Eastern (Arabian) Desert
Eastern (Arabian) Desert
4
What people are saying
Best experience with Bon Voyage Tours, Hurghada
5.0 of 5 bubblesSep 2019
Greetings from Romania! We recently returned from a wonderful vacation in Egypt, Hurghada. It was the first time for us. I have previously read travel reviews on the internet, where I found useful information. This way we got in touch with the manager of the local tourism agency Bon Voyage Tours Hurghada, Mr. Medo Fateem. A few days prior to our arrival, we contacted him via WhatsApp, so that everything was arranged in advance. We wanted to go on some local trips, so he was very kind and prompt to send us a price list (in Hurghada we realized that their prices are half compared to the other agencies). We chose three trips, asked him to book us for them, and we met in front of our resort. He personally came to the meeting, handed us the tickets, and made sure we had all the information we needed. After each trip he contacted us, to make sure everything was ok. We were pleasantly surprised by his professionalism, hospitality and fairness. We decided to go to Paradise Island, Glass Boat and Moto Safari, all with the transfer from the resort to the location included in the price. The excursion to one of the islands, at Paradise beach, involved traveling by boat to the island, where we spent 4 amazing hours, in which we went snorkeling with the crew (they provided equipment),sunbathing, bath in the sea, and ate at the restaurant on the island (buffet). We watched on the island a traditional dance performance. The landscapes and colors are spectacular, the corals and fish are wonderful, very pleasant atmosphere the entire day. The Glass Boat trip was done with a glass-walled ship, and you could enjoy the flora and fauna of the Red Sea, and a snorkeling session at the end. We mostly enjoyed Moto Safari, where we drove ATVs through the desert, to the Bedouin village, we ride the camel, and we had a tea and a shisha with them. All trips were more than affordable and we paid the right price for them, choosing the mentioned agency. We intend to return to Egypt to visit the pyramids and the Valley of the Kings. We didn't have enough time for that. We have spent many vacations in Greece, in different islands, but Egypt is special and unique, from many points of view. It is a safe destination, despite the problems in the past, and I recommend you to go with all my heart!

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4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles273 reviews
Excellent
144
Very good
80
Average
34
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3
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12

Florin Feri
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2019
Greetings from Romania!

We recently returned from a wonderful vacation in Egypt, Hurghada. It was the first time for us. I have previously read travel reviews on the internet, where I found useful information. This way we got in touch with the manager of the local tourism agency Bon Voyage Tours Hurghada, Mr. Medo Fateem. A few days prior to our arrival, we contacted him via WhatsApp, so that everything was arranged in advance. We wanted to go on some local trips, so he was very kind and prompt to send us a price list (in Hurghada we realized that their prices are half compared to the other agencies).
We chose three trips, asked him to book us for them, and we met in front of our resort. He personally came to the meeting, handed us the tickets, and made sure we had all the information we needed. After each trip he contacted us, to make sure everything was ok. We were pleasantly surprised by his professionalism, hospitality and fairness.
We decided to go to Paradise Island, Glass Boat and Moto Safari, all with the transfer from the resort to the location included in the price.
The excursion to one of the islands, at Paradise beach, involved traveling by boat to the island, where we spent 4 amazing hours, in which we went snorkeling with the crew (they provided equipment),sunbathing, bath in the sea, and ate at the restaurant on the island (buffet). We watched on the island a traditional dance performance. The landscapes and colors are spectacular, the corals and fish are wonderful, very pleasant atmosphere the entire day.
The Glass Boat trip was done with a glass-walled ship, and you could enjoy the flora and fauna of the Red Sea, and a snorkeling session at the end.
We mostly enjoyed Moto Safari, where we drove ATVs through the desert, to the Bedouin village, we ride the camel, and we had a tea and a shisha with them.
All trips were more than affordable and we paid the right price for them, choosing the mentioned agency.
We intend to return to Egypt to visit the pyramids and the Valley of the Kings. We didn't have enough time for that.
We have spent many vacations in Greece, in different islands, but Egypt is special and unique, from many points of view.
It is a safe destination, despite the problems in the past, and I recommend you to go with all my heart!
Written October 9, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Finerthings4US
Devon, UK186 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2014 • Couples
we booked this tour through Travel Trend a rep at the Hilton plaza .

