ATV Desert Tour with Alex Safari in El Gouna, Egypt
Updated: Apr 9
A truly unforgettable experience, our sunset tour across the El Gouna desert with Alex Safari was genuinely one of our best travel adventures. Not only did we capture a truly magnificent view of the setting sun a top a sand dune but we also got to learn about the history of the desert, met a genuine Bedouin nomad tribe living in the desert and even had a barbeque dinner at the end of it all. Not to mention the fun of the quad bikes themselves!
Find out everything you need to know about the sunset tour, some background on the Bedouin tribes of Egypt, and how to book your Alex Safari ticket.
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Our Alex Safari Sunset ATV Tour highlights
We have been on some pretty epic ATV tours, notably the 'top of the world' tour up the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The views were spectacular, as was the challenge of the terrain. We always enjoy this type of activity and we jumped at the opportunity when we heard it was available in El Gouna.
After we booked the tour our immediate concern was our sunglasses! Having just bought new ones after a couple of years persevering with their predecessors, we were worried about them getting damaged. We went on the hunt for some, but unfortunately the search was fruitless. Fortunately plastic goggles were provided for $5 once we got there, as was a head scarf for the same price. So all good!
We were picked up by a shuttle bus directly in front of our hotel and after picking up other guests along the way, we arrived at Alex Safari's main meet and greet and dining area. We were both really excited to get going, and after getting set up with our head gear and watching a few camels pass by, we were ready for our introduction to the bikes. And yes, you are able to take a camel ride should you so wish!
A quick but detailed introduction later and we were given around 5 minutes to practice on a circular desert track. The instructors were super helpful and were always on hand to assist anyone who had any issues. Throughout the entire tour they will pass up and down the line, keeping and eye on everything and maintaining safety. They were clearly experienced and were professional throughout.
Also doubling up as local information guides and historians, there was some really cool facts about the desert, El Gouna and, the Bedouin tribes articulated by our hosts. Such as the sacred tree being discussed in the video above! It was fascinating to hear about some of the customs and traditions of the local people that live in this place, one that seemed so inhospitable and desolate while riding the bikes. We really loved these parts of the tour and it was nice to take a break from the constant 'thumbing' of the ATV accelerators! Do you ever struggle with that?
After visiting a genuine Bedouin village (more on that later) we drove through this 'farm'. This was apparently one of two failed projects aimed at creating a form of agriculture. Even the hosts were unsure of what, but regardless of its original purpose this 'farm' looked incredible beneath the far reaching rays of the slowly sinking sun. Almost reminiscent of the shapes at Desert Breath (a land art installation in the El Gouna desert), this spot made for a great photo op which we duly stopped for!
We then took a good twenty minute drive over to the sunset spot. It had been a fantastic couple of hours and the whole group was eager to get to the grand finale. And it certainly did not disappoint! In fact it was just ABSOLUTELY EPIC!
We hope the pictures can do it justice; this was a moment that will forever be etched into our memories! It was just so magical and the sun was on perfect form as it kissed the horizon; its final beams of the day shrinking behind the desert mountains.
The tour guides were more than willing to take photos for us and we were most grateful for this one below! Leon already proposed in Cyprus way back in 2019 and if he had not, this would have been the time! It almost felt like that anyway and our connection at this moment was truly electric!
With the tour and indeed the day's light coming to an end, we parked up and made our way back with the group to the main dining and reception area. Honestly we thought we were to be getting straight onto the coaches, only to be told we were having dinner!
So much of the cuisine we tried in Egypt was delicious, but we have to say there is something about locally cooked food that really satisfies us! This treat was no exception, and with a surprising amount of choice on offer, this buffet was perfect. We had grilled chicken, rice, salad, Bolognese pasta, beans, tortillas and mince to choose from. Perfect!
The food was perfectly cooked and was super tasty! We all ate together with music in the background, sat on the small benches that lined the walls just eating and drinking and soaking up the moment. It was a wonderful end to the tour and the atmosphere was great. Perhaps bonus unexpected food always tastes good?!
