Multi-Day Trips from Sharm el-Sheikh

October 31, 2026

Travel advice, as of October 2026: The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to North Sinai and against all but essential travel to parts of northern South Sinai away from the coast, and it says the regional risk of escalation is high. It calls the Red Sea resorts of southern Sinai generally low risk. The Taba border crossing into Israel can close at short notice, which matters for any Petra plan that uses the Taba or Nuweiba coast. Check the FCDO advice for Egypt and your own government’s page before you book anything.

Staying a night or more away from Sharm el-Sheikh means choosing between the rest of South Sinai, the Nile valley and Jordan. The free entry stamp issued at Sharm airport covers the resort strip only, so every trip below beyond Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba needs a full visa. A visa on arrival costs 30 US dollars in cash, and a single-entry e-visa is reported at the same 30 US dollars.

A 3-day South Sinai circuit

This is the most natural loop. Day one covers Sharm and Ras Mohammed National Park by boat or road. Day two goes to Dahab and the Blue Hole, about 80 to 95 km from Sharm, and stays the night there. Day three is the overnight Mount Sinai and St Catherine leg, about 220 to 230 km and three hours from Sharm, with a pre-dawn climb led by a licensed Bedouin guide. The monastery is open in the mornings only and is closed on Sundays. Plan the Mount Sinai part as a pilgrimage visit and dress modestly. Daylight travel only, since the FCDO advises against driving outside cities and resorts at night.

Dahab overnight

Dahab works well as a single night with a diving or windsurf day on either side. It has a lighthouse reef and a seafront promenade. The Blue Hole is the famous dive site, and the deep Arch there is a technical dive only. Never freedive or go through the Arch.

Cairo by air

Flights from Sharm to Cairo take about an hour. Overland takes seven to eight hours through the Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel. Packages usually cover the Giza Pyramids, Egyptian museums and Khan el-Khalili. Check Grand Egyptian Museum ticketing before you pay for a tour. A full visa is required, and this is not a day trip.

Luxor and the Nile by air

Karnak and the Valley of the Kings are sold as multi-day packages by air from Sharm. Both need a full visa.

Petra and Wadi Rum

Packages for Petra and Wadi Rum use a ferry from the Taba or Nuweiba coast to Aqaba in Jordan. Arab Bridge Maritime runs the Nuweiba to Aqaba crossing, and Wikivoyage says Taba has a ferry as well. The FCDO describes the region as deeply unpredictable, so treat this as an option with plenty of slack. Check Jordan’s visa rules, and confirm that the crossing is open on your dates.

Planning tips

Book a licensed operator, carry your passport at all times and keep a buffer day before any flight home. Prices are quoted in euros or US dollars for packages, while taxis and tips use EGP, which runs at about 48 to 50 to the dollar.

Look at packages on Viator and compare stays near Dahab or Sharm on Booking.com . The FCDO entry requirements page sets out the visa rules.