Polaris buggy in Sharm El Sheikh: is it worth paying more than for a quad?
6 min read
For most people who specifically want a buggy, book the Polaris Buggy, Camel Ride and Pickup. It lasts 3 hours, starts at €68.52 and is rated 4.7 from 69 reviews. Its listing includes a double or family four-seat buggy, while its descriptions also mention single and triple models, so check which layout your option includes; shared seating is the real reason to choose it over a quad. The alternative combines a buggy ride with dinner, a folkloric show and telescope stargazing; it lasts 4 hours and starts at €109, a price its booking page quotes per group rather than per person, and it has very few reviews (1). For a couple or family whose priority is driving, the shorter Polaris trip is the clearer purchase.
| Tour | Duration | From | Rating (reviews) | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polaris Buggy, Camel Ride and Pickup | 3 hours | €68.52 | 4.7 (69) | Couples and families sharing one buggy |
| Desert Buggy Ride, Dinner and Stargazing | 4 hours | €109 per group | 3.0 (1) | Travellers wanting an evening package |
What the Polaris price buys
The leading trip is not a cheaper quad with different bodywork. Its inclusions name a double or a family four-seat buggy; the descriptions also mention single and triple models, so confirm which one your option gives you. Side-by-side seating changes the social part of the ride. A couple can travel together rather than controlling separate machines, and adults can keep younger passengers in the same vehicle if the operator accepts their ages.
The programme also names a camel ride and a pickup. Its itinerary splits the 3 hours into about 20 minutes’ transfer out, 1.5 hours in the desert for the safety briefing, test drive, driving, three stops (Eco Valley, a Bedouin tent with tea and a photo viewpoint) and the short camel ride, and about 30 minutes back. Ask for actual wheel time before paying. A buggy at €68.52 is poor value if you only want a quick photograph; if a quad would do, look at quad safaris, which are a different vehicle and experience.
Check availability and vehicle options for the Polaris buggy trip
When the dinner package makes sense
The 4-hour option adds a Bedouin camp, buffet dinner, folkloric show and telescope session. That is a compressed evening rather than a driving-focused safari. Its price, €109, which its booking page quotes per group, pays for the programme around the buggy, not for a better machine or a longer ride; compare it with €68.52 for the Polaris trip only after checking whether each is per person or per buggy. Choose it only when dinner and stargazing are activities you would otherwise book separately.
So few reviews are not enough to judge how reliably the timetable works. Its 3.0 stars describe very few people’s experience. The Polaris trip’s 69 reviews are still a modest sample, yet they tell you much more than a single rating.
See dates and prices for the buggy, dinner and stargazing trip
What families and drivers must confirm
Both listings set limits. On the Polaris trip, drivers must be at least 16 and pregnant women may not ride. The dinner trip is not suitable for children under 4, pregnant women, people with back problems or people with mobility impairments; drivers must be 18 with prior driving experience, and children must share a buggy with an adult. Operators set different limits, so ask who may drive, who may ride as a passenger and whether the four-seat option is available on your date. A four-seater in the title is not permission for every child to participate. Confirm licence requirements, passenger restraints and helmet sizes directly on the booking page.
Desert dust is part of the trip. Closed shoes and clothes that can get dirty make more sense than resort sandals, but follow the operator’s equipment instructions. On the dinner trip, goggles and scarves cost €3 per item at the quad centre, payable in cash in local currency, EUR, USD, GBP or CHF; on the Polaris trip, scarves and goggles are listed as optional. The dinner trip lists people with back problems as not suitable; for the Polaris trip, anyone with back or neck concerns should ask a clinician and the operator whether the jolting terrain is appropriate, because an open buggy is not a gentle sightseeing car.
The Polaris trip is not worth its premium for a solo traveller satisfied with a quad, or for somebody mainly interested in dinner and a show. It is worth considering when two or four people genuinely want to share one off-road vehicle. Our recommendation remains the Polaris Buggy, Camel Ride and Pickup, after the operator confirms the correct seating option.
