When most travelers think of Sharm El Sheikh, they picture turquoise Red Sea water, coral reefs, snorkeling, diving, and long days on the beach. But there is another side of the destination that begins just beyond the resorts: the dramatic landscape of the Sinai Desert.
A desert safari in Sharm El Sheikh gives you the chance to leave the coastline behind and experience a very different side of the region. Instead of spending the entire day by the sea, you can ride a quad bike through desert trails, see the Sinai Mountains, visit a Bedouin camp, ride a camel, drink traditional tea, and finish the evening with dinner and live entertainment under the desert sky. If you've never explored the desert in Sharm El Sheikh before, this is usually where first-timers start.
For travelers looking for something beyond the usual beach holiday, a Sharm El Sheikh desert safari combines adventure, scenery, and local culture in one experience. It is one of several ways to see Egypt beyond the beach.
The Sinai Desert: More Than Just Sand
The first thing to understand about the desert around Sharm El Sheikh is that it is not simply an endless landscape of sand dunes.
The Sinai landscape around the city is shaped by rocky mountains, open desert valleys, rugged trails, and wide views across the surrounding landscape. The mountains create a dramatic backdrop as you travel away from the developed coastal areas and into the desert.
This contrast is one of the reasons a desert excursion works so well as part of a Sharm El Sheikh holiday.
You can spend one day exploring the Red Sea underwater and the next traveling through a completely different environment.
The desert also provides an opportunity to experience a side of Sinai that you cannot see from the resort areas. The further you move away from the coast, the more the landscape changes from hotels and beaches to mountains, open trails, and traditional desert environments. The desert near Sharm El Sheikh feels far more remote than its short distance from the resorts would suggest.
For many visitors, that contrast is the real attraction.
Sharm El Sheikh is not only a Red Sea destination. It is also a gateway to the Sinai Desert. For a fuller picture of the town, its resorts, and everything else worth doing there, our Sharm El Sheikh travel guide is a good place to start.
What Can You Do in the Sharm El Sheikh Desert?
A desert experience does not have to mean simply driving across the sand.
Depending on the excursion, you can combine several activities into one trip.
Quad Biking
Quad biking is one of the most popular ways to explore the desert around Sharm El Sheikh.
Instead of watching the landscape through a vehicle window, you ride directly through the desert on an ATV, following established trails through the surrounding terrain.
The experience combines the excitement of riding with the opportunity to see the Sinai landscape from a different perspective.
For adventure seekers, a quad safari in Sharm El Sheikh is often the highlight of the entire trip. A desert quad safari like this one turns a simple sightseeing drive into something far more hands-on, and it's usually the first thing people search for when planning a desert safari in Sharm El Sheikh.
Camel Riding
Camel riding offers a much slower and more traditional way to experience the desert.
Where a quad bike focuses on speed and adventure, a camel desert safari allows you to slow down and appreciate the surroundings.
It can also be a natural part of a Bedouin-style desert experience, particularly when combined with a visit to a traditional camp. Many visitors treat a desert camel safari as the calmer counterpart to the adrenaline of the ATV ride earlier in the day.
Bedouin Experiences
A desert safari can also introduce travelers to elements of traditional Bedouin hospitality. A visit to a desert camp may include traditional tea, time to relax, and an opportunity to experience the atmosphere of the desert away from the busy resort areas.
This cultural element gives the experience more depth than simply riding a quad bike for a few hours.
Desert Dining & Evening Entertainment
Some desert safaris continue into the evening, turning the excursion into a complete experience rather than a short afternoon activity.
Dinner in a desert setting, traditional performances, and the atmosphere of the Sinai after sunset create a very different evening from the restaurants and entertainment venues of Sharm El Sheikh's resort areas.
Mountain & Desert Scenery
The landscape itself is part of the experience. As you travel through the desert, the Sinai Mountains provide a dramatic backdrop to the trails and open spaces. The changing light later in the day can make the landscape particularly striking for photography.
What a Desert Safari in Sharm El Sheikh Actually Feels Like
A good desert safari is less about checking individual activities off a list and more about the transition from the resort to the desert. Your experience typically begins with hotel pickup, followed by a short transfer away from the developed areas of Sharm El Sheikh. As the landscape changes, the atmosphere changes with it, as roads and buildings gradually give way to open desert and rugged mountains.
