It was a wonderful experience for me and my friends to take the annual vacation this year in Egypt, which was in the month of November, where the sunshine was wonderful and the temperature was moderate.
We really enjoyed the atmosphere and the facilities for entering the airport, even getting into cars and going to Luxor and Cairo, and enjoying the beaches of the Red Sea and evening events in the city of Hurghada. It was truly a tour. Great for discovering the ancient Pharaonic civilization of Egypt, going on underwater adventures, and riding buggies in the desert.
4 DAYS IN HURGHADA
Hurghada is a city with events, celebrations, and health centers for massage and relaxation. In addition, you can walk around at night without problems or harassment. Hurghada contains many night clubs and discos for staying up late and dancing.
I went on many sightseeing tours from early in the morning to the most beautiful areas for diving and swimming with fish, then relaxing on the beach of Giftun Island, known as the wonderful Orange Bay Island.
The next day, it was time to venture into the desert by riding quad bikes and riding camels, then returning to the hotel. On the third day, I took a sightseeing tour of Hurghada from the fish market, the marina, the Mina Mosque, and many famous streets such as Sheraton Street.
I was able to obtain a distinguished service and a wonderful Hurghada to Luxor Day Trips via the Internet from the wonderful website of the Hurghada Lovers Company. The owner of the institution, Mr. Tamer Ahmed, was wonderful and gave me many free gifts.
ONE DAY IN CAIRO
It was a short trip of one day to visit the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, and the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, but Cairo is very crowded and the pollution rate is high, with cars and people crowded everywhere.
2 DAYS IN SWIA – Bahariya Oasis
The Bahariya Oasis is characterized by its charming nature, in terms of location, good climate, vast desert, pure air, and beautiful green gardens, all of which reveal a good future for this wonderful and beautiful spot, such as the occurrence of investment, recreational tourism, and even medical tourism.
These large and huge marine oases are also characterized by the presence of a number of ancient Pharaonic, Roman and Greek monuments. This spot also has a set of heritage, culture, and even customs and traditions, as well as archaeological Pharaonic features that express the enchanting nature of that place and its beauty.
About Bahariya Oasis
- The Bahariya Oasis, located about 365 km southwest of Cairo in the northern part of the Ahrah Governorate (previously called the New Valley Governorate), is an authentic and significant part of Egypt’s Western Desert.
- It is also located to the south of the famous Qattara Depression. It is also connected to Giza Governorate by a land road, but it is paved, and it was also connected to the famous Farafra Oasis by a long road approximately 200 km long.
ONE DAY IN lUXOR
I visited all the most beautiful archaeological monuments in Luxor, from the tombs of the Valley of the Kings to riding a hot air balloon in the morning, riding Arabian horses, and visiting the Nubian village in Aswan. It is truly magical in winter time and the sunshine is mild.
The city of Luxor in southern Egypt is considered one of the largest open museums in the world, containing a third of the world’s monuments throughout history, as the city includes stone temples, inscriptions, drawings and tombs in the stone mountains of prehistory.
Luxor was the capital of the modern state in the ancient civilization of Egypt and was called Thebes from the period 1570-c. 1069 B.C. BC and was recognized as an important archaeological site by the UNESCO World Heritage Organization in 1979 AD.
The Egyptian government has recently developed all means of transportation between Luxor and all tourist and archaeological cities and capitals such as Cairo, Aswan, Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh to provide a good atmosphere for visitors and tourists from all over the world.
MY EXPERIENCE WITH TRANSPORTATION IN EGYPT
If you have to take a taxi within the tourist city or any city inside Egypt, you must first determine the transfer price in advance before getting into the car, as taxi drivers raise their prices exaggeratedly for tourists.
It is preferable to use company websites by searching the Internet, especially in the Google search engine, for a delivery car rental company within the tourist city.
Advice:
If you request a private car to transport you from the airport to the accommodation hotel, you must search for the best sites that provide private limousine transportation service via the Google search engine, then contact the sales and agree with them so that a private driver will be available for you with a car on the date of your arrival to Egypt and agree on transportation prices according to the budget. Your own.
You will find many drivers waiting for arrivals to receive them outside the airport, and raising the prices even more. You must be careful and agree first before taking the taxi on the amount you will get.
You can get transfer prices from the airport to any place you want to go by knowing the prices from websites that provide tourist transportation services.
If you lose contact with the transportation company that you agreed with online before arriving to Egypt, or you do not find someone to receive you at the airport, do not worry. You can use private transportation vehicles that are available in all Egyptian airports at special prices.
