Makadi Excursions is the cheap, sensible choice for a first quad ride from Makadi Bay or Sahl Hasheesh: clear published prices, pick-ups included from the nearby resorts, and the best rating of the big low-cost quad listings, on a trip that gives you a short ride rather than a long one.
- Type
- local operator
- Base / camp
- Safaga Road, Makadi Bay
- Operating since
- claims 2003
- Vehicles and animals
- quads, spider buggies, horses, camels
- What it sells
- quad, buggy, evening safari, boats
- Where to book
- own site; GYG (probable)
- Guides speak
- AR, EN, DE, RU
- Prices
- €15 quad, €35 evening, buggy from €50
- Status
- operating
Own website: makadi-excursions.com ↗ · 20 October 2026
Our scores
- The trip as run
- 4/5Dunes, a rock formation, Bedouin tea and a camel ride
- Riding time for the money
- 3/5Cheap, but the two hours include the transfer
- Transparency on extras
- 4/5Prices, pick-up supplements and rules published on its own site
- Booking ease
- 4/5Own site plus a GetYourGuide listing with the same route
- Safety information
- 3/5Helmet included, self-drive from 16, health exclusions stated
- Camp
- 3/5A tea-and-camel stop; the buggy route adds a natural beach
Pros
- €15 quad with pick-up included from Hurghada, Sahl Hasheesh and Makadi
- Best-rated of the big cheap quad listings (4.7 on GetYourGuide)
- Prices, group sizes, languages and age rules published
- Spider buggy route ends at a natural beach where you can swim
Cons
- Two hours door to door means a short ride
- The camel ride is very short
- Quad groups of up to 30
- Refunds on its own site are "at our discretion"
Who Makadi Excursions is
Makadi Excursions is a local operator with its address on the Safaga road at Makadi Bay, and its desert evening starts from what it calls "the activity center in Makadi Bay". It lists both an Egyptian and a Dutch contact number. The company says it was founded in 2003 and has more than 20 years of experience; we found nothing that confirms or contradicts that.
It runs quads, spider buggies (the local name for an open off-road buggy) in two- and four-seat versions, horses and camels, a combined desert evening, versions of these trips in Marsa Alam, and two boat trips. Its main website is makadi-excursions.com; it also has a storefront on a shared booking platform used by many Hurghada safari names.
Two name traps. Makadi Excursions is not the excursion desk in your Makadi Bay hotel; it is a separate company. And the similar address without the hyphen is a parked page, not theirs.
What Makadi Excursions sells
The Makadi Bay quad tour is the main product: 2 hours, €15 for adults and children on its own site when we checked, with hotel pick-up from Hurghada, Sahl Hasheesh and Makadi included and El Gouna at €10 extra. The price covers the quad, a helmet, Bedouin tea and a camel ride. You drive yourself from 16; younger children ride with an adult. Groups go up to 30, with guides speaking Arabic, English, German and Russian. It is not offered to pregnant women, people with walking difficulties or wheelchair users. Food and drinks are extra.
The spider buggy tour is from €50 per buggy package, 2 hours, groups up to 12. You choose a buggy for one or two people or for three or four; up to eight people take two buggies. The route crosses the dunes to a rock formation, then to a natural beach for a swim, with Bedouin tea and an optional short camel ride, at sunrise or sunset. Bring swimwear. The price is per buggy package, so two people sharing a buggy should pay once — confirm when you book.
The desert adventure with dinner and show is €35 for 6 hours: 30 minutes on a quad, 30 minutes in a spider buggy and 30 minutes on a horse, plus a camel, a jeep ride to a Bedouin-style camp, sandboarding, dinner and a show. Pick-up from El Gouna, Safaga or Soma Bay costs €10 extra. Expect short tastes of each vehicle.
Camel and horse rides are €15 each on the same site.
The GetYourGuide listing: Makadi Bay ATV tour
On GetYourGuide the trip to look at is From Hurghada: Makadi Bay ATV Tour, "From Hurghada: Makadi Bay ATV Tour": 2 hours, from about $17 when we checked, rated 4.7 from about 3,200 reviews. Its route over sandbanks along the mountains and the sea, with Bedouin tea and a camel ride, matches Makadi Excursions' own Makadi Bay quad; so do the €10 El Gouna supplement and the 16+ driving age described on a travel blog about the listing. GetYourGuide shows the operator's name on the listing page; check it there before you book. Another platform credits a trip with the identical title to a different seller name, so the match is strong but not proven.
