FAQ

The climate in Egypt
Plenty of Sun and little rainfall in Egypt lies in the subtropical dry belt. The individual regions can be divided into three climate zones. The climate ranges from the Mediterranean between the Mediterranean Sea and northern Sinai to subtropical between the Red Sea and the border region with Sudan.
The coastal regions on the Mediterranean Sea and on the Sinai are characterized by extremely warm summer heat, around Hurghada and the areas to the south it is even unbearable, sometimes muggy.
The temperatures rise in the Red Sea in summer to well over 40 °C, the water temperatures can even reach up to 33 °C. And even the nights are not noticeably cooler! In the months from October to April, the temperatures are "only" between 20 and 30 °C. Cool winds can blow across the Red Sea between December and February. Even night temperatures below 10 °C are not uncommon.
In the mountainous region, with its wadis sloping down to the Nile, there is primarily a warm, dry climate. Depending on the time of year, temperatures can drop to freezing point at night. During the winter months, there is more rainfall here as well.
The third zone, between the mountains and the Nile delta, is characterized by a desert-like climate. Between March and April, sandstorms can occur in the Eastern Desert, usually lasting 3 to 5 days, which then leads to a rapid increase in temperature.
During this period, the "chamsin" ("chamsin" = Arabic for "50") also blows a desert wind that brings dry, hot air and a lot of fine sand dust with it for more than 50 days. Occasionally it falls so icy cold over the Red Sea coast that you can only lie in the sun with a sweater or a windbreaker on the beach!
Rainfall can sometimes be absent for years or occur several times a year. But then with such violence that the old wadis fill up within minutes and everything around is filled with new life.

The most important animals and plants of Egypt
With 96% of the country covered by desert, year-round fauna can only be found along the Nile and in the Nile Delta, and in the oases. Every square meter in the Nile Valley is cultivated with crops such as wheat, barley, millet, corn, rice, vegetables, herbs, and spices. Date palms line the banks of the Nile. Fruit trees, banana trees, and grapevines thrive both in the Nile Delta and in the oases.
The southern coast of the Red Sea is partially covered with mangrove forests. The Mediterranean coast is lined with palm groves. The mountainous regions and deserts are also sometimes very life-friendly, e.g. But also a lot of species unknown to us, such as Hargl or Elfeen, remedies used by the Bedouins, thrive there.
After a few rains in the winter months, everything turns green and blooms - a very welcome change for goats, sheep, and camels, because their "table" is now richly set. The fauna of the eastern desert, like that of the Sinai, is rarer here, with African species dominating instead.
The most common animal is the camel. In ancient times, other large animal species lived here, including lions, leopards, giraffes, ostriches, and antelopes, which had to look for new habitats due to the changed climatic conditions. Jackals, desert foxes, hyenas, gazelles, and gerbils can still occasionally be spotted on desert tours.
Today, small mammals such as rats, mice, but also hares, and rabbits as well as numerous species of reptiles, e.g. geckos, lizards, frogs, and even snakes live in this area. We Europeans are very familiar with the bird world, which finds an ideal habitat, especially on the Nile, because many native migratory birds, including numerous storks, settle in Egypt in winter. Ducks, geese, coots, cattle egrets, and ibises can be seen near the water. And high in the sky, the black kite and falcons are still circling. Lapwings, larks, and finches are also widespread. Mediterranean flora and fauna sparrows and ravens.

