Hurghada Holidays

Hurghada Holidays - Destination Profile

Hurghada has a wonderful mix of eastern and western cultures in a lively resort that is also the largest town on the Red Sea Coast. Egypt's most popular resort town is a paradise for divers, snorkellers and for those who simply want to relax in the year round sunshine.

Away form the beach the bazaar area is the ideal place to shop where visitors can haggle with local traders and pick up great gold and leather products at bargain prices. The resort¿s restaurants offer a large array of international cuisines. Many of the resort's hotels offer various Egyptian themed nights while the town itself is host to a variety of bars and clubs.

Hurghada Holidays - Things to see

Cairo Delights: Make the most of your trip to Cairo and travel in style, the best way to view one of the ancient Wonders of the World. Admire the breathtaking views of Cairo from your plane, visit the impressive 'absolute must see' Pyramids of Giza and the fabulous Sphinx, the astonishing Egyptian museum with all it's magnificent treasures including Tutankhamen, time to wander in the famous Khan al-Khalili bazaar. Lunch, transport, guide & programme entrance fees included. Aircraft is a large jet plane.

Luxor Highlights: Come along with us and visit the old capital of Egypt, on the Nile River. See the great temples of Karnak, spectacular tombs in the Valley of the Kings, the temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Boat across the Nile and more on this amazing day. Lunch, transport, guide & programme entrance fees included.

Baddawya: Discover the desert and enjoy riding camels, quad, sand sailing, Go Karts and have fun in the evening enjoying a lovely BBQ Dinner, belly dancing, Cobra Show Fakeer show and star watching by telescope.

Sharm El Naga: Sample one of the best coral reefs on the west coast. Make your day memorable with its combination of sand, sun and sea. Take some time to snorkel in the Red Sea. Lunch & Equipment is included.

Giftun Island: Known throughout the world for its coral reefs, crystal clear waters and relaxing beaches. Relax, unwind and get a fantastic tan. Snorkel equipment provided. Lunch included on the boat.

Safari Adventure: Come along and be Lawrence of Arabia for the day, on your trusty camel. Take part in many adventures throughout the day, travel by jeep, try a quad, ride a camel. Watch the sunset and eat under the stars in a Bedouin Camp. Lunch and Dinner are included.

Luxor Extravaganza: Let us take you right into the heart of the Pharaonic times and visit the old capital of Egypt, For one hour sailing on the River Nile. We take you along the east bank to visit the breathtaking temples of Karnak and Luxor, then in the evening watch the world famous dramatic sound and light show at Karnak. The impressive tombs in the Valley of the Kings, the superb temple of Ramses III, the great Colossi of Memnon and the brilliant temple of Queen Hatshepsut. Transport, guide, lunch on each day, breakfast, dinner and accommodation at a four star hotel and programme entrance fees included.

Cairo Delights: Leave the driving to us, whilst you revel in the history of One of the Wonders of the world. Visit the Pyramids, Sphinx, Egyptian Museum and Tutankhamen treasures etc. All day guided event with lunch, transport, guide and most entrance fees included.

Cairo Delights: We take you through the Cairo Highlights adding to this, overnight accommodation; visit the great Citadel with its mosques and views of Old Cairo Optional Evening Sound & Light show.

Scuba Sebsation: Dive beneath the clear waters of the Red Sea and explore the underworld. With its vast selection of coral reefs and various colourful sea life. This remarkable introductory day to diving includes two dives in the amazing Red Sea...

Quad Safari: Travel through the desert on a quad bike to a Bedouin camp to watch the sunset and stars in the night sky while dinner is cooked for you, smoke sheesha pipes, drink tea and relax. Guaranteed to have your own quad, no sharing. Over 16's only.

Red Sea Snorkelling: Another great day out sailing the Red Sea to three very different sites. If you are lucky, you may get the chance to see dolphins in the wild. Snorkel equipment provided. Lunch on the boat is included.

Mahmya Beach: Island hop to the most amazing beach Mahmya with its fantastic white sand. Here you can sunbathe, swim and snorkel all day until you are satisfied with the beauty of the best beach on the Red Sea. Lunch & Equipment incl.

Glass Bottom Boat: Enjoy a cruise on the Red Sea in this enclosed Catamaran and admire the corals and beautiful array of tropical fish without getting your feet wet.

Sinbad Submarine: Fantastic underwater sights from the large panoramic windows as you cruise under the sea. All the wonders of the underwater world of tropical fish and beautiful corals. Excellent opportunity to see the underworld without getting wet.

