One day is not much, and how you spend it depends entirely on what you came for. Here are three versions that actually work, rather than one that tries to do everything and achieves none of it.

Version 1: the sea

If you only do one thing in Hurghada, do this one.

  • 08:00 — Hotel pickup. Island day trips leave early because the sea is calmest in the morning.
  • 09:00 — Depart the marina. An hour across the water to the Giftun reserve.
  • 10:30 — First snorkeling stop over living reef with a guide in the water.
  • 12:30 — Land at Orange Bay, Mahmya or Paradise Island. Lunch, then a sunbed and shallow turquoise water.
  • 15:30 — Sail back.
  • 17:00 — Back at your hotel with time to shower before dinner.

See the island day trips.

Version 2: sea in the morning, desert at night

The most complete single day Hurghada offers, and it is a long one.

  • 08:00–13:00 — A half-day snorkeling or semi-submarine trip.
  • 13:30 — Lunch, and an hour off your feet. You will need it.
  • 15:00 — Collected for the desert safari: quad bikes, a buggy run, a Bedouin village and tea.
  • 18:30 — Barbecue in the open air as the sun goes down.
  • 20:00 — The stars come out, and away from the city there are a great many of them.
  • 21:30 — Back at your hotel.

Version 3: the city

For a rough-sea day, or if you would rather see how people here actually live.

  • 09:00 — Grand Aquarium. Air-conditioned, and quieter before the tour groups arrive.
  • 11:30 — El Mina Mosque on the seafront, and the Coptic church nearby.
  • 12:30 — Lunch in El Dahar — koshari, ta'ameya, grilled fish. A fraction of marina prices.
  • 14:00 — The El Dahar bazaar. Spices, cotton, brass. Bargain patiently.
  • 16:00 — The fish market, best late afternoon when the boats are in.
  • 18:00 — Hurghada Marina for the sunset and dinner on the promenade.

Our city tour covers most of this with a guide.

Three practical warnings

  • Book the day before, at the latest. Boat trips need to confirm pickup times, and same-day availability is luck.
  • Do not plan a dive on your last day. No flying within 24 hours of diving.
  • Do not try to combine versions 1 and 3. An island day ends at five and the markets need daylight. Pick one and do it properly.

Tell us your dates and how long you have, and we will build the day around them.