Hurghada Grand Aquarium Ticket

The Grand Aquarium is the answer to two very specific Hurghada problems: a day when the sea is too rough to go out, and an afternoon in July when standing outside is genuinely unpleasant. It is entirely indoors, entirely air-conditioned, and takes most people about three hours.

Inside there are 24 galleries holding roughly 1,200 species, arranged by habitat rather than by tank. You walk from Red Sea reef through to open ocean and freshwater environments, with sharks, rays and sea turtles in the larger displays. The tunnel section is the part children remember. There is also a zoo area with reptiles and other land animals included in the same ticket.

Who this suits

Families with young children, anyone travelling with someone who does not want to get on a boat, and visitors who would rather look at a shark through glass than share water with one. It is also one of the few Hurghada attractions that works perfectly well in the middle of the day.

Good to know before you book - please read

• Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included in this ticket. You make your own way there, or ask us to arrange a private transfer separately.
• Food and drinks are not included. There is a cafe on site.
• All taxes and the zoo section are included in the price shown.
• Allow around 3 hours to see it properly without rushing.
• Flash photography is restricted in some galleries - it distresses the animals and the glass reflects it back at you anyway.

A note on timing

Mid-morning and late afternoon are noticeably quieter than the middle of the day, when several tour groups tend to arrive at once. If you have a choice, go early - the tunnel and the shark gallery are far better without a crowd three deep at the glass.

Worth knowing if you are diving later in your trip

An hour here before you get in the sea is genuinely useful. The species labels tell you what you are about to swim past, and most people find they recognize far more on their first reef dive or snorkel because of it. Parents travelling with children who are nervous about the water often find this works the same way - seeing a turtle or a reef shark safely behind glass takes a good deal of the fear out of the real thing a few days later.

$33 per person (regular price $35), including aquarium entry, the zoo section and all taxes.