Hurghada Camel Riding on the Beach | Fun Family Red Sea Experience

Camel riding on the beach Hurghada – fun family Red Sea experience. $25. Short ride, great photos, honest review for parents.

Hurghada Camel Riding on the Beach | Fun Family Red Sea Experience

Quick facts before you read:

- Price: $25 including hotel pickup
- Duration: about 1 hour (20-30 minutes riding)
- Includes: camel, guide, basic headdress (optional)
- Best for: families with young kids, first-time riders, photo lovers
- Good: gentle camels, beautiful beach setting, kid-friendly guides
- Bad: very short ride, can feel rushed, photo upsell
- Bring: sunglasses, cash for tip, phone/camera
- Note: camels stand up and sit down suddenly – hold on tight

Practical information about camel riding in Hurghada

Camel riding on the beach is popular. Very popular. One of the most popular family activities along the Red Sea coast. The tours typically depart from Hurghada hotels in the late afternoon. Why? Avoiding the midday heat. Better light for photos too. Most operators provide a short safety briefing before the ride. They explain how camels sit, stand, and walk. It's useful. Even if you're not paying attention.

The camels used for these tours? Generally well-trained. Accustomed to beginners. They walk in a single file line. Led by an experienced guide on foot or on a separate camel. The beach route usually covers about one kilometre of soft sand. Sometimes more. Sometimes less. Occasional stops for photos. Some tours include a traditional Bedouin headscarf for riders. Adds to the experience. Protects from the sun. Nice touch.

For families with young children, this activity is low-risk. Camels are slower than horses. More stable once seated. Children under six often ride with an adult. The water is shallow near the shore. Swimming? Rarely included in the standard camel ride package. That's usually a separate add-on. Just so you know.

The total time from hotel pickup to drop-off? Roughly one hour. Actual riding time? Between twenty and thirty minutes. That's suitable for short attention spans. Very suitable. Longer desert camel treks are available but cost more and require more commitment. Not for this ride.

The real experience (from a grumpy expat who tried it)

The van arrived. On time. I checked my watch twice. Suspicious.

We drove to the beach. Camels sat in the sand. Knees folded. Looking grumpy. I related. The guide smiled. Helped my daughter climb on. She screamed. Then laughed. Then wanted down. Then up again. Kids.

My camel groaned. Loud. Like an old door. It stood up. Back legs first. Then front. I lurched forward. Held the saddle. Barely. My wife filmed everything. She still watches it at dinner parties.

Look, the camel riding beach Hurghada tour is short. Twenty minutes. That's enough. Your legs start hurting after fifteen. The camel's fur smells. Like wet carpet and old hay. The guide walked alongside. Pointed at the sea. 'Photo?' We nodded. He took ten photos. Then asked for a tip. Two dollars. I gave him one. He smiled anyway.

The beach was clean. Soft sand. The water was turquoise. Stupidly turquoise. My daughter pointed at a crab. The camel didn't care. Kept walking. Slow. Steady. Boring. Perfect for kids.

The Red Sea camel experience ended back where we started. The camel sat down. Front legs first. I lurched again. Almost fell. Saved it. My daughter clapped. The guide helped her off. She wanted to go again. I said maybe tomorrow.

To be fair, the camel was gentle. Never spooked. Never rushed. The guide spoke basic English. 'Hold tight. Smile. Good.' That's all you need. No music. No loudspeakers. The music was off, I actually heard the waves.

The downside? Too short. Twenty minutes of riding. The rest was waiting and driving. Twenty-five dollars including pickup. Back in the UK, a cinema ticket costs more. Here, you get a camel, a beach, and a story your kid will repeat for weeks.

The photo upsell was annoying. The guide took photos on his phone. Then asked for money to send them. I used my own phone. Took better photos. He looked disappointed. I didn't care.

Should you book it for your family?

Look, I complain because I care. The camel ride is short. The guide wants tips. The camel smells. But my daughter still talks about it. She named the camel 'Fluffy'. Fluffy was patient. Fluffy didn't bite. Fluffy gave us a memory. For twenty-five dollars? Worth it. Just bring your own camera and expect nothing fancy.

A flat here costs less than a garage back in Manchester. And having a camel ride on the beach as a Tuesday afternoon activity? Random. Kinda fun. Just saying.