Home › Sharm El Sheikh › How many days
How many days in Sharm El Sheikh? 4 days for Ras Mohammed, Tiran and Mount Sinai
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
Sharm El Sheikh sits at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, where the Gulf of Aqaba meets the Red Sea, and its main draw is under the water: coral reefs that begin a few metres from the shore. Most people come for a week of all-inclusive beach time. Give the active part four days: one on the house reefs, one in Ras Mohammed National Park, one at the Tiran reefs or a wreck dive, and one inland to Mount Sinai or the coastal town of Dahab. Add beach days as you like.
Short answer
Three days covers the reefs near town, Ras Mohammed and one inland or diving day. Four lets you add Mount Sinai without giving up a boat day.
The 4-day plan, day by day
Day 1: Naama Bay, Ras Um Sid and the Old Market
Morning. Snorkel the reef at Ras Um Sid, below the lighthouse in the Hadaba area, where a steep coral wall drops away just off the beach (beach entry roughly EGP 300-700; check current price). Wear reef shoes and enter from the pontoon, not over the coral.
Afternoon. Spend the afternoon at Naama Bay, the original resort area with a sandy, sheltered beach and a pedestrian promenade of cafés and dive centres. Book your boat trips for the next two days at a licensed dive centre rather than with touts on the street.
Evening. Take a taxi about 15 minutes to the Old Market (Old Sharm) to see the large Al Sahaba Mosque, lit at night, and eat grilled fish or koshari in a local restaurant for about EGP 300-800 per person. Agree a taxi price before you get in.
The Sinai sun is strong even in winter. Wear a long-sleeved rash vest when snorkelling, and use reef-safe sunscreen.
Day 2: Boat day in Ras Mohammed National Park
Morning. Most boats leave the marina at about 8:00-9:00 for Ras Mohammed, the national park at the tip of Sinai, about 1.5-2 hours by boat. Sites such as Shark and Yolanda Reef and Jackfish Alley have walls of coral, schools of fish and, at the right season, larger pelagic species. A snorkelling day costs about €30-50 per person with lunch; two dives about €60-90 (check current prices).
Afternoon. Some trips also stop at the White Island sandbar, or you can go by land on a jeep tour to the park's mangrove channel, the cracks in the ground known as the 'earthquake crack' and the viewpoint over the meeting of the two gulfs. Park fees for foreign visitors are paid in addition, or included by the operator; ask.
Evening. Return at about 16:00-17:00. Dinner at your hotel or in Naama Bay, where restaurants charge EGP 600-1,500 per person.
In winter (December to February), the sea is about 21-23°C and the wind can be strong; bring a 5 mm wetsuit or a jacket for the boat.
Day 3: Tiran reefs or the Thistlegorm wreck
Morning. For snorkellers, a boat trip to the Straits of Tiran visits four large reefs, named after British cartographers: Jackson, Woodhouse, Thomas and Gordon, where a rusting cargo ship sits on top of the reef (about €30-50 with lunch).
Afternoon. Divers can instead join a full-day trip to the SS Thistlegorm, a British supply ship sunk in 1941 in the Strait of Gubal, with trucks, motorbikes and locomotives still in its holds (about €120-180 for two dives; usually for Advanced Open Water divers due to depth and current).
Evening. Visit SOHO Square, an entertainment complex with an ice rink, fountains and restaurants, or have a quiet dinner at your hotel.
The Thistlegorm leaves very early, at about 4:00-5:00, and the crossing can be rough. Take seasickness tablets beforehand if you are prone to it.
Day 4: Mount Sinai and St Catherine's Monastery
Morning. Night tours leave Sharm at about 23:00 for the 2.5-3 hour drive to St Catherine. The climb up Mount Sinai (Jebel Musa), about 2,285 metres, starts at about 2:00 with a Bedouin guide and takes 2.5-3 hours to the summit for sunrise. The last part is about 750 steep stone steps. Camels can carry you most of the way.
Afternoon. Descend and visit St Catherine's Monastery at the foot of the mountain, one of the oldest working Christian monasteries in the world, founded in the 6th century, if it is open to visitors that day (usually mornings only, closed on some days and religious holidays). Return to Sharm by early afternoon.
Evening. Rest. Alternatively, skip Sinai and spend the day in Dahab, about 1h15 north, for the Blue Hole reef and the seafront promenade of Masbat.
