Holidays in Egypt are not only about enjoying the beauty of coral reefs. Even without going far from the hotel, tourists can go on very interesting excursions. EcoTourism EXPERT tells the readers about very interesting excursions not far from Sharm el-Sheikh, as well as about the cost of the excursions this year and the nuances of their payment by the Russian tourists.
For most tourists, a vacation on the Red Sea coast is associated only with leisurely entertainment of time and swimming along the coral reefs from time to time. Some tourists are aware of a chance to go from Hurghada or Sharm el-Sheikh to Cairo to see the pyramids. However, not every tourist can afford such a tour. Firstly, the price is relatively expensive and it is from $200 for two persons, depending on the ‘appetite’ of a particular hotel guide. Prices for such trips at travel agencies are much cheaper, they are on average $55 per person. It is clear that in Cairo, the tourists need to pay for the entrance to the Cheops Pyramid (if tourists want to stand in line for a long time and pay $15 per person to see its narrow corridors). Tourists can also take a boat ride along the Nile for additional $10.
The main disadvantage of such excursions is that they take long. Normally, a trip from a hotel to Cairo and back takes at least one day, although tourists usually return to their favorite ‘all inclusive’ lifestyle only after 26-27 hours. By the way, the cost of a visa allowing the tourists to travel outside the tourist enclave (another $30 per person) must also be added to the cost of a tour.
The issue of security is also important. It is not uncommon for buses with tourists to get into accidents...
Four wheelers
Tourists can go on at least several interesting, cheaper and much shorter excursions close to Sharm el-Sheikh. And this is not a yacht trip to coral reefs, as they might think.
One of the very interesting and beautiful excursions ‘underrated’ by many tourists is watching the sunrise in a desert.
First of all, tourists should be prepared that they have to get up very early because usually, the bus picks up travelers from their hotels between 4:30 a.m. and 5 a.m. In summer, the trip starts even earlier - in a word, it is necessary to start from the hotel early to arrive to the place at least an hour before the sunrise.
Ahmed Fath, the owner of the Safari Center, says that almost any traveler can enjoy a safari using ATVs. “If a child is over 12 years old, he or she can already drive a four-wheeler, and for those tourists who have health problems, we have comfortable buggies, so they can sit next to a driver as passengers,” he explains.
The today’s young tourists are sure to prefer driving a four-wheeler. At the Safari Center that arranged our excursion, the speed was regulated not with a vehicle handle, but with a lever, just like on electric scooters popular with young people.
Therefore, practically no additional safety training is required. The instructors only explain that tourists need to be in a road-train of vehicles, not drive off the road and be sure to wear a crash-helmet. A keffiyeh, a scarf that should be tied around the head like a mask to protect it from dust in the desert, would also be quite useful. Shoes are also of importance. Although many people say that it’s better to wear sneakers to watch the sunrise, this is not necessary at all. Of course, they definitely shouldn’t put on flip-flops, a pair of strappy sandals is okay, as well as an ordinary T-shirt and shorts because the temperature is quite comfortable, at least 23 to 25 degrees Celsius, even at October nights in the Egypt’s desert.
Walking past the Bedouins in silence
And then everything is ready to start the ‘sunrise’ journey. By the way, it’s worth mentioning that it’s better taking an individual tour rather than a group one. The difference in price is only $10, but travelers can get a better experience in an individual trip - it’s for sure!
“If you take an individual tour, you still go with the main group most of your trip, perhaps, at a little distance from the tourist group. The second advantage is that driving an ATV together with another one or two 4-wheeler drivers is much more comfortable than when ten or more people are in a tourist group. And finally, there is one point on the route during the sunrise where a small number of people is the biggest advantage,” explains Ahmed Fath.
This place is a canyon in a small valley located between the mountains. Every tourist group stops here to listen to the silence and, to look at the stars in absolute darkness when the outlines of the mountains can only be guessed. The silence here is so amazing that it seems as if you can hear the blood running through your veins and your neighbor’s heart beating. Indeed, it is impossible to get such impressions with a group of tourists, you can get them if there are only not more than two persons next to you.
Well, then the tourists make another push and reach the so-called ‘Bedouin camp’. I say ‘so-called’, because it is clear to any even inexperienced tourist that these Bedouins work for the Egypt’s tourism industry and are not real nomadic shepherds leading a tribal lifestyle. However, there is an opportunity at this place to shake off some road dust, enjoy a cup of strong and aromatic tea or coffee, and ride a camel. I’ll like to emphasize that a cup of tea is for free, but coffee costs 2 dollars, and any tourist would gladly pay this sum of money for a cup of delicious ‘Turkish coffee’, that is practically a cup of very aromatic and strong espresso. By the way, this is why it is worth taking some cash with you despite the strong recommendations of your hotel guides that you do not need money during this trip.
Besides, you need money to pay for riding a camel. By the way, a well-known and humorous saying that “boosting up into a camel is free, but getting off is 10 dollars” does not work here; the price is announced right away when you come. And the riding a camel is like a leisurely walk when a Bedouin leads the camel on a leash. But it looks exotic, so why not to try?
After all the tourists had tea or coffee and took a lot of photos with the camels, in fact, the most important part of the tour program begins - watching the sun rising.
Heading for sunrise!
“I would like to tell you that you won’t be able to watch the sunrise in the desert alone as this excursion is actually one of the most popular in Sharm el-Sheikh because it’s cheap and takes very little time,” warns Safari Center owner Ahmed Fath.
And he is absolutely right! From the Bedouin camp, tourists go to a fairly wide valley surrounded by mountains, entire road-trains of various ATVs pass along the road raising dust as dozens of tourists every now and then rush past you leaving the smell of gasoline and clouds of dust.
However, the sunrise is ‘worth a mass’ (like Paris in the saying ‘Paris is worth a mass’ attributed to Henry of Navarre). Due to the desert dust hanging in the air, the sun rising from behind the mountains becomes dark red at first and then even bright pink, painting the desert in its very beautiful shades. All the ATVs stop for a moment as everyone starts taking pictures and video on their smartphones, and there was a moment of absolute stillness in the valley.
“It’s worth going on such an excursion even for these few minutes of the stunning sunrise. Merging with the nature of Egypt and getting to know the Bedouins’ lifestyle gives you a new exciting experience and the chance of immersing yourself a little in the culture of our country. Before this excursion, many tourists had no idea that in Sharm el-Sheikh, there were other interesting attractions besides the coral reefs near the hotel, but they come now to us year after year and have made watching the beautiful sunrise in the Sinai desert their annual family tradition,” Ahmed Fath added.
For those who cannot do without enjoying the beauty of coral reefs and swimming in the Red Sea in the morning, it is worth mentioning that they return to the hotel from this ‘sunrise’ excursion at 8 a.m. So, they also have time for breakfast!
Well, mentioning the prices. If you take a ‘sunrise’ tour from the hotel guides, it can cost you about $35 per person to see the sunrise in the Sinai desert individually and about $25 in a group of tourists. It’s up to you to make a choice.
Another nuance is the payment service provided specifically for the Russian tourists. If tourists don’t have enough cash to pay for any service, wi-fi will be provided to them and they can make the payment through the online banking application during the excursion. We got the impression that every Egyptian seller has his ‘cater-cousin’ in Russia who can accept payment in this way.