Sharm El Sheikh: 3-Day Itinerary
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Days one and two here are our 2-day itinerary exactly, arrival and Naama Bay, then Ras Mohammed. Day three adds proper time in the Old Market plus a desert safari, still short of a full day trip further afield like St Catherine’s, which our 4-day itinerary fits in properly.
Day-by-day at a glance
| Day | Focus | Est. spend (excl. hotel) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrival, Naama Bay | ~$30-60 |
| 2 | Ras Mohammed National Park | ~$40-90 |
| 3 | Old Market and a desert safari | ~$40-80 |
Travel advisory: Sharm el-Sheikh sits in a well-established carve-out from Egypt’s wider Sinai advisory, the UK FCDO rates the Red Sea resort strip “generally low risk” even while advising against travel to North Sinai and the South Sinai interior. None of the three days here leaves that resort strip, but check your government’s current advisory before booking anything further afield.
Day 1: Arrival and Naama Bay
Taxi drivers waiting outside arrivals routinely quote three to five times the fair local rate for the short run into Naama Bay; agree a fixed price before the bags go in the trunk, or book your hotel’s own transfer instead. Check into a Naama Bay hotel and spend the afternoon easing into the heat on the beach. In the evening, walk the promenade for a seafood dinner, then browse the Old Market for a first, low-pressure look, bargaining is expected but not aggressive here.
Concrete tip: Book your Ras Mohammed boat trip tonight through your hotel desk or a reviewed dive shop. Morning departures fill first.
Day 2: Ras Mohammed National Park
Ras Mohammed, about 12km southwest at the Sinai’s tip, is Egypt’s first national park (1983), and Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef are the standout dives, sheer coral walls with some of the best visibility in the northern Red Sea. Entry runs around $5 cash per person, on top of your boat operator’s package for gear, guide and lunch. Go early, boats stack up by mid-morning and visibility is best before 10am. Back in Naama Bay by mid-afternoon, with the evening free for a quiet dinner.
Concrete tip: Snorkelers get shallow reef access that rivals what divers see deeper down, so don’t assume this is a dive-only day if you’re not certified.
Day 3: Old Market and a desert safari
Spend the morning properly in the Old Market, Sharm el-Maya district, spices, textiles and the Al-Sahaba Mosque’s Ottoman-style architecture, and take your time bargaining rather than rushing it the way an evening browse forces you to. In the afternoon or evening, book a desert quad-bike or jeep safari, often paired with a Bedouin-camp dinner and stargazing, running around $20-25 per person for a two-hour tour (verify current pricing). It’s a genuinely different pace from two days of reef, and a good way to close out a short trip.
Concrete tip: Agree the safari price in writing or by phone-calculator before you commit, and confirm whether the Bedouin dinner is included or a separate add-on, tour listings aren’t always clear on this point.
Things to know before you go
Egypt’s currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP), heavily devalued in recent years. Carry cash for the market and small vendors; cards work fine at hotels. Modest dress matters in the Old Market and at mosques, shoulders and knees covered, even though swimwear is fine on the beach. For the fuller etiquette, visa and safety picture, see our Sharm el-Sheikh travel tips .
Three days keeps you inside the resort strip the whole trip, which is the simplest version of this destination. If St Catherine’s Monastery or Dahab are on your list, our 4-day itinerary is the shortest one that fits either properly.