Itinerary · Hurghada · Egypt
3 days in Hurghada
A day-by-day plan grouped by neighbourhood, so you spend your time seeing Hurghada, not crossing it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: user:vberger, Public domain
Quick answer
3 days is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 7. Day 1: Giftun Islands and Hurghada Marina. Day 2: Dolphin House reef and Abu Tig Marina. Day 3: Hurghada Grand Aquarium and Sahl Hasheesh sunken city. Base yourself in Sekalla and Hurghada Marina.
Key facts
- Days
- 3
- Sights covered
- 11
- Day trips
- None
- Best base
- Sekalla and Hurghada Marina
- Book ahead
- Nothing essential
Day by day
Day 1: Giftun Islands and Hurghada Marina
Giftun Islands, Hurghada Marina and El Mina Mosque, then El Dahar souq in the evening.
Morning
Giftun Islands
Two desert islands off Hurghada, Giftun Kebir and Giftun Saghir, form the heart of a national park of reefs and white-sand beaches.
Late morning
Hurghada Marina
Come for sunset and dinner; the boardwalk is at its liveliest after dark.
Lunch
Lunch: Grilled Red Sea fish
Fish restaurants in El Dahar and around the marina, where you choose the fish and pay by weight.
Afternoon
El Mina Mosque
Hurghada's grandest mosque stands on the waterfront near the port, with two tall minarets and Ottoman-style domes.
Evening
El Dahar souq
Visit in the early evening, when it is cooler and busiest, and haggle politely.
Day 2: Dolphin House reef and Abu Tig Marina
Dolphin House reef, Abu Tig Marina and Hurghada Museum, then Eastern Desert safari in the evening.
Morning
Dolphin House reef
Stay calm in the water and let dolphins approach; do not chase or touch them, and choose an operator that respects the no-chase rules.
Late morning
Abu Tig Marina
El Gouna's main marina is lined with restaurants, bars and cafés under arcades, with yachts moored along the quays.
Lunch
Lunch: Sayadeya
Seafood restaurants in El Dahar and Sekalla.
Afternoon
Hurghada Museum
Visit on a windy day when boat trips are cancelled, or in the afternoon heat.
Evening
Eastern Desert safari
Choose a sunset trip in summer to avoid the midday heat, and bring a scarf and sunglasses for the dust.
Day 3: Hurghada Grand Aquarium and Sahl Hasheesh sunken city
Hurghada Grand Aquarium, Sahl Hasheesh sunken city and Makadi Water World, then Hurghada Marina in the evening.
Morning
Hurghada Grand Aquarium
A large aquarium with Red Sea and tropical fish, sharks, rays and a walk-through tunnel, plus a small zoo section.
Late morning
Sahl Hasheesh sunken city
Go in the morning, when the water is calmest and visibility is best.
Lunch
Lunch: Koshari
Local koshari shops in El Dahar.
Afternoon
Makadi Water World
A large water park at Makadi Bay with dozens of slides, a lazy river and children's pools.
Evening
Hurghada Marina
Bars, lounges and restaurants along the boardwalk, busy until late.
Where to stay for this itinerary
With 3 nights, Sekalla and Hurghada Marina keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, El Dahar ($) suits budget, solo travellers, food lovers and culture. Compare every area.
Pace and daylight
The sights in this plan add up to roughly 27–39 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.4 hours in December to 13.8 hours in June.
More or fewer days
Questions travellers ask
+Is 3 days enough in Hurghada?
3 days is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 7. How many days Hurghada needs.