# Red Sea Coast Hurghada, Marsa Alam and some of the world's best reefs along the desert shore. The sea here is a clarity that rewards every snorkeller. A few strokes from the shore brings you to coral formations — fan coral, brain coral, staghorn coral — home to bright-striped damselfish, parrotfish, and the occasional sea turtle passing through. This is the Red Sea at its most accessible: you do not need a boat or certification to swim into another world. The coast itself runs between rugged mountain ranges and warm, shallow water. Resorts cluster in towns like Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh, and Marsa Alam, but step away from the beachfront promenade and the landscape shifts. Fishing boats pull up on sandy slips. Vendors sort the morning catch. Small cafés serve fresh fish with mezzes and flatbread. The air carries salt, and in the distance the Sinaï or Eastern Desert mountains hold their colour long after sunset. Beyond the coast, the desert draws you inward. Wadis — dry river valleys — cut through the hills, their walls layered in sandstone and limestone that record millions of years of geological time. Coloured Canyon near Dahab threads between narrow rock walls in shades of orange, purple and yellow. Desert excursions take you to natural springs, fossil beds, and Bedouin settlements where tea is still brewed over open fires. At night the sky clears completely, and the Milky Way sits over the mountains. The Red Sea coast works for short stays or as part of a longer Egyptian itinerary. It is a place to breathe slowly, spend time in the water, and discover what lies behind the shoreline. ## Tours that visit Red Sea Coast No tours visit this place just yet. ## Before you book you should know ### Is this trip right for you? Our groups are capped at eight travellers, which is about a third of what the industry calls a small group. Eight people share one vehicle, one table at dinner and one guide's attention, and the day can change on the road without anybody being left behind. If you are looking for a coach, a fixed script and a microphone, this is not that. Most days involve real walking, often on ground that was laid two thousand years before walking shoes: marble worn smooth, cobbles, uneven steps and long site paths with little shade. Bring shoes you can spend a morning in. Some days move between regions and are largely a drive, with stops along the way. Summers are hot — well over 35°C inland — and winters are colder than most people expect, so layers, a hat and sunscreen earn their place in the bag whatever the month. How demanding a particular trip is, is written on the trip itself: the physical rating in the header, and the day-by-day itinerary above. ### Rooms, and travelling on your own Trip prices are per person, sharing a twin room. Each traveller picks their own room while booking, so a party can mix the three: - **Twin share** — two single beds, shared with someone you are travelling with or with a traveller of the same gender. - **Travelling as a couple** — one double room. - **Individual room** — a room of your own, for a single supplement on top of the trip price. Availability is limited, and the supplement for a given date is shown next to the option when you book. Solo travellers are welcome on every departure, and most of our groups have one or two aboard. ### Accommodation The hotels named in an itinerary are a guideline rather than a guarantee. Where one is full, or has dropped below the standard we booked it for, we substitute a property of a similar standard in the same area — we would rather change the hotel than the trip. Check-in is usually mid-afternoon. If you arrive early we will ask for the room, but no hotel can promise one before its own check-in time; luggage can normally be left at reception in the meantime. If you want the room from the night before, ask us and we will add the extra night to your booking. ### Passports, visas and insurance Entry requirements depend on your nationality and change without much notice, so the only reliable source is the official one: the government of the country you are travelling to, and your own foreign ministry's travel advice. Check both before you book a flight. Many countries ask for a passport valid for at least six months beyond your travel dates, and for blank pages. It is worth looking at yours now rather than at the airport. We ask every traveller to carry travel insurance covering medical treatment and repatriation, and we would strongly encourage cover for cancellation and for your luggage as well. ### Your departure is guaranteed — the day can change Once a departure is on the calendar it runs. We do not cancel a trip for want of a minimum number of bookings, so a booked date is one you can plan flights and leave around. What can move is the shape of a day. Museums and archaeological sites change their hours, roads close, weather turns, a local holiday lands in the middle of the week. Where that happens your guide reorders the day, or swaps a stop for one of the same weight, and tells you why. Changes to a booked itinerary are covered by our Booking Terms & Conditions. --- Full page: https://www.smallvoyage.com/destination/red-sea/