The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

The
latest addiction to strike the Egyptian youth is actually quite a healthy one. Every weekend, Cairo sees a flock of people racing off to Ras Sudr
instead of, the otherwise typical, Sahel or Gouna to take up kite surfing. The
sport has become tremendously popular as of late and with over 200 days of
strong wind per year, Ras Sudr on the west coast of Sinai has established itself as the ideal place to go
to satisfy those kite surfing cravings. The area has a few hotels where you can
sleep over during your weekend, since you of course you will need to be well
rested after a day in the water and energised for the upcoming one ahead. 

Kiteloop
is a mere two hour drive away from Cairo’s city centre and is pretty easy to
find. Just head out to Ras Sudr and you will find the gigantic Kiteloop sign to
your right. The best way to describe Kiteloop is probably by ‘Nuweiba meets
luxury’. The resort is set up in a camp style, which means there is a main hut
where you can chill out during the evenings and have your meals, and there are huts
available for accommodation. You can choose one of the beach side huts, but the
word ‘hut’ is perhaps an understatement because they are decked out with air
conditioning and LCD screens. The beds are extremely comfortable and after a
day in the water there is nothing better than taking a fresh shower in the
spacious, neat bathroom. The rate per night is between 250LE and 690LE depending on the size and your choice of full/half-board.

Every
room is also decked out with a couple of La-Z-boy like chairs. Unlike the
average living room ones though, these can be taken out to the beach, or if you
prefer, set them up on the little lawn in front of your hut.  On the beach there are several umbrellas and
chairs where you can catch some sun during the day if you are not too keen on
water sports or if you are unlucky enough to be there on a windless weekend. In
the circumstance of a windless weekend there is entertainment on the main hut’s
side that comes in the form of Tia and Beano – the resident dogs. Don’t be
surprised to find them swimming along with you in the sea.

The main
hut where the meals are served is spacious and has various electricity points
in case you want to work on your laptop (lame). There is an extensive menu with
various Egyptian favourites such as shakshouka and sahlab. You can also start
your day off with a foul and tehina breakfast, as well as other options such as
the Spanish omelette. For dinner there are plenty of meat dishes and pastas; we
especially enjoyed the grilled chicken and the shish tawouk. For dessert you
can indulge in a crepe or American style pancakes.  All the dishes are between 10LE and 65LE.

Of course, the main attraction at Kiteloop is naturally
the kite surfing. The camp works with skilled Level
2 IKO certified instructors. Whether you are a newbie or need some freshening
up to do, you are in good hands here. Lessons start at 1200LE.  The centre can provide you
with everything necessary for the kite surfing experience ranging from
wetsuits, to boards and kites. You can rent equipment from the centre (300LE for half-day and 520LE for full-day), so if
you are still in the try-out phase there is no reason to immediately go ahead
and buy anything.

It is not difficult to understand why kite
surfing is so popular and people get so addicted to it. You basically race over
the water with the wind lifting you up every once in a while, making for great
jumps and huge adrenaline rushes. However, it is also considered to be an extreme sport so a careful, educated approach is very important.

Even if you are not into kite
surfing this is a great place just for a weekend out of town. The food is
great, the huts are comfortable and most importantly, the atmosphere is
inviting. When taking up kite surfing this is absolutely the place you should
go to in Ras Sudr. For more information on rates and prices, check out the Kiteloop website.