Should I go to Egypt in October and what are the prices there?

October has begun, which means a long weekend is coming soon. In honor of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, Ukrainians will rest four whole days. Besides, autumn holidays are just around the corner. In some schools, they will begin on October 25th. It's time to think about where to go on vacation with your family. You can go to tour in Ukraine, but you can go in pursuit of the summer and fly to Egypt. The weather on the Red Sea is now ideal for recreation, and prices, if desired, can be found quite reasonable. Which of the resorts to choose for those who want to save money, and what to look for when flying? The general director of the SPECA travel agency told about this Ekaterina Bilinskaya.

Weather in Egypt in October

October in Egypt pleases with mild and warm weather / istockphoto.com

October is considered the best month for a holiday in Egypt. At this time of the year, there is no sweltering summer heat, the air temperature during the day fluctuates at the level of 28-30 degrees, and at night it does not drop below 22-23. At the same time, the sea is warmed up to a comfortable 26-27 degrees for swimming. Of course, this is not fresh milk, but this water is ideal for children.

In October, there is practically no rain in Egypt, and the wind season is still quite a long way off. It usually starts in this part of Africa only from mid-November and lasts until early March. Therefore, the maximum that you can find in Egypt in the coming month is a light and warm sea breeze. For those who are freezing, it is enough to take one windbreaker with you on vacation: if it is useful to you, then only in the evening.

Daylight hours in Egypt roughly correspond to ours. So in October it is still light until 7 pm. This favorably distinguishes autumn holidays in Egypt from winter ones, when the sun hides behind the horizon at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. True, you won't be able to swim longer anyway: usually the Egyptians "close" the beaches at 6 pm. From this time on, bathers are not allowed to enter the sea, all sun loungers and umbrellas are folded until the next day, and vacationers begin to actively prepare for dinner.

Prices in Egypt in October

Prices for holidays in Egypt in October can hardly be called budget / istockphoto.com

Taking into account the fact that October in Egypt is still considered a high season, you cannot count on a cheap vacation. “School holidays form the annual demand,” notes Ekaterina Bilinskaya. - And this year the prices were warmed up by the Russians. They were not allowed to enter Egypt all spring and the first half of the summer, so hoteliers were forced to lower prices in order to attract tourists from other countries. However, since July, the flow of Russian tourists to Egypt has been consistently high. Because of this, prices went up and will not go down in the next one and a half to two months "

However, even with such a scenario in Egypt, there are still options for a relatively inexpensive vacation. If you choose an economy-class hotel with no frills in cuisine and service, in which you intend only spend the night and are ready to eat monotonously, then in a week it is quite possible to keep within 10-12 thousand UAH per one an adult. Children under two years old fly with their parents free of charge (you will have to pay only the air tax and medical insurance). From 3 to 12 years old, a child needs to buy a separate plane ticket, but almost all hotels offer a discount on accommodation (on average 50%). Katerina Belinskaya says that there are hotels that are ready to accommodate a child under 12 for free, provided that two adults are resting with him.

Which resort to choose for vacation

The underwater world in Marsa Alam is better than in Sharm el-Sheikh / istockphoto.com

Traditionally, Ukrainians in Egypt rest in Hurghada or Sharm el-Sheikh. However, this season, Marsa Alam began to enjoy more and more popularity. “This is a good direction for those who want to save a little,” notes Katerina Bilinskaya. - Prices for vacations in Marsa Alam are now lower than in Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh. At the same time, it is convenient to get there: there is a direct charter flight. And the underwater world there, according to all estimates, is even more beautiful than in Sharm el-Sheikh. "

The only nuance of the Marsa Alam resort is that the infrastructure for recreation is not developed there. If in the same Hurghada in the evening you can walk, sit in a local restaurant or wander around the shops, then in Marsa Alam outside the hotels there is no resort life. The desert immediately begins there. This may seem like a serious disadvantage to some, but this resort is ideal for a relaxing family vacation.

What are the conditions of quarantine in Egypt

Ukrainian vaccination passports in Egypt are not always accepted / istockphoto.com

According to the rules for entering the territory of Egypt, the basis for admission to the country can be either a negative PCR test for coronavirus or an international vaccination certificate (with two vaccines). Nevertheless, Katerina Bilinskaya warns that our vaccination passports sometimes not listed in Egypt. “There were several cases when our tourists, upon arrival in the country, had to do a PCR test at the airport, otherwise they did not want to miss them,” the expert recalls. - Therefore, I recommend all travelers to do the test, even with a vaccination certificate. There will definitely not be questions for the test "

In all other respects, nothing has changed in terms of quarantine measures. The buffet is still offered in a format where the food is served by the hotel representatives. Umbrellas and sun loungers on the beach and around the pools are spaced apart. All hotel staff serve tourists wearing masks. The holidaymakers themselves do not need to wear masks. The only thing asked is to maintain social distance (for example, in lines for food and drinks).

There is animation in most hotels - somewhere more, somewhere less intense. Children's clubs also work almost everywhere. True, earlier classes with children were conducted both outdoors and indoors. And now the animators are engaged with the children, conduct quests and contests exclusively on the street

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