For more information or to book any of the above excursions please contact your Olympic Holidays representative.

Things to do on a Holiday in Hurghada

Mount Sinai: Mount Sinai, just south of the Monastery of St Katherine, is of great religious importance to Jews, Christians and Muslims. According to the Old Testament this is where Moses received the Ten Commandments.

Throughout the centuries the mountain has drawn thousands of pilgrims from all over the world. You can ascend to the summit (2285 m, 7497 ft) to experience the ultimate spiritual high; either by climbing some 4000 steps built by monks or by following an easier but longer path. Both lead to an open area known as Elija's Basin where you walk up the remaining 750 steps to the top. At the summit you will find the Chapel of the Holy Trinity that was built in 1934 on the site of a much earlier chapel built in 363 AD. The climb takes about three hours but the view from the top is truly breathtaking, especially at sunrise.

Scuba Diving: Sharm el Sheikh, along with Hurghada, is where it all started. These where the first two destinations of the nearly 20-years-old diving history of the Red Sea. Diving sites in Sharm are world famous. A paradise for a perfect Red Sea diving holiday, Sharm has it all: hard and soft coral, turtles and dolphins, mantas and moray eels, napoleons and tuna, hammerheads, barracudas, reef and pelagic sharks, and much more, including the legendary World War II wreck of the Thistlegorm.

Snorkelling: Snorkelling is the watersport par excellence in the Red Sea. With the wealth of underwater life in all destinations, snorkelling is an easy and very enjoyable way to spend some time and discover the wonders of the marine life. Whether you go out from your resort beach, or you spend a day or half a day on a snorkelling boat, you will collect unforgettable memories.

Watersports: The Red Sea Riviera is not only scuba diving! The sea here is a paradise for a number of watersports, and some destinations are particularly famous because of their perfect conditions for one activity or the other.

Eating/Drinking During Hurghada Holidays

There are a variety of ways to eat while you are in Egypt: local, either in homes or restaurants; tourist, restaurants that have a local flavour but cater to the tourist market; five-star, where you can choose to eat Western or "Egyptianised" cuisine; or western-style takeaway, yes, McDonald's is in Egypt!

So, what are some of the dishes you can hope to enjoy while you are in Egypt? Probably one of the first things you will try is grilled chicken or pigeon with salad.

Felafels, Shish Kebab and Kofta are almost staples in tourist restaurants as are Hommus, Tahini and Baba Ghannouj. Vegetarians will thrive in Egypt, most restaurants offering good vegetable soups, a variety of fresh salads, and wonderful dishes such as stuffed aubergines and zucchinis.

If you think that you can't possibly give up Western food while you are away, don't despair as most restaurants serve pizza, hamburgers and spaghetti. Hot chips are available absolutely everywhere!

But what do you drink in Egypt? Egypt is an Islamic country so alcohol is not widely available. The exception to this is Stella beer. This beer is made in Egypt and is available absolutely everywhere. An ice-cold Stella is great after a hard-day's sight-seeing. Bottled water is available everywhere, as are Western soft-drinks, including the diet varieties.

Tea is also available everywhere and no trip to Egypt is complete without a cup of Kakade (or Hibiscus tea), a deliciously refreshing beverage that can be served hot or cold. Coffee and Turkish coffee are widely available and the fruit juices are a must-try. Stalls in the bazaar or souk will sell you a refreshing glass of sugar-cane juice (this has to be the most refreshing drink ever invented).

Hurghada Holidays Shopping

One of the great delights of Egypt is the shopping! However, there are many pitfalls: from learning how to bargain to knowing where the best places are to buy certain goods.

You will be truly amazed at the range of goods, from souvenirs to treasures, that you can purchase and package to take on the plane flight home with you. Everything from exotic spices to exquisite jewellery; gorgeously textured shawls and scarves to brilliantly coloured papyri; handcrafted brass and copperware to quality reproductions of antiquities; and delicately glowing alabaster to fabulously designed carpets and rugs.

The souks and markets of Egypt have an excitement and flavour that is all their own and quite unlike anything that you will experience elsewhere. The range of wares on display is mind-boggling and the friendliness and hospitality of the shop owners is unrivalled. The sights, smells and sounds will overwhelm your senses at the same time that the exotic atmosphere created by the place and its people will dazzle your imagination.

Weather and climate information

5 Day Forecast - Hurghada Holidays