Makadi Excursions on GetYourGuide →Prices checked on 20 October 2026
By that blog's account the drive to the start takes about 45 minutes each way, so the riding is a fraction of the 2 hours: fine for a first ride, not enough to get comfortable on the machine.
Makadi Excursions prices: direct vs GetYourGuide
| Trip | On its own site (when we checked) | On GetYourGuide |
|---|---|---|
| Makadi Bay quad, 2 h | €15 | from about $17 (From Hurghada: Makadi Bay ATV Tour) |
| Spider buggy, 2 h | from €50 per buggy | no listing tied to it |
| Desert evening, 6 h | €35 | no listing tied to it |
For the quad, the two prices are close. The difference is in the terms. GetYourGuide's standard is a full refund if you cancel more than 24 hours before, and your contract is with the local operator named on the listing. Makadi Excursions' own terms say cancellation is possible up to 24 hours ahead but that refunds are "at our discretion". For a €15 trip that may not matter; for a group booking it does.
On the day, scarves and goggles are often sold at the station for around €5 each, so bring your own buff and sunglasses. A modest tip in small notes for the guide is expected; nothing is compulsory.
Makadi Excursions reviews: what travellers say
The GetYourGuide listing's 4.7 from over 3,000 reviews is the best score among the big low-cost quads in the area; most of the cheap option-menu listings sit at 4.1–4.4. Summaries of those reviews published on a travel blog point to friendly guides, good value and varied scenery between desert, mountains and sea. The recurring complaints are that the camel ride is very short and that the quads feel tight for tall riders.
What to check before you book:
- Riding time. Ask how many minutes you spend on the quad, not how many hours the trip lasts.
- Helmet. Its own page includes one; wear it. The UK government's advice is "Always wear a crash helmet" (FCDO travel advice).
- Licence. Egypt requires desert trips to be run by companies licensed by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities; ask to see the licence and its expiry date.
- Insurance. Many travel policies exclude quad biking; check yours.
How to book Makadi Excursions
For the quad, book From Hurghada: Makadi Bay ATV Tour on GetYourGuide for the written refund rule, or book direct on the company's website if you prefer to pay the euro price. For the spider buggy and the desert evening, the company's own site is the place: no GetYourGuide listing is tied to them.
From El Gouna the quad costs €10 more (the evening trip also charges €10 from Safaga and Soma Bay), and the pick-up comes earlier; from the outer resorts many sellers add €5–15 per person. Guests in Makadi and Sahl Hasheesh are closest to the start.
Check dates for the Makadi Bay ATV tourfrom $17Affiliate link: if you book, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Alternatives to Makadi Excursions
For more riding per hour, look at the formats compared in Hurghada quad trips by length. For a buggy-only trip with more time at the wheel, see the buggy guide. Other sellers of cheap southern-side quads are reviewed in Desert Fox Safari and Quad Tour Safari, and the quiet Bedouin evening in the Makadi Bay desert in BADU Camp. Everything near the Makadi hotels is in Makadi Bay desert trips, and every company we review is listed in the operators hub.
FAQ
Is Makadi Excursions a good company?
On the evidence, yes for a short, cheap quad: it publishes prices and rules, and the GetYourGuide listing with its route rates 4.7 from over 3,000 reviews. The riding is short, the camel ride very short, and its own refund rule is vague.
How much is the Makadi Excursions quad tour?
€15 per person on its own site for 2 hours, with pick-up from Hurghada, Sahl Hasheesh and Makadi included and El Gouna at €10 extra. On GetYourGuide the matching listing is from about $17.
How long do you ride on the Makadi Excursions quad?
The trip is 2 hours including the transfer, so the ride itself is short. Ask for the riding minutes before you book.
Is Makadi Excursions the hotel excursion desk?
No. It is a separate local company with its own address on the Safaga road at Makadi Bay, not the desk in your hotel.
Can children join Makadi Excursions trips?
You drive a quad yourself from 16; younger children ride with an adult. The spider buggy, with an adult driving, is the easier family option.