Horse riding in Sharm El Sheikh: is the desert-and-beach tour worth it?

The short answer: book the Beach and City Desert Horse Riding Tour only if riding itself is the priority. It costs from €107.57 per person, lasts two hours and is rated 4.7 from 338 reviews. Its distinctive promise is a guided ride through Sharm’s desert landscape with a section at the sea. If you merely want a quick desert activity, a quad bike safari is a different, less specialised kind of outing.

What the two hours buy

This is not a sightseeing transfer with a brief photo stop on a horse. The booking description centres the whole activity on horseback, with an instructor and a route connecting desert and water. That makes it more specialised than the many Sharm safaris where a camel ride is one short element among quads, dinner and a show.

At €107.57 per person, the price is high for a two-hour activity, and this article has no like-for-like horse ride to measure it against. You are paying for a focused equestrian experience rather than a bundle. The premium does not make sense for a first-timer who is unsure about spending the full session in the saddle.

Check availability and prices for the desert-and-beach horse ride

Questions that matter before booking

Ask whether the advertised two hours includes hotel transfers and briefing or describes riding time. The listing advertises hotel pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned vehicle, but its description also describes an option without transfer in which you come directly to the Edelweiss Equestrian Center, so check that the option you book includes the transfer. The listing sets a maximum rider weight of 120 kg and says horses are chosen according to riding level; tell the operator your actual experience and height so a suitable horse can be discussed, and do not assume every horse suits every rider. Confirm whether the sea section means riding along the shore or entering the water on your date, because conditions may change the route.

Check the current age rule on the booking page before booking for a child. Families should also ask whether a child rides independently. The listing names pregnant women and people with back problems as not suitable, and asks every rider to bring a passport (a copy is accepted) for security purposes. The presence of an instructor is not a guarantee that every nervous beginner will enjoy the route.

Who should skip it

Do not book simply because the photographs look romantic. Two hours can feel long to someone unused to a saddle, while an experienced rider may want clarity about pace before accepting a tourist ride; the listing puts the group at up to five people. It is also poor value for companions who do not want to ride.

For riders who specifically want horses rather than a mixed safari, the answer is clear: choose the desert-and-beach horse ride, after the operator confirms the route and rider requirements in writing.

Clothing matters more here than on a camel photo stop. The listing includes a helmet and asks for comfortable shoes, waterproof shoes and comfortable clothes; ask the operator what leg covering it expects and whether helmets come in the size you need. Bring nothing loose that you cannot secure while both hands are occupied. These are questions about the booked setup, not reasons to assume equipment that the listing does not explicitly promise.

The sea section also deserves realistic expectations. A horse entering shallow water for a photograph is different from a sustained beach ride, and wind or surface conditions can alter that part of the route. The tour is worthwhile when the operator’s answer matches the riding experience you actually want, not merely because the words “beach” and “desert” both appear in the title.