The Eastern Desert
Red mountains and Bedouin camps, an hour from the seafront hotels.
Duration
5 hrs – 8 hrs
Best time
Late afternoon departure
Open
Every day
Entry price
To confirm
The Eastern Desert separates the Red Sea from the Nile valley. It is not sand but rock: mountains of granite and red porphyry, quarried by the Romans — imperial porphyry came from Mons Porphyrites, inside this massif, and was reserved for emperors.
The Ababda Bedouin still live there, partly settled. The standard trips combine a crossing by four-wheel drive or quad, tea under canvas, and a night of stargazing — the sky is excellent, humidity and light pollution being nil.
Getting there
An hour inland west of Hurghada. Escorted trips only, by four-wheel drive.
What the price covers
paid 4x4 or quad trip, price depends on the operator
What to bring
- Windbreaker
Rules on site
The day-to-night temperature swing is over twenty degrees: bring a fleece even after a day at thirty-five. Quad trips throw up fine dust — a scarf and glasses change the evening.