The Nile, the longest river on earth and an evergreen oasis, flows along it with a total length of 6,671 kilometers. Annually, it supplies 55.5 billion cubic meters of water to Egypt and 18 billion cubic meters to Sudan. Nile water is one of the most precious goods in a country where it hardly rains. The water has always been meticulously distributed to the surrounding dammed fields using a sophisticated system. The monsoon rains in the Abyssinian highlands cause the Nile to swell once a year so that its water level rises up to 6 m between July and October. For centuries, the fate of the country depended on the flood of the Nile. One always feared whether it would not come or whether it would break in too violently. Although the floods were regular, their levels varied, dictating the forthcoming harvest. Most of the agricultural land is on the west bank. Since 1971, floodwaters have been accumulating at the Nasser dam, not far from Aswan, and guaranteeing the country's year-round water supply. be roughly watered. Multiple harvests became possible. Vital to a country where the population increases by a million every year. The generated electrical energy supplies around 4,000 villages with electricity. The 900 km long Nile valley is between 4 and 25 km wide and widens north of Cairo to form the Nile delta, which is 250 km wide on the Mediterranean Sea and whose estuaries are the most fertile regions of the country. In the estuary delta alone, where the Nile once washed up with five branches (today there are still two), the fertile land reaches impressive dimensions with an area of ​​25,000 square kilometers. The longest river on earth begins its way in the rainy areas in the heart of Africa, in Burundi with the headwaters of the Kagera, which flows through Lake Victoria and Lake Albert. In the north of the Sudanese marshland, it takes the Gazelle River and the Giraffe River with it, and together with the Sobat it begins its onward journey to Khartoum as the “White Nile”. There it unites with the "Blue Nile" and a little later with the Atbara in order to overcome the remaining 3,000 km across the Sahara.

Fasting in the holy month of Ramadan
Fasting in the holy month (Ramadan), the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is one of the five pillars of Islam. Allah prescribes for all adult Muslims to abstain from all food and drink, smoking, and sexual contact during these approximately 29 days from sunrise to sunset. According to the Koran, this period of Lent gives believers the opportunity to cultivate their piety. Old people, the sick, pregnant women, and travelers are exempt from this fasting requirement.
The fast ends each evening with the call of the muezzin of the nearest mosque to the sunset prayer. Families gather in their homes and begin the feasting. The streets are empty and an eerie silence descends on the city, similar to our contemplative Christmas season. After the first big feast, the streets fill with hustle and bustle. Special prayer services accompany the night, during which long passages from the Koran are read. The exhausting hours only begin the next morning at sunrise.
Ramadan ends with the festival of Aid el Fitr when children are given presents and special prayers are said. Even though Ramadan is a draining time for believers, people do not see it as a punishment but as a celebration, a time to contemplate the will of Allah, and a family celebration. Sharing food with people who are alone and poor is a matter of course, especially in Ramadan, the month of compassion and coming together.
Daily life falls into a doze in Ramadan. Numerous shops remain closed or only open a few hours a day. Authorities and banks also have limited opening hours. Please understand that when the fast is broken in the evening hours, the hotel employees will retire for a few moments for contemplative dining and the shops will remain closed during this time.

Sheraton Soma Bay Resort
Safaga - Soma Bay, Hurghada & Safaga


Your advantages: Luxurious holiday resort in a quiet beach location
One of the most beautiful golf courses in Egypt in the immediate vicinity
Very large spa center (4,800 sqm) in the neighboring hotel

Category: 5

Location:
⦁ right on the beach
⦁ to the city center: approx. 60 km
⦁ to the airport: approx. 45 km
⦁ to the nearest hospital: approx. 3 km
⦁ to the nearest pharmacy: approx. 3 km
⦁ to the nearest bank: approx. 30 km
⦁ outside of the place
⦁ Sandy beach: gently sloping, belongs to the complex, approx. 800 m long, sunshades, loungers, beach towel/bath towel


Furnishing:
⦁ official country category: 5 stars
⦁ Year of construction: 1998
⦁ Hotel language: Arabic, English, German, Italian
⦁ Number of buildings: 5, number of floors in the main building: 3, number of residential units: 326, number of beds: 480
⦁ Payment options: American Express, MasterCard, Visa
⦁ Facilities/public areas are wheelchair accessible
⦁ Parking lot, guarded
⦁ comfortable, charming/with flair
⦁ Reception/reception (24-hour reception) (earliest check-in time 3 p.m., latest check-out time 12 p.m.)
⦁ Elevator, air conditioning, hotel safe, luggage room, wake-up service
⦁ WiFi throughout the facility
⦁ Discotheque
⦁ Boutique, mini market, souvenir shop, supermarket, perfumery, hairdresser
⦁ Pharmacy (subject to charge), ATM/bank machine, events
⦁ Executive floor
⦁ 2 à la carte restaurants: use at extra charge, Italian cuisine, fish/seafood, non-smoking, air-conditioned
⦁ Buffet restaurant: international cuisine, non-smoking, with terrace, air-conditioned
⦁ hotel's own beach bar, lobby bar, pool bar, bar
⦁ Welcome drink, porter, medical service, room service (24 hours, chargeable), transfer service (chargeable), luggage service, hotel bus (chargeable), doctor's visit to the hotel (English, chargeable), daily newspaper (English, local), laundry service (in the hotel, chargeable). ), currency exchange (at the hotel)
⦁ terrace, park
⦁ 1 pool: open all year round, heatable, parasols, loungers, bath towels
⦁ 1 pool: 25 m sports pool, open all year round, fresh water
⦁ Aquapark (for a fee)


