Egypt – Chic family chill on a budget

In this article, we invite you to join us on our family trip to Egypt. Are you ready for a dream destination in search of adventure and relaxation? Dive into the thousand-year-old history of the Pharaohs with us, while enjoying a chic and chill setting. We were lucky enough to take an all-inclusive family trip to Marsa Alam. And all without going through a travel agency. We also discovered a corner of paradise at an unbeatable price. Here’s the story of our experience, full of practical advice for those wishing to explore this fascinating destination.

Cheap and chill Egypt with Voyage sans agence

For the summer of 2024, we opted for an all-inclusive vacation. This was a first for us since the birth of our family. However, we decided not to go with an all-inclusive travel agency. Instead, we decided to organize everything ourselves, so that the trip would suit us as much as possible.
We took the time to research our budget, our desires and so on. We chose Egypt. The criteria for this trip were: a budget of around €4,500 for the five of us (two adults and three children aged 15, 4 and 3). An all-inclusive trip for ten to twelve days. A destination in the sun, nice and warm at 35 degrees (we’ve got chilly kids). And we wanted to get away from the dreariness of Belgium. A family trip less than 6 hours by air. The sea to discover a new snorkeling spot – the Red Sea.

Egypt with young children

Ella and Augustin (aged 3 and 4 respectively) seemed too young to take a boat trip down the Nile. Or to go to Cairo to see the pyramids and the Sphinx, as Theo dreams. We’ll have to wait a little longer for that kind of trip.

And yet… A little surprise at the end of the article.

The Egypt chill family choice without a travel agency

So we opted for an ultra all-inclusive hotel, the Novotel Marsa Alam Beach Resort (Booking.com).
Somewhat removed from the mass tourism of Hurghada or Marsa Alam, it’s a 20-minute drive from the village of El Qousseir.

This modern hotel is located on the shores of the Red Sea. Offering direct access to sandy beaches and snorkeling from its private pontoon. Its rooms are spacious and comfortable, and equipped with everything you need. We chose a pretty suite with a balcony overlooking the sunrise and the sea. The resort offers a variety of dining options with several restaurants, including buffets and themed dinners. Facilities include swimming pools, a mini club for children and various sports activities. A spa offers relaxing treatments for those looking to unwind. The team is friendly and attentive, and a big thank you goes to Lucy. She is the French-speaking hostess who took care of us during our stay.

This hotel is a perfect base from which to explore the region in idyllic surroundings.

Rate: Accommodation in a Deluxe Suite with sea-front balcony (1 double bed, 1 bathroom, 2 WCs, 1 sofa-bed, 1 single bed, 1 cot, entrance hall, TV and dining area, sea-view balcony) €1,580 for 12 nights, all-inclusive for 5.

Hotel activities

We’re not big fans of beach/pool “chill” vacations, as we quickly realized. However, we specifically chose this hotel because it had a private beach. But it also had a pontoon enabling you to descend safely into the sea, right on the edge of the coral reef.
As snorkeling enthusiasts, this little extra enabled us to do several sessions during our stay. Even Augustin had his first snorkeling session there. And what a spectacle! From the warm sandy beach (it’s around 45 degrees in July), we crossed the pontoon overlooking the sea. You can already see lots of colorful fish and black starfish. A terrace at the end of the pontoon, where you can get your equipment, leads you down the few steps into the water. It’s an unforgettable experience, with crystal-clear waters and vibrant coral reefs. Ultra-colored fish and breathtaking coral formations can be seen just a few meters from the beach. It’s the perfect opportunity to reconnect with nature while enjoying the mesmerizing beauty of the Red Sea. Matthieu will treasure his encounter with a sea turtle.

On-site excursions

For on-site excursions, we chose a local agency called “Coeur de l’Égypte”. They offer great activities at attractive prices. In fact, prices on site or at the hotel are much higher. We tried out the “Nefertari ” cruise departing from Port Ghalib, 45 minutes from the hotel, in a shared mini-bus. This is a boat with a 2-in-1 seascope.

