Hurghada in winter: why a desert safari is the best thing to do
From December to February, Hurghada has sunny 20 to 24 degree days, early golden sunsets and long, dark desert nights. That makes winter the best season of the year for a desert safari. Here are the 7 safaris we recommend in winter, what each one costs, when it starts, and how to book.
Short answer first: if you are in Hurghada between December and February, the desert safari is the single best day out you can book. The days are warm but never hot, so you can ride a quad at noon without melting. The sun sets around five, so an afternoon trip ends with the sunset and an evening trip has real darkness for the stars by dinner. And when the winter wind cancels the boat trips, the desert routes still run. We ride these tracks every week of the year, and winter is the season our guides like best. Below are the seven Hurghada safaris we recommend in winter, with live prices from EUR 22, winter pickup times, age limits, and a straight answer on which one fits you. All prices are per person, include hotel pickup, and were checked in October 2026.
Why winter is desert season in Hurghada
Three things make the Hurghada desert better in winter than in any other season. First, the temperature: daytime highs sit around 20 to 24 degrees, so every time slot works, morning, afternoon or evening, and nobody has to plan around the heat. Second, the light: the winter sun stays low, the mountains turn orange and pink from about 4 pm, and sunset comes between roughly 4:50 pm in December and 5:30 pm in late February, so even a half-day afternoon trip catches it. Third, the nights: they are long and dry, the sky over the Eastern Desert is properly dark an hour after sunset, and that is the best stargazing of the year. The only thing to plan for is the cold after dark, which we cover further down.
Hurghada winter weather, month by month
December: around 23 degrees by day on the coast, about 14 at night, sea close to 23 degrees, the warmest of the winter months and the busiest because of Christmas and New Year. January: the coolest month, around 21 to 22 degrees by day and 11 to 12 at night, sea about 22 degrees, clear skies most days and the darkest nights for stars. February: warming up again to about 22 to 23 degrees by day, sea about 21 degrees, and the windiest stretch, which is exactly when the desert beats the boat. One local rule that surprises people: the desert is colder than the coast after sunset. Sand holds no heat, so a January evening at the Bedouin camp can drop close to 10 degrees even after a 22 degree afternoon.
1. Super Safari: the full winter day out (from EUR 30)
If you only book one trip this winter, make it this one. The Super Safari packs every desert classic into about seven hours: an ATV quad ride, a buggy session, a jeep run out to a Bedouin village, a camel ride, Bedouin tea, then dinner and a live show. In winter the pickup is around 11:30 am, which means you ride the quad and buggy in comfortable midday warmth and arrive at the village just as the sun drops behind the mountains. Price from EUR 30 per adult, EUR 28 for ages 16 to 17. Minimum age is 16, because everyone rides a quad and a buggy. Best for: friends, couples, and anyone who wants the whole desert in one booking.
Super Safari Adventure in Hurghada 7h · From EUR 30Book now2. Jeep and stargazing safari with dinner: the best winter evening (from EUR 30)
This is the trip winter was made for, and it is open to all ages. Pickup is around 3:30 pm. You drive into the desert valleys by 4x4 jeep, take a short camel ride, watch Bedouin bread being baked, see the sunset from an open viewpoint, then sit down to a candlelit BBQ dinner with an open buffet. After dinner a guide sets up the telescope, and on a clear January night you can pick out Saturn, Jupiter and the Milky Way. Bring a warm jacket, the camp gets cold once the stars come out. Price from EUR 30 per adult and EUR 18 per child. Best for: families with kids of any age, couples, and anyone who wants a slow, beautiful evening instead of an adrenaline rush.
Stargazing Adventure by Jeep Safari in Hurghada 6h · From EUR 30Book now3. ATV quad and camel ride: the crisp winter morning (from EUR 25)
The pure quad trip, about three hours from pickup to drop-off. In winter you can pick the 8:00 am slot, when the desert air is cool and fresh and the light is clear for photos, or the 2:00 pm slot, which brings you back to the hotel around sunset. You ride an automatic quad behind your guide to a Bedouin village, stop for tea, take a short camel ride, and ride back. Price from EUR 25 per adult, EUR 15 for ages 16 to 17. Minimum age is 16. Best for: first-time riders and anyone who wants the quad without committing a full day.
ATV Quad Bike & Camel Ride in Hurghada. 3h · From EUR 25Book now4. Buggy ride for two: more power, same easy pace (from EUR 30)
A two-seat buggy drives like a small off-road car, with a steering wheel, a seat belt and a lot more power than a quad. You share it with a partner or friend, follow the guide across open desert tracks, and swap drivers at the Bedouin tea stop halfway. Winter slots are 9:00 am and 2:00 pm, about three hours in total. Price from EUR 30 per adult, EUR 20 for ages 16 to 17. Minimum age is 16, for drivers and passengers. Best for: couples and friends who want to drive together.
Buggy Ride in Hurghada Desert 3h · From EUR 30Book now5. Sunset camel ride: the gentle golden hour (from EUR 22)
The cheapest way to see the winter desert at its most beautiful. Pickup is around 3:30 pm, you ride a camel led by a handler from the ground, stop for Bedouin tea, and reach the photo spot just before the sun sets at about five. The whole trip takes around two hours, so you are back at the hotel in time for dinner. Price from EUR 22 per adult and EUR 14 per child, from age 4. Best for: families with young children, older travelers, and anyone who wants the sunset without an engine.
