11 things to do in Hurghada, Egypt

Situated on the shores of the stunning Red Sea in Egypt, Hurghada is known for its sandy beaches, world-class diving and snorkeling, vibrant marine life, and easy access to desert excursions. This Hurghada travel guide covers the best things to do, top attractions, cultural highlights, and essential travel tips to help you plan your visit. Here’s everything you need to know to make the most of your visit.

@lifeofapassion

Save for later: Mini guide for Luxor 🇪🇬 🔺 Luxor Temple 🔺 Temple of Karnak 🔺 Cross the river Nile & have lunch 🔺 Colossi of Memnon 🔺 Temple of Hatshepsut #luxoregypt #valleyofthekings #luxortrip #karnaktemple #egypt #travel #hurghada

♬ original sound – AjWavy

Where to stay in Hurghada?

We stayed in an all-inclusive hotel, a bit away from the center, to have some quiet. With a taxi, we’re in 20 minutes in the center of Hurghada. With excursions, we can do day trips to Luxor, Karnak, Valley of the Kings, Colossi of Memnon, and many more. Here are my top 3 recommendations to stay in Hurghada.

Things to do in Hurghada

1) Red Sea Snorkeling in Hurghada

The most famous tourist places, like Hurghada, Sharm el Sheikh, and Marsa Alam, are all located on the Red Sea. If you are staying at one of those places, make sure to go diving or snorkeling! There are many corals and fish in the sea. We even had a beautiful coral reef just in front of the hotel (but gosh, how many people who touched the corals were nerve-wracking).

Sad Fact: We went in 2009, and the GoPro wasn’t invented yet. We did have an underwater kodak but those photos aren’t that great.

2) Day trip from Hurghada to Luxor Temple

So we eventually did a day trip that included: Luxor temple, Karnak temple, the Nile, Colossi of Memnon, the Valley of the Kings, and Temple of Hatshepsut (numbers 2-7). We left the hotel early and came back in the late evening.

The first stop is the Luxor Temple. Luxor Temple is located on the east bank of the Nile River in the city Luxor (ancient Thebes). It is said that Luxor Temple was a place where the kings of Egypt were crowned. The temple also has parts that were built by Amenhotep III, Alexander the Great, Tutankhamun, and Ramesses II. During the Roman era, an Egyptian temple at Luxor was transformed into a church.

3) Day trip from Hurghada to Karnak Temple

Karnak Temple is located next to the Luxor Temple. If you have to choose between the Luxor temple and the Karnak temple, just go straight to the Karnak temple! Karnak temple has a large area of 134 pillars that still have color from the old days. The stones on top of these pillars weigh 70 tons. The complex is also the second most visited historical site in Egypt, after the Giza Pyramids.

Fun Fact: There’s a scarab statue where you have to walk around a couple of times to receive 7 years of luck.

4) The Nile

In order to get to the Colossi of Memnon, we’ll have to cross the Nile River. This river is the largest river in Africa and in the world (although some people claim the Amazon River is the largest river in the world).

Sad Fact: I did not see the Nile Crocodile.

5) Day trip from Hurghada to the Colossi of Memnon

After crossing the Nile, you’ll end up in a green region: the Nile floodplain. At the edge of that floodplain, you’ll find the Colossi of Memnon. The two statues are portraits of Amenhotep III. They used to be the guards at the entrance to Amenhotep’s memorial temple, the largest temple complex at that time. Today, only the two statues and some ruins are left from that complex.

Sad Fact: The temple complex stood on the edge of the Nile floodplain. Due to the annual water flooding, the site complex decayed at a more rapid rate.

6) Day trip from Hurghada to the Valley of the Kings

You can see the Valley of the Kings already from the site of the Colossi of Memnon. The Valley of the Kings is a valley in Egypt where tombs for noblemen and pharaohs were carved out of the rocks. The valley contains over 63 tombs and chambers. Before entering the valley, you’ll have to pass the visitor center, where you can get your guide and a map of the valley. You can see how deep the tombs are located and how many chambers a tomb has.

When you enter a tomb, you’ll see that they’re decorated with scenes from Egyptian mythology (the successes of the pharaoh) but also its funerary rituals. Don’t forget that it’s not allowed to photograph inside the tombs because it can damage the color of the paint on the walls.

Fun Fact: The Valley is most famous (or notorious) for the curse of Tutankhamun.

7) Day trip from Hurghada to the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut

Near the Valley of the Kings is also the Mortuary Temple of Pharaoh Hatshepsut. The temple is built in a way that the sunlight will highlight the statues of Osiris at around 21-22nd of December.

8) Day trip from Hurghada to El Dahar: Souk Hurghada

When in Egypt, you’ve got to visit a souk. A souk is an open market with a roof made out of sails to protect you from the sun. You can buy spices, clothes, shoes, jewelry, etc.

Warning: Due to the sails, it can get very hot in the Souk! Drink a lot of water and try to limit your time at the Souk!

9) Hurghada Marina

When your hotel is located in Hurghada, just take a taxi and go to the Marina. Stroll around the harbor and find yourself a restaurant you like. As a dessert, just go to a teahouse to drink tea and do shisha (not for children).

10) Cairo

We wanted to visit Cairo from Hurghada, but the bus ride would take more than 6 hours to reach the city, and after our long tour in Luxor, we just couldn’t sit on a bus any longer (remember this was 2009). Shame, because I really wanted to see the Sphinx and the pyramids, but we were lucky on our flight back home! We had to stop in Cairo, and we flew past the pyramids! Mind the sepia color, I thought it looked cool…

11) Relax in Hurghada

The final thing to do in Egypt? Just enjoy your holiday and relax! My family has the tradition of always taking part in hotel activities like water polo (yes, me too), darts, ping pong, etc.

What to pack for Hurghada?

Make sure to bring these top 5 items on your trip to Hurghada:

• Snorkel set: for seeing all the fish and coral in the sea
• Camera: to take amazing photos of your trip!
• Sunscreen: don’t get sunburned when visiting Egyptian temples!
• Microfiber towel: compact towel to take everywhere with you & that dries quickly!
• Hat or cap: for sun protection

Use my ultimate packing list to have everything in your luggage for your trip.

Transportation in Hurghada

Most travelers fly into Hurghada International Airport. We flew with Brussels Airlines from Brussels to Hurghada in about 5 hours.

Tip: Booking early is often the cheapest option. Check now for a cheap ticket.

Popular transport to travel within Egypt includes minibuses, buses, taxis, and private drivers. We used a mix of minibuses and taxis.