From experience:
I recommend Hurghada lovers agency for you to deal with and book a car or taxi or limousine service. It provides transportation services from the airport for individuals and groups, or internal transportation, and transportation from the hotel of residence to tourist places in Luxor, Cairo, and any place you want.
You can rent a car without a driver from offices and rental companies located in the city in which you live or spend your tourist vacation, at prices starting from 500 Egyptian pounds per day and increasing depending on the car model.
Experiences with taxi drivers in Egypt:
I had no choice but to take a taxi in the tourist city of Cairo and it was confusing. The driver took me to the wrong address and the price was not cheap.
Types of taxis and transportation in Egypt:
Cairo and Giza:
The metro is available at cheap prices, a white capital taxi is available, a microbus is available for transportation, large private air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned buses are available for mass transportation, a taxi is available for private transportation, and a tutuk is available in popular neighborhoods.
Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh:
A private taxi is available, and a microbus is available for group transportation for 10 people within the city.
Delta and other governorates:
A private taxi is available, a 12-person public transportation microbus is available within the city, and a tutuk is available in popular neighborhoods.
Uber and Careem application in Egypt UBER
Many incoming tourists suffer from the problem that the Uber application service is not completely reliable in Egypt, even though it is considered your best option for getting around within the city, as Uber drivers in Egypt do not use maps constantly and many errors occur.
Traffic in Cairo, Giza, Mansoura and Alexandria is constantly crowded and you will not be able to get the exact time of arrival based on traffic, so you must allow more time in addition to the specified time before requesting the service.
Driving cars in Egypt -My trip to Egypt:
A large percentage of drivers, whether private cars, transport vehicles, or taxis, do not follow Egyptian traffic laws. They are merely suggestions and decorative signs on the street only.
A large percentage of drivers drive the car in the wrong direction, even if the road is only one direction, in addition to the insane speed on the highways and not giving directions with the car light before changing the lane.
The traffic law is applied by the Traffic Police Department daily on drivers and violators, but there are drivers with a different culture who do not respect special traffic laws to protect the lives of others.
It is applied from time to time to detect drunk drivers Drugs and on all roads in Egypt. Egyptian traffic laws have been developed to help expatriates freely have a driver’s license and own a car for residents In Egypt.
Rental prices for hotel apartments in Egypt
Prices for renting a furnished studio in the tourist city of Hurghada start at 350 pounds per person without meals. You can rent a room and a hall for two people with two double beds without meals at a price starting from 400 pounds per room.
Prices for renting a room for one person in Cairo in a small hotel with breakfast start from 150 pounds to 250 pounds per night.
My experience with a hotel in Cairo:
I booked 3 nights with a very nice breakfast every morning on the balcony of my room to see the sights and life in Cairo. The total cost was 650 Egyptian pounds.
My experience with a hotel in Hurghada:
My friend and I booked a double room in a distinguished hotel in the Al-Kawthar area for 4 nights at a total cost of 1,600 Egyptian pounds.
There are all categories of hotels in Cairo, up to 7 stars, family hotels, and likewise small hotels for young people. If you want to book in advance with hotels, it is preferable to deal with the Booking website, especially with hotels in Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh.
All the hotels in which I stayed were very, very clean and the treatment and services were very upscale, and this is what distinguishes Egyptians in hotel services.
Street vendors in Egypt Buses and streets:
It is a very frustrating experience, especially in the tourist sites and attractions that you will go to. You will find many people wanting to sell things to you wherever they go and in a very, very annoying way, whether it is a domestic flight or parts and accessories.
You will feel uncomfortable whenever you go anywhere, so do not worry and make it an experience in your life to learn about the specific culture of Egyptians in selling, despite attempts by the regulatory authorities and the anti-begging and facilities administration, but to no avail so far.
My experience with street vendors in Hurghada:
Just think and walk around the main Sheraton Street in Hurghada. You will find many shop and bazaar owners trying to take you to their store, in addition to people selling watches, leather belts, and some children’s toys, intruding on you while you are walking around the city. It is really annoying.
My experience with street vendorsnIn Cairo:
I encountered a problem with shop owners who were deceptively trying to sell hand-made Pharaonic products and pieces at very, very inflated prices, despite my seriousness in buying a souvenir of my own to take back home.
Advice:
Do not deal with street vendors until you can obtain all your rights in the event of a defect in the product, in addition to purchasing the gift you want from stores with a good reputation for quality and price.
Travel procedures and obtaining a visa:
Holders of European Union passports who travel to Egypt usually need a special visa, which can be obtained from the Egyptian embassies in their country, or online through some websites designated for that, such as the websiteVisa2Egypt.