During this cruise, you will be able to observe the marine fauna through the Seascope for around 1 hour. You’ll see a multitude of fish, corals, sharks and turtles. We’ll “play” the tourist photo session in traditional costume. Stop at the Marsa Moubarak coral reef. A snorkeling session for Julie, where she swims with turtles and meets a Dugong. A kind of sea cow emblematic of the Red Sea. The cruise ends with a simple meal on the boat.

We return to Port Ghalib, a fairly touristy village. We’ll take a stroll through the typical narrow streets. A very nice activity that we highly recommend.

Price: 80€/adult (from 12 years old) – 40€/child from 5 to 11 years old – Free for children under 5.

Transportation

Flights

For our flight to Egypt, we chose to depart from Düsseldorf, for several reasons. Firstly, we wanted a direct flight to Marsa Alam. Secondly, to reduce the cost of the ticket per person. What’s more, none of the airlines we flew from, say Belgium, had any relevant and better-value offers, even if we’d agreed to make a stopover. The price would have been much higher that way.

In the end, we flew from Düsseldorf to Marsa Alam with Air Cairo for almost 6 hours and back with Tui Germany (as this direct flight was not available with Tui France or Belgium).

Parking at the airport

At the airport, we parked our car in one of the airport parking lots, P5 (142€/12 days), from where a monorail left every 10 minutes to reach the terminal in less than 5 minutes.

The airport goose

While waiting for our flight, we opted for access to the airport’s “open-air lounge” (to be paid extra – family pack for a total of €103 for the 5 of us or €29.90/person – purchase online in advance on the airport website). Going to this lounge enabled us to wait at the airport in an enclosed, child-friendly area with games and books, with access to the buffet and unlimited drinks. In fact, the five of us usually spend around €100 to have dinner and/or supper before the flight.

Visa application

To travel to Egypt, you’ll need to apply for a visa online – eVisa 25€/person. It’s also possible to apply on arrival at the airport, but you’ll need to have the right account.

Local transfers

On site, for the journey between Marsa Alam airport and our hotel in El Qousseir (45-minute journey) we booked, again via Booking, an 8-person private taxi/van (8 pieces of luggage).

Fare: €40/journey for the 5 of us.

This rate is very attractive in the sense that if you choose a shared bus you’ll get 80€/person via a company and this bus will stop at several hotels on the way. Also, if we took transport via our hotel, it would have cost us 2x as much per journey. There are no small savings when you’re traveling with 5 people…

A little detour to Luxor

While we were there, our children couldn’t really “stand” staying in a hotel without doing any sightseeing, exploring the sights, discovering new cultures and so on. We’ve got them used to something else since they were toddlers, and they took to it.

Indeed, as our hotel was located away from the city center, we couldn’t walk out of the hotel to go for a stroll around town. And all the excursions revolved around marine life, private “tourist” islands of white sand, coconut palms… Which seemed a world away from what we liked.

A decision with a price tag

So we took the decision (out of our initial budget, as you can imagine) to go to Luxor for two days.

Visiting Luxor as a family in July is certainly an adventure, but an exciting (and hot) one that promises to captivate young and old alike. The children, especially Theo and Augustin (Ella slept a lot in their arms), were amazed by the majestic temples and fascinating stories of ancient Egypt, making learning fun and interactive. Although the weather was hot, exploring iconic sites like the Valley of the Kings and Karnak Temple together created unforgettable memories.

This two-day, one-night excursion to Luxor cost us around €1,000 more than expected.

Going to Luxor with the hotel’s local agency

We didn’t have many options on site other than going through the hotel’s lobby excursion desk (independent of the hotel). In fact, we did a bit of research on the net and the prices seemed to be cheaper through the agency. We opted for the package: private van with driver to and from the hotel – all entrance fees included for visits – a French-speaking guide on site. We were lucky enough to be accompanied on site by a local French-speaking guide who was extremely attentive to our needs, and well aware that these visits would take place in 45-degree weather with young children. She adapted to our needs and enabled us to make these visits in the best possible conditions. We highly recommend her, her name is Safaa and here is her WhatsApp number +20 10 056 70 933.

Price: 884€ for the 5 of us for 2 days (private van round trip – English-speaking guide – a typical dinner – visits on site (entrance tickets)

Our hotel in Luxor

We chose to book a separate night’s accommodation from that offered by the agency, so that the hotel would suit us, be off the center of Luxor and child-friendly. We chose the Jolie Ville Hotel & Spa Kings Island Luxor. A large hotel complex on the banks of the Nile with majestic views over the lush surroundings, large swimming pools and play areas for children.

