Al Salam Camp

A lovely place to unwind, with greenery and a calm atmosphere. The host is very hospitable and a pleasure to talk with. There are some nice, very cheap restaurants and mini supermarkets right next door, and the public ferry port is only a short distance away. It feels homely and welcoming in a quiet area, away from the bustle and hassle. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a peaceful stay and good company.

I spent a week at AI Salam Camp and it felt more like staying at home than in a typical hostel. The atmosphere was relaxed, safe, and comfortable. Ali and Zidane, the owners, were kind, helpful, and fun. I really enjoyed my time there and highly recommend it.

The location is convenient, and Zidane, who works there, is polite and good. But be careful about the prices for services such as hot air balloons, bikes, and food. The owner Ahmed charged me three times more for bikes and other things. You can find bikes for 4 euro for your whole stay, while Ahmed might charge 10 euro per day. That may be normal in Egypt, but I suggest asking several people about prices first. I booked directly, yet Ahmed charged more than the price on Booking or Hostelworld, so tourists should check before agreeing.

Our first night was already a mess: Ahmed had overbooked, said there wasn't a room for our Egyptian friend, gave us conflicting information, and was rude to him on the phone. He also put us in a different room from the one we booked, where we had to share a tiny double bed instead of having a bed each. Mistakes happen, and he'd been kind to us before, so we gave him the benefit of the doubt. That was a big mistake. Things got much worse when we tried to calmly ask about problems with the hot air balloon excursion he arranged. He had misled us about both the price and what was included, and we wanted to understand what had happened. Ahmed became aggressive and violent toward us, two women staying at the camp, and our male friend, who had to stay elsewhere. He yelled in our faces, locked the camp door, then tried to physically remove our friend. He hit and pushed us and picked up a large piece of wood to threaten us. We paid him and left as quickly as we could for a nearby guest house. He shouted that he hated Egyptians and didn't want Egyptians at his camp, despite being Egyptian himself and two of my companions also being Egyptian. He was then arrested, and we spent five hours at the police station giving statements.