Ras Mohammed National Park by Bus with Snorkeling & Magic Lake

Volponi. Pay attention!

We purchased the Gold Package, which included Ras Mohammed, Cairo, a quad bike tour, a camel ride, and White Island. We paid the deposit with Revolut, but only at the end of the first excursion were we told that the remaining €490 had to be paid in cash, otherwise we would have had to pay €25 more. This condition had never been communicated to us before. When we insisted on paying by card, they even threatened to cancel the Cairo excursion the following day. Ras Mohammed was also disappointing: the mangroves were practically bushes in the desert, and during snorkeling, there was no coral reef and very few fish. In Cairo, they then asked us for €5 per person for an alleged visa change. We refused, and, coincidentally, we didn't have any problems. Some people who didn't even have a visa paid €35 instead of the approximately €22 actual cost, again for this phantom change. The quad bike tour was a total mess, about thirty quads in single file at 20 km/h like a procession, and a 30-second camel ride just for the photo that is released for a fee. The only positive note: the guides are very competent. For the rest, we had the feeling that they were continually trying to add costs for tourists. Be very careful because these people are very sharp.

Response from the operator: Gentile Ospite, Ti ringraziamo per il tuo feedback e per le belle parole dedicate alle nostre guide. Come agenzia, la trasparenza e la sicurezza dei nostri ospiti sono i pilastri del nostro lavoro, per questo ci teniamo a rispondere punto per punto per chiarire le dinamiche del nostro settore e le leggi locali. Pagamenti e Commissioni: In Egitto, i pagamenti tramite POS per transazioni internazionali comportano una commissione bancaria governativa (circa il 3-5%). I 25€ richiesti non sono un "costo nascosto", ma la tassa imposta dalle banche per i pagamenti con carta. Se questa informazione non ti è arrivata in modo chiaro e se i toni del nostro referente sono stati percepiti come inappropriati, ce ne scusiamo. La nostra intenzione non è mai minacciare, ma solo applicare le scadenze amministrative per confermare le prenotazioni successive. Il Visto per Il Cairo: Per uscire da Sharm El-Sheikh (che ha il timbro gratuito "Sinai Only") e andare al Cairo, è obbligatorio il visto governativo egiziano. Il costo di 35€ copre la tassa ufficiale ($25) plus il servizio dell'agenzia per la rapida emissione e l'assistenza. I 5€ di "modifica" servono per una procedura burocratica necessaria per aggiornare un timbro Sinai Only già esistente in un Visto Completo. Nessun costo è inventato, tutto segue le regole dell'immigrazione. L'ecosistema di Ras Mohammed: Le mangrovie del Sinai sono considerate un miracolo geografico proprio perché riescono a crescere in acqua salata nel bel mezzo del deserto estremo, non si tratta di foreste tropicali. Per quanto riguarda lo snorkeling, le correnti e le condizioni meteo ci obbligano a scegliere i punti di immersione più sicuri in quel preciso giorno, fattore che a volte incide sulla visibilità marina. Quad e Cammellata (Sicurezza al primo posto): Il limite di 20 km/h e l'obbligo della fila indiana sui Quad non sono una nostra scelta, ma rigide disposizioni della Polizia Turistica Egiziana per prevenire incidenti gravi nel deserto. La cammellata inclusa nel "Pacchetto Gold" (un mega-safari) è concepita come un breve assaggio tradizionale per fare qualche foto, non come un'escursione nomade di ore. Il nostro obiettivo è farvi vivere l'Egitto in totale sicurezza e nel rispetto delle leggi, non quello di aggiungere costi. Ci dispiace che questa non sia stata la tua percezione, ma speriamo di potervi accogliere di nuovo per mostrarvi la vera qualità dei nostri servizi. Un cordiale saluto, Il Team di Sharm Station

via Tripadvisor (translated)

How to get ripped off on vacation

I think it's just a scam to fleece as many people as possible. 5 minutes after we left the hotel they told us we had to stop to rent a life jacket, mask, and fins even though we already had our own equipment. Naturally it wasn't needed because you can practically touch the bottom where you enter to see the coral reef. The mangrove forest...4 bushes full of plastic and trash. The "magic" lake is just an inlet of the sea. Not to mention the trip to Old Sharm and the related mosque...they tried to convince us that their religion is peaceful and inclusive. But then women cannot pray with them because otherwise the men might feel like jumping on them. So they pray in another room, logically not air-conditioned, which the guides couldn't even manage to enter because it was too hot for them.

via Tripadvisor (translated)

Snorkeling even for non-swimmers

Agency contacted directly on-site, during our vacation in Sharm El Sheikh, to participate in the land excursion to Ras Mohammed with the initial idea of waiting on the beach while the group went snorkeling, as I am not a swimmer. Our guide, Adam, encouraged me and reassured me that people who did not know how to swim had already participated in the experience. I decided to trust him; I won't hide that initially I was a bit nervous, even though I was wearing a life jacket and had a dedicated guide with a life ring to hold onto. I did not regret it; thanks to these guys I was able to admire the coral reef and some wonderful fish. I will be forever grateful to you all.

via Tripadvisor (translated)

MAGNIFICENT

Adham is super! Truly professional guide! Friendly and attentive. We recommend trips with Sharm Station and their guides. Thanks to everyone for this wonderful experience!!

via Tripadvisor (translated)

Very good

Serious, professional agency and perfectly on time, explanation of the excursions in perfect Italian, clear and concise. The guide we had, Youssef, was very good and very kind. I highly recommend it.

via Tripadvisor (translated)