Children:
⦁ Children's club/mini club: 4-12 years, daily
⦁ Children's animation: 4-12 years, daytime animation (daily)
⦁ playground (outside)
⦁ Playroom
⦁ Children's disco
⦁ Children's pool (outside): heatable, fresh water, open all year round
⦁ Swimming lessons
⦁ High chairs in the restaurant
⦁ Children's menu
⦁ Room furnishings: baby bed, step stool in the bathroom


Wellness for a fee (some third-party providers):
⦁ Wellness center
⦁ Beauty center
⦁ Spa
⦁ Swimming area
⦁ Sauna area: towels (free of charge), bathrobe (free of charge), slippers (free of charge)
⦁ Massages: classic massage, sports massage, Thai massage, Shiatsu
⦁ medical applications


Sports & entertainment included (some third-party providers):
⦁ Beach volleyball, in the hotel, volleyball, basketball
⦁ Bocce
⦁ Table tennis
⦁ darts, polo
⦁ Fitness room: air-conditioned, stepper, treadmill
⦁ Aerobics, aqua fitness, jogging, fitness, aqua gymnastics, stretching
⦁ Daily animation, daily
⦁ Evening animation, daily
⦁ Sports animation, daily
⦁ shows

Sports & entertainment for a fee (some third-party providers):
⦁ Squash, at the hotel
⦁ billiards
⦁ Water skiing: in the hotel
⦁ Banana Boat: at the hotel
⦁ Sailing: in the hotel, sports equipment rental
⦁ Catamaran: in the hotel, sports equipment rental
⦁ Fishing: in the hotel, sports equipment rental
⦁ Boat: in the hotel, sports equipment rental
⦁ Pedal boat: in the hotel, sports equipment rental
⦁ Wave riding/surfing: in the hotel, sports equipment rental
⦁ Windsurfing: in the hotel, sports equipment rental
⦁ Kite surfing: in town, sports equipment rental
⦁ Tennis: 3 clay courts, in the hotel
⦁ Rental of tennis equipment
⦁ Tennis courses (English)
⦁ Bike rental: in the hotel
⦁ Rental of diving equipment


Tips & Hints:
⦁ smart casual attire for dinner (long trousers for men)
⦁ Pets not allowed
⦁ The offshore house reef is available to guests for snorkeling. Bathing shoes recommended
⦁ Information about diving offers can be found in the catalog portal


Double room garden view (D1G):
⦁ 31-35 sqm, double room, land side, garden view, seating area, desk, 2 single beds, 1 twin bed (king size), 1 bathroom, shower, bidet, toilet, hair dryer, cosmetic mirror, air conditioning, minibar for a fee, safe, 1 TV (flat screen) , telephone, coffee/tea, balcony or terrace, fruit in the room upon arrival, water


double room side Sea View (D1N):
⦁ 31-35 sqm, double room, garden side or pool side or sea side, sea view (sideways), seating area, desk, 2 single beds, 1 twin bed (king size), 1 bathroom, shower, bidet, toilet, hair dryer, cosmetic mirror, air conditioning, minibar for a fee, Safe, 1 TV (flat screen), telephone, coffee/tea, balcony or terrace, fruit in the room upon arrival, water


