Rising Egypt brings together local knowledge, personal connection and a shared passion for creating meaningful journeys.
What began with organising two group trips a year gradually grew into a fully established partner for creating and organising individual journeys throughout Egypt.
Today, we are also an officially registered tourism service provider in Egypt, allowing us to organise and manage our journeys locally from start to finish.
Behind Rising Egypt are Veerle Wauters and Younes Azzam, together with the Egyptian team with whom we bring our journeys to life on the ground. A collaboration that brings together different strengths, local knowledge and a personal approach to create a journey that truly fits you.
Discover our story here.
Younes Azzam
A life dedicated to Egyptology
From a young age, I felt a deep connection with ancient Egypt. This fascination led me to begin my training as a tour guide at the Luxor Egyptology Institute, where I graduated as an Egyptian tour guide in 2015.
My desire to learn more never stopped, and I continued my studies in Egyptology. In December 2022, I proudly received my Master’s degree in Egyptology. I am currently continuing my research towards a PhD in Egyptology.
During our journeys, I share my knowledge and my love for ancient Egypt. I love bringing temples and tombs to life by sharing the stories, symbolism and history behind them.
For those who want to look further and discover more, my academic background can add an extra layer. I am passionate about exploring the smallest details, making connections between different aspects of Egyptian civilisation, and reading hieroglyphs. Those who know me know that no question is too much or too difficult, and that I genuinely enjoy going deeper together, discovering new insights and looking at things from different perspectives. It is precisely this exchange, and the sharing of knowledge, that makes this work so special to me.
As co-founder of Rising Egypt, I work together with our Egyptian team to create individual journeys shaped around the interests and wishes of our travellers. Whether you are discovering ancient Egypt for the first time or already have a strong interest in Egyptology, we adapt our knowledge to what truly interests you along the way.
For more information, feel free to email me at info@risingegypt.com.
Veerle Wauters
Inner peace and harmony
In February 2018, I travelled to Luxor for the first time. It became a journey that left a deep impression on me. It felt as though something within me had been touched, awakening memories of a life filled with deep inner peace, harmony and love. I felt that the ancient energies and powerful energy fields of Egypt were still present and could still be felt.
Soon, I felt a strong desire to introduce others to Egypt in this way — with respect for the beauty, magic and power of this country, and with space for stillness, meditation and personal growth.
In Belgium, I work as an alternative therapist and yoga teacher. In my practice, I support people with, among other things, stress release, trauma release and allergy elimination.
I like to bring this experience into our group journeys and retreats in Egypt. Alongside discovering the ancient sites and places of power, there is space to slow down, move, relax and turn inward.
Would you like to learn more about my work in Belgium? Feel free to visit www.mannahuis.be.
And if you would like to discover a new chapter in my life’s work, we are currently building a retreat centre in Greece. Take a look at Touch Infinity Lefkada.
Our Egyptian team
What started with two is gradually growing into a larger team.
Most of our trips are still personally guided by Younes. At the same time, we now have a number of experienced Egyptian tour guides on our team who can step in when several journeys overlap or when Younes is unexpectedly unavailable. This allows us to ensure continuity in the guidance and support we provide throughout your journey.
Our team is also growing behind the scenes. The administration, planning and follow-up of our journeys are gradually being taken on by an Egyptian team member as well. Step by step, we are building a strong local operation while keeping the personal approach and quality that are at the heart of Rising Egypt.
Any questions?
Do you have questions about our journeys, retreats or the way we work? Feel free to get in touch through our contact page. We are always happy to connect personally, share our love and knowledge of Egypt, and help you with any practical questions as you prepare for your journey.
Subscribe to our newsletter and stay up to date with our journeys, retreats and stories from Egypt.