Sharm El Sheikh is Egypt’s best base for a beach-and-reef trip. It has better coral than Hurghada, cleaner water than Marsa Alam, and an hour’s drive gets you to genuinely dramatic desert scenery at the Colored Canyon and Blue Hole. If you’re picking between Red Sea resorts, Sharm is the one.
I spent eight days there as part of a longer Egypt trip. Three of those days were on the water, two in the desert, and the rest reading by a pool. What follows is the honest itinerary that worked — including what I’d skip.
In this guide I’ll cover three tours that together give you the full Sharm experience — the Ras Mohammed reef trip, the Colored Canyon jeep adventure to the Blue Hole, and a desert quad safari with Bedouin dinner. I’ll also flag the Sharm quirks first-timers miss.
- Three Sharm Tours I’d Book
- Tour #1 — Jeep Adventure to Blue Hole, Colored Canyon and Dahab
- Sharm Jeep Adventure — per person
- Tour #2 — Ras Mohammed and White Island VIP Boat Sea Trip
- Ras Mohammed and White Island VIP Boat — .23 per person
- Tour #3 — Quad Biking, Camel Ride and Dinner Show
- Sharm Quad Biking, Camel Ride and Dinner Show — per person
- What Makes Ras Mohammed Different
- The Colored Canyon Walk — What to Expect
- Sharm’s Neighborhoods — Where to Stay
- Sharm vs Other Red Sea Destinations
- A Rough 5-Day Sharm Itinerary
- Day Trips From Sharm
- Snorkel vs Dive — Which Should You Book?
- Practical Tips
- Budget Planning
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The Sharm Nightlife — Realistic Expectations
- My Bottom Line
Three Sharm Tours I’d Book
Sharm tours span a wide price range. Basic 4-hour desert safaris start at $15. Premium day boats to Ras Mohammed run up to $100. The $23 to $50 range is the sweet spot for value.
For the desert-canyon day, my top pick is the $23 Sharm El Sheikh Jeep Adventure to Blue Hole, Canyon and Dahab — a full day covering the three signature Sinai sites. For the Red Sea snorkel experience, go with the $41 Ras Mohammed and White Island VIP Boat Sea Trip. For the classic desert safari with Bedouin dinner, the $26 Quad Biking, Camel Ride and Dinner Show is the obvious choice.
Pickup for all three is from your hotel. Most tours include lunch and water; bring extra cash for drinks and tips.
Tour #1 — Jeep Adventure to Blue Hole, Colored Canyon and Dahab
Sharm Jeep Adventure — $23 per person
This is the pick that maximizes what you see in one day. Pickup at 7am, drive to the Colored Canyon for a 40-minute walk through the slot canyon, drive to the Blue Hole for lunch and an optional snorkel, then Dahab for a shopping stop, and back by 6pm.
The Colored Canyon is the standout — 700 meters of narrow sandstone walls that shift from yellow to pink to red. Walking through it is the highlight of the day. The Blue Hole is dramatic from the viewpoint; swim only if the current is calm.
At $23 with 78 detailed responses averaging 4.5 stars, this is one of the best-value full-day tours in Sharm. Details are in our jeep adventure review.
A warning on the Blue Hole: this is a world-famous technical dive site with a dangerous reputation among advanced divers. You’re not diving it on this tour — you’re looking at it from the rim. Swimming and snorkeling happen on the safe reef flat beside it.
Tour #2 — Ras Mohammed and White Island VIP Boat Sea Trip
Ras Mohammed and White Island VIP Boat — $41.23 per person
Ras Mohammed is the best snorkel site in Sharm. It’s a protected national park on the tip of the Sinai Peninsula where the Gulf of Suez meets the Gulf of Aqaba. The reef wall drops straight down 800 meters — you float above coral with your head three feet from a shelf that falls into darkness.
White Island is a pure-sand sandbar 30 minutes north, perfect for a beach stop between snorkels. The VIP version keeps the boat small, includes lunch onboard, and returns by 5pm.
With a 5.0 star average (early review count, but consistent), this is a reliable pick. See the full rundown in our Ras Mohammed VIP boat review.
Tour #3 — Quad Biking, Camel Ride and Dinner Show
Sharm Quad Biking, Camel Ride and Dinner Show — $26 per person
The Sharm desert safari is the afternoon-to-night slot: 3pm pickup, quad through the desert for 45 minutes, short camel ride at the Bedouin camp, BBQ dinner, tanoura and belly dance show, back to the hotel at 9pm.
