How to Visit Egypt on a Budget: What to See & What to Skip

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There is far more to Egypt than the pyramids. There are the ancient and quite impressive statues of Ramses in Abu Simbel. The chaotic camel market in Dawar. Floating the Nile on a felucca boat near the lush oasis of Aswan. Yet most blogs about Egypt recommend 5-10 days in the country. If you go by this advice (especially for those trying to visit Egypt on a budget) you’ll sorely regret it. Egypt has enough attractions and culturally important destinations to fill a multi-month trip. But most people (like us) don’t have the luxury of staying in Egypt for quite so long. So let me break it down for you. These are the truly worthwhile destinations in Egypt for travelers on a budget who can’t afford to shell out hundreds of dollars visiting every single ancient temple. 

Let’s dig into each popular attraction (& some not-so-popular ones) and I’ll break down if it’s worth the cost or effort of visiting— essentially if you’re visiting Egypt on a budget, should you see it or skip it. 

And I’ll throw in all my Egypt budget tips to help you get the cheapest prices possible for each. In fact, let’s start with those.

Tips for Scoring Cheap Admission to Temples & Attractions

4 ways to get cheaper admission to all the major attractions in Egypt.

1. Bring a Student ID Card. Or any card that might resemble a student ID.

Students of all kinds get 50% off all admission tickets. This means you’ll save literally hundreds of dollars if you’re visiting lots of temples. Most ticket-checkers are extremely lax and often can’t speak English meaning…if you show them a card and explain you are a student they will probably give it to you. If not– at least you tried.

2. Bribe the Tomb Guides

This sounds sketchy but is actually super common. For example, in the Valley of the Kings, you can only visit 3 tombs with a general admission ticket. But if you want to visit 4 or 5 consider just offering the guard 30-50 Egyptian Pounds to let you inside. Again, the worst case is it doesn’t work.

3. The After Hours Bribe

Once an attraction has “closed” you can usually get the ticket guys to let you in with a bribe. We did this at several temples in Luxor and at the Nubian church in Aswan. They will usually still charge you the ticket price or just under if you’re lucky.

4. If you are a passport holder from ANY Arabic country…congrats you pay local entrance fees!!

Often this means 10 Egyptian Pounds while foreigners pay 100 Egyptian Pounds. Seriously. You should visit every temple and attraction on this list if that is the case.

Transport & Accommodation in Egypt on a Budget 

Here’s how to lower your day-to-day costs in Egypt to save more money for activities. 

1. Never get a private car. 

There is no situation where a private car is cheaper or worth it if you are on a budget. Even if you share the car with 3-4 other travelers it’s SO much cheaper to take the train or even a tourist bus. 

2. Book Accommodation in Person. 

If you’re worried about the hostel or hotel being full you should book 1 or 2 nights online and then add additional nights in person. For our hotel in Luxor, online it was 300 Egyptian pounds per night but in person, it was 200 Egyptian Pounds. 

3. Take the day train if you have the time. 

It’s significantly cheaper. Like $5 vs $80. It’s not a wonderful experience but it’s so much cheaper you almost have to endure it. 

4. Eat local food! 

I’ve said it 1000 times and I’ll say it again…eat local food. I won’t get into it here but check out my full blog post about the best cheap eats in Egypt. 

NO DRONES. Egypt has a strict no drone policy. Seriously leave the drone at home. They will find it in the airport and they don’t give you the opportunity to ship it anywhere they just confiscate and keep it. That’s a serious financial mishap to get your $300 drone confiscated.

What to See & What to Skip in Egypt (for Budget-Travelers)

For ease of planning, I’ll break it down into cities starting with Cairo the beloved or hated (depending on who you ask) capital of Egypt.

Cairo 

Cairo has a reputation of being a little hard to love. But for us, it was love at first sight. These are some of the best things to see in the city.

