We looked for a local agent that could organize a customized desert tour (Giza, Fayum, Djara cave, black & white deserts, great sand sea, siwa and El alamein). Minamar &Select Egypt provided us their services, which we found really excellent in organization (Raed), in guiding and teaching us (Omar), in carrying us here and there, setting the camp and cooking (Mustafà and 'Fattuta'); all for a reasonable price. I have some other travel experience, and I could affirm this is one of the best.
Highly recommended!!

The hotel in Giza was ok for a night stay . The service by Minamar was very good. The tour guide they sent was Medu , an egyptologist very knowledgeable , have a nice sense of humor. and Raed Sedki , the manager of the agency was prompt in answering all my querries and very accomodating. The price he quoted us was very reasonable , provided us with 2 great buffet lunch and entrance fees to the museum and sites we visited. If you will get the service of Minamar or any other agency I highly recommend MEDU , he is a free lance tourist guide . He is exceptional , I can say this because this is my second trip to Egypt , and I am comparing his explanation to that of my previous tour guide. Both trips we made are with a private vehicle.

If you want a customized trip in Egypt for 2 or more persons there is no better way than with Minamar. They did an excellent job in arranging our 3 week trip including the hotels and sights we wanted. The assistant manager Raed Sedki was prompt in returning e-mails before we left and always a phone call away when our trip coincided in part with the Egyptian "revolution". We always felt safe and well looked after. Racing over the dunes and crossing the Western desert in their 4 wheel drive vehicles was exilerating as were the Owases visited peaceful, taking you back centuries in time. Sailing down the Nile in their dahabiya was an amazing experience. They ran it just for us as most tourists had left by then.Through out the trip the guides were well informed and the drivers and boat crew excellent. In what must have been very trying circomstances we always felt that our vacation was still a top priority for them. I can't recommend them any higher.

www.minamar.com
We used Minamar Travel in Jan 2011 for 11 nights private tour in Eygpt. 4 star hotels in Cairo and Luxor. 5 nights on a dahabia from Luxor to Aswan. Minamar did everything they claimed they would. Organisation was good. Guides and drivers were excellent.
Traffic in Egypt is wild so it pays to have a good driver.
In Cairo we used the Hotel Barcelo Pyramids. Very comfortable and clean. Reasonably sound proof but if you are a light sleeper you will still hear some traffic noise and the prayer calls. In Luxor it was the Iberotel. Again it was very comfortable and clean. Great views if you get a room on the river side and a very attractive pool setting at the river's edge.
Minamar's own dahabia is very relaxing and a great old looking boat (it is actually quite new).
The 6 in our group were the only guests on this trip so we were very well attended to by the 12 crew. The food was excellent. Usually Egyptian style for lunch and a bit more western for dinner. The rooms were functional and beds reasonable but the bathrooms were poorly built. Hot water occasionally failed and when showering the water would be everywhere in the bathroom. Toilet paper has to be put in a bin not in the toilet. You get used to it (almost) but I have suggested they rework the whole wet area of each room and they say they have plans for just that.
We had one guide for Cairo and another while on the dahabia and they were very knowledgable friendly and flexible with the day's acttivities.
Minamar staff were there for all transfers, airport to hotel plus to and from the overnight train we used from Cairo to Luxor and back.
The only problem encounted in the whole trip was a communication problem on boarding the train. We had no cabins allocated. I think the tips didn't get to all involved but after giving the train chief the phone number of my Minamar rep it was sorted (at about 23:00). The train from Cairo to Luxor was very dirty. Beds were clean but everything else was very bad. Don't bother with the meal supplied. It is not good. Just take some food with you. The same train from Aswan to Cairo was much better. Food still not much good but the carriage was much cleaner.
Over all we very impressed with Minamar and their staff. The trip was excellent value for money and I would recommend Minamar to arrange your holiday. Of course you might want to wait until the political unrest has been sorted. We left the day before the protests started.
Egypt is a fascinating place.