Saved $1000 on a trip, but regretted it. Belarusians shared how they vacationed in Egypt

Saved $1000

"A tour to a 4-star hotel for 11 days cost us $3700 for four people. We booked two months before departure in September. We got a small discount for our five-year-old son, but our 15-year-old daughter paid the full, "adult" fare.

We flew from Moscow's Vnukovo. We could have flown from Minsk, but the difference was almost $1000 in favor of Russia. Naturally, we decided to save money."

However, the tour agency did not organize the transfer to Moscow. From Mogilev to the capital of Russia, they chose to travel by regular bus. Tickets there cost 350 Belarusian rubles, and back they paid 1600 Russian rubles (58 Belarusian rubles).

"To be honest, I deeply regret it now. The journey was difficult, exhausting. It would have been better to overpay and take the train."

Since Mikhail was in Egypt for the first time, here's a spoiler: he liked absolutely everything. He specifically bought an action camera before the trip to film the famous underwater world. He bought a swimming mask on site for $3.

Павялічыць

Their introduction to local tourism marketing happened on the very first excursion.

"First, we took a yacht excursion to White Island with scuba diving ($35 per person). Expectations were royal, reality — specific. White Island turned out to be a tiny piece of land about ten square meters in area, where hundreds of tourists literally crowded together. But diving was more interesting. True, I wasn't allowed to swim freely: the instructor held me tightly by the tank from behind, and any attempts to move independently were sternly stopped: "No, no!"

The cost of the excursion, by the way, increased upon boarding the yacht — everyone was charged an additional $5 for life jackets. And during the diving, a local photographer suddenly emerged from behind the corals. He actively started showing us what heart shapes and signs to make with our hands to get a "real shot."

Павялічыць

Paragliding over the water cost $15

The Mogilev residents didn't stay on the hotel grounds. They actively explored the city, walking a lot. A taxi ride cost about $5, a bottle of water — from $1 for 0.5 liters.

"The Old City left a strong impression, especially the enormous El Sahaba Mosque. In the evening, the lights turn on, and it glows with gold against the black sky. Of course, the local flavor is specific. Slow down near a stall, and the vendors immediately shift their attention to you. Sometimes too actively. And if you manage to be drawn into some shop in the Old City and beyond, expenses are inevitable. By the way, bargaining is appropriate everywhere."

Павялічыць

All excursions were bought by the tourists from street agencies on principle.

"The hotel guide offered the same thing, but with his significant markup. We immediately decided not to go on distant and long excursions (like Cairo and the pyramids, where you have to spend half a day bumping along in a bus) — with a small child, that's not a great idea."

The main observation of the Mogilev residents in Egypt: they want to make money on literally everything here. For any, even the smallest request, you immediately hear the standard answer: Five dollars. But despite all this commercialism, the people around are still smiling, friendly, and amicable. There's no aggression; they are genuinely happy to help you, although they do hope for a tip.

"Among the beach entertainments, I tried paragliding over the water for $15. You're in the air for at most 5-6 minutes, not counting the ascent and descent. On the boat, of course, there was a photographer on duty offering to sell the photos. But by that point, I only had $10 left in my shorts pocket, so the deal didn't happen."

Павялічыць

Stark contrast with the hotel's "all-inclusive"

The guests gave the hotel and food a solid five. The crowd was international: many Italians, Egyptians themselves, plenty of Russians, Germans, French, and sometimes Ukrainian could be heard. There was more than enough food, and for those with a sweet tooth, there was a separate dessert room with various treats.

Павялічыць

As for entertainment, boredom was not allowed in the "four-star." Morning aqua aerobics in the pool to upbeat tracks, interesting evening shows, darts, and beach volleyball where international teams gathered.

"One day I went alone on a quad bike excursion into the desert for $25. The program was packed: canyon, camel riding, and snorkeling. It was there, in the wild reefs, that the corals were simply magnificent. That's where I brought back my best underwater shots."

Павялічыць

True, on this excursion there was a stark contrast with the hotel's "all-inclusive." We were fed ultrameagerly — a little potato, tomatoes, and a tiny piece of chicken. Before we even finished eating, local children ran up to the tables and started begging for leftovers. They grabbed the unfinished food and ran away. That's the flip side of a tourist paradise."

Павялічыць

What they brought back and their impression of the vacation

A real discovery for the Mogilev residents was the local mangoes. Huge fruits weighing one and a half kilograms were sold at the market for just $1 apiece. They ate their fill of them, Mikhail laughs, for a year ahead.

"Besides fruit and souvenirs for $50, we bought a suitcase for $15, stocked up on local vitamins and medicines for $80. Many know that counterfeiting medicines in Egypt carries severe penalties, so the quality there is excellent, and prices are low.

Since I, as a newcomer, didn't have much to compare with, Egypt left vivid impressions. My personal rating for this trip, despite all the nuances and attempts to scam for dollars, is 10 out of 10."

Павялічыць

Final trip cost for four in dollars

Let's calculate how much an 11-day vacation in Egypt cost a family of four, including the tour price, travel, excursions, and additional expenses.

• package tour (11 days, 4* hotel, "all-inclusive") — $3700;
• bus travel to Moscow and back — about $137;
• excursion to White Island — $80 (two people went);
• desert excursion — $25;
• paragliding — $15;
• pocket expenses and purchases for home — around $160.

Total: $4117 for the entire family of 4 people (on average $1029 per person).

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