How did we do on our plans for Cairo, Nile Cruise & Kenya Safaris?

Day 8: Depart Cairo / Fly to Kenya
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel followed by free time at your leisure. Afterwards, you will be transferred to Cairo International Airport for your flight to Nairobi. Upon arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, you will be met by our representative who will assist with the transfer to Nairobi Serena. Justly famed for its exceptional standards of efficiency, service and five-star hospitality, the elegant sophisticated Nairobi Serena Hotel is a member of ‘The Leading Hotels of the World’ and was selected as 'Kenya's Leading Business Hotel' and 'Africa's Leading Green Hotel' at the World Travel Awards 2016. Despite its pivotal central hotel location in Nairobi, Kenya, the Nairobi Serena remains true to its title and offers an oasis of serenity amidst the bustle of one of Africa's most vibrant capital cities.
Overnight at Nairobi Serena
Meals: Breakfast

Day 9: Amboseli National Park
This morning after breakfast, you will picked by your driver guide and depart to Amboseli National Park. Arrive the lodge for lunch and later on proceed on a game viewing drive in the park located at the foot of Africa's highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro. The snow-capped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro rises above a saucer of clouds and dominates every aspect of Amboseli. This park covers only 150 square miles. Despite its small size and its fragile ecosystem, it supports a wide range of mammals (over 50 of the larger species) and birds (over 400 species). Later as the sun sets, you will be transferred back to your lodge for dinner and overnight.
Overnight at Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge.
Meals: Full Board

Day 10: Amboseli National Park
This morning, enjoy a game drive. Amboseli is best known for views of spectacular Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa at some 19,341 feet. The park offers you the best opportunity to get close to the mighty elephant. You might also spot Cape buffalo, zebra, wild dog, and others. During the heat of the day, relax at your lodge. You will have a game viewing drive in the afternoon. All meals and overnight at the lodge.
Overnight at Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Day 11: Lake Elementaita
After breakfast, depart for Elementaita, stopping en route at Nairobi for lunch. Continue to Elementaita and arrive in the late afternoon. Spend the rest of the day at leisure. Dinner and overnight.
Overnight at Lake Elementaita Serena Camp
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 12: Lake Nakuru National Park
Today you will have a full day game viewing drives at Lake Nakuru National Park, a shallow alkaline lake that is world-renowned for its huge concentration of flamingos; at times, hundreds of thousands of these birds give the lake a pink shimmering glow. Lunch will be at Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge. You will have an afternoon game viewing drive.
Overnight at Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 13: Maasai Mara National Reserve
You will have a mid-morning game viewing drive in Nakuru. Later on, travel to Maasai Mara, Kenya’s most famous wildlife reserve arriving at 1600hrs. Embark on a game viewing drive on arrival as you are transferred to your camp for dinner and overnight. The Maasai Mara is arguably Kenya’s most popular game reserve. It is most famous and most visited game reserve in Kenya. The film “Out of Africa” was made to a great extend in this sanctuary. There is a profusion of all types of wildlife including the big five. A spectacle worth seeing is the annual migration of millions of wildebeests, zebras, and the gazelles from the Serengeti plains across the Tanzania border and the Mara river to reach Maasai Mara grazing fields from late June. The game reserve abounds with birdlife; about four hundred and fifty two odd species have been recorded.
Overnight at Mara Serena Safari Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 14: On safari in Maasai Mara
Take another sunup game drive after muffins and coffee. Keep in mind, each game drive is distinct, and since the camps are small, the drives can be tailored to the group's preferences. Your driver and guide can always stop for an hour or so if you come across a lioness on a hunt. Return to lodge for a late brunch; then keep a look out for game, read or just kick back. After lunch and a siesta, set off on your late afternoon game drive. At the end of the drive, you'll stop for a drink and watch nightfall over the Maasai Mara.
Overnight at Mara Serena Safari Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 15: Final Departure – Fly Back Home
After breakfast at the Camp, bid farewell to the Maasai Mara as you set on your journey back to Nairobi. Drive back down the Great Rift Valley to Nairobi, passing the dormant volcano, Mount Longonot, and Lakes Elementaita and Naivasha on the way. Keep an eye out for herds of giraffe and gazelle and head up the escarpment. You will arrive in Kenya's bustling capital city Nairobi in the early afternoon where you will be transferred to the Jomo Kenyatta International airport for your departure flight back home. Say goodbye to the wonderful country and promise to join us on another expedition.
Meals: Breakfast

