Egyptian Adventure of a Lifetime: Don't Miss the Bedouin Village Excursion!

Hey guys, my husband and I recently went on an epic adventure in Egypt, and one of the most unforgettable experiences was the 'Bedouin Village' excursion. We were recommended it by people who'd been twice, and I was curious to learn more about the Bedouin people - who they are, what they're all about, and why they live in the desert.

We booked the excursion through Sanmar, an official tour operator.

Our day started at 8 am sharp. A Sanmar rep arrived at our hotel, invited us to hop in a 4x4, and off we went. The vehicle was designed for 8 people, and we were all Russian-speaking tourists. It was a bit cramped, but we all made do. We drove for about 40 minutes to the designated spot, and after a bumpy ride (let's just say it was a wild ride!), we arrived at the base camp.

This was our guide, a lovely Russian woman who'd married an Egyptian and now lives and works in Egypt. She's been leading tours for years and knows the desert like the back of her hand. We met up with other 4x4s carrying more tourists, and we even had a chance to grab a snack if we'd missed breakfast. My husband and I had packed some dry snacks from the hotel, so we decided to fuel up instead. Don't forget to bring plenty of water from the hotel - the desert sun can be unforgiving, and water is essential.We also picked up some headscarves, or arafats, from the base camp. We hadn't brought any headgear, and our guide kindly helped us tie them on. With our new headgear in place, we set off once more.

Our first stop was a thrilling ride on quad bikes. Before we could hop on, we had to sign a waiver, declaring we were fit to ride and had no medical conditions that might put us at risk. The ladies had to sign a separate form confirming they weren't pregnant. Then, we were fitted with helmets - no exceptions!

I was a bit hesitant to ride at first, but after a few attempts, I realized it was tougher than I thought. Luckily, one of the staff members offered to ride behind me and provide some guidance.

They even let me take off my helmet for a quick photo op.

I spent about an hour cruising through the desert with my friends. After 20 minutes, I was getting the hang of it, and I was loving every minute of it – even with the sand flying in my face! The only downside was that we were all bunched up, so we couldn't really pick up speed.

I left the excursion point with a great attitude, wondering what was next. About 20 minutes later, we made a stop in the middle of the desert. The main attraction was the Tree of Life – yeah, that's what they call it! It's a tree that's grown up in the middle of the desert, surrounded by sand and rocks. It's a pretty unique sight.

I also climbed up a rocky hill to see what was on the other side. And let me tell you, the view was amazing!

After another 10 minutes of driving, we stopped to enjoy the oasis and the beautiful view.

Next, we headed to the base, where we could rent these cool buggies and drive them through the desert. The controls were way easier to handle than the sandboards – just gas, brakes, and steering. My husband and I were paired up in one buggy, and we had a blast racing each other for about 30 minutes.

Our next move was a bit bigger - about 40 minutes. And finally, we made it to the Bedouin village. Our guide told us that this wasn't actually a real Bedouin village. It was a replica of one that's a few kilometers from our arrival point. The Bedouins don't like having guests in their homes, and they need the money, so they come to this specially created village to work and show us what their real lives are like.

The first stop on our itinerary was camel riding. We were warned right off the bat that there would be a lot of kids begging for money, and also that after the ride, they'd ask for cash to take a photo with you. Our guide strictly forbade us from giving them any money.

I really enjoyed the camels - I love animals, and this was my first time riding one. They didn't smell bad at all to me.

If you notice, some of the Bedouins are wearing colorful clothes, while others are in black. It's not just a coincidence. Girls before they hit puberty are considered kids and have to wear colorful clothes and can show their faces and hair. After that 'day of reckoning', they have to wear a black outfit and can't show their faces to anyone except their family members. This outfit signals that they're ready to have kids and get married. Yeah, I wouldn't want to live there. After our camel ride, we went to explore the village. We were invited to a workshop on making Bedouin bread. And get this - they use camel poop as fuel for the fire. Not literally, of course - they use it to heat up a metal plate. Bedouin bread is similar to Armenian lavash. The dough is made from water and flour, rolled out super thin, and baked on an improvised 'grill'.

By this time, we were all starving, so this freshly baked bread flew out of the oven in no time.

Next, they set up a masterclass on how to make a beautiful Egyptian souvenir out of sand.

Before making the souvenir, the sand is carefully selected and goes through a cleaning process. Then it's colored with special paints. But the guy who was making these souvenirs already had pre-prepared sand, and he started creating magic right before our eyes. Check out what he came up with.

We couldn't resist buying this beauty as a souvenir. Now I'm obsessed with these little bottles at home. We also bought 'toothbrushes' made from special wood in this village.

The Bedouins use these sticks to clean their teeth, which is why they have such healthy and strong teeth. Honestly, I wasn't a fan - I love fresh breath, and after using these, I don't get that feeling.Next, they took us to their zoo. I was amazed at how many animals they had, including snakes and spiders.

I had a dry biscuit from the hotel and decided to feed them.

And my husband decided to give the ostrich a drink. The ostrich seemed pretty happy about it.

That's what we encountered in the zoo.

After the zoo, we were taken to dinner. And let me tell you, it was a real feast. They had this huge buffet set up with all sorts of food - salads, hot dishes, sides, fruits, and pastries. And if you were feeling thirsty, you could grab a cup of coffee or tea. I was stuffed by the time I was done, but I still managed to take a few photos around the village.

Next up was the national concert. We were seated on these comfy seats where you could even stretch out. I was loving the belly dancing and the guys' traditional dances in those big skirts. The concert went on for about 40 minutes. As it got darker, we were treated to a stunning sunset in the desert.

As the day drew to a close, it was time to head back to the hotel. The return trip took about an hour and a half, and we were all pretty exhausted but happy by the time we arrived. It had been a packed day, after all.

Throughout the day, a video operator was capturing all the action. You could buy the footage on a memory stick for an extra fee, but we decided to pass. The operator was trying to get everyone in the group in the shot, so you'd only see a few seconds of yourself in the hour-long video. I mean, why pay for other people's faces?

I also took away a valuable lesson from this excursion: people are all different, but we're all our own masters of happiness. There was a mom and daughter in our jeep who were just miserable the whole time. They wouldn't even get out to look at the Tree of Life, and the mom didn't even bother to try the camel ride. The daughter was frantically searching for Wi-Fi in the middle of the desert. It was clear to me why they were struggling with their weight – if they just had a positive attitude, life would seem so much better. So, I made a mental note to myself: if something's worth seeing, you should go check it out right now.

Do you need to bring cash for this excursion? It's not necessary, as everything's included in the price. You might want to bring some extra for souvenirs, though.

I absolutely loved this excursion, and if Egypt ever opens up again (fingers crossed that happens soon), I'll be back for another round. Next time, though, I'll choose a program that lets me ride a quad bike back to the hotel instead of a jeep.