50 shades of Sinai: why for once in your life you should visit Sharm El-Sheikh

In Sharm El-Sheikh, meet the newcomers mountains in a blue haze. Somewhere behind them, the Bedouins and rare trail the quads, then the biblical places. Here, at Sinai, ancient traditions, modern exotic desert life and all the Spa delights of the highest order — in one bottle, and it is desirable to cover all 33 fun.

After all, you are not vacationing in Egypt, if you have not seen the ritual dance of dervishes and lost in the coral, colorful fish, not rode proudly on a camel, feeling almost the Emir. And not rested at all, if not walked among the blooming pink bougainvillea and cacti the size of a pumpkin, drinking a cocktail at the pool bar and I didn’t bathed in the southern sun balcony to tell the Red sea: “Good morning!”

THE CHARM TODAY: KAZAKHS, PHYSALIS AND DISCOUNTS

After Egypt stopped going Russian tourists, it was found that there is a rest to many people of other nationalities. Today there are a lot of Kazakhs, Europeans from different countries, the Chinese and the Egyptians themselves, who previously were mostly confined to the rest of the sea only on major Muslim holidays. Therefore, the atmosphere is multicultural, you can make friends with foreigners and there is a haunting feeling that rest somewhere in the Crimea or in Berdyansk.

As always, the chefs here conjure with seafood, spicy dishes and festive sweets, cut masterpieces from watermelons and pumpkins, to create an exhibition of chocolate sculptures, and every lunch-dinner — like a holiday.

A feast for the body. For dinner on the exhibition

Charm at any time of the year is Sunny tale, in which everything has been arranged for the guest, starting with neat lawns and flowerbeds along the roads and ending with a rich program of relaxation — both in-house and outside. Massage on the beach, the contemplation of colorful tropical fish from a pier, boat yacht cruises and desert safaris are available year-round.

But if you don’t like the tropical heat, it is better to go to Egypt in April-may when comfortable and to swim, to sunbathe, go on excursions. Moreover, in may there is the first Egyptian watermelons and grapes in the midst of a season of great sweet oranges and strawberries, as time is local grapefruits, peaches and Cape gooseberries (mango and pomegranates ripen in August, and guava are always there).

RESORT SHOPPING. As a result of tourism crisis with the Egyptian pound happened the same thing with UAH: it was three times cheaper in relation to dollar, but, unlike locals, tourists are on hand. Large queues in the gift shop there, and merchants quietly parted with the goods for quite acceptable money: a dollar can buy several magnets, large bath towel from the local cotton — two and a half times cheaper than in Ukraine.

A special pleasure to shop at the local hypermarket: very reasonable prices on coconut milk, dried fruits, nuts, sesame and olive oil. By the way, on the shelves there is a fine selection of teas with interesting composition and additives: anise, cinnamon, ginger, guava, oregano, and a real Egyptian coffee with ground spicy cardamom.

The Movenpick. Famous for the view and large pool

THE TOUR, WHICH WILL TEAR OFF FROM THE DECK CHAIR

Excursions during your holiday in Sharm El Sheikh is a great opportunity for cultural and spiritual enrichment. The more that Sinai is a storehouse of vivid impressions and a convenient starting point for many tours from the “Golden classics”. The main thing — to trust the well-known tour operator which organizes a safe and comfortable ride.

CAIRO. To go to the capital of Egypt is already in order to see how full of life in Africa’s largest 18-million city-giant. The national Museum is open and well guarded from all sides of the pyramid are always welcome, the world famous Tahrir looks peacefully, as the Champs elysées. Early morning tour bus joins in the epicenter of vibrant, colorful and chaotic life of Cairo. The window flashing donkeys with loaded cane trucks, going on the Affairs of Muslim women in hijabs with a sack on their heads, ultra-modern shopping centres are replaced by a motley of street bazaars.