Sultan Hassan & Sultan Rifay Mosque in Cairo — See 

Religion is central to Cairo. Specifically Islam. There are more than 1,000 mosques in the city. These are two of the prettiest. If you’re unfamiliar with mosques or even just interested in seeing some of Cairo’s most beautiful architecture you have to pay these two a visit. 

Another favorite: Al Ahzur Mosque.

Basically, just go inside some mosques. Most are free and most are beautiful. If you’re a woman cover your elbows, knees, and always bring a headscarf!

If you stay downtown at Holy Sheet Hostel you can walk to almost all of these attractions and see the Cairo of today along the journey. 

Cost: 130 Egyptian Pounds per person or $8. (Al Ahzur is free).

Muhammad Ali Mosque (Citadel) — Undecided 

The citadel tickets are surprisingly expensive. And it’s quite a walk (or Uber) to get here. The massive metallic domes of the mosque are visible from most of the city and although the inside is undeniably beautiful— you are going to see a lot of mosques. 

For me getting to visit this green dome only visible from inside the citadel made it worth it. Also, you get up-close shots of the main silver mosque and panoramic views of the city below. This is one you’ll have to decide if you’re interested in visiting. 

Cost: 180 Egyptian Pounds Per Person or about $12.

Hanging Church (Coptic Cairo) — Skip 

I was unimpressed with the hanging church. Yes, it is the oldest church in Cairo. But even though it’s 100% free to visit I felt like we could have spent our morning better. 

If you do decide to visit: It’s a long way from other attractions in Cairo so we took the metro which had a station right at the entrance. & tickets cost about 66 cents or 10 Egyptian pounds for a one-way ticket. 

If you really want to see the area I recommend heading to the Abu Sergia Church instead. It contains a cave where Jesus supposedly stayed. A little more history makes it a more interesting and less crowded stop.

Saqqara + Sphinx + Great Pyramids of Giza — See 

I don’t care how touristy or how many scammers flood the grounds of the pyramids— you must visit them. 

I highly recommend visiting with a driver. This is the only time I’ll recommend this to budget travelers. & it was not cheap. It costs $240 (USD) for 2 people (typically) including the full-day driver/Egyptologist to guide you through the site + breakfast/lunch + all entrance tickets to the sites. 

Here is my driver Sam’s WhatsApp number. He was amazing, knowledgeable, and would be happy to have you. Another perk of having the guide was that he took us to some other tombs including a pyramid we could go inside for free (with incredible hieroglyphics). 

Sam (Egyptologist): +20 122 281 3770

Try to find a few more people to split the cost with and it will be even cheaper! Sam has a car that will easily accommodate 4 passengers. I understand that this option is not viable however for most travelers visiting Egypt on a budget.

Be sure to get a licensed guide! If they don’t have the proper tourist license they can’t actually take you to the front entrances of these UNESCO sites. 

The real budget-friendly option: You can visit the pyramids independently. But I WOULD NOT recommend going this route if this is early on in your Egypt trip. First, read my blog post on How to Avoid Getting Scammed in Egypt. Then give yourself a week or so to get good at evading the scammers. If you go this route you will probably need to visit Saqqara (the very first pyramid) on a different day than the Great Pyramids but it will undoubtedly be cheaper.

Skip Memphis (a temple often combined with the ones above). Our guide recommended we skip Memphis and after researching I’m glad we did. It’s essentially a poorly preserved open-air museum. There are far cooler places to see in Egypt. 

Pyramids of Giza + Sphinx Ticket Cost: 200 Egyptian Pounds ($18)

Saqqara Cost: 80 Egyptian Pounds ($6)

Or 

Cost of a 2-person car w/ private driver all included: $240 USD 

Want to sleep in Giza and wake up to a spectacular view of the pyramids? Be sure to book on the West side of the pyramids. Rooms on the other side of Giza will not have that iconic view. And Giza itself is nothing special.

