e7m
🌊 1. The Red Sea — one of the best diving destinations in the world
Ras Muhammad Reef in Sharm El-Sheikh is in the top 10 dive sites on the planet: underwater visibility reaches 30 meters, water temperature is 24–28°C year-round. A trial dive for beginners in Hurghada costs from 700–900 rubles (about 8–10 USD). A snorkeling boat tour costs from 1,500 rubles per person.
🏛 2. Luxor — the world's largest open-air museum
Luxor is the former Thebes, the capital of Ancient Egypt: it contains about a third of all world antiquities. The Karnak temple complex covers 100 hectares, and the Valley of the Kings holds 63 pharaonic tombs, including the tomb of Tutankhamun. Entrance to the Valley of the Kings costs about 2,700 rubles (30 USD).
🍽 3. Food costs next to nothing
A full lunch at a local café — foul (stewed beans), falafel and flatbread — costs 100–150 rubles. Fresh mango or sugar cane juice on the street costs 45–70 rubles. A mid-range restaurant in Cairo costs about 500–700 rubles for two.
🌡 4. Weather allows you to travel year-round
Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh welcome tourists 365 days a year: even in January, the air temperature stays around +22–24°C, water temperature +21°C. In summer, Cairo can reach +40°C, but at the resorts, the heat is softened by sea breeze. The most comfortable period is October–April.
💸 5. Currency and money: MIR cards don't work
MIR cards are not accepted in Egypt — the country is not on the list of supported nations. Bring cash dollars or euros and exchange them at official exchange offices or banks on site: the rate is better there than at Russian airports. The Egyptian pound (EGP) is the local currency, 1 USD ≈ 49 pounds.
Egypt is in the top ten countries with the highest currency devaluation rate over the past 5 years — the pound has depreciated against the dollar threefold since 2022. This makes the country very profitable for tourists with hard currency in hand.
📱 6. Communication: eSIM solves the problem
Local SIM cards (Vodafone Egypt, Orange) are sold at the airport but require a passport and may not support the tariffs you need. It's more convenient to activate an eSIM before departure — for example, through e7m.ru from 207₽: it activates instantly, and the internet works from the moment you land.
🐪 7. The Sahara Desert — just a few hours from the resorts
From Hurghada to the White Desert (Farafra) is about 6 hours by car, and quad bike safaris across the dunes start right from the hotels. A night tour with a bonfire and dinner in the desert costs from 2,500 rubles. The Siwa Oasis near the Libyan border is a separate destination with hot springs and the ruins of the Oracle of Amun.
🔭 8. You can see the pyramids right from Cairo
The Giza Plateau is essentially a suburb of Cairo, accessible by taxi in 30–40 minutes for 300–400 rubles. Entrance to the plateau costs about 1,800 rubles (20 USD), entrance inside the Great Pyramid costs another 1,800 rubles separately. From the observation area of the Marriott Mena House hotel, the pyramids are visible literally from the window of your room.
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