Sunset Camel Ride Hurghada 2h · From EUR 22Book now6. Horse riding by the sea and in the desert (from EUR 25)
Winter is the most comfortable season for the horses and for you. You ride one hour along the Red Sea shoreline and one hour into the desert, with an instructor who matches each rider to a calm horse. Pick the 8:00 am slot for the quietest beach, or 3:00 pm to ride into the golden light. Price from EUR 25 per adult and EUR 15 per child, from age 8. Best for: riders of every level, and families with kids who are too young for a quad.
Horse Riding Tour in Hurghada Sea & Desert with Transfer 2h · From EUR 25Book now7. Private jeep safari: your own 4x4, your own pace (from EUR 55)
For families, couples and photographers who want the desert without a group. You get a private 4x4 with a driver and an English-speaking guide for about five hours, a Bedouin tea stop, and a sunset photo stop timed to the winter light. Winter departures are 9:00 am or 1:00 pm. Price from EUR 55 per adult and EUR 35 per child, or EUR 200 for the whole private group. No minimum age, so toddlers and grandparents are both fine. Best for: mixed-age families and anyone who wants the guide to themselves.
Private Jeep Safari Hurghada 5h · From EUR 55Book nowHurghada safari prices this winter at a glance
Sunset camel ride: from EUR 22 (child EUR 14, age 4+). ATV quad and camel ride: from EUR 25 (age 16+). Horse riding sea and desert: from EUR 25 (child EUR 15, age 8+). Super Safari with dinner and show: from EUR 30 (age 16+). Jeep and stargazing safari with dinner: from EUR 30 (child EUR 18, all ages). Buggy ride: from EUR 30 (age 16+). Private jeep safari: from EUR 55 per person or EUR 200 per private group. Every price includes free pickup from Hurghada hotels, El Gouna, Makadi Bay, Sahl Hasheesh, Soma Bay and Safaga. You pay on the day, with no deposit, and you can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before most tours.
What to wear on a winter safari in Hurghada
Dress in layers. For a morning or afternoon trip, a t-shirt with a light long-sleeve layer on top is enough, plus closed shoes, sunglasses and sunscreen, because the winter sun is still strong. For any trip that ends after sunset, the Super Safari, the stargazing dinner or a late camel ride, pack a proper warm jacket or fleece. It feels silly at 3 pm in the hotel lobby and it is the best decision of the night at 8 pm in the camp. A scarf or buff is useful on the quad and buggy for dust, and our guides can help you tie a Bedouin-style scarf before the ride.
Christmas, New Year and booking ahead
The two weeks from about 20 December to 6 January are the busiest of the whole year in Hurghada. The evening trips, the stargazing dinner and the Super Safari, fill first, especially on 24, 25 and 31 December. If your dates fall in that window, book three to five days ahead. The rest of the winter is relaxed and a day or two ahead is usually fine. Booking early costs nothing: you pay on arrival and can still cancel for free up to 24 hours before most tours.
Windy day? Swap the boat for the desert
Winter on the Red Sea comes with windy days, and when the wind picks up, snorkeling and island boat trips often get cancelled or turn rough. Do not lose the day. The same wind barely matters on a quad or in a jeep, and it keeps the desert pleasantly cool. We regularly pick up guests in the morning whose boat trip was called off an hour earlier. Message us on WhatsApp when it happens and we will find you a seat the same day if one is free.
Winter is when the Hurghada desert is at its best: warm days, early sunsets, cold clear nights and the darkest skies of the year. If you want one recommendation, book the Super Safari for the full day or the jeep and stargazing dinner for the most beautiful evening, and add a sunset camel or horse ride if there are younger kids in the group. Pick your trip below, choose your date, and we will send your exact pickup time on WhatsApp the day before.
Quick answers
- Is Hurghada warm enough in winter?
- Yes. From December to February daytime temperatures in Hurghada are around 20 to 24 degrees with mostly sunny skies, and the sea stays around 21 to 23 degrees. Evenings are cooler, about 11 to 14 degrees on the coast and close to 10 degrees in the desert.
- Is a desert safari worth it in Hurghada in winter?
- Winter is the best season for it. You can ride at any time of day without heat, sunsets come early around 5 pm, the nights are dark and clear for stargazing, and desert trips still run on windy days when boat trips are cancelled.
- Which desert safari is best in Hurghada in winter?
- For a full day, the Super Safari (quad, buggy, jeep, camel, dinner and show, from EUR 30, age 16+). For an evening and for families with young children, the jeep and stargazing safari with dinner (from EUR 30, all ages).
- How much does a desert safari cost in Hurghada?
- Prices per person in winter 2026 start at EUR 22 for the sunset camel ride, EUR 25 for the ATV quad and camel ride or horse riding, EUR 30 for the Super Safari, the jeep and stargazing dinner or the buggy ride, and EUR 55 for a private jeep safari. Hotel pickup is included.
- Is it cold in the desert at night in winter?
- Yes, noticeably. After sunset the desert can drop close to 10 degrees in January, so bring a warm jacket or fleece for any trip that ends after dark.
- Can children join a desert safari in Hurghada?
- Yes, on the right tour. The jeep and stargazing safari and the private jeep safari take all ages, the sunset camel ride starts at age 4 and horse riding at age 8. Quad, buggy and Super Safari trips are 16+.
- Do I need to book a safari in advance at Christmas and New Year?
- Yes. From about 20 December to 6 January, book three to five days ahead, especially for evening trips. You pay on arrival and can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before most tours.