Cairo and Luxor are both considerable distances away but most visitors agree that the extra expense of a domestic flight or the inconvenience of a lengthy bus journey are worth it to see the awesome sights on offer. Possibilities exist for trips closer to the city and invariably entail some kind of activity, with the sea and the desert as popular locations.

Cairo: visitors can either head for the country’s capital under their own steam or take one of the many organised trips that are offered by local tour operators in Hurghada. The latter option, while offering the benefits of experienced tour guides, invariably involves a 19-hour day, of which 10 hours are spent on the coach.

Luxor: Luxor can only realistically be visited in a day by flying there; bus or train travel is just too time-consuming to make it a possibility. In a little over three hours by plane, visitors arrive at this popular visitor destination where a large variety of attractions await.

Must-sees include the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens, the Temple of Deir El-Bahri, the Temple of Luxor and the Avenue of the Sphinxes. Aside from historical sights, the city offers lively markets, great restaurants and opportunities to sail along the Nile or take a camel ride.

Quad Bike Desert Safari: local tour operators collect visitors from their hotels and transport them to the desert where they get a crash course in quad bike riding before starting the 25-kilometre trip to a Bedouin village. At the village, visitors can sample Bedouin tea, smoke a sheesha water pipe and see something of the traditions and living conditions of the local people.

Sindbad Submarine Tour: this popular excursion allows up to 44 passengers to board this genuine undersea vessel in order to discover some of the delights of the Red Sea without ever having to get wet. The submarine is able to reach depths of 22 metres, from where a variety of fish and coral reefs can be viewed.