The Sharm desert is more dramatic than Hurghada’s — you’re in the Sinai Mountains rather than coastal gravel plains. Sunset colors on the sandstone are worth the ride alone.
At $26 with a 4.5 star average, this is the consistent option. Full breakdown in our quad safari with dinner show review.
What Makes Ras Mohammed Different
If you’ve snorkeled elsewhere in the Red Sea (Hurghada, Marsa Alam, Aqaba) and thought it was pretty, Ras Mohammed will still surprise you. The reef here is protected by national park status since 1983 and policed by Egyptian park rangers.
What’s unusual: two major current lines converge at the southern tip, bringing open-ocean fish close to the reef. You’ll see pelagic species (barracudas, jacks, occasional reef sharks) that don’t show up at shallower sites like Giftun.
The visibility is consistently 25-40 meters, which is as good as the Red Sea gets. If you’re a certified diver, the same sites can be done as 2-tank day dives for around $80.
Don’t stand on coral, don’t feed the fish, and don’t try to pet the turtle. Park rangers will lecture (or fine) you if you do.
The Colored Canyon Walk — What to Expect
You park at an unmarked pullout on the Sharm-Dahab road, walk 10 minutes down a slope, and enter a narrow sandstone slot. The walls rise 25-30 meters above you and the passage is shoulder-width in spots. Walking time through is 40-60 minutes.
The colors come from iron oxide in the sandstone — shades of red, yellow, purple, and white layered in bands. Morning light (before noon) is best for photography; later in the afternoon the canyon falls into shadow.
Difficulty: moderate. No serious climbing, but there are a few 1-meter down-climbs on loose rock. Wear sturdy shoes. Claustrophobia sufferers should preview photos before committing.
Sharm’s Neighborhoods — Where to Stay
Naama Bay: the classic Sharm center. Walkable promenade, restaurants, bars, shops. Best for first-timers and short stays. Hotels range from 3-star budget to 5-star beachfront.
Hadaba: on the bluff south of Naama, quieter, more upscale. Good for couples and families wanting less nightlife. Beach access is via hotel lifts down the cliff.
Nabq: all-inclusive resort territory north of the airport. Large resort properties, less to do off-property, but the beaches and house reefs are solid. Best for full-on beach holidays.
For tours, it doesn’t matter which neighborhood you’re in — all operators include hotel pickup from anywhere in Sharm. Budget 15-30 minutes for pickup depending on location.
Sharm vs Other Red Sea Destinations
Sharm vs Hurghada: Sharm has better reefs (Ras Mohammed beats Giftun by a wide margin). Hurghada is cheaper and has more direct flights from Europe. If you have one beach week in Egypt, Sharm wins. If you’re adding a Luxor side trip, Hurghada is the closer base — see the Luxor from Hurghada guide.
Sharm vs Dahab: Dahab is 90 minutes north, cheaper, more laid-back, and a backpacker-divers favorite. Sharm has better hotels and an airport; Dahab has better diving atmosphere. Do a day trip to Dahab from Sharm rather than basing there unless you’re on a multi-week dive trip.
Sharm vs Aqaba (Jordan): Aqaba is across the gulf, has cheaper hotels but weaker reefs. Do Aqaba only if you’re combining Jordan + Wadi Rum + Petra. For pure Red Sea, Sharm wins.
A Rough 5-Day Sharm Itinerary
Day 1: arrival, hotel pool, evening walk in Naama Bay. Day 2: Ras Mohammed and White Island boat trip. Day 3: Colored Canyon, Blue Hole and Dahab jeep day. Day 4: beach day at hotel, dive/snorkel house reef. Day 5: afternoon quad safari and Bedouin dinner, then departure the following morning.
If you have two extra days, add Mount Sinai (Mount Moses) for the sunrise hike. It’s a 2am departure from your hotel but the sunrise from the summit is a genuine Egypt-level experience.
Day Trips From Sharm
Cairo day trip by plane: technically possible — fly Sharm to Cairo 6am, see the pyramids, fly back at 8pm. I don’t recommend it. See the Giza Pyramids guide if you’d prefer a proper 2-day Cairo add-on.
Luxor day trip by plane: 1-hour flight, same-day return possible. Full day at Karnak, Luxor Temple, and the West Bank. If doing this, consider splitting to an overnight to do the balloon — see the Luxor balloon guide.
