makes such a difference to your experience and allows you to explore Egypt with confidence and peace of mind.
The service throughout our stay has been exceptional. You can genuinely feel the care, kindness and thought that go into making guests feel comfortable and welcome.
We are genuinely sad to be leaving tomorrow, which says everything about the experience we have had here. It is rare to find somewhere that makes you feel so at home, and we have been made to feel like so much more than just guests.
If you get the opportunity to stay at Mara House, do not hesitate. The whole experience is far beyond what you would normally expect, and you certainly will not be disappointed.
**We cannot recommend Mara House highly enough.** Exceptional hospitality, wonderful people, a beautiful home-from-home atmosphere and a host who goes above and beyond. We only wish we could stay longer!
Reviewed on Googlemaps Oct 2026 Traveled as coupld
Mohammed was an exceptional Egyptologist guide throughout our time in Luxor and Aswan! Highly knowledgeable, professional, and incredibly well prepared and organised, he brought the fascinating history of ancient Egypt to life with his expertise and engaging explanations.
His extensive local knowledge, helpfulness, and attention to detail made our experience truly special. Everything was handled seamlessly, and we felt we were in excellent hands throughout our journey.
We couldn’t have asked for a better guide and would highly recommend
Mohammed to anyone visiting Luxor and Aswan. An outstanding experience from start to finish!
Reviewed on Googlemaps -Traveled Sept 2026
His extensive local knowledge, helpfulness, and attention to detail made our experience truly special. Everything was handled seamlessly, and we felt we were in excellent hands throughout our journey.
We couldn’t have asked for a better guide and would highly recommend
Mohammed to anyone visiting Luxor and Aswan. An outstanding experience from start to finish!
Reviewed on Googlemaps -Traveled Sept 2026
I really could not have had a better time in Luxor. Amr is a fine host, going above and beyond to make us feel welcome. He also saw to it that there was not a dull moment. Thank you for a lovely stay and good memories.
Amazing experience at Mara house and unforgettable time in Luxor
I had an amazing stay at Mara House and would highly recommend both the hotel and having Mara arrange your tours in Luxor.
Mara was incredibly helpful from the start in planning the itinerary. She took into account what I wanted to do, suggested other activities that made sense, answered all of my questions, and was extremely responsive leading up to the trip. It made planning everything very easy, I didn't have to think at all.
Amr was amazing once I got there. He made sure I had everything I needed (+ is a great cook). My last day of tours ended on the early side and Amr helped me figure out on the fly how to best spend the rest of the day. He took me to a shop with a fair vendor that had pretty much everything I needed for gifts for family back home. He also arranged a felucca ride on the Nile at sunset for me at the last minute and came along. Just incredibly helpful throughout the stay and great to chat with.
My tour guide Mohammed was also great. He was incredibly knowledgeable and patient and answered all of my questions in detail. In some areas where guides aren't allowed to go in with you, he would explain beforehand what to look for and which parts were the most interesting. He also made sure I knew what to watch out for, like people offering to take a picture of you with your phone and then asking for money afterward.
Day 1 was on the West Bank including the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, Medinet Habu and more. Day 2 was at Dendera and Abydos, and day 3 at Karnak and Luxor Temple. Some of the coolest sites I've ever visited, hard to pick a favorite. Seeing these places in person, it's hard to wrap your head around how old everything is, and having Mohammed explain how things were built and the stories behind them made the experience much better.
Mara House itself is a little outside the main Luxor area with most of the shops and restaurants (and Nile), but it's only about a 15 minute walk. I liked being outside the main area because it was quieter, but still easy to go in when I wanted to. I was a solo male traveler and felt safe the entire time. Note that there will absolutely be people persistently trying to to sell you something, but I never felt like any interaction crossed a line. Just keep walking and saying "no thank you" was enough. For me, exercise basic situational awareness and you'll have no problems.
Overall, an amazing few days in Luxor and I couldn't have asked for a better setup. Definitely thinking of coming back to check out Aswan / Abu Simbel through Mara House
Reviewed on Trip Advisor - travelled Sept 2026
I had an amazing stay at Mara House and would highly recommend both the hotel and having Mara arrange your tours in Luxor.
Mara was incredibly helpful from the start in planning the itinerary. She took into account what I wanted to do, suggested other activities that made sense, answered all of my questions, and was extremely responsive leading up to the trip. It made planning everything very easy, I didn't have to think at all.
