Budget Hiking Trails Near Sharm El Sheikh

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Sharm El Sheikh hiking: what’s free and what needs a tour

Sharm isn’t a hiking destination first, it’s a diving one, but the desert and canyon country around it offers real walking, from a free coastal trail to an overnight sacred-mountain climb. Here are 4 areas, cheapest and closest first.

  1. Ras Mohammed National Park’s coastal trails (~12km SW, boat or road access). Egypt’s first national park (1983) has land-side walking along the coast and low desert hills as well as its famous dives; a day-boat trip typically bundles the park entry fee into the tour price (verify), and the walking itself costs nothing extra once you’re inside.
  2. The Colored Canyon, near Nuweiba (~90km north of Dahab). A narrow sandstone slot canyon up to 40m tall and about 800m long, carved by erosion, typically bundled into a Sinai jeep or desert-safari day trip from Sharm rather than done solo (verify current tour pricing and drive time). Local Bedouin lore holds Moses was once lost in the canyon, treat that as folklore rather than history.
  3. Desert safari trails around Sharm. Quad-bike/ATV tours run roughly $20-25 per person for a 2-hour outing with a Bedouin tea stop (verify current pricing), a cheaper way to cover desert ground than a dedicated hiking tour if walking isn’t the main draw.
  4. Mount Sinai (Jebel Musa), St Catherine (~2.5-3h inland, organized tour only). At 2,285m, this is the trip’s real hike: an overnight ascent for sunrise via either the longer camel path or the steeper 3,750 “Steps of Repentance,” with a guide required. Sacred to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam alike, and part of the UNESCO-inscribed Saint Catherine Area (2002). Because it crosses the Sinai interior, it needs the full Egyptian visa rather than the free resort-strip entry permit, and it’s advisory-sensitive, check current guidance before booking.

Do you need a guide for any of these?

Mount Sinai, yes, a guide is mandatory and the climb is normally sold as part of an organized St Catherine tour. The Colored Canyon is almost always bundled with a Bedouin-led jeep safari rather than attempted solo. Ras Mohammed’s coastal trails and a standard desert quad tour don’t require a dedicated hiking guide, though a Bedouin-led safari adds context you won’t get walking alone.

What to pack for desert heat

Light, breathable clothing, sturdy shoes, a hat, sunscreen, and more water than feels necessary, Sharm’s summer highs run past 37°C and even winter days can surprise you on an exposed trail. Spring (Mar-May) and autumn (Sep-Nov) are the comfortable windows for anything more strenuous than a short coastal walk.

Pair a Colored Canyon or Mount Sinai day with the rest of the day trips guide , and see our nature spots guide for Nabq Protected Area’s mangroves if you want easier, flatter walking closer to town.