Camel guide

Camel ride in Hurghada

A camel ride is the slow version of the desert, and honestly the most photogenic one. You sit high on a padded saddle, a guide leads your camel along a soft sand track, and everything moves at walking pace toward a sunset viewpoint. No engine, no dust cloud, no driving skills needed. We run this daily from Hurghada with hotel pickup included, kids join from age 4, and you are back at your hotel the same evening. On this page we explain what riding actually feels like, how long you sit, how we time the light, and how to pair the camels with a quad day.

Date esențiale

Duration
About 2 hours with transfers
Price
EUR 22 adult, EUR 14 child
Minimum age
4, riding with a parent
Start time
17:00 summer, 15:30 winter
Included
Pickup, guide-led ride, Bedouin tea
Pace
Walking pace only, guide leads the rein

What a camel ride actually feels like

The camel sits down for you to climb on, then stands up back legs first, which gives you one fun lurch forward. Hold the saddle handle and lean back, that is the whole trick. Once walking, the camel sways in a slow rhythm that most riders settle into after two minutes. You sit around two meters up, so the view over the sand is genuinely better than from a quad. The pace stays at a walk the entire time, nobody trots.

Timed for the sunset

We schedule this ride so the saddle time lands in the best light. In summer we start pickups around 17:00, in winter around 15:30, and the route reaches the photo spot just as the sun drops toward the mountains behind the desert. Golden hour on camelback is the shot everyone came for, so we build the whole two hours around it. After the sun sets we head straight back, no late night, and you are at the hotel for dinner.

How long you actually sit

The full program takes about two hours including hotel transfers. Actual saddle time is a gentle stretch out to the sunset spot and a shorter ride back, split by the tea and photo break in the middle. That length is deliberate. First-time riders usually love the first half hour and start feeling the saddle after that, so we stop before it stops being fun. If you want more desert around the ride, look at the combined tours below.

A guide leads every camel

You never steer anything. A Bedouin guide walks alongside and leads your camel by the rein the entire route, the same way it has been done here for generations. That is what makes this the best desert option for kids from age 4 riding with a parent, for grandparents, and for anyone who does not drive or does not want to. The camels are matched to rider size before you start, and nervous riders can ask for the calmest animal in the group.

Bedouin tea and the photo stop

Halfway through, the group stops at a small Bedouin camp for sweet desert tea. It is a real pause, not a shop visit: you sit on cushions, the camels rest, and the guides help everyone get the classic pictures, camel silhouettes, the long shadows on the sand, and the group shot against the sunset. Bring your phone fully charged. Professional photos are not included, so your own camera does all the work here.

Price and what is included

The sunset camel ride costs EUR 22 per adult and EUR 14 per child. Hotel pickup and drop-off, the guided camel ride, Bedouin tea and the sunset photo stop are all included, with pickup across Hurghada, El Gouna, Makadi Bay, Sahl Hasheesh, Safaga and Soma Bay. Dinner is not part of this short tour, and tips stay optional. You can book up to six hours before the start, which makes it an easy same-day decision when the sky looks promising.

Pair it with a quad day

Plenty of guests do the camels once and then want the fast version too. Two easy combos: the ATV quad and camel ride puts a short camel stretch inside a EUR 20 quad afternoon, and the Super Safari at EUR 25 stacks quads, a buggy session, the camel ride, a Bedouin village and a BBQ dinner with show into one seven-hour day. Kids from 7 can join the Super Safari with a parent, while pure quad driving starts at 12.

Este potrivit pentru tine?

Ideal pentru

• Families with kids from age 4 • Non-drivers who want a real desert moment • Couples after golden-hour photos • Travellers who prefer quiet over engines • Anyone easing into the desert before booking a bigger tour

Nu este potrivit pentru

• Adrenaline hunters (take the buggy or quad instead) • Guests with serious back or hip problems • Anyone expecting hours of trekking (this is a short, gentle ride)

Întrebări frecvente

  • Is riding a camel scary or wobbly?+

    The only wobbly moment is when the camel stands up. Lean back, hold the handle and it is over in two seconds. The walk itself is a slow sway most riders find relaxing.

  • How long do I actually sit on the camel?+

    The tour is about two hours door to door, with the saddle time split into a ride out and a shorter ride back around the tea and photo break. Enough to feel it, short enough to stay comfortable.

  • Can small children join?+

    Yes, from age 4, riding with a parent. The pace is a walk, a guide leads every camel by the rein, and the camels sit down fully for getting on and off.

  • What should I wear?+

    Long, comfortable trousers save your legs from the saddle, closed shoes beat sandals in the sand, and a light jacket helps after sunset in winter. Sunglasses stay useful until the light drops.

  • Is dinner included in the camel ride?+

    No, this is a short golden-hour tour and you are back at the hotel in time for dinner. If you want the desert evening with BBQ and a show, the Super Safari covers that.

  • Can I combine camels with quad biking?+

    Yes. The ATV quad and camel tour includes a short camel stretch for EUR 20, and the Super Safari combines quads, buggy, camels and the BBQ evening for EUR 25.

Pasul următor

Book the camel ride