Hurghada Horse Riding on Beach & Desert | Sunset Ride with Swimming Option

Horse riding Hurghada beach and desert sunset tour with swimming option. $40. Real horses, real sunset, honest expat review.
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Hurghada Horse Riding on Beach & Desert | Sunset Ride with Swimming Option

Quick facts before you read:

- Price: $40 including hotel pickup
- Duration: about 2 hours (1 hour riding)
- Includes: horse, guide, helmet (optional), sunset
- Swimming: yes, you can ride the horse into the water
- Best for: couples, beginners, sunset lovers
- Good: stunning views, well-behaved horses, friendly guides
- Bad: basic tack, dusty, can be rushed
- Bring: long trousers, sunscreen, cash for tip

The van arrived. On time. I was shocked. Actually speechless.

We drove to the stable. Smelled of hay, horse sweat, and old leather. The horses stood tied to a rail. Brown. Calm. One yawned. I related.

Look, I've ridden horses before. In England. Muddy fields. Cold rain. This was different. Fourty dollars for a sunset ride on the beach. Swimming optional. My wife booked it. I went along. Pretended not to be excited.

The desert ride (dusty but beautiful)

The guide helped me mount. Old guy. Wrinkled face. Smiled with missing teeth. He pointed at the desert. 'Follow me.' We walked. The horse knew the way. Didn't need me.

The desert was quiet. Sand dunes. A few acacia trees. The sun was low. Orange. The horse's hooves made soft thuds. No music. No engines. The music was off, I actually heard the wind.

We trotted. My back bounced. The guide said 'relax'. Easy for him. He'd been doing this for forty years. My horse sneezed. Dust flew. I laughed.

The horse riding Hurghada desert trail lasted about thirty minutes. We stopped at a high dune. The Red Sea appeared below. Blue. Flat. Stretching forever. The guide pointed. 'Sunset soon.' Good timing.

The beach ride (worth the dust)

We walked down to the beach. Sand. Soft. Wet near the water. The horse's hooves left deep prints. The waves rolled in. Slow. Calm. My wife rode ahead. Her hair blew sideways. She looked happy. I pretended not to notice.

The guide asked 'swim?' My wife nodded. I hesitated. The horse walked into the water. Cold. Up to its knees. Then belly. I lifted my legs. The water splashed. The horse didn't care. My wife laughed. I laughed. Genuinely.

The beach horse ride was the best part. Sunset colours. Orange. Pink. Purple. The sky looked fake. Like a postcard someone edited too much. But it was real. I took a photo. It didn't capture it.

The not-so-perfect bits

The tack was old. The saddle creaked. The reins were cracked. The helmet they offered smelled. Really smelled. Like someone's sweaty head from 2019. I declined. Took the risk.

The ride felt rushed. The guide kept looking at his watch. We had fifteen minutes on the beach. Then 'time to go back.' I wanted more. My wife wanted more. The guide wanted his tea.

The horse riding sunset experience ended with a tip request. The guide smiled. Pointed at his pocket. 'For the horses.' I gave him five dollars. He looked disappointed. I didn't add more.

To be fair, the horse was well-trained. Never spooked. Never sped up. Followed the guide like a dog. My wife's horse stopped to pee. She waited. The horse finished. Continued. Professional.

The swimming option is real. You can ride into the water up to the horse's belly. No deeper. The horse might swim. Mine didn't. Just walked. That was fine.

No lunch included. Just water. Warm. In plastic cups. The whole thing cost fourty dollars including pickup. Back in the UK, a one-hour riding lesson costs more. Here, you get desert, beach, sunset, and a swim.

The stable had basic facilities. A toilet. A plastic chair. A cat that watched us leave. The guide spoke basic English. Enough. 'Go left. Stop. Good.' That's all you need.

Honestly, if you want luxury riding, go to a European country club. If you want a dusty, beautiful, slightly rushed sunset ride with a swimming horse – this Hurghada beach and desert horse riding tour is your thing.

Should you book it?

Look, I complain because I care. The sunset was stunning. The horse was kind. The beach ride was magical. But the rush and the old tack annoyed me. For fourty dollars? Still worth it. Just bring your own helmet and ask the guide to slow down.

A flat here costs less than a garage back in Manchester. And having a sunset horse ride in your backyard? Dusty. Beautiful. Kinda perfect. Just saying.