Inexpensive tours to Egypt from Almaty: prices

Inexpensive tours to Egypt from Almaty are most profitable to take from May to September: due to heat above +40, hotels in Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh reduce prices by one and a half to two times, and a week-long package with a flight costs noticeably less than in winter. The most comfortable time for swimming is from October to April. The most budget resorts are Dahab, Safaga and El Gouna.

Seasonality and prices for holidays in Egypt

The price of budget trips to Egypt depends more on the season than on the chosen resort. In summer, packages get cheaper, in winter they get more expensive — the pattern is the opposite of the European one.

Why packages are cheaper in summer and more expensive in winter

In summer, everything here falls in price because of the heat above +40. Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh empty out, hotels lower rates to fill rooms. In winter, Europe comes here, demand grows, and the cost here rises by one and a half to two times. The peak falls on the New Year holidays and February break. Egyptian winter is mild, but in the evenings in Sharm El Sheikh and Dahab it is cool and windy. A warm sweater and a windbreaker on the promenade will not be superfluous. For a tourist from Almaty this is convenient: in winter we have frost, and on the Red Sea it is velvet season. Those who are ready to endure the heat catch inexpensive packages to Egypt in summer for half price.

Comfortable months for swimming in the Red Sea

Swimming is comfortable from October to April, when the water stays around +22…+26. The air in these months does not burn, the sun is soft, the wind is moderate. The warmest water is in October and November, the sea cools down more slowly than the air. In December and January swimming is invigorating, but it is pleasant to get into the water. March and April again please with warmth, and in May the heat increases. In summer the sea is like fresh milk, but it is hard to stay on the beach during the day. Egyptian autumn and spring are a golden time for inexpensive trips here. Here it is more expensive in winter, but the weather is ideal for sightseeing.

Budget resorts and their features

Not all resorts in Egypt cost the same. Some are promoted and expensive, others are quieter and cheaper with the same sea.

Where a holiday will cost less with the same sea

El Gouna and Safaga are cheaper than Hurghada with the same sea. There are fewer hotels there, and fewer tourists too, so accommodation and food cost less. Safaga is convenient for diving and a quiet holiday, El Gouna — for a measured holiday on the lagoons. Dahab in Sinai is the most budget option. Guesthouses, cafes with hookah and wind for kiting all year round make it a paradise for backpackers. Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh are promoted destinations with a wide choice of hotels. Budget trips to Hurghada are easier to find because of competition between hotels. Marsa Alam is chosen for corals and few people, but the infrastructure there is more modest. There is almost no entertainment outside diving, but the reefs are untouched. The Egyptian hinterland gives silence at a price lower than the capital resorts.

Quiet places for diving and surfing

Marsa Alam and Dahab are the main spots for diving and surfing. Marsa Alam is famous for coral walls and rare fish species. Dahab attracts surfers with constant wind and inexpensive schools. Safaga is also suitable for diving, there are fewer boats and queues to the reefs. El Gouna is good for calm snorkeling. Here these places are chosen by those who go for the sea, not for the noise. Surfing in Dahab is accessible to beginners, instructors work all year round. Diving in Marsa Alam requires experience, the currents there are stronger. The Egyptian waters of the Red Sea are rich in underwater life. This includes a flight to Hurghada and a transfer. Quiet resorts are suitable for those who are tired of crowds and want peace.

Border destinations for combined trips

Taba stands on the border with Israel and is suitable for combined trips. From there it is convenient to go to Petra or Jerusalem. Such destinations are taken for the sake of two countries in one trip. The resort is quiet, there are few hotels, the sea is clean. Egyptian Taba is an option for curious tourists from Almaty. Combined routes require more time and planning. But the impressions last for a year ahead. Here they stay in Taba less than in Sharm El Sheikh. Check border formalities in advance, they change.

How to save on a holiday in Egypt?

Saving in Egypt begins with food, shopping and communications. Little things add up to a noticeable sum over two weeks.

