Day tourfrom $360
Active trips
Egypt Adventure & Diving Tours
The Red Sea is one of the best diving destinations in the world, and the Western Desert is one of the emptiest places you can stand. Both are within reach of a normal Egypt itinerary.
Last updated: October 2026·Reviewed by the Cairo planning team
At a glance
- Snorkelling
- Open to anyone who can swim
- Scuba
- Requires certification - courses can be arranged
- Best water months
- June to October, warmest and clearest
- Best desert months
- November to March
- Main dive areas
- Sharm el-Sheikh, Hurghada, Marsa Alam, Dahab
- Insurance
- Check your policy covers diving to your planned depth
- Desert overnight
- White Desert camping is the standout
Snorkelling is open to everyone and needs nothing beyond the ability to swim. The reefs at Ras Mohammed and around Hurghada start shallow enough that you see a great deal without ever going deep.
Scuba is different: it requires certification. If you are not certified, we can arrange a try-dive or a full open-water course as part of the trip, but we will not put you on a dive that requires a card you do not hold.
Away from the water, the desert trips are the other half of this. The White Desert overnight, quad biking on the Giza fringe, and the Sinai routes are all straightforward to add and completely different in character from the temples.
Red Sea Diving & Snorkelling
Ras Mohammed and the Sinai reefs. Snorkelling needs nothing but the ability to swim; scuba needs your certification card.
Day tourfrom $300
Day tourfrom $85
Day tourfrom $45
Desert Adventures
The other half of an active trip: desert routes, an overnight camp, and genuinely cold nights.
Day tourfrom $170
Active Egypt Packages
Itineraries that leave room for both - temples in the first half, water and desert in the second.
11 daysfrom $2,449
8 daysfrom $1,949
7 daysfrom $1,549
5 daysfrom $799
What is and is not open to everyone
- Snorkelling needs no qualification - only the ability to swim.
- Scuba needs certification. We can arrange a course; we will not skip the requirement.
- June to October is warmest and clearest for the water.
- The desert is a winter activity - November to March.
- Check your travel insurance covers diving to the depth you plan.
What to bring
- Your certification card and logbook if you are diving.
- A rash vest for long days in the water.
- Reef-safe sunscreen - the ordinary kind damages coral.
- Warm layers for a desert overnight; it gets genuinely cold.
- Sturdy shoes for desert walking.
Frequently asked
Do I need to be certified to dive in Egypt?
Yes, for scuba. If you are not certified we can arrange a supervised try-dive or a full open-water course during your trip, but we will not book you onto dives that require a qualification you do not hold.
Can non-divers still see the reef?
Easily. The snorkelling is exceptional and the reefs start shallow, so you see a great deal without any qualification at all.
When is the best time for the Red Sea?
June to October for the warmest water and best visibility, though it is swimmable year-round.
Is the desert trip hard going?
The standard White Desert overnight is not physically demanding - it is a drive, a walk and a camp. It does get cold at night, which people underestimate.