Adventure sports Tourism

Egypt is known for its Red Sea beaches, awesome Alexandrian seaside for long nightly promenades and most importantly, the Pyramids. We are not exactly known for a land of modern adventures, but this is quickly changing. The young people of Egypt are hip, modern and fit (well, at least most of them) and they are demanding a change in the usual vacation time traditions. The idea of sitting by the beach and reading a novel seems too mundane for those who seek the thrill of excitement. That is why sports tourism is growing.

We consulted one of the hip and happening Egyptian eco-tourism travel companies, Destination 31, about their take on the trend. A relatively new company, founded in 2009 by three friends, they have specialised in adventure tourism and extreme sports. “Adventure travel and sports tourism is picking up in Egypt and its popularity has been increasing significantly in the past 3 years. We do get several requests for rock climbing (which is a relatively new sport in Egypt); also, hiking & mountain trekking is becoming very popular, ” said Omar Hossam, founding partner of Destination 31.

However, Hossam noted that there is a lack of diversity when it comes to the touristic sports available: “In the case of Sports Tourism most of the travellers are interested more in the ones abroad due to the diversity of activities there, especially water activities, such as white water rafting, kayaking and canyoning.”

Despite the fact that people choose to go to countries like Croatia and Slovenia for adventure travelling, Hossam said that there are some packages inside Egypt that are often demanded. “Most popular active trips in Egypt nowadays are desert safaris (in the Western Desert) due to the political instability in the Sinai Peninsula, but personally, I believe that Sinai is the most active destination in Egypt with unmatched diversity in sports and activities, ” he added.

The company offers a lot of adrenaline-pumping trips that are worth checking out. Their main goal is to promote Egypt as the ultimate destination for tourism. In case you are wondering, the company’s name is very much related to the country, since “both the latitude and the longitude of the Nile Delta are at 31°00’00”, ” Hossam explained.

So, here is a list of things that can be done all over the country, which is bound to get your heart pumping and the adrenaline running through your veins.

Trekking up Mount Catherine

Located in the South Sinai governorate, Mount Catherine is the highest point in Egypt, at a height of 2, 629 metres. The mountain is a pretty easy trek, and the only challenge is concerned with low oxygen levels and the time taken to reach the top and go back down. It really depends on how fit you are, it can take from either sunrise to sundown or just under five hours. Some of the ultra-fit people even run up and down the mountain, encouraging other slow-movers to keep their spirits up. It is best done as a group activity, especially if it’s your first time trekking up the high mountain.