Egypt visa or Sinai stamp for Sharm: which trips each one covers
8 min read
The booking answer: if you flew into Sharm and received the free South Sinai permission, keep your excursions within the permitted resort area unless an official source and the operator confirm otherwise. The Ras Mohammed half-day bus tour stays in South Sinai, lasts 4 hours and starts at €18.14, plus a mandatory national-park entry fee of €10 per person, added at checkout or paid on arrival. Ras Mohammed is a national park, not one of the four resorts the UK guidance names, and secondary sources disagree on whether the free stamp covers it, so get that confirmed before booking. A Cairo trip crosses beyond Sinai and requires a full Egyptian visa. Petra leaves Egypt and enters Jordan, so it adds a second country’s entry rules and is not something to infer from the Egyptian stamp.
See availability and prices for the Ras Mohammed half-day bus tour
What the free permission actually covers
The UK Foreign Office entry guidance states that travellers arriving by air in Sharm El Sheikh who stay fewer than 15 days in the resorts of Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba do not need a visa and receive a free entry permission stamp. It then states that travel outside those resorts or a stay longer than 15 days requires a visa.
That guidance is written for British passport holders. Nationality matters, so use your own government’s advice and Egypt’s official e-visa information for your passport. The safe practical rule is not to call the stamp a nationwide visa. It is limited permission for a short South Sinai stay.
Three trips, three document questions
| Trip | Duration | From | Rating | Reviews | Document question |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ras Mohammed half-day bus tour | 4 hours | €18.14 | 4.7 | 1,526 | Is your South Sinai permission sufficient for this itinerary? |
| Cairo, pyramids, Sphinx and GEM by bus | 1 day | €81 | 4.9 | 1,624 | Full Egyptian visa required |
| Petra day tour by ferry | 22 hours | €222.13 | 4.6 | 114 | Jordan entry and return-to-Egypt rules |
The question in the Ras Mohammed row is deliberately phrased as a check. Immigration rules attach to travellers and routes, not to our category labels.
Cairo is the easy decision
Cairo lies beyond the Sinai Peninsula. The official travel advice says a full visa is required. The Cairo bus listing says the same and asks travellers to make sure their visa carries the right stamp for Cairo. Do that before the cancellation window closes, not at the coach.
See availability and prices for the Cairo bus day trip The same listing warns that, because of the police convoy, the drive to Cairo takes between 7 and 9 hours each way.
For eligible British passport holders, the cited guidance currently lists a physical visa on arrival at approved airports at USD 30 cash, valid for up to 30 days. Do not generalise that price or eligibility to another nationality. The Cairo bus listing quotes USD 38 per person, whether bought at Sharm El Sheikh airport or arranged through the operator on the day; that is the listing’s figure, not the official one.
Petra is not covered by either Egyptian label
The Petra trip exits Egypt by sea and enters Jordan. Whether Jordan issues a visa on arrival or requires prior approval depends on nationality and sometimes residence status. The listing names the Jordanian entry visa among its items and asks for a copy of your passport in advance (at the most 2 days before the tour); confirm on the booking page what that covers for your nationality, then verify with Jordan’s Ministry of Interior. You must also be eligible to re-enter Egypt after the visit.
See availability and prices for the Petra day tour by ferry
How to check what you have
Open the passport and look at the actual stamp or visa sticker. If it is unclear, photograph it and ask your tour operator or airline which permission it represents, without publishing passport details. Keep the written response. Hotel staff can be helpful, but immigration authorities and official consular sources decide entry.
Do not buy an excursion on the promise that “the visa can be sorted on the bus” unless the operator explains exactly who issues it, where and at what cost for your nationality. A tour provider can facilitate paperwork; it cannot waive an immigration rule.
Our recommendation
If you hold only the free South Sinai permission and want a simple half-day excursion, the Ras Mohammed bus tour is the sensible first option after the operator confirms your documents. Buy or arrange a full Egyptian visa before booking Cairo. Treat Petra as a separate international journey and verify both Jordanian entry and Egyptian re-entry. The stamp that was enough for your hotel is not automatically enough for the trip you add later.