Khan el Khalil Market — See (Sort of) 

This is a tourist market. Therefore I wouldn’t recommend you buy anything here. But visit in the late afternoon & evening just to see the array of stalls and crowded walking streets. Also if you walk from Holy Sheet Hostel you’ll walk right through an even better night market meant for locals that is even more crowded and chaotic. This is the place to make your purchases if you want anything while visiting Egypt on a budget.

Climb Bab Zuwayla Minarets in Cairos Oldest Street — See

This is the best view in all of Cairo. The entrance is also on Cairos oldest street a great area for walking around. 

Cost: 40 Egyptian Pounds per Person ($3)

Egyptian Museum Old- Undecided

The museum is cool. It really is. But for 200 Egyptian Pounds, you’d expect the artifacts to be in some kind of order/ them all to have labels describing what I’m looking at. And I did not find that to be the case. This museum does house a collection of mummified animals, some small mummies, King Tut’s sarcophagus, and all the incredible artifacts that were in his tomb.

My official stance is that it’s probably worth it unless museums really aren’t your thing & if you have a student card it’s 100% worth it.

I recommend waiting until after you have visited Luxor and the Pyramids to hit the museum just so you have a greater understanding of Egyptian history.

Cost: 200 Egyptian Pounds per person. ($13)

Egyptian Museum New – See

This museum is worth the trip to Coptic Cairo (or so I’m told). This is where the mummies are! Including King Tut. If you have to pick between the two museums- this is better for your “Egypt on a budget” visit.

Cost: 200 Egyptian Pounds ($13)

Luxor 

I hate Luxor. I’ll just go right out and say it. And if you’re visiting Egypt on a budget, you’ll probably hate it too. It’s filled with scammers and people always looking to hassle you. Check out my entire blog post on scams to avoid in Egypt for tips on avoiding them.

Luxor Tip: Stay on the West Bank of Luxor. The East Bank is insanely crowded and has low standards for budget accommodation. The West Bank is the only reason we actually enjoyed Luxor. This is where we stayed. For those visiting Egypt on a budget, you can contact him directly to make a booking for even cheaper. WhatApp: +20 100 209 8288

Luxor Temple — Skip 

Why do I recommend you skip one of the most famous temples in Egypt? Because you can essentially see the entire temple from outside. Luxor is a collection of open-air pillars sitting right near the Nile. You can walk around the complex and admire all the hieroglyphs and carefully carved pillars without paying the incredibly high entrance fee of 240 Egyptian pounds. 

It’s also the busiest temple in Luxor. Do a walk by in the evening to see the pillars lit up. 

Cost: 240 Egyptian Pounds ($16)

Karnak Temple — See 

100% worth visiting. This is one of my favorite temples in Egypt. Most blogs recommend visiting right after it opens at 6 AM but it’s still pretty busy. Instead, as long as you’re not visiting in summer I recommend visiting at 12 (noon) when all the tours go to lunch. 

Cost: 240 Egyptian Pounds ($16)

Valley of the Kings — Undecided 

Honestly, it might be blasphemous to even consider skipping the Valley of the Kings. This is where the Great Pharaoh’s tombs were discovered in the 1920s. 

But it was expensive and I thought that most of the tombs were only a little impressive. 

I don’t regret visiting. But I do regret getting a taxi (even a shared one) instead of going with my gut and renting a bicycle for 50 Egyptian Pounds per day. Egypt is so flat that as long as you aren’t visiting in the peak heat of summer you can easily bike to the valley of the kings, Hatshepsut, Dier el-Medina, and more in one day. Bikes are the perfect mode of transport for those visiting Egypt on a budget.

If you decide that you cannot skip the valley of the kings here’s what you need to know…

1. Your entrance ticket gives you entrance to 3 of the “basic” tombs. 

Based on our research & recommendations from locals–the 3 most impressive are Ramses 3, Merenptah, Tausert + Setnakht. You can find them all on maps.me. Know which tombs you want to visit before you go.

