Desert Safaris from Sharm El Sheikh

Which desert trip suits whom?

Desert tours from Sharm are not all the same trip. The shortest quad rides take about two hours, the sunrise and sunset rides around three, and the evening programmes with camel ride, barbecue dinner, shows and stargazing run three to seven hours. Then come the jeep day trips to the Coloured Canyon, Dahab and the Blue Hole, which fill eight to thirteen hours and are really excursions that merely cross the desert.

If you have never sat on a quad, or you only have an afternoon, a ride of two or three hours is plenty. Couples and groups who care more about the night sky than the engine will enjoy an evening programme. Families should look at the buggy listings: one offers a single, a double or a four-seater, priced per vehicle instead of per person. Photographers get the best light on the sunrise and sunset rides. For something quiet there is also a horse ride, listed from €105.

When you compare, read the small print: is the price per person or per vehicle, are tea, camel ride, dinner and hotel pick-up included, do you drive your own quad or share one? Evening trips end late, so keep the next morning free. And weigh the ratings by their number of reviews – a score from thousands of trips says more than one from a few dozen.