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

The desert changes after sunset. This evening trip from Sharm El-Sheikh combines a short camel ride, Bedouin bread-making, an open buffet BBQ, folk performances, and a telescope session under the Sinai sky. I especially like the hands-on bread workshop and the time spent identifying stars rather than simply being told to look up. Guides such as Assam, Asem, and Ibrahim also receive high praise for keeping the evening organized and helping nervous riders.

The main caution is that this is a staged dinner show as well as a cultural experience. The fire performance is lively, but the entertainment may include modern pop music, and one visitor found the food less traditional than expected. At $48 per person, the tour offers a lot for one evening, though you should book it for the mix of activities rather than for a quiet, purely local desert meal.

Key points to know before you book

• The astronomy session is the evening’s strongest surprise: A clear night and a good telescope can turn a simple desert outing into a useful lesson about stars, distance, and the night sky.
• The camel ride is short but memorable: Plan on roughly 15 to 30 minutes, enough to enjoy the experience without spending too long in the saddle.
• Bread-making gives the stop real purpose: You can try shaping and baking Bedouin bread instead of only watching a demonstration.
• The dinner is served buffet-style: BBQ meat, vegetables, water, soft drinks, and tea are included, but expectations about strictly traditional food should be moderate.
• The entertainment is energetic: A fire show lasts about 15 minutes, followed by Tannoura and other oriental performances.
• Guide service matters: Assam, Asem, and Ibrahim are praised for being attentive, reassuring, and involved throughout the evening.

Leaving Sharm El-Sheikh around 4 PM

Pickup usually begins at about 4 PM, depending on where your hotel sits in Sharm El-Sheikh. That timing is useful because you leave the city while there is still enough light to see the change from hotel district to open desert.

The drive to Wadi-Khrome Valley takes about 20 minutes. That is not a long transfer, which helps keep this outing from feeling like a full day spent in a vehicle. You still get a taste of the Sinai terrain on the way, with natural desert views replacing the built-up parts of Sharm.

Your guide stays with the group and helps with the movement between activities. That matters more than it may sound. The evening has several separate parts, and good coordination keeps you from wondering where to go next or how long you should wait.

Transport is provided both ways in a modern vehicle. Bring your passport or ID card, as well as a camera and closed-toe shoes. Sandals may be fine at the camp, but closed shoes are the safer choice for getting on and off the camel.

A short camel ride in Wadi-Khrome Valley

The camel ride is one of the tour’s main draws, and it is handled as a short introduction rather than a long trek. The stated ride lasts about 15 to 20 minutes, while some descriptions from the outing put it closer to 20 to 30 minutes. Either way, you are not committing to hours on a camel.

That short length is a sensible choice. Camel saddles can become uncomfortable, and the animal’s slow, rolling motion can feel unsettling if this is your first ride. One visitor described the ride as scary at first but still a great experience, while another said a guide helped overcome a fear of camels.

You should expect a little awkwardness when the camel stands up and sits down. Hold on, listen to the handlers, and avoid trying to turn the ride into a race. The point is the novelty, the desert setting, and the photographs, not speed.

There is also a practical photo warning. After the ride, you may be offered photographs for an extra charge. One person was quoted about £5 per person but was initially asked for more, so agree on the price before accepting the pictures. You can take your own camera, which may be the simplest option.

The camel stop suits first-time riders, families with older children, and anyone who wants a desert memory without a demanding riding session. It is less suitable for people with back problems, pregnant women, and children under four, who are specifically excluded from the activity.

Making Bedouin bread by hand

The bread-making workshop is a small part of the evening, but I think it gives the outing more substance than a simple ride-and-dinner package. You watch Bedouin cooks prepare their bread, then get the chance to try the process yourself.

This is not a long cooking class. It is a brief, practical activity that lets you handle the dough and see how food can be prepared with basic desert methods. That hands-on element is especially useful for children, since it gives them something to do besides sit through a show.

The workshop also adds context to the meal that follows. You are not just served food in a tent and told it is Bedouin-style. You have at least one direct link to the preparation of a traditional staple.