2. There’s no reason to pay for the shuttle because it’s literally a 5-minute walk around the bend from the ticket office. 

Be sure to check out my whole blog post on common scams in Egypt because many happen here in the Valley of the Kings. 

3. You have to pay extra to visit the special tombs. 

I’ll go over which ones are worth it below. Special tombs are Seti 1, Ramses 5 + 6, and King Tut.

4. Skip the photo pass.

You technically need to purchase a 300 Egyptian Pound photo pass to take photos with a camera (cellphones don’t need to pay) inside the tombs. But in some cases, we managed to sneak a photo or two. It doesn’t seem strictly enforced.

5. Again 11-12 (noon) is the most empty time to visit.

It’s beneficial to have fewer people anytime you’re going deep into the tomb’s small spaces. 

6. You can bribe the guards to let you into more tombs than the 3 your ticket permits. 

But we felt seeing the ones we did was sufficient. No need to explore further unless you’re a huge history buff.  

Cost of Valley of Kings Entrance Ticket: 240 Egyptian ($16) per person

TICKET OFFICES CLOSE AT 3:45 PM. This is super early considering the temples and tombs themselves are often open until 6 PM or later. We missed out on seeing Dier El-Medina one day because we weren’t aware of this rule.

Extra fee for Ramses 5 + 6 Tombs — See

If you could, I would recommend travelers visiting Egypt on a budget ONLY visit these 2 tombs in the Valley of the Kings. But unfortunately, you have to buy a general admission + this extra ticket. If you go to the Valley you can’t skip these tombs. The extra fee is totally worth it.

Cost: 100 Egyptian Pounds ($7) per person. 

Extra fee for King Tuts Tomb — Skip 

This is only a popular tomb because everyone knows King Tut. His tomb is not one of the more intricately decorated ones and at 400 Egyptian Pounds, it’s one of the most expensive. 

Note: There are no mummies or artifacts still in the tombs. They have all been moved to the Egyptian Museums to be preserved. 

Hatshepsut — Skip the entrance fee & See the Temple

The outside of this temple is what really blows people away. Carved into a cliffside the columns are striking. But it’s always crowded, expensive, and the temple inside is just alright in comparison to others you’ll see. 

Instead of paying the 140 Egyptian Pound entrance fee just bike up and take some photos with a zoom lens. 

Dier el-Medina (the worker’s tombs) — See 

My favorite of all the tombs in Egypt. These are the most colorful and some of the best-preserved sites. It’s also not nearly as busy as many of the other tombs. 

These tombs were built by the workers for themselves right behind their homes. On-site you can enter 3 brilliantly painted tombs and explore their old church and dwellings. 

Cost: 100 Egyptian Pounds ($7)

Dendara Complex — See 

This was one of the only places we did not make it to that we really wanted to. Several people who had made the long journey raved about the temple. Apparently, it’s barely visited and very cheap. Let me know if you manage to make it to this lesser-visited gem.

Valley of the Nobles —Skip 

Another recommended temple that’s just ok. Your money is better spent elsewhere in my opinion. 

Valley of the Queens and Nefertiti — Skip 

Unless you’re looking to splash out you’ll likely skip Nefertiti’s tomb. It’s renowned as one of the best and most colorful (we wouldn’t know as we didn’t go) but at almost $40 per person to enter…it’s well out of our temple budget. 

Felucca ride in Luxor — Skip 

Luxor is the worst. There are so many touts, scams, and you can’t ever just eat your falafel in peace. You’ll get offered a million felucca rides but wait until you arrive in Aswan. Not only is it easier to get a decent price but the Nile is far prettier here. 

Government Market in Luxor — Skip 

This is a tourist trap. Again— be sure to check out my comprehensive guide to scams in Egypt. 

Television street — See 

This might be the East Bank of Luxor’s only saving grace, & Karnak Temple of course. TV street is the Mecca of street food in Luxor. You can get fresh sugar cane juice, shawarma, and tons more for under 30 Egyptian Pounds ($2). 