At the safari station, professional guides explain the basics and provide a safety briefing before the adventure begins. If you are taking a quad biking safari, this is where you get on your ATV and follow the desert trails, surrounded by open landscapes and rocky mountain scenery.
The ride combines off-road adventure with opportunities to stop, take photos, and experience a completely different side of the Sinai Peninsula. But the experience does not have to end when the quad bike ride does. A complete desert safari can continue with a visit to a Bedouin camp, traditional tea, camel riding, dinner, and evening entertainment.
That combination is what makes a desert safari in Sharm El Sheikh particularly appealing to visitors who want more than simply an ATV ride and want to experience the desert as a complete adventure. 
Bedouin Culture in the Desert
One of the most memorable parts of a desert safari can be the transition from adventure to culture.
After riding through the desert, arriving at a Bedouin-style camp creates a completely different atmosphere.
Instead of the noise and movement of the quad bikes, the pace becomes slower.
You can sit down, have traditional Bedouin tea, take in the surrounding landscape, and experience the desert from a quieter perspective.
For international visitors, this can provide an interesting contrast with the modern resort environment of Sharm El Sheikh.
The value of this part of the experience is not simply the word "Bedouin" on a tour description. It is the combination of desert surroundings, traditional hospitality, tea, food, and evening entertainment that creates a more complete experience.
It gives you a chance to experience Sinai as a cultural landscape, rather than simply a place to drive an ATV.
An Evening You Won't Forget: Dinner Under the Stars
As daylight fades, the character of the desert changes.
The heat of the day gives way to cooler air, the mountains become silhouettes, and the open surroundings create an atmosphere that is difficult to reproduce inside a resort.
This is when some Sharm El Sheikh desert safaris become an evening experience.
After the desert activities, you can settle into the camp for a traditional-style dinner.
On the Marsa Waves experience, the evening includes a BBQ dinner with grilled chicken, kofta, rice, salads, soft drinks, and water.
Dinner is followed by live entertainment, including a Tanoura performance and fire show.
The combination of food, traditional-inspired entertainment, mountains, and the open desert creates a very different evening from a typical night in Sharm El Sheikh.
And because you are away from the main resort areas, the desert itself becomes part of the atmosphere.
Quad Biking vs Camel Riding: Two Ways to Experience the Desert
Quad biking and camel riding provide two completely different ways to experience the Sinai Desert.
Experience Quad Biking Camel Riding
Pace Fast and active Slow and relaxed
Main appeal Adventure Traditional experience
Best for Adventure seekers Travelers seeking a cultural experience
Landscape Desert trails and mountains Desert surroundings and camp areas
Experience style Adrenaline-focused Relaxed and atmospheric
If you enjoy adventure, quad biking is likely to be the highlight.
If you want to experience the desert at a slower pace, camel riding provides a more traditional alternative.
The good news is that you do not necessarily have to choose between them.
A combined desert safari can include both, allowing you to experience the desert in two completely different ways during the same excursion.
Our Sharm El Sheikh Desert Safari
If you want to experience the Sinai Desert rather than simply see it from a distance, Marsa Waves offers a 5-hour Sharm El Sheikh quad biking desert safari combining adventure, desert scenery, Bedouin culture, dinner, and evening entertainment.
Sharm El Sheikh Quad Biking Desert Safari with Bedouin Dinner & Show
The experience begins with hotel pickup and a transfer to the quad bike station.
Before riding, professional guides provide a safety briefing and explain how to operate the quad bike.
You then head into the desert for approximately 45 minutes of quad biking, riding along desert trails with the Sinai Mountains forming the backdrop.
Along the route, there is a stop at a traditional Bedouin camp where you can enjoy Bedouin tea, relax, and take photos before continuing deeper into the desert.
The experience then moves to an evening desert venue built against the natural mountain landscape.
Here you can enjoy:
Quad biking through the Sinai Desert Sinai Mountain scenery A traditional camel ride Bedouin tea BBQ dinner Tanoura dancing Fire show Evening desert atmosphere
The combination makes this more than a standalone ATV ride. It is designed as a complete Sharm El Sheikh desert safari experience, bringing together adventure, scenery, culture, food, and entertainment in one evening.
Best Time for a Desert Safari in Sharm El Sheikh
The best time for a desert safari depends on what you want from the experience and how comfortable you are with heat.
Winter
The cooler months are generally comfortable for spending time outdoors in the desert.
This can be a particularly pleasant period for combining quad biking, walking around the camp, and an evening dinner.
