The vast majority of Russians see in Egypt, primarily a beach tourist destination. However, you can learn the history and culture of this country first of all in sightseeing tours and cruises. We asked tour operators about such offers and their cost.
TOURISTS AND TRAVEL AGENTS LACK INFORMATION ABOUT NON-BEACH EGYPT
According to tour operators, the interest of Russians in classic non-beach Egypt is gradually growing. According to experts from PAC Group and Russian Express, tourists request both popular and original excursion programs with visits to the main sights of Egypt.
There is also a steady demand for river cruises on the Nile and combined programs Cairo + seaside resorts. But, as Space Travel summarizes, the total share of such applications does not exceed 10% of the total sales volume of the destination.
There are several reasons for this imbalance between the demand for beach and sightseeing tours to Egypt. Firstly, this is the mentality of the Russians themselves, who perceive Egypt mainly as a beach destination and go only to Hurghada or Sharm el-Sheikh, less often to other beach resorts (Taba, Marsa Alam, Mediterranean beach resorts, etc.).< /p> Egypt, the colossi of Memnon. Photo: ATOR
Secondly, sightseeing tours are more expensive than beach holidays, including due to regular air travel. However, with regard to Moscow-Cairo flights, the situation has somewhat changed for the better, experts emphasize. In the first half of December and in the second half of January (we exclude the pre-New Year and post-New Year periods), a ticket for an Aeroflot flight from Moscow to Cairo and back will cost about 18 thousand rubles. both ways per passenger.
Demand for classic Egypt is hampered by the lack of information among Russians about where to go and what to see. Travel agents do not help their clients in this either: most representatives of travel retail have little knowledge about the excursion product of Egypt. As market participants add, the Egyptian tourist authorities should pay more attention to the promotion of sightseeing tours in Russia, which, of course, have their own audience.
According to the observations of tour operators, if the majority of travel agents and tourists know about the pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, Karnak temple, then a smaller number of travelers already know about the Luxor temple, located nearby. Well, only a few travelers heard about the temples of Dendera or Medinet Abu, the City of the Dead, the temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the Kollos of Memnon, the Alley of Sphinxes or the temple complex of Abu Simbel in Nubia.
“Few people know that in Saqqara, which is located an hour's drive from Cairo, there are many pyramids that are much older than those located on the Giza plateau,” the Russian Express states.
Temple in Luxor. Photo: piqsels.com
Ancient Thebes, Medinet Abu, the burial temple of Ramses. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
HOW MUCH EXCURSION TOURS TO EGYPT COST NOW
The assortment of Russian tour operators includes quite a lot of various sightseeing cruises and tours to Egypt, from which both experienced travelers and those who are just planning to start getting acquainted with the historical heritage of Egypt can choose suitable options.
В Space Travel can book the “Great Ramses” tour (Cairo – a night on the train – a cruise on the Nile – Hurghada, accommodation in 5 * hotels). The cost of the tour for 10 nights with air travel and all transfers within the country – from 172 thousand rubles. for two.
“Russian Express” offers a rich excursion tour “Treasures of Egypt” (7 nights). The program includes Cairo (Egyptian National Museum, Giza Pyramids, Sphinx), Nile Cruise (Luxor – Temple of Karnak, Colossi of Memnon, Hatshepsut Temple, Valley of the Kings, Edfu Temple, Kom Ombo Temple, Aswan and Aswan High Dam). Cost – from 130.5 thousand rubles. for two (without airfare).
In the offers of PAC Group you can find a 13-day sightseeing tour “Romance of Egypt”, in the program of which – Cairo, Aswan, Kom -Ombo, Edfu, Luxor, Deir el-Bahri, Hurghada, Arabian Desert. Accommodation on the route – in 5 * hotels. Cost – from 324 thousand rubles for two (without air travel).
HOW YOU CAN COMBINE A BEACH HOLIDAY IN EGYPT WITH A SIGHTSEEING
For those who want to combine a sightseeing holiday with a beach holiday, there are different options for combined programs .
For example, the PAX tour operator has formed tours with a visit to Cairo (2 or 3 nights) and a continuation of the rest on the Red Sea (3 or 4 days). The cost of the tour with airfare included – from 196 thousand rubles. for two.
The tour operator “Russian Express” has one of the most popular programs – “Great Trip to Egypt” – designed for 10 nights. It includes a visit to Cairo, Alexandria, a cruise on the Nile and a holiday in Hurghada. Cost – from 168 thousand rubles. for two (+ airfare).
Similar programs are available for booking with Space Travel. “In Cairo, tourists can choose an excursion program – from the classic Pyramids and a sightseeing tour of Cairo – to a trip to Alexandria and the sea. Cost for 7 nights (2 nights Cairo and 5 beach holidays) from 102.3 thousand rubles. two,” the company said.
NILE CRUISE AS A WAY TO SEE THE TOP HISTORICAL SIGHTS OF EGYPT
A Nile cruise is one of the best ways to experience the 7,000 year history of Egypt. After all, the whole large-scale history of Ancient Egypt is territorially very, very compact – it is, in fact, the history of a narrow fertile strip of land along the Nile. Therefore, it is so convenient to visit the sights of the country from the river – you can see almost everything.
Statue in Luxor, Egypt. Photo: piqsels.com
So, in the program of a river cruise between two ancient cities, Luxor and Aswano, – the Valley of the Pharaohs – the burial place of Egyptian rulers, the temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the temple of two gods in Kom Ombo, the grandiose Aswan Dam, the largest temple complex of Ancient Egypt – Karnak, and, of course, the opportunity to admire one of the most famous and beautiful rivers in the world.
“All cruise programs in Egypt are similar in composition. As a rule, premium class riverboats, like 5* motor ships, follow the same routes and stop at parking lots along the banks of the Nile River. Differences – only in living conditions. Sometimes additional excursions are added to luxury cruise programs, ”says the Russian Express.
In the PAC Group offers, the Luxor-Aswan-Luxor cruise for 7 nights costs from 251 thousand rubles. for two (without airfare). You can book a luxury cruise for 3 nights with Russian Express (accommodation on board + excursion program with a Russian-speaking guide, meals – full board) at a price of 130,800 rubles. for two (no airfare).
Elena Myagkova