Amr was amazing once I got there. He made sure I had everything I needed (+ is a great cook). My last day of tours ended on the early side and Amr helped me figure out on the fly how to best spend the rest of the day. He took me to a shop with a fair vendor that had pretty much everything I needed for gifts for family back home. He also arranged a felucca ride on the Nile at sunset for me at the last minute and came along. Just incredibly helpful throughout the stay and great to chat with.
My tour guide Mohammed was also great. He was incredibly knowledgeable and patient and answered all of my questions in detail. In some areas where guides aren't allowed to go in with you, he would explain beforehand what to look for and which parts were the most interesting. He also made sure I knew what to watch out for, like people offering to take a picture of you with your phone and then asking for money afterward.
Day 1 was on the West Bank including the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, Medinet Habu and more. Day 2 was at Dendera and Abydos, and day 3 at Karnak and Luxor Temple. Some of the coolest sites I've ever visited, hard to pick a favorite. Seeing these places in person, it's hard to wrap your head around how old everything is, and having Mohammed explain how things were built and the stories behind them made the experience much better.
Mara House itself is a little outside the main Luxor area with most of the shops and restaurants (and Nile), but it's only about a 15 minute walk. I liked being outside the main area because it was quieter, but still easy to go in when I wanted to. I was a solo male traveler and felt safe the entire time. Note that there will absolutely be people persistently trying to to sell you something, but I never felt like any interaction crossed a line. Just keep walking and saying "no thank you" was enough. For me, exercise basic situational awareness and you'll have no problems.
Overall, an amazing few days in Luxor and I couldn't have asked for a better setup. Definitely thinking of coming back to check out Aswan / Abu Simbel through Mara House
Reviewed on Trip Advisor - travelled Sept 2026
Evaluation, Trip to Egypt
We had the grand pleasure to visit Egypt despite the war in the Middle East. Our trip was organized by Mara.
As a general comment, I would like to note that we are couple 85 and 78 years old. My husband uses a wheelchair for anything over 100 meters. We brought our own special wheelchair with mountain bike like tires.
This trip could not have been done without the very special care and arrangements that Mara made. We chose to do a trip with a private driver and guide. We could go at our own pace, choose what we wanted to see, and didn’t slow anybody else down.
The arrangements made with Mara were fantastic. We received an enormous amount of help with preparations for visas, tickets, local information, tips on handling currency and tipping, how to deal with the environment, what to visit, hotels, cruise ship, everything planned to the finest detail. Never have I had a trip so well organized.
Once we began a trip, every detail worked like clockwork, even though our plane arrived late in Cairo and we missed our connection to Luxor, Mara had sent a photo of the man who would meet us. We were whisked through immigration and customs and onto the next plane. At every point in our trip our contacts and guides were punctual and enormously helpful.
We stayed in Mara House in Luxor for our first two nights, a welcome highlight to our trip. We were greeted warmly and served tea by the young man of the house who took great care to see that my husband was carefully looked after on steps and every time he stood up. The breakfast was copious and delicious, as was the meal we had on our second night. The best Egyptian meal we had in Egypt. Amr of Mara House is an excellent cook.
At one point during our flights, EgyptAir damaged our wheelchair. Although they were unwilling to undertake anything at the airport, Mara contacted all the necessary people to see that we had an attestation, which was a result of the failure on the part of EgyptAir. The planning, service, and attention to detail with Mara was extraordinary and we thank them very much.
Our guides
Our first guide was Mo, better known as Pharoah’s Son. He was very experienced and knowledgeable and came with an excellent driver. He accompanied us for visits from and around Luxor, followed us along our Nile cruise on the Concerto Plus for off board excursions, and then guided us to sites in and around Aswan including Abu Simel. His first concern was for our safety and wellbeing. Our driver usually took charge of pushing the wheelchair and when a driver was not with us, Mo took over the wheelchair duty, freeing me to concentrate on our visit. His knowledge was extensive and never tired of repeating the things we forgot from one site to another.
At the beginning of our trip my husband slipped and injured his leg. Mo saw that we had all the necessary medical supplies and informed the ship’s crew, so we were well looked after by everyone with bandages, ice packs and whatever was necessary. He made possible a final trip on our last day in the Upper Nile to visit Philae. Mo was very helpful on explanations of local customs and practices, especially as we were travelling during Ramadan and help with the Baksheesh culture. He then continued to check on us as we moved to the lower Nile and even made sure we arrived well in Jordan.
