Sharm El-Sheikh: Camel Riding, Stargazing, BBQ Dinner & Show

The best part of this Sharm El-Sheikh evening tour comes after sunset, when the desert grows quiet and a guide points out stars through a telescope. Before that, you get a short camel ride, Bedouin bread-making, dinner, and stage shows at a desert camp.

I like the small taste of desert life, especially the chance to shape and bake Bedouin bread instead of simply watching a performance. I also like the astronomy session, which turns a pretty night sky into a proper lesson about stars, planets, distances, and conditions. Guides such as Ibrahim and Asem have been especially helpful with this part.

The main thing to consider is that the evening mixes genuine local touches with a tourist show. The fire performance can be exciting, but the music and dancing may feel staged, and one visitor found the food less traditional than expected. Camel riding can also feel awkward or frightening if you are not used to it.

Key points to know before booking

• The astronomy session is the tour’s strongest feature: On a clear night, you’ll use a telescope and learn about visible stars, planets, and their distance from Earth.
• Your camel ride lasts about 15 to 20 minutes: Long enough to try it, but short enough to limit discomfort.
• The bread workshop is hands-on: You can try making Bedouin bread with the local hosts rather than only observing.
• Dinner is an open BBQ buffet: Water, a soft drink, and tea are included, though the meal may feel more international than strictly Bedouin.
• The evening includes several shows: Expect a fire performance of about 15 minutes and an El Tannoura folk dance.
• Hotel pickup is usually around 4 PM: The exact time depends on where you stay in Sharm El-Sheikh.

From Sharm to Wadi-Khrome Valley

Pickup usually begins around 4 PM, with the exact time set by your hotel’s location. The drive to Wadi-Khrome Valley takes about 20 minutes from Sharm El-Sheikh, so this is not a long road trip into the Sinai. That helps keep the evening manageable, especially if you are traveling with children old enough for the activity.

Your guide and driver handle the transfer in a modern vehicle. The route gives you a quick change of scenery, from the resort area to the dry mountains and open desert around the valley. You will see the desert at a useful time of day, before darkness removes most of the detail.

The tour is sold in several languages: English, Italian, Russian, and Arabic. Guides are central to how the night feels. Asem, also spelled Assam in some accounts, is praised for making nervous riders feel safe and for looking after the group closely. Ibrahim has been particularly strong during the astronomy talk and helped keep people involved throughout the evening.

The exact group size is not stated, so you should not expect a private outing unless you arrange that separately. The guide stays with the group and helps with the practical details, which matters during an evening that moves through several different activities.

A short camel ride with a useful time limit

The camel ride lasts about 15 to 20 minutes. Some descriptions of the ride put it closer to 20 to 30 minutes, but you should plan on the shorter official duration.

That is a sensible length. Riding a camel is an unusual experience, but it is not especially smooth. The height, rocking motion, and the moment the animal gets up can make first-timers nervous. One rider found it scary at first, while another overcame a fear of camels with help from the guide.

You will have time to take photographs and get a feel for the animal without spending a full hour in the saddle. Wear closed-toe shoes, as requested, and choose practical clothes rather than anything delicate or restrictive.

Be alert when photographs are offered after the ride. One visitor reported being asked for about £5 per person after an initial higher price was suggested. If you want the pictures, agree on the price before accepting them. You are not required to buy them.

The camel ride is best seen as a brief cultural and novelty experience, not as a serious desert trek. If you have back problems, this tour is not suitable. It is also not suitable for pregnant women or children under four.

Making Bedouin bread in the desert

After the ride, you get a hands-on look at Bedouin bread-making. The local hosts prepare the bread, and you can try the process yourself. This is one of the more useful parts of the evening because it gives you a small sense of how food is made with simple tools and ingredients in a desert setting.

You are not just sitting at a camp while staff prepare everything for you. You get to take part, even if your first attempt is not perfect. That modest practical activity often says more about daily life than a staged speech about Bedouin culture.

Bedouin tea is also part of the experience. The tea and bread workshop slow the pace before dinner and provide a chance to talk with the guide or local hosts. If you are interested in food, household customs, or life outside the resort zone, pay attention here.

Still, keep your expectations in check. This is an introduction designed for an evening excursion, not a long visit with a Bedouin family. The camp setting is arranged for tour groups, and the activity gives you a taste of the tradition rather than a full picture of desert life.

BBQ dinner under the camp tents

Dinner is served in the Bedouin-style tents as an open buffet. The package includes a BBQ meal, water, a soft drink, and tea. Several parts of the meal have been well received, with particular praise for the meat and vegetables and for the chance to return for a second helping.

At $48 per person, the meal is one part of a larger package rather than the sole reason to book. You are also paying for two-way transport, the camel ride, the bread activity, the shows, the guide, and the astronomy session. That makes the price reasonable if you want an all-in-one evening and do not want to arrange separate transport.

The food may not satisfy you if you are seeking a strictly traditional Bedouin menu. One person found it less appealing and felt the evening was not traditional enough. The open buffet format also means this is a group meal, not a carefully prepared private dinner.

I would treat the dinner as hearty fuel between activities. The setting under the tents adds atmosphere, and the desert darkness makes an ordinary buffet feel more memorable. But food is a matter of taste, so do not book this tour expecting a serious culinary event.

Fire and Tannoura performances after dark

The entertainment begins during dinner with a fire show lasting about 15 minutes. This is the most theatrical part of the night, with performers using flame in a choreographed routine. It is designed to grab your attention, and it does.

The El Tannoura performance follows. This Egyptian folk dance features a dancer spinning in a colorful costume, creating a striking visual display under the camp lighting. The program may also include other oriental shows.