Best around dinner time after dark. 

Edfu Temple — See 

Edfu is one of the most beautiful temples in Egypt. It’s also one of the most common places travelers get conned into taking a private car because it is halfway between Luxor and Aswan. 

Don’t do it. 

Take the daytime train from Luxor to Edfu & spend one night in the small town. This costs 70 Egyptian Pounds ($4) instead of nearly $25 per person in a shared van/car. 

There is plenty of food and accommodation in Edfu to keep you satisfied for a single day. 

Edfu Ticket cost: 180 Egyptian Pounds ($13)

Cruise from Aswan to Luxor or Vice Versa — Skip 

There’s no other way to say it. These cruises are for old people—sorry. People who want to just lay around and be entertained by staff dressing up as mummies. I’m not kidding that actually happens. These cruises are overpriced, bad for the environment, and far over-hyped. You’ll also be shuttled to the temples together–which means you are guaranteed to have not a single photo without hoards of people. This is not the route for travelers visiting Egypt on a budget or…anyone under 65 at all.

If sailing down the Nile sounds romantic to you…consider a multi-day felucca journey. Anything with a sail is much more magical, right? It’s also a lot cheaper and more fun.

Aswan 

My favorite city for traveling to Egypt on a budget.

Kom Ombo Temple — Undecided 

The temple itself is relatively new by Egypt standards and not super well preserved. The only reason I enjoyed our visit was the mummified crocodile museum that’s attached. 

This temple is for the crocodile-faced god Sobek. 

Kom Ombo is also a 30-minute minibus + a quick tuk-tuk ride from Aswan. It’s in the same place as the Dawar camel market which you MUST visit so if you decide you want to go to Kom Ombo be sure to combine the two. 

Mini Bus from Aswan Bus Station to Dawar: 8 Egyptian Pounds (50 cents) 

Tuk Tuk to Temple: 25 Egyptian Pounds total ($2)

Kom Ombo Ticket Cost: 140 Egyptian Pounds ($9)

Dawar Camel Market — See 

Probably my very favorite and least touristy stop in all of Egypt. I love visiting a wildly crowded chaotic market. We took lots of photos (at locals’ request), met tons of camel farmers, and even drank fresh camel milk!! 

This is 100% free except for transportation. You’ll take the same minibus you would for Kom Ombo + a long walk or a 10 Egyptian Pound tuk-tuk ride to the market itself. 

The market is at its best in the early morning 9 AM at the latest and on Tuesday/Wednesday. Tuesday is the most crowded & has Buffalo, cows, goats, and sheep in addition to camels but Wednesday is HUNDREDS of camels. I think any day is worth a visit though. 

Warning: This is not a market for the faint of heart. These are traditional farmers and many of the animals will be food. There’s even a spot on-site that seems to be a slaughterhouse of some kind. But the farmers do love to show off their animals. You’ll also get a lot of attention especially if you’re a woman. It was all friendly but I was with a small group including 3 men so I can’t say how it would be for a solo female. 

Colorful “Nubian” Village — Skip 

Another tourist trap. This is a market they funnel the cruise ship passengers to. Don’t bother visiting. 

Philae Temple — Skip 

Ok, maybe I was just templed out at this point but it just didn’t seem to be worth the hassle & the price tag. This is on an island so you’ll also need to take a ferry if you decide to visit. 

Elephantine Island — See

This is a real Nubian town. Mudbrick structures, lots of cats and dogs, great Tagine (definitely pay a visit to King Jamaica’s— two can easily share a single Tagine & he has camel meat). Lots of people choose to stay on the island but we didn’t. I think even though it’s more beautiful it’s a little too isolated to stay overnight in Aswan. 