It is cold at the summit, often near 0°C in winter and about 10°C even in summer. Bring a warm jacket, a torch and cash for tea and blankets at the summit huts.
Only have 3 days?
With 3 days, keep the house reef, Ras Mohammed and either Tiran or Mount Sinai. Choose Sinai if you are not a diver.
Got extra days?
Extra days go to beach time, a diving course (an Open Water course takes about 3-4 days), the Nabq protected area with mangroves and Bedouin camps north of the airport, or the Coloured Canyon near Nuweiba for a desert walk.
Where to stay in Sharm El Sheikh
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Hadaba and the Old Market area | Cheaper hotels and apartments, near Ras Um Sid and local restaurants. | EGP 2,000-3,500 |
| Mid-range | Naama Bay | Walk to the beach, dive centres and restaurants. | EGP 3,500-7,000 |
| Mid-range | Sharks Bay and Nabq Bay | Large all-inclusive resorts with house reefs, close to the airport. | EGP 4,000-8,000 |
| Comfort | Ras Nasrani and Sharks Bay luxury resorts | Private reefs, pools and spas. | EGP 9,000-25,000 |
Getting around
Sharm is spread along about 30 km of coast. Taxis are the main transport; agree the fare before you get in, or ask your hotel to book one. Short rides cost about EGP 150-400. Local microbuses along Peace Road are much cheaper but hard to use without Arabic. Sharm El Sheikh International Airport is about 15 minutes from Naama Bay, with direct flights from Europe. Many visitors get a free Sinai-only stamp on arrival for stays of up to 15 days in Sharm, Dahab and St Catherine; for Cairo, Luxor or longer stays, buy the regular visa (about US$25).
What to eat in Sharm El Sheikh
Most visitors eat at their resort, but leave for at least one evening. In the Old Market, local places serve koshari (rice, pasta, lentils and fried onions), ful and taameya (Egyptian falafel) for about EGP 100-250. Seafood restaurants grill fish and prawns by the kilo; ask the price first. Try molokhia (a green soup), grilled kofta and Bedouin tea with sage. Alcohol is available in hotels and tourist restaurants, but is expensive.
Best time to visit
October to November and March to May, with highs of 26-32°C and a warm sea. December to February is mild by day (about 22-25°C) and cool at night, ideal for Mount Sinai, though wind can make boats rough. June to September is very hot, often 38-42°C, but the water is at its warmest, at about 27-28°C.
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | EGP 1,500 | EGP 3,500 | EGP 9,000 |
| Food & drink | EGP 600 | EGP 1,500 | EGP 3,500 |
| Sights & tickets | EGP 800 | EGP 2,500 | EGP 5,000 |
| Local transport | EGP 150 | EGP 500 | EGP 1,500 |
| Total per person, per day | about EGP 3,050 | about EGP 8,000 | about EGP 19,000 |
Approximate 2026 prices in Egyptian pounds; boat trips and dives are often quoted in euros or US dollars, and the bed row assumes a room-only or half-board rate, so all-inclusive packages shift money from food to accommodation.
Before you go
Common questions
Is Sharm El Sheikh safe?
The resort areas are heavily guarded, with checkpoints on the roads and security at hotels and the airport, and tourism has returned strongly. Follow your government's travel advice, especially for road trips outside Sharm. Within the town, the usual risks are taxi overcharging and pushy sellers, not crime.
Do I need to dive to enjoy Sharm?
No. Snorkelling here is among the best in the world, with reefs right off the beach at Ras Um Sid and many hotels, and boat trips to Ras Mohammed and Tiran for snorkellers. A try-dive with an instructor costs about €50-70 if you want to test it. Glass-bottom boats and semi-submarines suit non-swimmers.
Is the Mount Sinai night climb hard?
It is moderate. The camel path is long but not steep, and the final section of about 750 stone steps is the hardest part. In total, expect about 2.5-3 hours up and 2 hours down, in the dark. Good shoes, a torch and warm layers matter more than fitness. Camels can take you most of the way for a fee.
What visa do I need for Sharm?
Many nationalities can receive a free Sinai-only entry stamp on arrival at Sharm, valid for up to 15 days in the resort areas of South Sinai, including Dahab and St Catherine. To visit Cairo, Luxor or stay longer, buy the regular Egyptian visa on arrival or online. Check the rules for your passport before travelling.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan may earn a commission; the price you pay is the same. How we make money.