The shows add energy to what could otherwise be a quiet meal in the desert. They also give you something to watch while dinner is served. If you enjoy staged entertainment, these performances are a strong part of the package.

For a more traditional atmosphere, the program may not fully meet your hopes. One visitor objected to modern pop music, including Shakira, during the show. That is worth knowing: this is a tourist-friendly production, not a carefully preserved village performance.

I like the shows best when viewed as light evening entertainment. Enjoy the fire act, take photographs when appropriate, and do not confuse the stage program with an unplanned local celebration.

The night sky is the real reason to go

The astronomy session gives the tour its most lasting value. Once the lights and dinner activity settle down, a professional astronomy guide explains what you can see overhead and uses a telescope for closer viewing.

On a clear night, you may learn about recognizable stars, planets, their makeup, their distance, and the conditions that make them visible. Ibrahim has been praised for giving a detailed explanation instead of pointing at a few bright objects and ending the lesson.

The desert location helps because there is less artificial light than in central Sharm. The experience still depends on weather and visibility. A cloudy or hazy night can limit what you see, so you should view the telescope session as a weather-sensitive part of the program.

This is also where the quality of the guide matters most. A good astronomy explanation turns the sky from a backdrop into something you can understand. You might leave knowing the names of several stars and having a clearer idea of how far away they are.

Bring your camera, but do not expect a phone to capture the same detail you see through the telescope. Your best memories may come from listening to the explanation and looking up without a screen.

Timing, comfort, and what to bring

The tour usually starts around 4 PM and returns you to your Sharm El-Sheikh hotel after the camp activities. The schedule is built around sunset, so you get the brighter desert views first and the astronomy session later.

Bring:

• Your passport or ID card
• A camera
• Closed-toe shoes

You should also dress for sitting outdoors in a desert setting. The supplied information does not specify the evening temperature, so it is sensible to be prepared for a change after sunset without assuming exactly how cold it will feel.

Scarves are available if you select that add-on. Water, a soft drink, and tea are included, which is useful during an evening with driving, riding, and time outside.

The tour is not suitable for children under four, pregnant women, or people with back problems. One account describes a three-year-old enjoying a different activity at the camp, but the stated age rule for this experience is under four, so I would follow the official restriction rather than rely on an isolated exception.

You can cancel up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund, and the reserve-now, pay-later option keeps your plans flexible.

Who will enjoy this $48 evening

This tour suits you if you want several Sinai activities in one booking. It works well for first-time visitors who want a camel ride, a desert camp, dinner, entertainment, and stargazing without arranging each part separately.

Families with children over four may like the variety. There is enough movement to prevent the evening from feeling like a long dinner, while the camel ride is short enough for younger riders. Adults who are nervous about camels may also appreciate the limited riding time and the close attention from guides such as Asem or Assam.

Couples can enjoy the desert setting, sunset, dinner, and night sky. The tour has a romantic side, though the group format and stage shows make it more of a shared excursion than a private date.

You may want to skip it if your main goal is a quiet, deeply traditional Bedouin experience. The camp includes performances, buffet dining, and modern music, so the evening is made for entertainment as much as cultural contact. You should also choose another activity if you have a back condition or are pregnant.

Is the package good value?

At $48 per person, the value is strongest when you want convenience. Two-way hotel transfer alone removes the need to negotiate transport, and the package covers a full evening rather than a single short attraction.

You receive the camel ride, bread-making workshop, BBQ buffet, drinks, shows, guide support, and telescope session. The astronomy lesson is the part that makes the package feel more distinctive than a standard camel ride with dinner.

The value is weaker if you care only about food or only about camel riding. The ride is brief, and the buffet is not guaranteed to feel especially traditional. You are paying for the combination and the smooth handoff from one activity to the next.

Communication through WhatsApp has also made arrangements easy for some people, though the exact contact process can vary. The tour provider is FTS Travels, and the guide remains with the group to help during the evening.

Should you book this Sharm desert tour?

I would book it if you want a well-packed first taste of the Sinai Desert and have a real interest in the stars. The short camel ride, bread-making activity, dinner, fire show, folk dance, and telescope session give you a broad evening for one fixed price.

Book with realistic expectations. The camel ride may feel awkward, the show is staged, and the food may not be as traditional as you hope. Ask about the photo price before posing, follow the age and health restrictions, and choose a clear evening if astronomy is your top priority.

For most visitors, the strongest memory will be the sky, especially when a guide such as Ibrahim explains what you are seeing. If that sounds better than spending the whole evening at a resort, this is a useful and fairly priced outing from Sharm El-Sheikh.

FAQ

Where does the tour take place?

The tour visits Wadi-Khrome Valley in South Sinai, about 20 minutes from Sharm El-Sheikh by vehicle.

What time is hotel pickup?

Pickup is usually around 4 PM. The exact time depends on your hotel’s location in Sharm El-Sheikh.

How long is the camel ride?

The included camel ride lasts about 15 to 20 minutes.

Is dinner included?

Yes. An open BBQ buffet is served in the Bedouin-style tents.

What drinks are included?

Water, one soft drink, and tea are included.

Does the tour include stargazing?

Yes. The astronomy session includes an explanation of the night sky and telescope viewing.

What shows are included?

The evening includes a fire show lasting about 15 minutes, an El Tannoura folk dance, and various oriental shows.

Is the tour suitable for young children?

The tour is not suitable for children under four years old.

Is the tour suitable for pregnant women or people with back problems?

No. The experience is not suitable for pregnant women or people with back problems.

What languages are available?

The tour is available in English, Italian, Russian, and Arabic.