With that, our time at Alex Safari was almost over. We were full, tired and very dusty and very much looking forward to a good shower! But before we left we were offered the opportunity to purchase photos that had been taken throughout the tour by a very adept cameraman, who we saw was taking some great shots at bends and random intervals.
Now we were promised 4k footage, which turned out not to be the case, but we are still glad we have the content. We paid $20 for the photos to be sent to us via a whats app link and after a few days we did have to chase them to send the files. They did in the end, so what do you think? Would you pay for these? Do you usually get photos from these kinds of activities?
Who are the Bedouin Tribes?
Bedouin are nomadic Arabic speaking tribes who have historically inhabited the desert regions spread across the Arabian Peninsular, North Africa and Mesopotamia. There are said to be around 25 million Bedouin people in these areas and most live in self-built, self-sustaining villages.
The term Bedouin literally means 'desert dweller' in English. Traditionally Bedouin people herd camels and goats to help support their village. Despite a growing number of Bedouin people opting for a more urban lifestyle closer to the main cities, there are still some 1.2 million people living in the deserts of Egypt alone. They are highly adept at living in the harsh and arid sandy conditions and are particularly well known for their delicious bread, of which we were given the true honor to try after watching it being so easily made in front of us. Only flour, water and salt is used. Check it out below!
This was a great experience and as part of the tour of the village we were also offered tea and a great bit of background history of the Bedouin people. Of the many incredible times we have had traveling full time, moments like this are some of those that we value as the very best. Learning about tradition and culture is a driving force of ours and a core focus of Closer Lives itself! Thank you to Alex Safari, the Bedouin and El Gouna for an ATV tour we will never forget.
Read on for more information on how to get tickets, tour operating times and our Alex Safari rating.
Getting tickets for Alex Safari
There are a number of different tours available starting from 35 euros per person. We chose the sunset quad bike option which lasted for four hours and as mentioned included a fantastic dinner after we finished the tour. You can also chose morning sunrise or night-gazing tours and we are certain these would have been just as amazing as what we took!
Other options include jeep tours to villages and places of interest in the desert, such as the Roman city of Mons Claudianus and the aforementioned Bedouin village. It is important to note that most of the Alex Safari Tours are booked through the hotels who will also arrange transport / pick-up & drop-off. We would recommend this option as it felt secure and trustworthy as opposed to booking online and finding our own way there, even though it was slightly more expensive (by about $5).
Alex Safari operating times
Alex Safari offers a variety of different tour options for all party sizes. Morning sunrise, evening sunset or star gazing overnight, it is almost a 24 hour operation! As tours can last up to 4 hours, there are set options to choose from and typically you will be offered their highly popular sunset tour which starts at 2pm.
How to get to Alex Safari in El Gouna
Please note that this is the location of Alex Safari's Main Office; the safari itself takes place about a ten minute drive away from the main city entrance. A pick-up / drop-off service is readily available from most hotels and resorts.
Website: alexsafarielgouna.com
Email: info@alexsafarielgouna.com
Instagram: @alexsafarielgouna
Watch our ATV Tour, and discover more from El Gouna on YouTube
This luxury man made CITY in Egypt is full of the V.I.P experience. Although we did a budget vs bougie 2 part series for this video even our 'budget' accommodation was luxurious. In this video we stay at the lovely Fanadir Hotel El Gouna and explore a bit of the city. We show you the epic kitesurfing scene which is extremely popular in El Gouna along with the local cuisine, our ATV Tour highlights and more.
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Our epic 16 hour journey of a lifetime as we explore the Valley of the Kings, Luxor, Karnak Temple, cruise on the River Nile and more!
Our Alex Safari experience rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5
How often do you get to take an ATV through a desert right?! That in itself gets 5 stars, but in addition the service was fantastic and the whole team at Alex Safari deserved plenty of credit for their handling of the tour. The route is a good distance and is well organized, there are regular stops for information, photos and then of course, the sunset. Oh and the bonus of the food at the end! Absolutely brilliant and highly recommended as far as we are concerned. Alex Safari simply is a must-try if you are in El Gouna.
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