Egypt Red Sea & Sinai: Reefs, Dunes & Mountains

Egypt's temples get most of the attention, but the Red Sea coast and the Sinai interior are where the country turns physical — reefs a few metres from the beach, a sinkhole divers travel across continents for, and a granite mountain range where a fourth-century monastery still sits at the base of Mount Sinai. Eight nights split between Hurghada's dive sites, Dahab's laid-back diving scene and the Blue Hole, and a Sinai leg built around St. Catherine's Monastery — one of the oldest working monasteries in the world, and the traditional starting point for hiking Mount Sinai. Expect two dive days in Hurghada, a shift to Dahab's shore-diving culture (calmer, more budget-friendly, and popular with the international dive community), and a desert and mountain stretch in Sinai with a Bedouin camp night and the option of a night hike up Mount Sinai for sunrise. Diving days are structured around your certification level — Open Water divers get reef and easy wreck sites; certified divers can add the Blue Hole's famous arch dive at Dahab (advanced certification required for depth beyond recreational limits). Non-divers can snorkel the same sites. This suits travellers who want Egypt's physical, outdoor side — diving, desert camping, a demanding but rewarding mountain sunrise hike — over a temple-heavy itinerary. You'll leave sunburnt, slightly under-slept from the Sinai night hike, and glad about both.