We go in a few weeks on a Egypt-Jordan trip with 10 family and friends. I also have never taken a group tour and didn't want to now. I've built our own tour, booking guides, transfers, hotels, flights and a cruise. We are doing a 5 day private Nile charter, Aswan to Luxor, with Sanctuary Retreats on a dahabiya, Zein Nile Chateau. It looks like a nice boat. I sort of copied a Abercrombie and Kent tour I saw but arranged it myself to save some bucks. Time will tell if this was a wise choice.