Collected by jeep then taken into the dessert great 4x4 driver and guide.
We where shown a mirage and told how it is caused.
Then a further driver to a quad bike station and Bedouin village.
Quad bikes for 40 min either a fast group or slow group GREAT FUN
Then it's 15 min in a spider car ( dune buggy ) then a roll lunch
Then a camel ride
Then a look around a village then a little hill climb great fun
Then a little walk to the entertainment and a BBQ type meal was ok but was nervous eating out of hotel but food was well prepared.
Entertainment was a but naff. But not our type.
Then a look at the stars through telescope in a clear sky
Then the drive back across the dessert in the dark wow was fun and the driver kept switching the 4x4 lights off pitch black. Yesssssss
Not for anyone with a bad back or pregnant

You have to do this tour 6 hours of pleasure
Written December 6, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Pam190777
Lockerbie, UK91 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
If you're up for an action filled day out then this is the trip for you. We did quad biking, sand buggy, donkey/horse and camel riding (dont expect to get too much out of this part. Very short time on all 3!!), 4x4 jeep across the desert to the bodoiun camp, saw belly dancing, snakes, other dancing shows & star gazing. A delicious bbq was cooked for us 2. Although we felt a bit rushed round at times and we were pretty exhausted, we had an amazing fun time. How they could fit all these actitvities into one day is amazing. Great day out for all ages.
Written December 27, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

adz_702
Johannesburg, South Africa547 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2016 • Solo
This is oversold and is made to sound like a wonderful adventure in the desert doing a range of activities - quad biking, dune bashing, beduoin visiting, animals and a show which includes whirling dervishes and a belly dancer.

This is what it actually is: A TOURIST TRAP! Rather spend your day in Hagardha at the beach/poolside.

The quad biking is controlled so you drive in convoy without being able to speed or move out of a single line (I spent most of the 20 minutes allocated holding to the brakes because the convoy was not moving).

The dune bashing was fine/fun and would rather recommend an authentic one in Dubai etc.

The village is dusty/dirty/hot with a sad roll as lunch.

Animals are kept very cruelly so it was heartbreaking to see.

You watch a lady make roti and then are asked for more tips.

The camel ride by kids is equally awful as there is no smiles or service -- you rather forced up and sent for a minute long walk around the hill, and someone else is waiting their turn. Then these kids harass you for money before you are allowed to get off. God forbid they even took a picture of you!

The dinner was fine but miss-able.

The show was UBER pathetic! one child spinning is NOT a whirling dervishes show (emphasis on plural = dervishes!). Rumi / Shams are turning in their grave watching such utter nonsense being called Sama.

A belly dance (single) fully clothes does a sad performance of a movement -- NOT belly dancing in any culture, let alone Egypt!

And i really did not care for the nail man thing, which was equally missable.

I am so disgusted that I had to pay for this "adventure".
If you read my other reviews, you will find that I am not one to complain or write negative stuff, unless it is actually this bad!!!!!

God be with you!
Written September 6, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Renemjwoollard
Burgess Hill, UK60 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2016 • Couples
The ride over to the Bedouin village was great fun and I have left a review with 'Falco Safari'.

The village and the evening/entertainment are another story all together.

The Bedouin Village was very dull to say the least. I learned and experienced nothing there except watch a woman bake bread whilst her screaming children grabbed at my wife's clothes until she gave them something to drink.

The majority of the animals in the so called terrarium are kept in small sand filled boxes with nothing else. A cobra is aggravated by the guides so you can watch it strike. A big lizard was poked and prodded with a stick repeatedly until it whipped its tail in self defence, much to the amusement of the young boy working there. One solitary tortoise is kept there whose shell was knocked on in order to scare it back inside itself. The list goes on.