Our second guide for the lower Nile part of our trip was Mahmoud, again organized by Mara. We were fortunate in all three guides we had (Mo in the Upper Nile, Mahmoud in Cairo, and Tariq in Jordan) as we got three different perspectives on Ramadan, daily life and culture. Mahmoud was able to give us a very thorough academic visit to the sites of Saqqara, the Citadel and the Alabaster Mosque, and the GEM, the highlight of our trip. It was important to have someone as thoughly educated in the treasures of Egypt and the ancient Egyptian history and culture as the Great Egyptian Museum is so huge we would never have had been able to search out the exhibitions in a cohesive way otherwise. We spent nearly 6 hours in the museum and, although we only saw about 800 of the 53000 exhibits we felt we had a very complete tour. Again, We appreciated the punctuality and care Mahmoud showed us the entire time. We both thank Mara Tours for this excellent holiday and highly recommend her and her staff.
Section of trip on cruise boat
As my husband has a reduced mobility, a cruise boat seemed the best and most relaxing way to travel from Luxor to Aswan. As usual, Mara had everything perfectly organized. The ship, Concerto Plus was clean and comfortable and we had the first cabin on the entry floor, reducing the number of stairs we had to use. Our guide met us at each excursion stop, everything went very smoothly and we always got priority treatment as we used the wheelchair for excursions.
The best part of the cruise was the restaurant and the personnel preparing and serving the food. The food was delicious, everything from excellent local cuisine to European fine food to pizza and homemade ice-cream. As I had to manage two plates at a time, the staff right up to the chef hurried to help my husband to his seat and carry my extra plate. The food was always fresh, the buffet was well surveyed to stay full and neat, and there were more choices than one could imagine.
The only negative I would have here is the drink offerings on the cruise. The bottles and cans were very large and very expensive. I would have preferred smaller servings so I could have a couple of drinks a day rather than having to drink a half a liter in one go. This goes for soft drinks as well as beer which were often purchased in cans so couldn’t be easily kept for later. Still, all in all an enjoyable trip and all superbly organized by Mara and her staff.
This review was sent to Mara via email to post online for the clients.
We had the grand pleasure to visit Egypt despite the war in the Middle East. Our trip was organized by Mara.
As a general comment, I would like to note that we are couple 85 and 78 years old. My husband uses a wheelchair for anything over 100 meters. We brought our own special wheelchair with mountain bike like tires.
This trip could not have been done without the very special care and arrangements that Mara made. We chose to do a trip with a private driver and guide. We could go at our own pace, choose what we wanted to see, and didn’t slow anybody else down.
The arrangements made with Mara were fantastic. We received an enormous amount of help with preparations for visas, tickets, local information, tips on handling currency and tipping, how to deal with the environment, what to visit, hotels, cruise ship, everything planned to the finest detail. Never have I had a trip so well organized.
Once we began a trip, every detail worked like clockwork, even though our plane arrived late in Cairo and we missed our connection to Luxor, Mara had sent a photo of the man who would meet us. We were whisked through immigration and customs and onto the next plane. At every point in our trip our contacts and guides were punctual and enormously helpful.
We stayed in Mara House in Luxor for our first two nights, a welcome highlight to our trip. We were greeted warmly and served tea by the young man of the house who took great care to see that my husband was carefully looked after on steps and every time he stood up. The breakfast was copious and delicious, as was the meal we had on our second night. The best Egyptian meal we had in Egypt. Amr of Mara House is an excellent cook.
At one point during our flights, EgyptAir damaged our wheelchair. Although they were unwilling to undertake anything at the airport, Mara contacted all the necessary people to see that we had an attestation, which was a result of the failure on the part of EgyptAir. The planning, service, and attention to detail with Mara was extraordinary and we thank them very much.
Our guides
Our first guide was Mo, better known as Pharoah’s Son. He was very experienced and knowledgeable and came with an excellent driver. He accompanied us for visits from and around Luxor, followed us along our Nile cruise on the Concerto Plus for off board excursions, and then guided us to sites in and around Aswan including Abu Simel. His first concern was for our safety and wellbeing. Our driver usually took charge of pushing the wheelchair and when a driver was not with us, Mo took over the wheelchair duty, freeing me to concentrate on our visit. His knowledge was extensive and never tired of repeating the things we forgot from one site to another.
At the beginning of our trip my husband slipped and injured his leg. Mo saw that we had all the necessary medical supplies and informed the ship’s crew, so we were well looked after by everyone with bandages, ice packs and whatever was necessary. He made possible a final trip on our last day in the Upper Nile to visit Philae. Mo was very helpful on explanations of local customs and practices, especially as we were travelling during Ramadan and help with the Baksheesh culture. He then continued to check on us as we moved to the lower Nile and even made sure we arrived well in Jordan.
