Best things to do in Sharm El Sheikh

Most of what people do in Sharm El Sheikh is on or under the water: boat days to the reefs toward Tiran Island and in Ras Mohammed National Park. Inland, you can ride a quad and a camel into the Sinai desert or climb Mount Sinai at night for sunrise; in town, Old Sharm makes an evening out; and Cairo and Luxor are each a day away by plane.

What is Sharm El Sheikh known for?

For its reefs. Britannica describes Sharm El Sheikh as a resort town on the southeastern coast of the Sinai Peninsula whose clear water and extensive coral reefs have made it a popular site for snorkeling and scuba diving. The entrance to the Gulf of Aqaba, at the Strait of Tiran, is 14 miles (23 km) northeast of Sharm El Sheikh's bay.

On the reefs

Snorkel toward Tiran Island

The Strait of Tiran is blocked by islets and coral reefs, with Tiran Island on its east side. On our Tiran Island trip, the boat sails northeast into the Gulf of Aqaba, stops at the Blue Lagoon to swim or snorkel, then at several reef spots, with an open buffet lunch on board, gear and a tour leader included. The itinerary says the boat sails toward Tiran Island; it does not say you go ashore. Diving is optional and not included. See the Tiran Island page.

Snorkel Ras Mohammed and swim at White Island

Ras Mohammed was declared a protected area in 1983 and is a national park; it is on UNESCO's Tentative List, which names its coral reef ecosystem among its most notable features. The Ras Mohammed boat day runs on a shared boat with private transfers: snorkeling stops on the park's reefs with gear, lunch on board, and White Island, a sandbank with time to swim. The program lists the national park entrance fee as included; the tour is new on this site, so the program and the fee are confirmed with your quote. See the Ras Mohammed page.

In the desert and the mountains

Ride a quad and a camel in the Sinai desert

The quad and camel safari starts with a safety briefing, then a guided quad ride of about two hours across dunes and mountain paths, with a stop at a Bedouin tent for tea, a camel ride led by local Bedouins and a stop at Echo Mountain. The quad rental and an English-speaking guide are included.

Climb Mount Sinai for sunrise

Mount Sinai rises to 7,497 feet (2,285 meters) and has long been accepted in Jewish, Christian and Islamic tradition as the place where Moses received the Ten Commandments. Our Mount Sinai tour is private: you drive across the desert at night, 215.6 km from your hotel, about 3 h 10 min without traffic, and climb with a Bedouin guide to reach the summit for sunrise. The monastery's own guidance: visitors usually go up the Camel Trail, a longer and more gradual path, while the older Steps of Repentance, some 3,750 steps, are shorter but steep; the climb takes five to seven hours in all, a flashlight is needed at night, and temperatures differ greatly between day and night. The Mount Sinai night climb guide covers the night in detail.

Visit St Catherine's Monastery

The monastery at the foot of the mountain was founded in the 6th century and, according to UNESCO, is the oldest Christian monastery still used for its original purpose; the Saint Catherine Area was inscribed as a World Heritage site in 2002. It is open 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and closed on Fridays, Sundays and Greek Orthodox feast days; visitors may enter the church and the area next to it. On the Mount Sinai tour it comes after the climb, 9.3 km from the mountain, about 42 min without traffic, and the entry fee is included. See the St Catherine's Monastery page.

Have lunch by the sea in Dahab

The same tour ends in Dahab, 128.6 km from St Catherine's, about 1 h 36 min without traffic, with lunch at a seaside restaurant (optional, not included) and time at the local markets for handmade crafts, jewelry and souvenirs. Dahab is 99.7 km from your hotel, about 85 min without traffic.

In town

Spend an evening in Old Sharm

Old Sharm by evening is a private outing of about 3 hours with a tour leader: the Al Sahaba Mosque, then the Old Market, 0.2 km away, with spice stalls, shops and cafes and free time. It is new on this site, and its program is confirmed with your quote.

Visit the Sharm El Sheikh Museum

The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities runs a museum in the town. It is not on our tours. Its ticketing portal gives the opening as 10 a.m., with last entry (the latest time it lets visitors in) at noon.

Days by plane

Cairo: the Grand Egyptian Museum and the pyramids

Cairo in a day by plane is private, with an English-speaking Egyptologist (a guide trained in ancient Egyptian history), and the flights are not included in the tour price. Your hotel is 20 km from Sharm airport, about 19 min without traffic. In Cairo, the Grand Egyptian Museum is 42.8 km from the airport, about 44 min; the pyramids of Giza are 4.9 km from the museum, about 9 min; then come the Sphinx, lunch and Khan El Khalili bazaar.

Luxor: Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut

Luxor in a day by plane also leaves the flights out of the tour price. Karnak is 8.6 km from Luxor airport, about 11 min without traffic; then come Luxor Temple, lunch, the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon. The Tutankhamun and Seti I tombs are not included.

When to go

In Sharm El Sheikh the average daily high is 21.9°C (71°F) in January and 38.8°C (102°F) in August, according to World Meteorological Organization climate normals. The Sharm El Sheikh day trips compared guide sets the trips side by side, and every tour from the resort is on the Sharm El Sheikh page.