Jun 16, 2024 BY AWE365 Team
In this guide to Egypt kitesurf holidays we look at the best Egyptian kite spots and other useful information for any visitor. From it’s rich historical and cultural heritage, to its hot weather and beautiful beaches, to its tourist infrastructure and range of accommodation for any taste or budget, Egypt is a magnificent country to visit.
First published in 2020. Updated in June 2024 to include latest Egypt travel advice.
Add to that reliable winds and it is perfect for a kite trip! A kitesurfing holiday in Egypt can include anything from perfect flat, shallow waters to rolling waves. Pretty much all locations have at least 400 meter sections of water which are perfect for beginners and advanced freestyle riding.
Egypt can be split into three main areas for kitesurfing. The Red Sea which is served by Hurghada airport. The Sinai Peninsula and Gulf of Aqaba served by Sharm El Sheikh airport. And the Suez Gulf not too far from Cairo Airport.
The Red Sea is the warmest sea on Earth with an annual average temperature of 22°C. Year round air temperatures are 20–35°C+ so it never gets cold. You can kitesurf in boardies, combined with a rash vest to keep the sun at bay and stop windchill, for most of the year. A full wetsuit is only required during winter – but if you are from northern climes this may be too warm for you.
These conditions combined with the consistent katabatic winds, attracts novice and professional riders year after year. The average wind speed year round is 22 knots and you can pretty much set your watch by it. But keep an eye on Windguru to be 100% sure which kite you should be packing.
As you are spoilt for choice it is not easy to decide where to kiteboard in Egypt. So, we have broken it down into the three main areas with extra detail about the best Egyptian kite spots.
Hurghada Airport is the main entry point for a Egypt kitesurf holidays to the Red Sea. But the real action is slightly north and south of this little city.
North Of Hurghada will find the the beautiful town of El Gouna. With all the kite action at Mangroovy beach which is blessed by very consistent side-shore wind and calm waters, making it the perfect place for beginners.
El Gouna Movenpick Hotel and Spa is superb for a family kitesurfing holiday. A bit pricey, but it has a private beach for launching and landing kites and offers extra activities for all age groups keeping the whole family happy.
Among the kite schools we recommend Makani, a very cute beach club, and Element watersport, a bigger kite school. You can find a cheaper hotel in El Gouna (they are nearly all good) and you can kite every day at a different spot.
The town itself is great, with live music, nice bars and restaurants, and a cool European vibe you would not expect to find in Egypt. Easily one of the best Egyptian kite spots.
If you are looking for more remote kitesurfing experience, head south from Hurghada to Soma Bay. The bay is very exposed to the wind and the sea is warmer. Soma Bay is definitely recommended if you are looking for an intense kitesurfing experience. The town has no other distractions, so you can just kite and don’t need to save energy for the night life!
Located about 50 kilometres south of Hurghada, Safaga is arguably one of the best Egyptian kitesurfing spots. Wide, spacious white sandy beaches extend around the deep sea port of Safaga with a shallow lagoon for beginners and strong reliable winds for experts.
A guide to Egypt kitesurf holidays in the Red Sea would not be complete without discussing Hurghada itself. The town is not the prettiest but you’ll find good hotels, lovely beaches, great value holidays and plenty of kitesurfing for beginners and improvers.
While kitesurfing is possible year round, the wind is very reliable from March to November makes making for a very long peak season. The average wind is around 20 knots with the afternoons sometimes getting up to 30/35 knots (especially in September)! In the winter it is mostly big kite weather with 14 to 16 knot wind speeds.
Hurghada has become a centre of the kiteboarding action in Egypt, partly because as it is the starting point of popular kite boat safaris. These are week long boat trips, where you travel from spot to spot, using a big luxury boat as “moving” hotel and restaurant.