Our second guide for the lower Nile part of our trip was Mahmoud, again organized by Mara. We were fortunate in all three guides we had (Mo in the Upper Nile, Mahmoud in Cairo, and Tariq in Jordan) as we got three different perspectives on Ramadan, daily life and culture. Mahmoud was able to give us a very thorough academic visit to the sites of Saqqara, the Citadel and the Alabaster Mosque, and the GEM, the highlight of our trip. It was important to have someone as thoughly educated in the treasures of Egypt and the ancient Egyptian history and culture as the Great Egyptian Museum is so huge we would never have had been able to search out the exhibitions in a cohesive way otherwise. We spent nearly 6 hours in the museum and, although we only saw about 800 of the 53000 exhibits we felt we had a very complete tour. Again, We appreciated the punctuality and care Mahmoud showed us the entire time. We both thank Mara Tours for this excellent holiday and highly recommend her and her staff.
Section of trip on cruise boat
As my husband has a reduced mobility, a cruise boat seemed the best and most relaxing way to travel from Luxor to Aswan. As usual, Mara had everything perfectly organized. The ship, Concerto Plus was clean and comfortable and we had the first cabin on the entry floor, reducing the number of stairs we had to use. Our guide met us at each excursion stop, everything went very smoothly and we always got priority treatment as we used the wheelchair for excursions.
The best part of the cruise was the restaurant and the personnel preparing and serving the food. The food was delicious, everything from excellent local cuisine to European fine food to pizza and homemade ice-cream. As I had to manage two plates at a time, the staff right up to the chef hurried to help my husband to his seat and carry my extra plate. The food was always fresh, the buffet was well surveyed to stay full and neat, and there were more choices than one could imagine.
The only negative I would have here is the drink offerings on the cruise. The bottles and cans were very large and very expensive. I would have preferred smaller servings so I could have a couple of drinks a day rather than having to drink a half a liter in one go. This goes for soft drinks as well as beer which were often purchased in cans so couldn’t be easily kept for later. Still, all in all an enjoyable trip and all superbly organized by Mara and her staff.
This review was sent to Mara via email to post online for the clients.
Luxor My Way, With lots of help from Mara
Right off the top, we did not stay at Mara House. We did, however, book 4 days of travel, transfers and tours directly with Mara / Mara House.
Luxor has been on my bucket list as long as I can remember. Last month my husband and I finally made it here for our 40th anniversary. I pretty much knew what I wanted to see, I just needed help with planning and logistics. Unlike the large bus tours, I wanted a dedicated, personalised tour for just the two of us, with a knowledgeable guide and driver, seeing the the sites we deemed important to us.
Mara was our Ace in the Hole. I came across her blog while researching our trip and I was hooked by her honesty of telling it like it is. I contacted her with our travel dates and trip desires. She put together an itinerary as well as made suggestions for a few extra sites not even on our radar. I took her advice and went with it. WOW!! Could not have worked out better. Awesome trip! Thank you Mara!
I would also like to thank our guides. Mo, you made the West Bank "come alive". Hassan, I still show off with the ancient Egyptian "excel" spread sheet and reading of a cartouche - I am so ready for my test!
I would also like to thank Rami, our driver for all 4 days, including transfers to and from Hurghada. Such a friendly, helpful and kind man.
If you have a vision of what your ideal trip to Egypt should be, let Mara help bring it to life. No hassles, just pure enjoyment.
reviewed on TripAdvisor 11 April 2026
Right off the top, we did not stay at Mara House. We did, however, book 4 days of travel, transfers and tours directly with Mara / Mara House.
Luxor has been on my bucket list as long as I can remember. Last month my husband and I finally made it here for our 40th anniversary. I pretty much knew what I wanted to see, I just needed help with planning and logistics. Unlike the large bus tours, I wanted a dedicated, personalised tour for just the two of us, with a knowledgeable guide and driver, seeing the the sites we deemed important to us.
Mara was our Ace in the Hole. I came across her blog while researching our trip and I was hooked by her honesty of telling it like it is. I contacted her with our travel dates and trip desires. She put together an itinerary as well as made suggestions for a few extra sites not even on our radar. I took her advice and went with it. WOW!! Could not have worked out better. Awesome trip! Thank you Mara!
