Wadi Meliha Safari: A Simple Guide to the Desert Behind Hurghada

A Wadi Meliha safari takes you out of the hotels and into the Eastern Desert behind Hurghada: wide sandy plains, rocky valleys and bare mountains that change colour as the sun goes down. Our Super Safari takes place in the Wadi Meliha area. This guide explains what the desert there is like, what you do on the day, the best time to go and how to prepare, in simple words and without the hype.

What is Wadi Meliha?

"Wadi" is the Arabic word for a valley, usually a dry riverbed that only carries water after the rare desert rain. The Eastern Desert between the Nile and the Red Sea is full of them. Wadi Meliha is one of these desert areas behind Hurghada, and it is the playground of our desert safaris.

What makes the area so popular for a safari is its variety. In one afternoon you cross:

- open sandy plains, where quads and buggies can ride side by side; - low dunes and soft sand, which make the jeep ride exciting; - rocky valleys and gravel tracks, where the ride gets bumpy and slow;

• •the Red Sea Mountains on the horizon, bare and rugged, glowing orange and pink at sunset.

It is not the endless sea of sand dunes that many people imagine when they think of the Sahara. It is rougher and more varied, and many visitors find it more beautiful for exactly that reason.

What you do on a Wadi Meliha safari

Every tour has its own programme, so always check the tour page for the times and what is included. On our Super Safari, the day looks like this:

Hotel pickup and the quad ride

We pick you up at your hotel in Hurghada and drive you to the safari station at the edge of the desert. After a safety briefing you ride a quad bike behind your guide across the desert, with stops for photos. No experience is needed.

Jeep across the dunes

Next you switch to a 4x4 jeep with a local driver, who takes you through the dunes towards a Bedouin village. This is the part where you hold on and laugh.

Bedouin village, camel and buggy

At the Bedouin village you drink tea, take a camel ride, try a small buggy and see how people have lived in the desert for generations. Ask before you take photos of people.

Sunset, dinner and show

As the sun goes down you arrive at the dinner camp for a barbecue in the open air, followed by a traditional show with Tanoura dancers and belly dancers. Then we drive you back to your hotel, tired, dusty and usually very happy. For many guests, the sunset over the mountains is the moment they remember most. Our article about the Super Safari with dinner and show explains the whole day in detail.

Other ways to see the desert behind Hurghada

The Super Safari is the all-in-one choice, but it is not the only way to explore the desert:

- A calm evening by jeep: the stargazing desert adventure combines a jeep ride, a Bedouin camp, sunset from a hilltop, dinner and telescopes. Nobody needs to drive. Read our stargazing tour guide. - Just the quad: the 3-hour morning quad safari is shorter and focuses on the ride.

• •A private day: the private buggy tour of desert and sea is a full day only for your group.

Not sure which one suits you? Our desert safari guide compares them all.

Best time to go

You can ride in the desert all year, but the seasons feel different:

- October to April: the most comfortable months, with warm days and pleasant afternoons. Evenings in the desert are cool, and from December to February they can be really cold. Bring a warm jumper for dinner.

• •May to September: hot. Drink a lot, cover your skin and enjoy the late afternoon, when the heat softens and the light is beautiful.

The hour before sunset is the most photogenic time of the day, which is why the Super Safari ends with sunset and dinner.

What to wear and bring

- Closed shoes such as trainers (sandals fill with sand and are unsafe on a quad). - Light clothes that cover arms and legs, against the sun and the dust. - Sunglasses and a scarf or buff for your nose and mouth on the quad. - Sunscreen and a cap for the stops. - A warm layer for the evening from November to March.

• •A zip bag for your phone, because fine sand gets into everything.

Our guide on what to wear in Hurghada has a full packing list, and our beginner tips for a desert safari help if it is your first time.

Respect the desert

The desert looks empty, but it is home to Bedouin families and to plants and animals that survive with very little water. Help keep it beautiful:

- take all your rubbish back with you; - stay on the tracks the guide uses; - don't take stones, plants or anything else from the desert;

• •greet people politely and ask before taking their photo.

Book your Wadi Meliha safari

A safari in the Wadi Meliha area is one of the easiest and most rewarding days of a Hurghada holiday: hotel pickup, local guides and no experience needed. Check the live price and dates on the Super Safari page, browse all our tours, or send us a message on WhatsApp from any tour page and we will help you choose.