Included

Meet and greet service by our representatives upon your airport arrival
Assistance with guest relations during your stay
All transfers via private air-conditioned vehicle
Domestic flight tickets from Cairo to Luxor and Aswan to Cairo
Accommodation for 3 nights in Cairo, including daily breakfast
Accommodation for 4 nights on a 5-star superior Nile Cruise ship, full board
Accommodation for 1 night in Nairobi Serena, including breakfast
Accommodation for 2 nights in Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge, full board
Accommodation for 2 nights in Mara Serena Safari Lodge, full board
Accommodation for 1 night in Lake Nakuru Sopa Lodge, full board
Accommodation for 1 night in Lake Elementaita Serena, full board
Private sightseeing tours in Cairo (listed on itinerary)
Sightseeing tours on the cruise shared with a Memphis Tours group
Entrance fees to all sites mentioned on the itinerary
Bottled water during outings outside of hotel or cruise ship
Transportation in a chauffeur driven 4 x 4 land cruiser with a pop up roof for photography.
Two-way long range high frequency radio communication in each vehicle.
On safari accessories : First-aid kit, wildlife books, a pair of binoculars, coolbox and fire extinguisher.
Complimentary 500 ml mineral water per person per game drive in the safari vehicle.
All game viewing drives by Land Cruiser
All parks entrance fees as indicated in the itinerary.
24 hours stand-by contact number.
Meals as indicated in the itinerary.
Portage as needed
All service charges and taxes
All meals mentioned on the itinerary
Local English speaking tour guide
Excluded

International Airfares
Cairo / Nairobi flight
Entry visa To Egypt and Kenya
Personal spendings
Optional activities
Tipping

Yes, I have heard of Memphis Tours. I got a quote from them when I was putting together our trip to Egypt. This is the standard itinerary for Egypt. We wanted a private tour for 2 people. In the end, we chose Go Luxor tours for our trip to Egypt.

Here is my trip report;
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/egypt-5-000-years-in-13-days
And photobook
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZbqEi9TkLDCq9EYU6

Your tour looks good, except you spend less time that we did in Egypt and missed Abu Simbel. Also, you miss the Step Pyramid (oldest pyramid).

Our Egypt tour was 12 days in Egypt 2 day transit before and after the tour from NYC with paid airfare.
Total cost for the two of us with Gate 1 Travel was $7,000.

Our Safari in Kenya and Tanzania, including a day tour of Nairobi was a total of 10 days and cost us $9,000. We stayed at the same hotels you named in Nairobi and in the Masa Mari.

Here are some reviews of Memphis Tours:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.memphistours.com

21% rated it the LOWEST two ratings of 5.
I found TripAdvisor's rating at 3.5, that is OK, but not spectacular.

My view is that the hotels look good and the places you visit look fine. Still, 21% of reviews unfavorable are not good.

Suggest you do more research and compare with others.
How much is your airfare?

Thank you for the comparison. I appreciate it

For fun I typed in gate one travel into that website you showed me that had the reviews. Their reviews were far worse than Memphis. I was very surprised.

Regarding Gate one travel. We've traveled with twice before and will be forever loyal to the way they treated us when the government's shut down everything for the pandemic. They Fully refunded our money and got us back home safely.

While I definitely think Memphis has some legitimate concerns I guess I'm going to have to wait and see how our trip turns out.

Already put the down payment down and full payment will be due very soon.
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/gate1travel.com

That 17k does include all of our flights and transportation

Total cost for the two of us with Gate 1 Travel was $7,000

geovagriffith, I wish you would clarify that your price no longer exists. I mentioned to you in another post that when I looked at Gate 1 tours, the cost for the same tour you took was at least one-third higher that what you paid. I realize you like Gate 1, but quoting that price is misleading in my opinion.

You are right. Your tour is a bit of a whirlwind, packing a lot into two weeks. As long as you are okay with that, it sounds great.

Mardee,
Yes, the price for our tour has gone up, but there is a 13 day tour that doesn't do Abu Simbel that has prices very close to our tour.
I did get a promotional discount for our tour because I had a gate 1 account. Gate 1 routinely offers discounts to account holders.

I am booked on two more Gate 1 tours, one of which I booked prior to the promotion offer. Still, it was prior to final payment and Gate 1 gave me the $900 discount.

I am not trying to mislead anyone. I expect people to do their own research, comparing different companies offers as well as prices.
I still compare prior to booking future tours.

George, that's fine, but I still think you should clarify the price in the interest of full disclosure.

And the same thing with the promotional discount. You did not mention it until I said something about the price. I think things like that should be fully disclosed, especially when you are promoting something like this to another member here.

Mardee,
Just proving my earlier point about discounts for tours, I just received an email promo from Gate 1 Travel offering a discount of $1000 pp on the very tour that I mentioned, the 13 Day Classic Egypt Tour.
Instead of $3700 it is now $2700pp.

That is even less that what I paid for my tour, of course it is one day shorter and doesn't go to Abu Simbel.