I was just chillin' by the pool in Hurghada last spring, not planning on any excursions at all. But these managers would come up to you, show you some sweet pics, and try to convince you to join their Super Safari tour.

Next thing I knew, we were all fired up to go on this adventure. One morning, we headed to sign up for dinner at one of the limited restaurants on the resort property, and that's when we met a girl from our country. She recommended a tour operator in Hurghada, sent us her Telegram contact, and said they had the same excursions as the resort's guide, but at a fraction of the cost. They'd already tried it out, and everything was legit.

The plan for the super safari was to leave around 12 pm. We'd head out on jeeps to a Bedouin village, where we'd ride camels, have some tea, and then head back to the base. After that, we'd get to ride quad bikes and buggies, have lunch, watch a show, and be back around 7 pm.

The cost (March 2024) was 870 EGP or around $28 per person. For our family (two adults and a 5-year-old), we paid 2175 EGP. That's half the price with a kid.

The tour took place at the Safari Castle tourist center, which was the closest one to our resort.

I mean, these centers are everywhere, and it's not like they'd take you too far out into the desert. Plus, they ask you to bring an arafatka (water bottle) each, and the rest is up to you.

They picked us up from the resort, took us to the tourist center on a small bus, and then split us into groups of 6-8 people. We got into these UAZ-style jeeps and set off. We drove for about 20-25 minutes down a pretty rough road, getting pummeled with dust. The stop was supposed to be a Bedouin village, but it turned out to be just a little enclosure for a few camels and a makeshift stall selling local handicrafts. The jeep dropped us off near the camels, which were pretty uncooperative and exhausted. We climbed on, and the local ladies led us on a little procession and took some photos for us)

Local landscapes. SuperSafariLocal landscapes. SuperSafariOn a scale of 1 to 5, I'd give the camel ride a 3. The camels looked pretty miserable, and it was hot for them. Riding on them was a bit scary, and the way they got you off was pretty sketchy. We took some photos, and I'll never forget it) Camel Safari. Camel RideNext, they took us to a tent, a local shop, and tried to sell us something. But they did it so poorly, I don't even remember what they were selling. That's where the camel safari and the tent were supposed to be, and there was supposed to be a Bedouin village. But, in reality, the Bedouins didn't live there - maybe they will someday, but not now. It's just a temporary stopover, a kind of touristy atmosphere.

Camel Safari. Local Shop Stopover in the Bedouin Village. Camel SafariOur next stop was a tea party. Under a canopy. In tiny cups. With a weird taste. I think there was supposed to be some kind of legend or description of the tea, but our guide spoke poor English, and we didn't understand him, and he didn't speak Russian. But we had a great time chatting with our new friends - about everything and nothing. We were just relaxing.

Stopover in the Bedouin Village. Camel SafariWe got back on our jeeps, and not for long! We drove to the quad bikes. I love the collection of all sorts of vehicles. There's always a bunch of young guys who are easy-going and just having a good time. I guess I'm just getting old))). As for the quad bikes, the whole quad park was really worn out, they were hard to start, and kept breaking down. You'll need goggles, preferably professional ones. They might be available for rent, or your guide might feel sorry for you and lend you theirs)

Quad bike stop on Super Safari My iron horse on Super Safari Quad bike. Super Safari Quad bikes. Super SafariWe rode in a convoy, with all sorts of people: moms with kids and guys with a whole lot of adrenaline. We'd stop all the time to take in the scenery and snap some photos (it felt like I was the only one in the desert on a quad bike!). The whole trip took 50 minutes, with 20 minutes each way, a few stops in between.

I'd say it was unforgettable? That's a bit of a debate.

Buggy. Super SafariWe switched to the other vehicles - the buggies. They're way easier to handle, and the machines themselves are lighter. I actually had more fun on those. The track was similar in length and duration.

Buggy. Super SafariNext up was lunch. There's a little cafe near the quad bike base, and they served up some decent grub, but not a lot of it. We had to supplement with some snacks we'd brought along.

Our camp on Super Safari Waiting for the evening show on Super SafariThen we waited for ages. In the middle of this makeshift camp was a wooden stage, surrounded by cushions. We lounged around, waiting for the show to start. You know what would've been nice? Some peanuts. Our guide would occasionally chime in with some commentary, but mostly he was just collecting tips.)

Evening show at SuperSafari Evening show. SuperSafari. Men's dance with skirts. "We were waiting" for the show. It was a traditional men's dance with skirts - tanoura. They danced great, interacted well with the audience, and even a few people got up and joined in. Then there was the women's eastern dance. I'm not sure if we're just jaded, but we've seen better. But the girl was trying her best. The show lasted around an hour.We got back to the hotel quickly. Just in time to get hungry (for the first time during our trip) and enjoy a meal.

In the end, I'll say this: guys, don't bother. But you won't believe me. We didn't believe ourselves when our hotel neighbors by the pool said: it's a waste! You have to go once: get your adrenaline pumping, inhale some dust, take a sick quad bike photo. We didn't regret it, but we won't be back.