Mount Sinai sunrise: 2am departure, 2-3 hour hike up (steep but doable), sunrise at summit (6-7am), descent, visit to St Catherine’s monastery, back to Sharm by 1pm.
Snorkel vs Dive — Which Should You Book?
For Ras Mohammed specifically: snorkel is enough. The reef wall starts in 2-3 meters of water and the best coral cover is in the first 8 meters. You see 70% of what a diver sees without the gear complexity.
For other Sharm sites (Tiran, Thistlegorm wreck, Shark and Yolanda reefs): dive makes sense. These reward depth. The Thistlegorm in particular is a World War II wreck at 30 meters and one of the best dive sites in the world.
If you’re PADI certified, budget one or two dive days at $70-100 per 2-tank day. If not, the $50-70 intro dive is a fun taste but not more.
Practical Tips
Currency: Euros and dollars widely accepted at resort restaurants and tour operators. ATMs are plentiful. Bring some small US dollar bills for tips.
Entry visa: $25 at arrival for most nationalities, including US, UK, EU. Sinai-only travel (no pyramids) may qualify for a free Sinai visa but confirm when you book.
Safety: Sharm is one of the safest tourist destinations in Egypt. Military checkpoints on the roads into and out of the area. Don’t travel overland to Cairo — fly.
Best time to go: October to April. May-September gets hot (38-42°C) but the sea stays pleasant. Avoid late July through August if you burn easily.
Budget Planning
A 5-day Sharm trip with mid-range hotel, three tours, meals, and drinks runs $80-120 per person per day all-in. That’s $400-600 per person for the week, plus flights.
Premium hotels (Four Seasons, Savoy) run $250-400 per night in peak season. Mid-range all-inclusive resorts run $80-150. Basic 3-star is $40-70.
Tour budget: figure $100-150 per person for three solid tours. Book online ahead for 30-50% savings over hotel desk prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sharm safe? Yes. Sinai has had security concerns historically but Sharm itself has been tourist-safe for many years. Military checkpoints secure road access.
What about alcohol? Widely available at hotels and tour boats. Sharm is the most alcohol-friendly Egyptian destination.
Do I need reef-safe sunscreen? At Ras Mohammed yes — required by park rules. Bring chemical-free mineral sunscreen.
Is there good snorkeling from the hotel beach? Yes, most resorts have proper house reefs 30-50 meters offshore with coral drop-offs.
Can I dive without certification? Intro dives (about $50-70) are available at most dive centers for complete beginners. You get a 20-minute guided dive to 8-12 meters.
What should I pack? Reef-safe sunscreen, hat, rash guard, closed shoes for desert days, one light layer for evening desert trips. Swim shoes are useful if you’re doing the Blue Hole swim.
How do I get from the airport? Taxi is $15-25 to Naama Bay. Book in advance for cheaper airport transfer.
Should I combine with a Nile cruise? Yes, if you want the full Egypt experience. Fly Sharm to Aswan and do the 4-day Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor. Sharm first, then Nile cruise is the classic ordering.
The Sharm Nightlife — Realistic Expectations
Naama Bay has bars and clubs; Hadaba is quieter. Alcohol is widely served at resorts and licensed restaurants. Prices are resort-level — expect a beer at $5-7 and cocktails at $8-12.
Pacha Sharm and the Hard Rock Café anchor the main nightlife strip. If clubbing matters to you, stay in or near Naama Bay. If you want quiet, Hadaba or Nabq is a better fit.
Dress code: resort casual for the clubs; beachwear is fine for hotel bars. Local Egyptian families come out in the evenings, so shorts and tank tops feel out of place after sundown in town.
My Bottom Line
Sharm El Sheikh is the Red Sea at its best — proper coral, genuine desert, and plenty of infrastructure. You can do a lot in a week or chill hard for two. It doesn’t disappoint unless you expect a cultural experience, which it is not.
Book the $23 Jeep Adventure to Blue Hole, Canyon and Dahab for the signature Sinai day. Add the $41 Ras Mohammed VIP Boat for the best snorkel. Close with the $26 Quad Biking and Camel Dinner for the desert evening. That’s three full experiences covering water, canyon, and desert for under $100 per person.
If you have more than a week, extend to Mount Sinai for the sunrise hike, add a Luxor overnight with the balloon, and consider a Cairo stop. A 10-day Egypt trip that ends in Sharm is hard to beat.
Bring reef-safe sunscreen. Go October through April. And don’t skip Ras Mohammed — it’s the whole reason Sharm exists as a resort destination.