And finally, here it is — the Egyptian Museum. Among 120 thousand unique artifacts (the oldest — aged 5,000 years) — the mummies of kings and priests, Queens jewelry, valuable relics, statues, scrolls and manuscripts. Be sure to look for the gold funerary mask of the Treasury of the tomb of Tutankhamun in the valley of the Kings (Luxor) and not inherited robbers. The value of all the tombs (and there are even a dried bouquet of cornflowers) occupy eight halls of the Museum and exported from the site for almost five years!

A highlight of this excursion — a trip to the pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx that await guests at the edge of the Libyan desert that’s been around for 5,000 years. God himself told RA to be photographed in front of the pyramids of gray, and at the entrance to the temple of the Sphinx the Father of Terror and the king of riddles-puzzles — make a wish.

The citadel of Salah al-DIN. The best in Cairo after the pyramids

SACRED MOVE TO SINAI. At first glance, vacation in Egypt a few fit with Hiking subjugation of the peaks. But the “sacred peak”, mountain of Moses is not a sport, but a pilgrimage. According to legend, on mount Sinai, the prophet Moses spent 40 days and received from the Lord the tablets of faith and the ten major precepts of Christianity. Those who will climb to a height of 2285 m before dawn and, repenting, will meet at the top of sunrise, will be absolved of all sins. To cleanse the soul only need a night to climb the 3750-ti rock-cut steps (short way) or to overcome the 7 km of track laid in the XIX century the road and only finally to make a breakthrough in 750 steps (a long way).

As a reward for the feat get emotional explosion — as soon as you see rising from somewhere below the sun pours light on mount Sinai. In the morning, on the top you can see ruins of the chapel of the Holy Trinity and the mosque, and descended the St. Catherine’s monastery, founded by monks-hermits in the fourth century. In one of the oldest continuously operating Orthodox monasteries priceless icons, manuscripts of the Bible and growing the Burning Bush, touching which gives the fulfilment of the good wishes.

Camel race. Available while Hiking in the desert

GO TO THE BOTTOM. Diving who has not experienced, he is on vacation in Egypt did not really happen. The red sea is created for diving and enjoying the breathtaking images of undersea life, especially from the Sinai Peninsula, where the famous marine reserve of RAS Mohammed. The great ocean Explorer Jacques Cousteau called the Red sea “gallery of miracles, where he spent the happiest hours of my diving experience”. Here is a unique clear water and variety of marine life that are found nowhere else in the world. In one word, without hesitation armed with costumes, masks and tanks, and more to the colorful reefs, seamounts inviting and the gardens are rare species of fish and coral that nature has endowed this piece of Paradise. First need to Express the preparatory courses have divers and learn safety rules. But there is diving for the lazy — overview of the underwater world on a submersible with the special glasses, visually approaching object 6 m In extreme cases — go on a boat ride and admire the beauty of the red sea from the yacht.

ORIENTAL EXOTICISM. Peppercorns release will surely give the presentation of reptiles. In the serpentarium of the local Shaw Park there are “artists” like lizards, monitor lizards, crocodiles, huge tortoises and about 25 species of snakes, adjure fakir. The animals in the hands of the trainers takes the most dangerous breathtaking stunts. In addition to animal circus in the program, it is necessary to watch a fire show. There is the Charm “branch” of the Eastern tale — Alf Leyla Wa Leyla (1001 nights). This is a luxurious Palace complex, where the style is sustained throughout — tiled walls, bright colors of the domes, fountains and exquisite chandeliers.

Alf Leyla Wa Leyla. Like the ancient tale

Except for the Eastern show, here you will enjoy a copy of the treasures of Tutankhamun’s tomb, the aroma of coffee and hookahs, Arabic motifs, sounding everywhere, — in short, why not live a night like a real Sheikh? By the way, luxury spas in Sharm El Sheikh is not just a place with a Jacuzzi, and a separate pink worlds with breathtaking fragrances and soothing, no one knows where the music that you will immerse into the atmosphere of East luxury, able to indulge in pleasures (sauna, scrub, face mask, foam massage and wraps). The trick is that here in the quality of cosmetics use such authentic tools as the Egyptian cakes, coffee, orange, coconut scrubs, mysterious Oriental scrub with a secret composition and fragrant sandalwood oil.