Set your expectations correctly. This is a demonstration with participation, not a detailed lesson in Bedouin cooking. The attraction is trying the technique and meeting the people preparing the food, not mastering the recipe.

A BBQ buffet beneath the desert sky

Dinner is served in Bedouin tents as an open buffet. The package includes the BBQ meal, water, a soft drink, and tea, so you do not need to plan for a separate food bill during the evening.

The food receives mostly favorable comments. Meat and vegetables are described as well prepared, and one diner went back for seconds. Another person enjoyed the meal but felt it was not as traditional as expected. That difference is worth keeping in mind: this is a tourist evening with a Bedouin setting, not a private family meal in a remote village.

I would treat the dinner as a convenient and enjoyable part of the full program. If your top priority is gourmet food or a deeply traditional menu, this may not be the right reason to book. If you want a warm meal, desert atmosphere, and a chance to sit down between activities, the buffet does the job.

Tea is another welcome touch. In the desert setting, a cup of Bedouin tea helps slow the pace after the camel ride and before the entertainment begins. The meal and refreshments also improve the value of the $48 price, since several basics are already covered.

The word romantic fits best if you are comfortable with a shared group setting. You will be eating in a Bedouin-style camp, not at a private table far from other people. Couples can still enjoy the atmosphere, but the mood depends on the group and the evening’s performance schedule.

Fire, Tannoura, and folk entertainment

The show begins during dinner with a fire performance lasting about 15 minutes. It is designed to grab your attention, and it does so through movement, flame, and a clear stage presentation.

After that comes a Tannoura performance by a folk dancer, along with other oriental shows. Tannoura dancing is known for its spinning movement and colorful costume, so it gives the evening a visual center beyond the meal.

The performances are lively rather than intimate. You should expect a planned production made for an excursion audience. That is part of the fun, but it also explains why the program may not feel completely traditional. One visitor specifically disliked hearing Shakira songs during a show and wished for a more local presentation.

I see this as a matter of taste rather than a serious flaw. If you want fire, music, and stage energy, the entertainment adds plenty. If you are hoping for a quiet evening with only local songs and informal storytelling, the show may feel too polished or tourist-focused.

The fire show was repeatedly singled out as a highlight, and that makes sense. It breaks up the dinner and gives the evening a strong middle section. Keep your camera ready, but remember that low light and moving performers make sharp photographs difficult.

Stargazing with a telescope

The astronomy session is the part that lifts this experience above a standard desert dinner. After the meal and shows, a professional astronomy guide explains the stars visible from the camp and uses a telescope to bring the sky closer.

The quality of this part depends heavily on the weather. On a clear night, you can see familiar stars and hear explanations about their makeup, distance, and conditions. One particularly detailed session helped guests understand not just which stars were visible, but what they were actually seeing.

That is valuable because many desert tours promise stargazing but provide little more than a dark place and a quick look upward. Here, the stated program includes a telescope and an astronomy presentation. You still should not expect a full observatory or advanced scientific lecture, but you can expect more guidance than simply pointing out a few bright stars.

I like the order of the evening. You first experience the desert through movement and food, then the show adds noise and color, and finally the astronomy session brings the mood down to something calmer. The contrast makes the stars easier to appreciate.

Bring your patience as well as your camera. Stargazing is less predictable than the scheduled parts of the tour because cloud cover and visibility can affect what you see. The experience is strongest on a clear night, and the supplied information does not promise a specific number of stars or planets.

What the $48 price really includes

At $48 per person, this is a good-value evening if you want several experiences in one booking. You receive hotel transfers both ways, a guide, a camel ride, bread-making, a buffet BBQ, water, a soft drink, tea, entertainment, and the astronomy session.

The price makes more sense when you compare it with the separate costs and effort of arranging these elements yourself. You would need transport from Sharm, access to a desert camp, a camel handler, dinner, performances, and an astronomy guide. The tour combines them without requiring you to organize each part.

Still, the value depends on what you care about. If you would skip the show and only want serious astronomy, a focused stargazing outing might suit you better. If you dislike camel riding or group dinners, part of the package will have little value to you.

