Safari and Quad Bikes Just Aren't the Same Anymore

Hello everyone! January 2024 was a real shock for Russian residents with temperatures around minus 30 degrees, so my partner and I decided to escape to warmer climates. We chose Egypt - beautiful beaches, comfortable weather, not too far, and not too expensive. The hotel we chose was great, but sitting there for 10 days? We decided to take a break and explore. We were in Sharm El-Sheikh, and the pyramids and Luxor are really far from there, so we wanted to go somewhere. We chose a quad bike safari, and we even went twice! I've been on a similar excursion 10 years ago, but for my partner, it was their first time. But, let's get to the details:

We're experienced travelers, so we're not going to fall for group excursions with hotel guides at triple the price. So, 5 minutes of searching online, and we found a reliable option. We chatted with a Russian manager on WhatsApp and booked the excursion on a single quad bike for the two of us for the next day. The price for the whole experience was $15 for the two of us (the hotel guide would have been at least $50)! We didn't need to pay in advance, and the booking was free. We could choose from three time slots - 4 am (apparently to catch the sunrise), 8 am (which is what we chose, and it was perfect), or after lunch to see the sunset. In January, Egyptian evenings can be chilly, so I'm not sure about the third option. The manager told us to bring our own face masks and sunglasses to protect ourselves from the sand, so we wouldn't have to buy them on site.

The hotel staff picked us up right on time at 8 am, along with another couple who had booked with a different company. Apparently, in Egypt, all excursion organizers communicate with each other to avoid taking half-empty buses. We ended up going in a group of four, but the other couples were from different hotels - it was like a private excursion for $15!

The ride was short, and I love sleeping in the bus, but there wasn't even time for that. We arrived at the safari park in just 20 minutes. At the entrance, they added another couple to our group, took us through the checkpoint, and then dropped us off at the quad bike parking lot.

The staff spoke Russian, so there were no language barriers. They collected the money, tied our face masks, and led us to the bikes. As for the quad bikes... Well, they're not exactly the most impressive vehicles. I think they looked a bit better 10 years ago. I'm not surprised if they're the same ones that haven't been updated or maintained. Miraculously, they still work and can even move!

What struck me was the complete lack of instructions. Okay, it's not a car where you need to spend months learning to drive in the city, but at least some basic information and a chance to practice would be nice! 10 years ago, there was a serious briefing. This time, they just showed us how to start and brake, put on our helmets, and off we went!

Let's be real, this trip wasn't exactly an adrenaline rush. My friends and I are total thrill-seekers, so the idea of trudging along in a slow-moving convoy, where one wrong step could be disastrous... yeah, that wasn't exactly our scene. We were at the back of the pack, so we could take our time and then make up for lost ground. It was a pretty old-school approach. And to be honest, the landscape was a bit of a downer – it was just a vast, barren expanse with no towering sand dunes like the ones we've seen in the UAE. I'd even call it a steppe rather than a desert. But, I mean, there were some pretty cool spots, so I'm not going to complain.

Fifteen to twenty minutes in, we stopped to take some photos. Before we knew it, a bunch of Bedouin kids swarmed us from all sides – we'd read about this, so we had some treats ready. The little rascals don't know the word 'thank you,' but they gave us some handmade bracelets in exchange for the sweets. After taking some more photos, our guide decided to show us the desert echo. We stood there shouting, and it was actually pretty cool 😂. Then we headed off to the Bedouin village, another 15 minutes down the road. The village was all set up for tourists, of course – you could get a miracle tea for $2 a cup, and the main attraction was camel riding, plus more Bedouin kids. We tried the tea out of curiosity, but we skipped the camel ride – the poor guy looked way too miserable 🙁. I feel bad for the animals, you know? The ride back to the base was a third of the time, and before we knew it, we were back. It was a bit too short, to be honest. I mean, we would've paid more if we could've gone on our own without being watched over. The next time, we decided to try something different – we went on a buggy ride instead of the quad bikes. The organization and the program were exactly the same, but the price was $30. And, of course, the buggy was in even worse shape 🤦‍♀️. Our first buggy didn't start, so we were stuck while the rest of the group went ahead. Eventually, we got transferred to a four-seater. Comparing the buggies to the quad bikes, the buggies looked even more like grandma's car 🤦‍♀️. It was a bit more fun on the quad bikes, but the buggies were okay for a change of pace.

I'd still recommend taking a tour, despite the drawbacks and outdated tech - it's a great intro for first-timers. Thanks for reading!