3 days in Hurghada: Giftun reefs, El Dahar souq & El Gouna
Snorkel the Giftun reefs and Mahmya, walk old El Dahar and the marina, then a lagoon day in El Gouna. Built from traveller reports.
81 playbooks shared · added to 0 trips
- Day 18:30 am – 9 pm · 3 stops
- 8:30 am 1Giftun Islands snorkel boat, with the Mahmya beach stopHurghada
Every traveller report we used names this as the highlight: a boat out to the protected Giftun reefs, two or three snorkel stops, then white sand at Mahmya. Book a reef-friendly operator, ask whether the national park fee (about $5 to $10) is in the price, and don't touch the coral. Group boats run about $25 to $65 with lunch on board. Nov to Jan the water cools to around 20 to 24 C, so a shorty wetsuit helps. From Lust for the Sublime, Solo Backpacker and Freedom Travel.
13 min by train or taxi · 13 km - 5:30 pm 2Sunset along Hurghada Marina BoulevardHurghada
A car-free promenade of yachts, palms and cafés, the calm counterpoint to the shopping streets. Freedom Travel's authors recommend it; Rough Guides and local guides send you here for the evening.
3 min walk · 0 m - 7 pm 3Dinner on the marinaHurghada
Pick a terrace on the boardwalk; seafood is priced by weight, so agree the price before it hits the grill. A local seafood meal runs roughly $12 to $16.
- Day 210:30 am – 6:30 pm · 4 stops
- 10:30 am 4Hurghada Grand Aquarium, timed for the shark feedHurghada
A 24 m walk-through tunnel and 1,200+ Red Sea animals, a good dry-land follow-up to yesterday's reef. Open daily 9:00 to 20:00 (last entry 18:00); sharks are fed 11:00 to 12:00 and 15:00 to 16:00. Booking online gets a discount. Recommended by Rough Guides and local itineraries.
16 min by train or taxi · 9.8 km - 1 pm 5Camel steak at Moby DickHurghada
Off busy Sheraton Road in a vine-covered courtyard near the El Mina mosque. Go for the camel: steak with peppercorn sauce or cheese-stuffed meatballs (Pure Detour paid about 300 EGP for the steak). Also recommended by Holiday Hypermarket.
15 min walk · 1.1 km - 2:30 pm 6Al Mina Mosque and the fish marketHurghada
The domed, minareted landmark by the harbour, with the fishermen's market next to it. Cover shoulders, knees and (women) hair; ask at the door whether the interior is open, which Freedom Travel's authors regretted not doing. Avoid Friday midday prayers.
8 min by train or taxi · 2.4 km - 4 pm 7El Dahar souq and St. Shenouda CathedralHurghada
Old downtown Hurghada: spices, produce, clothes and cheap local eateries, plus the Coptic Cathedral of St. Shenouda nearby. Sellers are persistent, so compare and agree prices first, and carry small notes. Stay for a budget Egyptian dinner here. From Freedom Travel, Rough Guides and Revigorate.
- Day 39:30 am – 8 pm · 5 stops
- 9:30 am 8Ride north to El GounaEl Gouna
About 27 km; take Uber or Careem, or agree a taxi fare before you get in.
3 min walk · 0 m - 10:15 am 9Abu Tig MarinaEl Gouna
El Gouna's yacht harbour, a slower, quieter take on the Red Sea than Hurghada. Freedom Travel's authors stayed in El Gouna and recommend it as a relaxed base; Zeytuna Beach is a short hop if you want a quiet swim.
3 min walk · 0 m - 12:30 pm 10Lunch at the marinaEl Gouna
Waterfront restaurants line the harbour; seafood again, or Italian if you've had your fill.
18 min walk · 1.4 km - 2:30 pm 11Boat ride through the El Gouna lagoonsEl Gouna
El Gouna is built on canals and lagoons, and a slow boat is how most visitors see it; lagoon rides are sold in town and by Hurghada tour desks. From Freedom Travel and tour listings.
3 min walk · 0 m - 5 pm 12Sunset and dinner in Downtown El GounaEl Gouna
Rooftop and lagoon-side restaurants in the centre of town; Holiday Hypermarket suggests La Luna's roof here for sunset over Zeytuna Beach. Ride back to Hurghada after (about 30 minutes).