On our return to the base camp things didn't get much better. The food was ok but a bit slapdash. No dining experience offered and you eat in a dirty fly infested space. One tiny cup of Coca Cola per person allowed.

We sat for what felt like an age waiting for the 'show'. No explanation of what's going on, when it will start, who is involved. Bizarre intro music followed by a man who sat on a bed of nails and then something else, followed by a belly dancer, then a spinning guy.

The wait for the show was made even more painful by watching a Russian woman, who I can only assume runs the place, hit a dog repeatedly over the head and beat it in to submission with a stick because it was barking. Add to that a boy who threatened to throw a rock at the clearly intimidated dog.

The treatment of the animals here really is appalling.

Just an awful place. Please don't go there.
Written May 9, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RLAJJB
Birmingham7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2012 • Family
Camel Rides
Jeep
Quad Bikes
Spider Cars
Meal
Show
Visit a village

Its very hot but it was definately worth £30 each that we paid. We wish the camel rides were for longer as we were only on them for 5mins
Written August 2, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

gemma m
The Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield, UK16 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2014 • Couples
We booked this excursion through an agent at amwaj hotel soma bay and soon realized it to be a very bad choice. We were told upon booking that we would be picked up and taken directly to the location and would not be running around for hours picking others up on a clapped out bus with no air con. Upon arrival we were forced to buy head scarves as we were told our own were not sufficient, just another con. We booked this trip mainly for the dune buggies and quads which we were wrongly advised we would be spending about 2 hours on. The day started with a 15 minuet drive in a complete death-trap clapped out banger of a buggy followed by 15-20 on a quad bike. We were then crammed into an old 4x4 and driven across the dessert at speeds up to and over 80mph by an absolute nutter, at one point the back end bounced so high my boyfriend hit his head quite violently on the roof and cut his arm on something. his phone was also ejected from his pocket due to the very erratic and dangerous driving. once at the so called Bedouin village we were given tea from cups that had never been washed and were absolutely filthy by a child who like the rest of the village had never ventured into normal civilization "although his nike air trainers suggested otherwise". we were then lead around a very modern looking place that was entirely self sufficient, I found a pile of very modern kiln fired Tuscan red multi bricks of which the whole place was built from so ages the place in my view at 5-10 years old yet the guide assured me they were made in the mountains ! , everything they sell has been grown by and harvested by the Bedouin folk in the dessert and somehow found its way to a packaging warehouse even though nobody has ever left the village, if you find it difficult to understand the misleading description for the medicinal properties of what they are trying to sell they use the good old Viagra description, upon getting back into the 4x4 the young kid with the nike air trainers on was sat in the front singing along to Eminen . "modern day rap artist who basically raps about guns,drugs,prostitutes,rape.ect . upon arriving back at base camp I asked for a taxi to take us back to our complex as I could not endure another minuet of their complete and utter nonsense. I expected to learn a little Egyptian heritage but was greatly disappointed to find even isolated dessert folk are like our modern day suburban benefits street punters
Written May 13, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Junior T
Kent, UK4 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2014 • Couples
This was a great experience and educational regarding life in the desert. It was interesting to meet some of the Beduins and see how the live.
Written December 30, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

AlisdairMcRae
Fife, UK88 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2014 • Couples
4 hour drive from Luxor to Hargada with a driver who clearly had more faith in the afterlife than I did. Overtook trucks on blind bends about half a dozen times at about 140kph. I'm up for staring death in the face as much as the next man but resent giving a tip for the privelege...
Written August 22, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mabbelurius
Bergen, Norway68 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2012 • Couples
We arranged for quad bike safari through Son Bijou Diving Center and paid 20 euro per person. Quad biking about 22 km out in the desert to a bedouin camp where we were served tea, had a short camel ride, saw how they made bread and learned how they found water. Were served a small meal, then heading back to base on the quad bikes in the dusk/dark.
Alltogether an ok trip, but would have liked if they told us a little more about bedouins and their way of life.
Make sure you bring a scarf to cover your hair and face for the drive, as it gets really sandy!
Written November 4, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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