Hello everyone!

I've been writing articles and reviews about Egypt more often lately, and I think it's because I just got back from this amazing country two months ago and I'm feeling nostalgic. Today, I'm going to tell you about my trips there - I went four times, so I've got plenty to share.

The desert from a plane♥The backstory♥

A safari in Egypt is one of the most popular excursions. Almost everyone wants to go racing on quad bikes in the desert. And most people leave happy. It's a blast, a ton of adrenaline. Egypt's terrain makes it possible, and the person who came up with this business idea is a genius. Many people love speeding along, and doing it on a quad bike in the desert and on dunes is a unique challenge to yourself. That's why I made an effort to overcome my fear and decided to enjoy this extreme experience like everyone else.

The waiting area before the safari♥The first time♥

I still remember my first trip to the desert on a quad bike. My boyfriend and I arrived early in the morning, chose the morning excursion. It was late October, not as hot as it would be in July. The group was pretty big, people from several hotels. I brought a regular scarf and some sunglasses, but the guide told me to get the sunglasses from them, that my ones wouldn't be good enough. I believed him at first, but then I found out it was just a scam for $3. We paid $60 for two quad bikes for the first time. They divided us into groups and offered a training ride. Everyone managed fine. But when we started racing, I realized my quad bike was veering to the right and I couldn't handle it - I almost crashed into a fence. The guide came over, got annoyed, took my quad bike, and put me on my boyfriend's. Although we paid for two rentals. That was a nightmare. Of course, we didn't argue at the time, there were a lot of people in the group and nobody wanted to stop.

The ride was pretty intense, we were going around 70 km/h. On the dunes, I thought I was going to throw up, I was holding on for dear life. When we arrived at the Bedouin village, they offered us tea and a hookah, and we could ride camels.

I've got to say, the Bedouin village is basically a tourist trap - the Bedouins don't actually live there.
We rode camels for a minute, and the Bedouin guide was waiting for us to pay up, so we gave him a buck. Then we headed up the mountain to check out the view of the desert. After that, it was another 25 km back to the parking lot on the dunes.
When we got back, they had us sit on some cushions, gave us water, and we waited for the national dance show, which was followed by a money collection. To be honest, I wasn't impressed with the dance - it was pretty basic, and there was just a small fire show to top it off.

Free hookahRented sunglasses
♥Why I went back again♥

My boyfriend finally convinced me to go on another safari with him. This time, I got to choose the adventure. I picked a sunset safari along the coast, which sounded amazing. I was a bit nervous about riding a quad bike again, but we managed to negotiate the price down to $40. The guide, however, asked everyone to say we paid $60. Classic scam, right?
But hey, for $40, it was just for us. I have to give myself credit – I could've probably sold the guide his own tour for top dollar!
So, we got picked up from the hotel, and there were seven of us in total. I was prepared with my arafatka and sunglasses. We had some French folks with us, and I overheard the guide trying to rip them off. He wanted $10 for the arafatka and €6 for the sunglasses rental. I wasn't having it, so I gave my arafatka to the French guy and suggested he use my spare sunglasses. I had a backup pair in my backpack. The guide was not happy with me, but the French guy was super grateful!
The guide tried to separate the French folks from the rest of us, putting them on a different quad bike. I later found out they paid €120 for the two of them. That's just ridiculous. The cost of this excursion is supposed to be around $10-$15.
So, we were left with five people, including a family with a 10-year-old kid. The problem was that we were cruising at 30 km/h, which wasn't exactly exciting. The dad was driving with the kid, but he wasn't exactly speeding, and the mom couldn't keep up, so we had to wait for her all the time. By the time we reached the beach, the sunset was almost over, and we only got to see it for five minutes. We did get to ride camels, though, and the guide told us to head back since it was getting dark and we had a 25 km ride ahead of us. He left the family in the middle of nowhere and took the rest of us on a wild ride, finally managing to hit 72 km/h. We went back to pick up the family, and they were all pretty understanding. We headed back to the hotel, and the next day, we went to complain. We ended up reaching a compromise – they offered us another excursion for $40, but this time, it would just be the two of us and the guide. And that was the best safari experience ever!
We rode our quad bikes at 70 km/h through the desert, watching the sunset, and driving through the dunes in the dark. It was a total redemption after our previous two failed attempts. So, when I go on another safari, I know exactly what to negotiate: price and conditions. As a bonus, they dropped us off at the hotel in a cool jeep, which usually costs extra.

View in a Bedouin village Road in the desert Safari on the beach September 2020And then there's the photo collection from the great desert photographers - the difference is the year! These photos make every tourist want to go out and take their own shots! At first, it was kind of cool, but by the third time, I just wanted to floor it.

October 2019 September 2020 September 2020
♥Safari in pandemic times♥

The 2020 pandemic affected people's lives all around the world, but not in Egypt. They just don't care about the rules - it's routine for them, and they're not making any money. I don't think they take this virus seriously. And yet, some restrictions were introduced by the government, which didn't exactly make the local businessmen happy
*No entertainment program, just quad biking.
*Few tourists, and they're taken in smaller groups
*No shisha in the Bedouin village.
*They take half the capacity in the transport.
Although, there are some exceptions to the last point.

Some Tips to Keep in Mind

I wouldn't recommend taking the morning safari from May to September - it's way too hot, and no amount of sunscreen is going to save you.Wear clothes and shoes that you don't mind getting sandy, because you'll be covered in the stuff.Don't forget to slather on the sunscreen - the sun in the desert is no joke.Bring a hat and some sunglasses, trust me on this one.Pack some water, you'll need it.Bring a backpack to carry all your gear, it's way easier than trying to juggle everything.From May to September, try to schedule your safari for after lunch, it's a lot more pleasant.Bring some small bills, the Bedouins are counting on it. The Final Word

In most cases, the person you're with is the one who wins the lottery. Maybe you'll get lucky, maybe you won't. I've heard stories of groups of 25 people and it was way more epic than our individual safari adventure. If I ever go back to Egypt, I'll definitely do another safari - it's a blast and super atmospheric. And don't be afraid of the quad bikes, it's just like riding a bike if you know what you're doing. Just remember, if something's not right, speak up - you're being taken for a ride and you deserve to get what's coming to you!

I wrote a ton about my experiences in Egypt, if you're interested, check out these posts:

My Egypt travel guide, including tips on how to avoid getting scammed

My review of the Albatros Jungle Aqua Park hotel

Two types of tours in Luxor - what you need to know

My review of the Nubia hotel