Rate: Family suite 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms – 237€/night for the 5 of us.

We were rather disappointed with this 5* hotel, rated 8.8/10 on Booking, from a value-for-money point of view, run-down, old-fashioned and full of Asian tourists disrespectful of the people around them, the all-you-can-eat buffets and the staff.

Visiting Luxor and its temples

Valley of the Kings

The Valley of the Kings is located on the west bank of the Nile. In July, although temperatures are high, early morning visits reveal majestic tombs such as those of Tutankhamun and Ramses. In fact, our guide, Safaa, took us there early in the morning to discover this mystical place in relatively pleasant temperatures, before the horde of Asian tourists arrived. She chose to show us 3 tombs (including those of Ramses III and IV), as this would not have been possible with children. This historic site offers a fascinating dive into ancient Egyptian history, with its magnificent frescoes and mysteries. Don’t forget to bring hats and water to make the most of this unique adventure! On-site refreshments are available in the central souvenir store.

After a good hour’s visit, we got back in the car for a short 6-minute drive to…

Hatshepsut

Queen Hatshepsut’s funerary temple is an architectural marvel not to be missed. Although the heat is intense, this impressive site offers fascinating insights into the history of one of Egypt’s few female pharaohs. The majestic terraces, surrounded by cliffs, are adorned with captivating bas-reliefs recounting her exploits. Plan to visit in the morning to take full advantage of this enriching experience, as there is a refreshment area at the foot of the temple.

Colossi of Memnon

The Colossi of Memnon, just a 5-minute drive from Hatshepsut Temple, are two gigantic statues of pharaohs. Located on the west bank of the Nile, these impressive monuments date back to the 14th century BC. The surrounding landscape is majestic and soothing.

Restaurant Paris

Less than a minute from the colossi is the Paris restaurant, where we finally enjoyed a typical meal, shared with our guide Safaa. It was a local tagine with beef and vegetables, accompanied by fresh juice – simple and delicious (included in the 2-day rate).

After dinner, we headed back to our hotel to enjoy a cool moment by the pool.

Temple of Amon

Just before sunset, we made our way to the Temple of Amun in the heart of Luxor – a must-see!

The temperature was just right for a 1.5-hour visit, and there were very few people around. This majestic site, dedicated to the god Amon, impresses with its vast halls and magnificent columns. At the exit, you’ll find a terrace where you can quench your thirst and watch the sunset, a small souvenir store and clean toilets.

The temples of Karnak

Early the next morning, we set off for the Karnak temples near Luxor. These are one of Egypt’s most impressive sites, with frescoes and majestic columns. This vast complex, dedicated to the Theban Triad, amazes visitors with its rich history and grandiose monuments. Arrive early in the morning to enjoy this enchanting setting away from the crowds, who arrive more than an hour after us.

A word of advice: You’ll need to cover your shoulders and knees when visiting these sites. Also, wear a hat or cap to protect yourself from the sun. Bring a bottle of water for each person. Don’t be fooled by the hordes of street vendors, who will literally chase you for souvenirs. Prices are excessive and not at all of good quality. We advise you to refer to your guidebook for your souvenir purchases.

Cheap all-inclusive family holidays in Egypt

The trip that opened our eyes to new horizons

This trip to Egypt made us realize many things. For us, travel means: discovering cultures, observing temples and vestiges, being surrounded by lush nature and meeting wild animals.

However, having already made a fine trip in February 2024, we couldn’t afford to deviate from the budget of 4500€ for 12 days. Even if, with the visit to Luxor, we far exceeded it.

Such a trip, combining beach chill, pool, rest, all-inclusive, 5-star luxury and snorkeling on the Red Sea coral reef, allowed us to enjoy a warm month of July as a family, with magnificent desert landscapes.

And as announced at the start of this article, we’re hoping to return to Egypt so that we can travel down the Nile and Cairo when the two little ones are a little older.

If you’re interested, we invite you to follow us on our next family trip: Cambodia in February 2025.