A sign of a successful trip is one that transports and transforms us, especially through the eyes of a person who calls the place home. To come away from a far-off land with a new friend makes for the memories we hold most dear. 

Many travels yield friends who, like one, are similarly experiencing the destination as tourists. It is easy to bond with, not to mention identify, those who are clearly “not from here!” But one way to forge a path with locals, is through a guide. 

Experienced guides connect you to the history, place, people and food of a place. In many countries, guides have to pass proficiency tests guaranteeing a level of expertise in bringing to life any given city. 

Exceptional advisors are those for whom the work is a calling. One that weaves together pride of place, expertise and a love of people falling in love their home country. These travel professionals make making friends a way of life.

In Egypt, your exceptional travel advisory is, without question, High End Journeys. This is Egypt’s premier luxury travel agency with a combined 30+ years of experience. The team at High End Journeys has created one-of-a-kind itineraries for individuals and organizations ranging from celebrities to university alumni groups, the world over. 

It goes without saying that they are the premier guides in Egypt boasting partnerships with the Four Seasons and The Oberoi Cruises, and endorsements from Forbes, New York Times and Trip Advisor. These credentials, of course, speak to their tremendous talents.

But, to experience its founders, Ahmed Aziz and Ramez Salama, who are both trained Egyptologists—much like many of High End Journeys’ travel advisors—as they escort you through Egypt’s 4000-years of history, exceptional is the only word you’ll need. But, magical also comes to mind as traveling to Egypt is a journey from the new world to old, from ‘modern’ cities that are a century old to ancient monuments that are many centuries old, getting lost among alleyways filled with artisan workshops to finding your way into temples that are home to resting kings…. every turn you take in Egypt will make for an exotic story of an adventure across time.   

It is no surprise that the vision for High End Journeys is to connect visitors with the people of Egypt and visitors experience Egypt outside the tourist bubble; allowing Egypt to inspire and change our understanding of the world around us all. 

Any first-time visitor to Egypt will want to experience the pyramids, the museums and cruising the Nile—a journey ideally had on one of The Oberoi cruises or on a private Dahabyia sailboat, ideal for a honeymoon or with a small group of friends. High End Journeys has itineraries planned including each of these destinations. But, they also have itineraries designed to take you to the most unexpected corners of Egypt. All itineraries can be customized to one’s interests, length of stay and budget. Whatever you can dream up for your trip to Egypt, High End Journeys will make it possible.  

However, venturing further afield—whether to hidden gems and off-the-beaten path sites, the ateliers of master craftspeople, or true authentic dining experiences among the locals—is where one begins to connect with Egypt and the pride of those in love with sharing their country with travelers from near and far.

We write about High End Journeys from first-hand experience having recently traveled to Egypt and experienced High End Journeys’ hospitality and stewardship. Ahmed and Ramez and their team are the model of modern Egypt welcoming us as they would anyone to the country. It bears mentioning that Egypt is a conservative country of Muslim tradition, so traveling there as a gay couple requires respect and discretion, but with friends like Ahmed and Ramez alongside you, yours will be a transformative and safe visit; a visit they believe to be a right.

As suspected, what we will remember most about Egypt is our newfound friendship and love of this extraordinary team called High End Journeys.