Horse-Riding holidays in Egypt

Next Holiday: November 21st; £595; flights from £300
(see all prices and dates)

Free and easy riding holidays where you decide how much horseback time you want. We ride in the Sinai desert and by the Red Sea in Dahab, home to one of the worlds most stunning coral reefs.

Dahab is perfect for no-hassle, unobstructed riding, relaxing and socialising; you can also take a padi diving course, breathe the fresh air or just lose yourself for a few hours in the uninterrupted silence of the desert.

Holiday Highlights

- Ride in the endless solitude of the Sinai desert
- Snorkel or dive amidst some of the most stunning coral reefs in the world
- Discover the fascinating culture of the local Bedouin tribe

Our Horses

Our horses are pure or part-bred Arabs, trained to the highest standards. They range in size from around 14h - 15.3h and are strong, fast and hardy; well-cared for with sensitive mouths. European or Arabian saddles are used and experienced English-speaking guides ride with us each day.

You will be carefully matched with your horse. Some may prefer a challenging horse that is fast, hot-blooded and needs strong mastering - Egypt has plenty of these! Others may prefer a gentle-spirited horse who you can trust to obey your instructions. These horses are also available.

For those who wish there will be plenty of options for galloping, however all of the horses we use are responsive to their riders and if a steady collected canter is all you wish to do then that's fine. The horses will not just follow what the horse in front is doing, so with a bit of riding experience you will be in full control of your steed. Beginners will ride seperately to the rest of the group until they feel confident to canter.

The group size on the holiday will not exceed 6 people in the main group, to ensure that you get the best quality of riding. If at any point you wish to exchange a programmed ride for a private one, perhaps if you find the group too fast or too slow, or simply wish to see a specific location or fine tune your riding skills, this can also be offered at no extra cost within reason at the allotted riding times.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrival day
Day 2 - Welcome meet, traditional Egyptian welcome lunch at Eel Garden restaurant, afternoon horse ride along beach at the Lagoon. Free evening.
Day 3 - Morning Ride to Wadi Connexion (Half day in desert) Optional evening dinner at local seafront restaurant in village
Day 4- Full day Ride to 3 pools and Wadi Gnai with lunch included on beach. Optional group dinner at Eldorado Lodge.
Day 5 - Traditional Bedouin Dinner in desert with the option to trade in your horse for a camel! (Guests may also choose to camp overnight in the desert here)
Day 6 - 3/4 day ride to Blue Hole Dive site and optional evening meal at The Coralia 4 star hotel, Thai beach restaurant or at the Hilton Buffet.
Day 7 - Free day for relaxing on beach and short farewell evening ride to see sunset over Dahab. Optional final night evening meal at Dai Pescatori Beach restaurant.
Day 8 - Departures.

Accommodation

The Eldorado Lodge
We stay at the Eldorado Lodge, an exceptionally clean and modern, Italian-run lodge on the beach. The El Dorado sits on its own private beach at the quieter end of town and is less than 10 mins walk from the main strip. It is well known for its vibrant Bourganvillea and excellent Cappuccinos! The Coral Coast Hotel next door has a lovely swimming pool and al fresco lounge area which is also available for our guests to use. Rooms are a twin ensuite, seaview room or single room with communal bathroom facilities.

An experienced British tour leader will escort your trip with private transfers between countries and on tours. There's also the option of joining yoga classes and having relaxing massages with a British masseur.

What's included

Breakfast, welcome lunch, airport transfers from Sharm El Shiek and accommodation at the Eldorado Lodge in twin ensuites. Plus approx 16 hrs horse riding on programmed rides throughout the week (between 2 and 5 hours a day)

What's not

Flights to and from Egypt, optional excursions.

What you'll need

October/ Nov & Feb to April is hot in Egypt, so there will be plenty of time to sunbathe between rides or during lunch breaks. On the coast there is usually a cool breeze that moderates the temperature, however in the desert the heat can become very hazy. Once the sun drops, so does the temperature, especially out in the desert. From Nov - Feb it can get extremely cold at night. You ll need your bikinis, suncream, mosquito reprellent (although they're not a major problem), sweatshirts for the evening and your riding gear. Otherwise Dahab is extremely laid back and informal, so you won't need any dressy clothes or shoes. Reef shoes also come in handy as there are few easy access points into the sea. These can also be hired locally.

Flights to Egypt

We stay seven nights in Dahab, around 70 miles (100K) from Sharm el Sheik airport.

Flights providers in and out of Sharm el Sheik:
Travel Supermarket
Red Sea Flights
Travel Republic
Thomas Cook

Safety

Health and safety standards in Egypt are not the same as in Europe. As such you are not legally required to wear riding hats or have proper kit. Most people prefer to ride free with no hat here and this is your choice. The ground is usually soft, so there is some degree of safety, but it is at your own risk. You will be provided with a disclaimer form to sign prior to your holiday and will also be required to provide your own insurance for the week that covers you for an extreme or specialist sports holiday.

If you wish please bring your own riding gear and hat. The stables do have chaps and hats available if you need them or you can choose to ride without. We usually ride without on the shorter local rides and wear leggings or jeans and trainers or short boots as the weather is hot and full riding gear can be a little uncomfortable in the heat.

Cheap ventilated riding hats approved to British safety standards can be bought for under £20 at Lidl and Tesco superstores or online. It is customary to tip the stables at the end of your week and leaving them your riding hat as a gift is very much appreciated.

Notes

Non Riders/ families/ partners & children under 12 are welcome. Price for non riders is £295 for the week and your guide will arrange a pesonalised program for you to enjoy whilst on the tour, which will enable you to join riders on excursions or simply enjoy sunbathing around the pool or on the beach at the Coral Coast hotel.

Please note at busy times of year, hotels are subject to availability. Where necessary we reserve the right to amend your hotel booking on arrival to a conveniently situated hotel of same or better standard to the ones specified above. Guests are usually accommodated at The Coral Coast or Mirage hotel when Eldorado is full.

Ride times subject to change pending weather. When temperatures ride we rise early to complete rides by 11am or ride later in the evening.