Food outside the hotel and local cuisine

Egyptian cuisine is cheap and filling. Ful, koshari, shawarma and fresh fish cost several times less than hotel restaurants. Koshari — rice with pasta, lentils and tomato sauce — costs pennies and fills you up for a long time. Street cafes in Hurghada and Dahab feed locals, and tourists eat there too. Budget trips with bed and breakfast allow you to have lunch in the city. You cannot drink tap water even in expensive hotels. Buy bottled water constantly, especially in the heat. Egyptian fish at the market is cheaper than on a restaurant menu. Buy fruit by weight from traders, it is sweet and inexpensive. Here with the all inclusive system, families with children benefit. Locally produced alcohol is included in the rate, imported — for an additional fee.

Shopping, tips and cash payments

Bargaining in markets and shops is customary and almost obligatory. The first named price is usually inflated several times. Here this rule is not canceled. Small money will be useful for tips: porters, cleaners, drivers and waiters expect them. This is part of local culture, not extortion. You can pay by card in hotels and large stores. In markets and taxis you need cash in Egyptian pounds. Keep small change at hand, traders often do not have change. The Egyptian habit of bargaining saves up to a third of the sum. Here with food outside the hotel they require cash for food.

Communications and internet without overpaying

Mobile internet and a local SIM card are cheaper to arrange at an operator's salon in the city. At the airport prices are higher, and the choice of tariffs is narrower. Here communication is not included, it is bought separately. An Egyptian SIM with an internet package costs little and works throughout the country. Wi-Fi in hotels can be slow and paid. For calls home, messengers via the mobile network are more convenient. Budget trips to remote resorts like Marsa Alam require a reserve of traffic. In Dahab and Safaga coverage is stable, in the desert it is not. Egyptian communication pays for itself in a couple of days of active use.

What to consider before the trip?

Preparing for a trip to Egypt takes less time than it seems. The main thing is to gather what is needed and not forget about health.

Visa, documents and airline requirements

The visa for Kazakhstan is arranged in advance. The Egyptian stamp is placed on arrival, but the airline may require a return ticket and hotel booking at the counter in Almaty. Check the requirements with the carrier before departure. Here assistance with processing is usually included. Keep printouts of the booking and ticket at hand. The Egyptian side checks documents quickly, but there are queues. Such trips with a flight from Almaty save extra running around.

Insurance and medical nuances

Medical insurance for Egypt is arranged separately. Check whether it covers diving and active types of holidays. Here people often go without an extended policy. Egyptian medicine in tourist zones is paid and not cheap. The sun is active all year round, a cream with high SPF is needed even in winter. Otherwise it is easy to get sunburned on the very first day. Here with children special attention to the first aid kit is required. Take your usual medicines with a reserve.

Things without which the holiday will be ruined

For trips to the reefs and distant beaches, coral slippers will come in handy. Walking barefoot on corals is dangerous and painful. Here, without such footwear, half the point of Marsa Alam is lost. Take a mask and snorkel, rental on site is more expensive. A warm jacket is needed in winter in Sharm El Sheikh and Dahab. The Egyptian sun requires a head covering and sunglasses. Here in the summer months they are unthinkable without light cotton clothing. A power bank will come in handy on long sightseeing tours.

Visa and entry rules change: check with the primary source — the electronic visa portal of the Arab Republic of Egypt, https://visa2egypt.gov.eg/eVisa/. The information on this page was checked on 12.09.2026.

Booking and payment conditions

Booking here has its own details. Understand them before payment, so that there are no surprises on site.

Briefly

• In summer, package tours to Egypt become twice as cheap because of the heat, in winter they become more expensive.
• Swimming is more comfortable from October to April, the water stays at around +22…+26.
• Dahab, Safaga and El Gouna cost less than the promoted Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh.
• Egyptian cuisine outside the hotel, markets and trading noticeably save the trip budget.
• Coral slippers, SPF cream and insurance with diving are mandatory.