Things to Do in Sharm El Sheikh (2026): Reefs, Desert & Sinai

Sharm El Sheikh is the Red Sea's headline resort, and what you actually do here splits three ways: world-class snorkelling and diving on the reefs of Ras Mohammed and Tiran, desert adventure by quad and camel in the Sinai interior, and day trips to St Catherine's Monastery and Mount Sinai. Across more than 1,400 bookable experiences the typical price is about 2,632 EGP (~$54) per person, and 73% offer free cancellation. Here's how to spend your days.

The best things to do in Sharm El Sheikh

Snorkel or dive Ras Mohammed & White Island. This is the signature Sharm day and the most-booked thing to do here: a boat trip into Ras Mohammed National Park — Egypt's first national park, where the reef drops into a wall of colour — usually paired with the sandbar of White Island. Snorkellers and divers share the same boats.

Quad, camel and a Bedouin night in the Sinai desert. The second great Sharm day: an ATV/quad safari across the desert at sunrise or sunset, often bundled with a camel ride, Bedouin dinner and stargazing. These are the cheapest, highest-rated experiences in town.

Boat trips to Tiran Island. The Straits of Tiran, between Sinai and Saudi Arabia, hold some of the best drift-snorkelling reefs in the region — a classic full-day boat outing.

A day trip to St Catherine's & Mount Sinai. Inland from the coast, St Catherine's Monastery — one of the oldest working monasteries on earth — sits beneath Mount Sinai; sunrise-summit and monastery trips leave from Sharm.

The Colored Canyon. For a change from the water, the sandstone Colored Canyon near Nuweiba is a popular half-day desert escape.

The top-rated experiences travellers book

• Sharm El Sheikh: White Island & Ras Mohamed Dive & Snorkel — 4.89★ · 2,940 reviews · from 1,347 EGP (~$27).
• From Sharm: White Island and Ras Mohamed Snorkeling Trip — 4.7★ · 3,627 reviews · from 1,378 EGP (~$28).
• Sharm El-Sheikh: ATV Quad Sunrise & Sunset Desert Safari — 4.82★ · 1,738 reviews · from 1,978 EGP (~$40).
• Sharm El Sheikh: ATV Quad Bike, Camel Ride, Bedouin Dinner & Show — 4.7★ · 1,915 reviews · from 1,119 EGP (~$23).
• Sharm: Super Safari ATV, Camel Ride, Stargazing & BBQ Dinner — 4.81★ · 1,335 reviews · from 2,033 EGP (~$41).
• Sharm: Ras Mohamed & White Island Snorkeling, Diving & Lunch — 4.88★ · 1,057 reviews · from 1,666 EGP (~$34).

Browse all things to do in Sharm El Sheikh, go deeper on the reefs in our Sharm El Sheikh diving guide, or see how activity prices compare in the Egypt activity price guide.

When to go

Sharm is a year-round destination — the Red Sea sits at a swimmable 22–28°C even in winter, and the desert climate means reliable sun. March–May and October–November are the sweet spot (warm water, comfortable air); July–August is hot but fine if you're mostly in the sea.

Getting around & practical notes

Most experiences include hotel pickup from the Naama Bay, Hadaba and Nabq hotel zones. Ras Mohammed and marine-park trips may add a small park fee; St Catherine's and Sinai-interior trips are long days with early starts. A light wetsuit helps for winter snorkelling.

Where Sharm fits in your trip

Sharm pairs naturally with a few days in Cairo (a short flight) for the pyramids, or with a Nile cruise if you want ancient Egypt alongside the reef. Deciding between Red Sea bases? See things to do in Hurghada and our Hurghada vs Sharm diving comparison.

How we built this guide

This guide combines the live prices and details of 1,414 bookable Sharm El Sheikh experiences (June 2026) from our marketplace with Egypt's official Red Sea & Sinai tourism guide for the facts on Ras Mohammed, Tiran and St Catherine's. Prices are per person in Egyptian pounds at about 49 EGP to the dollar; we use the median. Updated as prices and availability change.