The ferry is 5 Egyptian Pounds. (30 cents)

We stayed at David’s Hostel. If you are a budget traveler- YOU HAVE TO STAY HERE. David is an angel. He gave us all the budget tips, told us how to get everyone via minibus, and was probably the only person we met in Egypt who truly gave us the real local prices for things. He made us breakfast and tea for free each morning & even packed it for us when we went to Abu Simbel at 3:30 AM. $12 for two people. Can’t beat it. Another plus— he will write everything out in Arabic for you to help make your transport smooth on the buses. 

Nubian Dinner + Desert Hike to Monastery for Sunset — See

For a real Nubian experience, charter a little boat from Elephantine Island to the sand-covered island across from it. At the base of the massive sand dune, you’ll find a very laid-back Nubian restaurant with good tagine and excellent BBQ chicken. For sunset, you should hike up to the ancient crumbling monastery, explore a little, and then enjoy dinner on the brightly colored cushions at the restaurant below safe from the wind.

This is entirely free except for the boat and the dinner. Dinner for two can be had for 150 Egyptian Pounds and the boat should be around 50. You can find the monastery easily on Maps.me.

Tombs & Church Sunset Viewpoint — See 

Another great sunset spot in Aswan is the hillside tombs. You have to pay an entrance fee to the Nubian people to visit but you can get cheap transport by taking the public ferry from Aswan city. They close at 4-5 PM so if you show up after you’ll just have to pay 50 pounds to the guy hanging out near the booth. Or try and sneak past him. That’s up to you. It just doesn’t seem like the most official ticketing pro

Entrance Fee: 50 Egyptian Pounds + 5 Egyptian Pound Ferry ($4)

Abu Simbel — See (w/ conditions)

Abu Simbel is beyond impressive. 4 towering statues of Ramses overlooking the incredible lakeside shores of Lake Nasser. But getting there isn’t easy. The temple of Abu Simbel is about a 4.5-hour drive south from Aswan nearly to Sudan. You have two options for reaching the temple…a $23 per person shuttle bus that picks you up at 3 AM and allows you to have a few hours at the temple complex. Or take the local minibus. If you stay at David’s Hostel he can help you get familiar with public transport in Aswan. But basically…the minibus will be cheap but due to the incredible distance you’ll be traveling, it will take all day.

Entrance Tickets to Abu Simbel are $15 per person.

This means I think that Abu Simbel is worth the price IF you can take the whole day and ride the public bus for a couple of dollars.

If you’re short on time and must take the shuttle…I think you’ll be a little let down by the hour or two you get to spend at the temple.

Ancient Souks — See

This is one of the best markets in Egypt. Good street food, lots of products (see my common scams for an example of prices you should pay), & great to wander at night. 

Sunset Sail on the Nile— See

This is the area you want to sail on the Nile. The river is wide here in Aswan. It’s also surrounded by green fields and just overall the prettiest stretch of the Nile River. You can get an hour-long cruise on a felucca with tea for around 150 Egyptian Pounds total for the boat ($10). I recommend going for sunset.

Botanical Garden— Skip 

It’s a relaxing way to kill some extra time. But don’t go out of your way to visit. 

Siwa Oasis – Undecided

Despite spending 3 weeks in Egypt we still never made it to Siwa. Mostly because the only way to reach this desert oasis is via a 12-hour overnight bus ride. Which wouldn’t be the end of the world except that you then have to return the same way you came. And that’s a lot of travel time.

Siwa has beautiful desert dunes, lovely accommodations, cool springs, and spectacular salt pools for floating in. But we decided not to go because we’ve been fortunate enough to experience desert scenery in other places. And the idyllic salt pools are really just a photo op (they are manmade and there are lots of construction equipment nearby).

White Desert – A Cheaper Siwa alternative

We also did not make it to the White Desert but if desert dunes and pretty sand landscapes are what you are after a tour of the White Desert is much easier to swing than Siwa. It’s cheaper to visit and far closer to Cairo.

You’ll have to book a tour to visit this alien landscape. So I wouldn’t recommend visiting if you’re also planning a visit to Siwa.