Imagine kiting from dawn to dusk in the best and most remote kitesurfing spots of the Red Sea, with your boat waiting for you for your well deserved breaks. Kite schools like Sick Dog Surf organise kite cruises each year, from April till November. They are a real kitesurfing adventure for up to 20 kiters at a time.
All you need is a flight, and they will take care of everything else in these all inclusive trips. Pack your kite and friends and go!
If you move up the Red Sea it branches into the Gulf of Aqaba and the Suez Gulf. The left branch of this takes you up to the Suez Canal that links the Red Sea with the Mediterranean. The area is easy to reach from the capital city Cairo and its main airport.
Ras Sudr is one of the best Egyptian kite spots. Less than three hours from Cairo it is the spot of choice for the Egypt kiteboarding community. If you are on a tight budget, this is the spot for you. But don’t expect to find the fun you may find in El Gouna, Hurghada or Sharm el Sheikh.
You’ll find flat water and shallow lagoons ringed by white sandy beaches that make Ras Sudr a giant playground for beginners as well as advanced kitesurfers. There are a number of kite spots spread over a 40 kilometres section of coast to choose from so you could ride somewhere different every day.
The average wind speed is 16 to 25 knots so there is plenty of fun to be had on the water. Ras Sudr is a relatively remote destination and as such is not overcrowded with mega developments or people. So it is a good spot for a chilled out Egypt kitesurf holidays.
For kitesurfing on the Sinai Peninsular, you should fly to Sharm El Sheikh from where you can kite in Dahab or Nabq Bay. Taxi’s are plentiful at the airports so don’t worry about getting to your hotel, just ensure you are ready for some hard bartering.
You can reach Dahab in an hour from Sharm airport. A taxi ride costs around $20. Located on the Gulf of Aqaba, Dahab has a more relaxed vibe, although the odd party can still be found. This small Bedouin town is a little more remote than all other locations and offers good value accommodation for a budget kitesurfing break.
The wind blows more than six days a week from March to November and three to four days a week the rest of the year, so it’s as reliable a destination as you’ll find. Plus Dahab has kite spots that are perfect for beginner, intermediate and expert kitesurfers. There are both shallow water flat lagoons and deep water lagoons, plus unforgettable secluded spots only accessible by foot/camel.
If you want some night life with your Egypt kitesurfing holiday then Sharm El Sheikh is a good choice with pubs and clubs open until the early hours. Nabq Bay is the Sharm El Sheikh kite spot of choice. There are very reliable winds and excellent kitesurfing conditions.
One of the many local kite schools is attached to the five star Regency Plaza hotel. This makes a good base for luxury Sharm El Sheikh kitesurfing trips.
Egypt has unfortunately been involved in quite a few high profile terrorist incidents targeting tourists over the years. Plus with a land border to Gaza, the current conflict in Israel is on Egypt’s doorstep. With that in mind, this guide to Egypt kitesurf holidays would not be complete without discussing safety.
But it is worth putting the risk in perspective, around 15 million tourists visited Egypt in 2023 and only two tourist murders – Israelis shot by a policeman possibly related to the war. The most recent terrorist attack was in 2022 targeting security forces within the city of Ismailiyah. There have been no tourism related terrorist attacks since 2019, when Cairo and Giza (Pyramids) were attacked.
With all this in mind, before booking an Egypt kitesurfing holiday please check the FCO Egypt travel advice. Currently those resorts listed above are all considered “safe” to visit, although FCO recommends reading their travel advice first. There are a few parts of the country, such as North Sinai, to be avoided and large areas that FCO advices against all but essential travel.
We hope you found this guide to Egypt kitesurf holidays useful. If you want to visit some of the best Egyptian kite spots then check out our Egypt kitesurfing holidays.
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2 responses to “Guide to Egypt Kitesurf Holidays: Best Egyptian Kite Spots”
Thank you very much for your guidance and walking everyone through traveling to Egypt, especially for kiteboarding with specific and beautiful explanations. It helped me to make a better decision.
Thank you very much
Hossein
Thank you!