The electronic visa lasts for a maximum of 3 months, compared to only 30 days that you can spend inside Egypt through the visa that you obtain in the airport lounge upon arrival, and for a longer period that you can obtain through a visa through the Egyptian embassy in the European Union countries.
Visa fees in the arrival halls of Egyptian airports are approximately 30 euros, and are located in a group of kiosks and specialized, approved offices. These visas are valid for a maximum period of 30 days.
It is advised not to obtain a visa from an agent, in many cases, agents will charge more than 30 USD for a visa, unfairly.
Going to Egypt to just relax and enjoy:
You must be prepared from mind to heart that you are going to Egypt to spend an enjoyable time and enjoy seeing the ancient Egyptian civilization and learning about the secrets of the Pharaohs, in addition to relaxing on the beaches of the Red Sea, swimming with dolphins, and diving to see coral reefs and rare fish.
Don’t occupy your mind with anything and Finally, everyone in Egypt, especially in the tourism field, strives to ensure that you get the greatest amount of rest, relaxation, and enjoyment of your annual vacation.
MY EXPERIENCE WITH DIVING IN HURGHADA
What equipment is needed for diving trips in Hurghada?
You do not need your own diving equipment when traveling to Egypt, we provide all the diving equipment and tools needed by professional and novice divers, with certified courses for all ages.
If you prefer your own gear, a 5-7mm wetsuit is suitable for spring and fall, an optional snow jacket is recommended for the winter months, and a fairly short wetsuit is generally sufficient in summer when temperatures are high.
Otherwise, it is not recommended to take diving baggage to Egypt due to the large volume and high cost of excess baggage.
ATTENTION: If you want to take your dive computer with you, it must be in your hand luggage! So as not to break during transportation.
The Red Sea in Egypt is known to divers from all over the world as one of the best diving sites. Its gentle temperature, crystal clear waters with its colorful underwater world, and gorgeous corals (you’ll find over 200 different types of corals) will inspire anyone who dives to look at the details of aquatic life, see turtles, dolphins, and more.
Diving without a diving license in Egypt?
Can you go diving in Egypt if you don’t have a diving license from recognized organizations like PADI, NAUI, CMAS, SSI, NASE, or BSAC? Yes, you can. In Egypt, beginners can arrange for introductory dives to get a feel for diving without signing up for a full course.
While Egypt requires a diving license, it’s mainly for basic, safe diving experiences, not for challenging or advanced diving activities. This is to make sure people dive safely and are in good health, which includes regular health checks.
The most beautiful Egyptian beaches for diving
- Sharm El Naga Bay in Safaga
- Demon head In Nuweiba
- Anchorage Meteor In Marsascience
- Golan Valley in Marsa Alam
- Panas head in Marsa Alam
The most beautiful cruises and tourist tours in Egypt:
- Swimming trips with dolphins in Hurghada and Marsa Alam
- Diving trips in Hurghada, Marsa Alam and Sharm El Sheikh
- Safaris in Hurghada
- Sinbad submarine in Hurghada
- Giftun trip to Hurghada
- Reserve and Paradise trip in Hurghada
- One day trip to visit the temples of Luxor
- One day trip to visit the pyramids, the Sphinx, and the Egyptian Museum
- Nile Cruise trips to Luxor and Aswan
Arab tribes and Bedouins in Egypt
In the Arab Republic of Egypt, about five million people are part of Bedouin and Arab tribes. They are spread out across the Sinai Peninsula and in the eastern and western deserts of Egypt.
In the Matrouh area, near the border with Libya, there’s a smaller population of Bedouins and Arab tribes. These people are believed to have moved to Egypt with other tribes during the Islamic conquest of Egypt and Cairo. Most of them earn their livelihood by raising sheep and goats. They also trade with the cities near the mountains and the desert.
Arab tribes and Bedouins in the Sinai Peninsula
The Egyptian government and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi are focusing on improving the living conditions in the poorer areas of South Sinai, paying special attention to the health and education of the people there. However, despite these efforts, the Sinai tribes are still widely scattered, mainly living in the mountainous regions near the Red Sea, such as in Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh. This is the case even though new cities and developments are emerging in both the north and south of the Sinai Peninsula.
The Bedouins in the East are composed of a few Arab tribes whose main livelihood involves trading and raising goats and other animals. This group includes the Bedouins from areas like Suez, Ismailia, and Minya.
Video Tour Inside Tomb of Ramses In Valley of the Kings.