I would also like to thank our guides. Mo, you made the West Bank "come alive". Hassan, I still show off with the ancient Egyptian "excel" spread sheet and reading of a cartouche - I am so ready for my test!
I would also like to thank Rami, our driver for all 4 days, including transfers to and from Hurghada. Such a friendly, helpful and kind man.
If you have a vision of what your ideal trip to Egypt should be, let Mara help bring it to life. No hassles, just pure enjoyment.
reviewed on TripAdvisor 11 April 2026
I highly recommend Mara to organise your visit to Egypt. With any type of trip from full on sightseeing to relaxing in nature, you can be sure she will deliver an unforgettable and hassle free experience.
Together we planned a 2 week trip with my main focus being the many ancient sites. Mara managed to fit in my specific itinerary with places I never knew I needed to visit and the pacing was excellent from start to finish. You can really just let her do the work for you and enjoy.
Starting in Cairo and firstly moving into the western desert for nature safari, the tour operator she recommended was excellent and my desert guide was wonderful. I spent a further 2 days moving to camp in the white desert by 4x4, stopping at the black desert and crystal mountain. The food, hospitality and personal service were all excellent. I recommend this experience if you can spare the time for it, it is extremely worthwhile with natural beauty you can only find in Egypt.
Arriving back to Cairo, I met with our Egyptology guide Mahmoud, who is kind and extremely knowledgeable. He clearly takes pride in sharing the beauty of Egypt past and present. Great guy. He made things really enjoyable and went the extra mile for everything you can imagine. Also, he will give you a wealth of understanding of hieroglyphics and the deeper meaning behind iconography, which I think is really crucial to get the most from your visit.
Beginning with the pyramids of dashur and saqqara complex, we visited the bent and red pyramid. Must visit serapeum, very cool.
We visited Cairo museum, which has many interesting things you cannot find in the GEM. The Pharo’s mummies are at another Cairo museum and this was also organised.
We spent a day exploring the Giza plateau, highlight for me was the 3rd pyramid and valley temple. Both are strange and Mahmoud gives you all of the information you need without holding back your own ideas - there is a real mystery and you should explore it for yourself. We also visited the GEM on this day and Mahmoud’s experience helped us quickly navigate to the most important pieces.
In the evening I took a private visit to the pyramid with 3 others and this was a real highlight. We entered under cover of dark (cool!) and saw all areas including those which are usually closed. You have 2 hours so are not rushed. Mara specialises in organising these and it is a great opportunity if this interests you.
We saw Islamic Cairo, explored the streets of the modern city, another great day.
Then onto Luxor with flight and transfers organised by Mara, our guide following along with us. All felt very personal.
The next day, to Luxor and Karnak temples. Both incredible. Then down to Edfu for Kom - Ombo and Edfu temples. Great!
Early start for Abu Simbel - wow. Ending in Aswan. If you have the opportunity to take a small boat to the nature reserve - do. You will see many native and migratory birds.
We saw the famous Aswan dam and then moved onto Philai island temple which is beautiful.
Finally back to Luxor and our stay in Mara house with the wonderful host Amr. The food was impeccable, really delicious. I would highly recommend any traveller to Luxor to stay and eat here for a real taste of family Egyptian cooking and hospitality.
Mara house is beautiful and with a great location just beyond the touristic area, you really feel welcome and at home.
From Mara house we travelled to Abydos to see the temple of Seti I and then onto Dandara temple. Both exude a lovely, calming energy.
Our final full day spent in the Luxor West Bank with Valley of the kings, nobles, workers housing complex and Hatshepsut temple. I specially requested to see the colossi of Agamemnon which are a real treat to see in person, truly of an unimaginable scale. It is really great to spend the full day in the West Bank to take it all in.
Overall an amazing trip, very personal, very well organised - genuinely faultless. Thanks Mara, Mahmoud, Amr!
Reviewed on Fora Travel March 2026
Together we planned a 2 week trip with my main focus being the many ancient sites. Mara managed to fit in my specific itinerary with places I never knew I needed to visit and the pacing was excellent from start to finish. You can really just let her do the work for you and enjoy.
Starting in Cairo and firstly moving into the western desert for nature safari, the tour operator she recommended was excellent and my desert guide was wonderful. I spent a further 2 days moving to camp in the white desert by 4x4, stopping at the black desert and crystal mountain. The food, hospitality and personal service were all excellent. I recommend this experience if you can spare the time for it, it is extremely worthwhile with natural beauty you can only find in Egypt.