Double room sea view (D1M):
⦁ 31-35 sqm, double room, pool side or sea side, sea view (direct), seating area, desk, 2 single beds, 1 twin bed (king size), 1 bathroom, shower, bidet, toilet, hair dryer, cosmetic mirror, air conditioning, minibar for a fee, safe, 1 TV (flat screen), telephone, coffee/tea, balcony or terrace, fruit in the room on arrival, water


Double room upper floor (D1D):
⦁ 31-35 sqm, double room, garden side, pool side, sea side, sea view (direct), seating area, desk, 2 single beds, 1 twin bed (king size), 1 bathroom, shower, bidet, 1 toilet, hair dryer, cosmetic mirror, air conditioning, minibar for a fee , safe, 1 TV (flat screen), telephone, coffee/tea, balcony, fruit in the room upon arrival, water


Family room sea view (FBM):
⦁ 31-35 sqm, families, with an extra bed, pool side or sea side, sea view (direct), seating area, desk, 1 bathroom, shower, bidet, toilet, hair dryer, make-up mirror, air conditioning, minibar for a fee, safe, 1 TV (flat screen), Telephone, coffee/tea, balcony or terrace, fruit in the room upon arrival, water


Family room with connecting door (FV1):
⦁ 61-70 sqm, families, with connecting door, 2 bedrooms, garden side or pool side or sea side, sea view (sideways), desk, single bed, twin bed, double bed (king size), 2 bathrooms, shower, 2 toilets, bathrobe, slippers, hair dryer, Air conditioning, minibar for a fee, safe, 1 TV (satellite TV, German-speaking programs, local programs, other programs, flat screen), telephone, coffee/tea, balcony or terrace, fruit in the room upon arrival, water


Suite Executive Sea View (WTM):
⦁ 61-70 sqm, suite, garden side or lake side or pool side, sea view (direct), separate living room, seating area, desk, single bed (king size), 1 double bed (king size), 1 bathroom, shower, bathtub, bidet, toilet, bathrobe, Bath slippers, hair dryer, make-up mirror, air conditioning, minibar for a fee, safe, 2 TVs (flat screen), telephone, coffee/tea, balcony, fruit in the room upon arrival, water


Meals:
⦁ Half board: breakfast (buffet), dinner (buffet), discount in the à la carte restaurant, Christmas dinner, New Year's Eve dinner
⦁ All inclusive: breakfast (buffet), lunch (buffet or menu), dinner (buffet), discount in the à la carte restaurant, free drinks (soft drinks, mineral water, coffee/tea, beer, juices, house wine, cocktails, local spirits, water, 10am-10pm), coffee/tea and pastries (3pm-5pm), ice cream (12:30pm-4pm), Christmas dinner, New Year's Eve dinner


Customer information: Early bird: If you book by 31.8. and catering H you save 30% when booking from 1.9. until 31.10. and board H save 20% price advantage: 15% discount from 7-13 nights for stays from 19.11.-3.12., 7.1.-4.2., 21.43% discount from 14-27 nights for stays from 19.11.-3.12., 7.1 .-4.2., 10% discount from 28-84 nights All inclusive (A): + EUR 57, children up to 12 years included, children from 13 to 17 years 50% Arrival/departure: daily Travel offers for May to October from autumn in your travel agency.

Period of validity: This service description is valid from November 1st, 2022 to October 31st, 2023 (annual catalog 2022/2023).

Special hygiene measures
General
⦁ Distance rules
⦁ Hygiene protective walls
⦁ Disinfection dispenser
⦁ Mask duty
⦁ Reinforced cleaning measures
⦁ Health checks atat the staff
⦁ Hygiene training for staff
⦁ Additional hygiene measures in the gastronomy
⦁ Hand hygiene training for staff
⦁ Personal protective equipment
⦁ Time lag between room bookings
⦁ Use of commercially available disinfectants
⦁ Wellness facilities with private area
meals
⦁ Digital menu (mobile phone)
⦁ Disposable menu cards
Room
⦁ Contactless room service
services
⦁ Contactless check-in/out
⦁ Protective masks for guests (no fee)
⦁ Contactless payment (EC, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners, AMEXCO)
⦁ Digital room access
⦁ Disinfection of plastic key cards
⦁ Protective equipment for guests