Scarves are included only if you select that add-on. Photos taken after the camel ride are also extra, so keep some money aside only if you want those souvenirs. The basic package includes soft drinks and tea, but additional purchases are not listed, so do not assume every camp item is covered.

The reserve-and-pay-later option is useful if your Sharm plans are still shifting. You can hold a place without paying immediately, and cancellation is allowed up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

Guides can make or break the evening

The strongest personal element is the guide service. Assam is praised for planning the evening carefully and staying close to the group. Asem is described as kind and attentive, with one person calling his personal service a major part of the experience.

Ibrahim also receives strong approval for helping people stay involved and for explaining the astronomy in detail. One useful account describes him joining the group after the camel ride, then guiding the bread-making, dinner, shows, and star session.

That sort of attention matters on a tour with several stages. A guide who keeps the timing clear, checks that everyone is comfortable, and explains what is happening can turn a basic package into a smooth evening.

The guide may also help if you feel nervous on the camel. You should still follow the safety instructions and respect the stated restrictions, but reassurance can make a big difference for first-time riders.

Communication before pickup is another practical strength. The operator, FTS Travels, uses WhatsApp to keep arrangements clear. That can be helpful when hotel pickup time depends on your location.

Who will enjoy this most

I would recommend this tour to you if you want a compact evening that combines activity, food, culture, and science. It suits couples looking for a desert night, families with children over the minimum age, and first-time visitors who want more than a city hotel experience.

Children can enjoy the bread-making, camel ride, fire show, and telescope. However, children under four are not accepted according to the stated restrictions. One account praises the experience for a young child, but you should rely on the official age rule when planning.

You should think twice if you are pregnant, have back problems, or dislike getting on and off animals. You may also want to skip it if your idea of a Bedouin night means a very quiet, small-scale gathering with strictly traditional food and music.

The tour is offered in English, Italian, Russian, and Arabic. That makes it easier to follow the guide’s explanations, especially during the astronomy section where clear communication adds much of the value.

Practical tips for a smoother desert evening

Wear closed-toe shoes and bring your passport or ID card. A camera is useful, though your own photographs may be enough to avoid paying for the optional camel pictures.

Try to keep your schedule open around the 4 PM pickup. The exact collection time depends on your hotel, and the information provided does not give a fixed return time.

If you are nervous about the camel, tell the guide before mounting. The ride is short, and guides such as Assam and Asem are praised for helping people feel safe.

Ask about optional photographs before the ride begins. Clear pricing prevents an awkward negotiation after you are back on your feet.

Keep your expectations balanced at dinner and during the show. You are buying a well-organized desert evening, not a private anthropological visit. The strongest cultural touches are the bread-making and Bedouin camp setting, while the entertainment is clearly arranged for visitors.

Should you book the Sharm desert night?

I would book this for the variety. The astronomy lesson and telescope give the evening something extra, while the camel ride, bread-making, BBQ, and fire show keep the program active. At $48, the package offers solid value when you want several experiences without arranging separate transport.

I would not book it solely for an untouched Bedouin experience or a strictly traditional meal. The performances are staged, the food may feel partly adapted for visitors, and optional photographs can cost extra.

For most people staying in Sharm El-Sheikh, this is a worthwhile evening and a good first introduction to the Sinai Desert. Go with closed shoes, a little flexibility, and realistic expectations, and the night should give you plenty to remember.

FAQ

Where does the tour take place?

The experience takes place in the 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, but the exact time depends on your hotel’s location in Sharm El-Sheikh.

How long is the camel ride?

The included camel ride is listed as lasting about 15 to 20 minutes. Some descriptions place it closer to 20 to 30 minutes.

Is dinner included?

Yes. An open buffet BBQ dinner is included, along with water, a soft drink, and tea.

What entertainment is included?

The evening includes a fire show lasting about 15 minutes, a Tannoura performance, and other oriental or folk shows.

Is stargazing included?

Yes. The tour includes a stargazing session with an astronomy guide and a telescope.

Who should not join the tour?

The experience is not suitable for children under four, pregnant women, or people with back problems.