Arriving back to Cairo, I met with our Egyptology guide Mahmoud, who is kind and extremely knowledgeable. He clearly takes pride in sharing the beauty of Egypt past and present. Great guy. He made things really enjoyable and went the extra mile for everything you can imagine. Also, he will give you a wealth of understanding of hieroglyphics and the deeper meaning behind iconography, which I think is really crucial to get the most from your visit.
Beginning with the pyramids of dashur and saqqara complex, we visited the bent and red pyramid. Must visit serapeum, very cool.
We visited Cairo museum, which has many interesting things you cannot find in the GEM. The Pharo’s mummies are at another Cairo museum and this was also organised.
We spent a day exploring the Giza plateau, highlight for me was the 3rd pyramid and valley temple. Both are strange and Mahmoud gives you all of the information you need without holding back your own ideas - there is a real mystery and you should explore it for yourself. We also visited the GEM on this day and Mahmoud’s experience helped us quickly navigate to the most important pieces.
In the evening I took a private visit to the pyramid with 3 others and this was a real highlight. We entered under cover of dark (cool!) and saw all areas including those which are usually closed. You have 2 hours so are not rushed. Mara specialises in organising these and it is a great opportunity if this interests you.
We saw Islamic Cairo, explored the streets of the modern city, another great day.
Then onto Luxor with flight and transfers organised by Mara, our guide following along with us. All felt very personal.
The next day, to Luxor and Karnak temples. Both incredible. Then down to Edfu for Kom - Ombo and Edfu temples. Great!
Early start for Abu Simbel - wow. Ending in Aswan. If you have the opportunity to take a small boat to the nature reserve - do. You will see many native and migratory birds.
We saw the famous Aswan dam and then moved onto Philai island temple which is beautiful.
Finally back to Luxor and our stay in Mara house with the wonderful host Amr. The food was impeccable, really delicious. I would highly recommend any traveller to Luxor to stay and eat here for a real taste of family Egyptian cooking and hospitality.
Mara house is beautiful and with a great location just beyond the touristic area, you really feel welcome and at home.
From Mara house we travelled to Abydos to see the temple of Seti I and then onto Dandara temple. Both exude a lovely, calming energy.
Our final full day spent in the Luxor West Bank with Valley of the kings, nobles, workers housing complex and Hatshepsut temple. I specially requested to see the colossi of Agamemnon which are a real treat to see in person, truly of an unimaginable scale. It is really great to spend the full day in the West Bank to take it all in.
Overall an amazing trip, very personal, very well organised - genuinely faultless. Thanks Mara, Mahmoud, Amr!
Reviewed on Fora Travel March 2026
I am a well travelled tourist and in my 60’s, but I can honestly say I have never experienced such an eye for detail and care in scheduling an itinerary and comfort of travel in my life.
Egypt is exotic and perceived to be very alien from western culture so most first time travellers will have many anxieties and fears, but Mara (Marie) provides a full service experience and the most experienced and honest guides.
The result is a magical travel experience focused on absorbing the unique grand ancient history of Egypt and not worried on the logistics of a seemingly chaotic system.
Her secret sauce is privileged private access to sacred sights and experiences that other agencies cannot match or deliver.
I still wonder at how she delivered my amazing full itinerary at a far lower price than some large package tour operators I initially researched.
If you are looking for the best experience at the best value matched to your special needs for travel to Egypt Mara is all you need.
Reviewed on Fora Travel 10 March 2026
Egypt is exotic and perceived to be very alien from western culture so most first time travellers will have many anxieties and fears, but Mara (Marie) provides a full service experience and the most experienced and honest guides.
The result is a magical travel experience focused on absorbing the unique grand ancient history of Egypt and not worried on the logistics of a seemingly chaotic system.
Her secret sauce is privileged private access to sacred sights and experiences that other agencies cannot match or deliver.
I still wonder at how she delivered my amazing full itinerary at a far lower price than some large package tour operators I initially researched.
If you are looking for the best experience at the best value matched to your special needs for travel to Egypt Mara is all you need.
Reviewed on Fora Travel 10 March 2026
See More
- Mara House Luxor – your home away from home
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Photos of Our Suites – Take a look at the rooms you’ll call home.
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Mara House Guest Gallery – Faces and memories from over the years.
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Salahadeen Restaurant & Feast – The story behind our restaurant and its exclusive menu.
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(Coming Soon: Photo Journal of Mara House – from the first brick to today.)