Day Trips from Hurghada: Luxor, Giftun Island & the Desert
The excursions worth pulling yourself off the lounger for — ancient temples, island beaches and desert sunsets.
Hurghada’s beaches are reason enough to visit — but the town is also a superb launchpad for some of Egypt’s greatest experiences.
Luxor: the open-air museum
If you do one big excursion, make it Luxor — roughly four hours by road, where ancient Egypt comes overwhelmingly to life. Stand among the columns of Karnak, descend into the painted tombs of the Valley of the Kings, and gaze up at the Colossi of Memnon. Go with a guided tour that handles transport and tickets.
Giftun Island & Orange Bay
For a pure dose of Red Sea paradise, take a boat to the Giftun Islands: powder-white sandbanks, water in impossible blues, and snorkelling stops over vibrant reefs. Orange Bay, with its beach club and shallow lagoon, is the star.
Desert safari by quad or jeep
The desert begins just beyond the town. Quad-bike and 4x4 safaris tear across the sands to a Bedouin camp, where you can ride a camel, watch the sun sink behind the mountains and stargaze under unspoiled skies. Sunset trips are especially magical.
El Gouna, Dolphin House & beyond
Up the coast, El Gouna is a stylish lagoon town for a relaxed half-day. A boat trip to Dolphin House offers the chance to snorkel near wild spinner dolphins. And for the truly ambitious, day trips to Cairo and the Pyramids run by short domestic flight.