Alexandria 

Alexandria is a rare ocean-side city in Egypt. It boasts attractions like the iconic “Library of Alexandria” (but the real one burned down long ago), which is now an interactive museum. There’s also an old castle by the sea. We spent one single day in the city and felt like it was enough. None of the attractions are really worth mentioning here.

Hurghada – Skip

Hurghada is a resort town on the Eastern coastline of Egypt. Yes, it’s beautiful but you can enjoy better snorkeling in Dahab for a far cheaper price. This town is hugely popular with Russians looking for all-inclusive vacations.

Dahab – See

Another often cheap option when flying into Egypt is to fly directly into Sharm el Shiek on the Sinai peninsula. We scored $70 flights into the country from Turkey this way. Although Sharm has little appeal, Dahab is a now booming dive/snorkel town just an hour drive away.

You can take the public bus for around $3 per person, GoBus for $8 per person, or team up with people at the airport to share a taxi if you’re arriving at odd hours (there is always a slew of people arriving headed straight to Dahab it’s easier than you think). The taxi should charge 500 Egyptian ($25) for the entire ride. Typically, it’s easier to arrange a driver ahead of time because negotiating with taxi drivers at the airport (or anywhere in Egypt) is brutal.

Tip: If you’ve just arrived in Sharm el Shiek Airport, be sure to pay the $25 cash for your Egyptian visa. SES has this weird loophole that technically if you’re planning on not leaving the peninsula (ie. just vacationing in Dahab + SES) you don’t need an Egyptian Visa. This means sometimes travelers get confused and don’t buy one. It’s a huge headache if you leave Dahab without a visa. You’ll get stopped at a checkpoint taken off the bus and sent the 6 hours back the way toy came to fill out forms and buy a visa at customs.

Dahab used to be a hippy town. Now, it’s turned over a more expensive leaf. We stayed at BishBishi Camp because it was the cheapest accommodation with A/C in Dahab, walking distance to everything, and served a good breakfast.

Snorkeling or Diving The Blue Hole – See

This is without a doubt the best thing to do in Dahab. If you have a diving certification, this is bound to be one of the favorite dives of your life. Snorkeling too. Here’s a quick breakdown of the three best places to snorkel/dive colorful reefs in Dahab in order.

• The Blue Hole.
• The Lighthouse. Just head straight out from the Lighthouse restaurant in town and eventually, you’ll see the coral shelf.
• Ras Abu Galum. You have to take a boat to reach the isolated Bedouin town but the reef is great here as well.

So how do you snorkel these sites on a budget?

For the lighthouse site, you can simply rent a snorkel mask from anywhere in town for 25 Egyptian Pounds or $1.50 for the day. The other two sites can either be accessed with a tour (popular + easy option, but completely disorganized + overpriced) OR you can visit them independently.

To get to the Blue Hole you should either rent a bike or pay for a short 10-minute taxi ride to the town. Dahab is hot and the road is bumpy + uneven, but if you choose to taxi you’ll be required to stop at a checkpoint + pay a $10 snorkel fee for the Blue Hole site. In my opinion, this is 100% worth it.

Once at the Blue Hole town you can rent a snorkel mask from the many restaurants + water shoes + a life jacket if you need one. The waves in Dahab + the Blue Hole are actually massive and make for difficult swimming sometimes. From here, follow the crowds to the left and snorkel the shelf upstream from the blue hole and work your way with the current into the hole itself.

To get from the blue hole to Ras Abu Galum you’ll take a quick walk to the boat dock (anyone can direct you) buy round trip tickets from the official with a clipboard + then catch a ride to the snorkel site itself from one of the many Bedouins on the other side. There are restaurants everywhere for food + drinks but it is quite overpriced.

I’m thoroughly impressed if you’ve made it this far but now you know all the best places to see in Egypt + what you should skip to stay on a backpacker’s budget in Egypt.

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