Spring and Autumn
These seasons can offer a good balance between warm weather and outdoor comfort.
They are particularly attractive if you want to spend several hours exploring the desert rather than simply making a short visit.
Summer
Summer temperatures in Sinai can be very high, particularly during the middle of the day.
For this reason, an afternoon-to-evening desert safari can be more appealing than a midday excursion.
An evening itinerary also gives you the opportunity to experience the desert after sunset, when the atmosphere is completely different. If you're planning your trip around the wider Red Sea coast rather than Sharm alone, our ultimate guide to Red Sea tours in Egypt lays out how the main destinations and seasons compare.
Why Book Your Desert Safari in Sharm El Sheikh with Marsa Waves?
A desert safari should be more than simply riding a quad bike for a few minutes and returning to the hotel. It should give you enough time to appreciate the landscape and let the cultural and evening elements unfold properly rather than feeling rushed.
Booking with Marsa Waves means:
- Instant Booking confirmation: your spot is confirmed right away, no waiting around for a reply.
- Book Now & Pay Later: reserve your place today without any upfront payment.
- A genuinely complete evening, not a rushed add-on: around 5 hours covering the ride, the camp, dinner, and the show, rather than a short quad bike loop with nothing else attached.
- Door-to-door service: hotel pickup and return transportation are included, so the logistics are handled for you.
- Verified traveler reviews: real feedback from guests who've actually taken this exact desert safari, so you know what to expect before you book.
This makes it suitable for travelers who want to experience several sides of the Sharm El Sheikh desert in one trip, rather than booking a standalone quad bike ride.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sharm El Sheikh Desert Safaris
Is a desert safari in Sharm El Sheikh worth it?
Yes, especially if you want to experience something beyond the Red Sea and resort areas. A desert safari gives you the opportunity to explore the Sinai landscape, see the mountains, ride a quad bike, experience a Bedouin-style camp, and enjoy an evening in the desert.
What can you expect on a Sharm El Sheikh desert safari?
A desert safari can include hotel pickup, transportation into the Sinai Desert, quad biking, mountain scenery, a Bedouin camp, camel riding, traditional tea, dinner, and evening entertainment. The exact itinerary depends on the tour.
Is quad biking in Sharm El Sheikh suitable for beginners?
Quad biking is an accessible adventure activity for many first-time riders. A safety briefing and instructions are provided before the ride. Follow your guide's instructions and ride at a comfortable pace.
Can you ride a camel during a Sharm El Sheikh desert safari?
Some desert safari experiences include camel riding as part of the itinerary. The Marsa Waves desert safari combines quad biking with a traditional camel ride.
What happens at a Bedouin desert camp?
A desert camp can provide a place to relax after the ride, enjoy traditional tea, experience the desert atmosphere, and take part in cultural and dining activities depending on the itinerary.
What should I wear for a desert safari in Sharm El Sheikh?
Wear comfortable clothing suitable for outdoor activity. Closed, comfortable shoes are useful for walking around the desert, while lightweight clothing can be more comfortable during warmer periods. Bring protection from the sun during daytime activities.
What should I bring on a desert safari?
Consider bringing comfortable shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen, a hat, water, a camera or phone, and a light layer for the evening depending on the season.
How long does a Sharm El Sheikh desert safari take?
The Marsa Waves quad biking desert safari lasts approximately 5 hours, including the desert adventure, Bedouin experience, dinner, and evening entertainment.
Is a desert safari suitable for families?
It can be suitable for families, but suitability depends on the age of the children and the specific activity. Parents should check the tour's age requirements and consider whether children are comfortable with quad biking and a multi-hour outdoor excursion.
Experience a Different Side of Sharm El Sheikh
Sharm El Sheikh is famous for its Red Sea, but the coastline is only one part of what makes the destination special.
Beyond the resorts, the Sinai Desert and mountains offer a completely different experience, built around adventure, open landscapes, traditional hospitality, and evenings away from the busy coast.
A quad bike can take you deep into the desert. A camel ride slows the experience down. A Bedouin camp introduces a cultural element, while dinner and live entertainment turn the excursion into an evening to remember.
If you are already planning a beach, snorkeling, or diving holiday in Sharm El Sheikh, adding a desert safari gives you the chance to experience another side of the destination. Pairing it with one of our best snorkeling tours in Sharm El Sheikh is an easy way to cover both the reef and the desert in the same trip.