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

The best part of this Sharm El-Sheikh evening is the change of pace. Around 4 PM, you leave the hotel zone for Wadi Khroume Valley, where desert scenery, Bedouin bread-making, camel riding, dinner, folk performance, and telescope stargazing fit into one outing. I like the short camel ride because it gives you the experience without leaving you sore for the rest of the holiday. I also like the astronomy session, especially when guides such as Ibrahim explain the stars instead of simply pointing a telescope at the sky.

The main consideration is that this is a packaged evening, not a quiet private desert camp. The BBQ buffet and shows are built for a group, and the entertainment can feel staged. One person found the food less appealing and felt the use of modern pop music weakened the traditional mood. Still, at $48 per person, the number of included activities makes this a strong-value choice for a first desert outing.

Key points to know before booking

• A short camel ride keeps the experience manageable: The advertised ride lasts about 15 to 20 minutes, with some people describing it as closer to 20 to 30 minutes.
• Ibrahim and Asem have earned praise for their astronomy guidance: The star session can include detailed explanations and a good-quality telescope on a clear night.
• The Bedouin bread workshop is hands-on: You do not just watch the bread being baked. You can try making it yourself.
• Dinner is an open BBQ buffet: Water, a soft drink, and tea are included, though food quality and expectations about traditional cooking may vary.
• The fire show is short but memorable: It lasts about 15 minutes and is followed by a Tannoura or folk-dance performance.
• Hotel pickup is included: Collection time is usually around 4 PM, but the exact time depends on your hotel’s location in Sharm El-Sheikh.

Leaving Sharm for Wadi Khroume Valley

Your evening usually starts with hotel pickup at about 4 PM. The exact time depends on where you are staying in Sharm El-Sheikh, so you should keep some flexibility around that hour. Transfers are provided both ways in a modern vehicle, and a guide or tour representative stays with the group during the outing.

The drive to Wadi Khroume Valley takes about 20 minutes from Sharm El-Sheikh city. That short transfer matters. You get a taste of the desert without spending most of the evening in a vehicle. As the city gives way to open desert views, the setting begins to feel quite different from the resort area.

This is not a remote expedition. It is an accessible evening trip designed to combine several popular Sinai activities in one package. That makes it useful for a first visit, especially if you have limited time and want more than a standard dinner show.

Camel riding for 15 to 20 minutes

The camel ride is short by design. The stated duration is 15 to 20 minutes, although some accounts put it nearer 20 to 30 minutes. That difference may depend on the pace of the group and how the stop is arranged.

I see the shorter ride as a benefit. Mounting a camel can feel awkward, and the animal’s first movement may surprise you. Once you settle in, you get the basic experience of sitting high above the desert and moving at a slow, rolling pace. You do not need to commit to a long trek or spend hours coping with an uncomfortable saddle.

Several guides, including Assam and Asem, received warm praise for helping people feel safe. That support is useful if you are nervous around camels. One person specifically credited Assam with helping overcome a fear of riding. The guides also work to keep the group involved rather than leaving you to figure out the ride on your own.

Bring closed-toe shoes, as requested by the operator. You should also carry your passport or ID card, a camera, and enough attention for the practical side of the ride. The camel stop is an experience, not an athletic challenge, but it is still wise to listen carefully when mounting and dismounting.

You may be offered photographs after the ride. One useful warning: a photo seller reportedly asked for more than the eventual agreed price, which ended up around £5 per person. If you want the pictures, settle the cost clearly before paying and negotiate politely. You are not required to buy them.

Bedouin bread in the desert camp

The bread-making workshop is one of the more personal parts of the evening. At the Bedouin camp, you watch bread being prepared and then get a chance to try it yourself. This gives the stop more value than a simple staged demonstration.

Making bread in the desert also helps you understand how practical daily tasks shape Bedouin life. You are not receiving a full cultural lesson, but the hands-on activity offers a small connection to local food traditions. It is especially good for families and anyone who likes taking part rather than only watching.

Tea is included, and the bread activity pairs naturally with it. The pace is informal, so you should expect a group setting rather than a private cooking class. If you want to take photographs, this is a good moment, but ask before photographing people up close.

BBQ dinner under the Bedouin tents

Dinner is served in the Bedouin tents as an open buffet. The package includes a BBQ meal, water, a soft drink, and tea. Several people found the food delicious and had second helpings, with particular approval for the meat and vegetables.

I would keep your expectations sensible. This is a desert buffet for a tour group, not a restaurant tasting menu. One person did not enjoy the food and wanted something more traditional. That is a fair warning for anyone who places food at the center of an evening.

The setting adds much of the appeal. Eating beneath the tents, away from the lights of the resort area, makes the meal feel distinct from an ordinary hotel dinner. The atmosphere is social and planned, with the shows taking place during or around the meal.

If you have dietary concerns, the supplied information does not specify special menus, so you should ask before booking. The package clearly confirms the BBQ buffet and drinks listed above, but it does not provide a full menu.

Fire show and Tannoura performance

The fire show lasts about 15 minutes and takes place during dinner. It is the most theatrical part of the evening, with performers using fire in a choreographed display. The Tannoura performance follows, presented by a folk dancer or dance group.

These shows add energy after the quieter bread-making and camel ride. The fire performance is likely to be the main visual highlight, while the Tannoura dance brings a more recognizable regional performance style.

The atmosphere is not entirely traditional. One person disliked hearing Shakira songs and felt the show seemed staged. That is worth knowing before you book. You are getting a tourist-friendly performance designed to entertain a group, not an unedited Bedouin gathering.

I would treat the shows as light evening entertainment rather than a cultural performance with serious depth. If you enjoy spectacle and photographs, you will probably appreciate them. If you want a quiet night with local music only, this may feel too produced.

Stargazing with Ibrahim, Asem, or another astronomy guide

The astronomy session is the part that gives this outing more substance. After the camp activities, you have a chance to look at the night sky and learn about visible stars, planets, the galaxy, their distances, and their conditions.

Ibrahim received especially strong praise for giving detailed explanations and using a good-quality telescope on a clear night. Asem was also praised for personal attention and for making the whole evening feel well organized. Guide names can vary, but these accounts show why the individual guide matters.

Weather and visibility will affect this part of the evening. A clear night can make the telescope session much more rewarding, while cloud or haze would reduce what you can see. The supplied details do not promise a particular planet, constellation, or viewing time, so think of this as a guided introduction rather than a fixed astronomical program.

The setting helps. Away from Sharm El-Sheikh’s hotel lights, the desert offers a better backdrop for looking upward. You may see familiar stars with new context, and the guide can explain what you are viewing instead of leaving you to look through the telescope without guidance.

For me, this is the strongest reason to choose this tour over a basic camel ride and dinner. The camel ride is brief, and the show is prepared entertainment. The astronomy talk can turn the evening into something you remember and understand.

Guides and the level of personal care

The guide can shape the whole outing. Assam, Asem, and Ibrahim were each praised for being kind, helpful, attentive, and organized. That matters because the schedule includes several separate activities, and a good guide keeps the group moving without making the evening feel rushed.

Ibrahim was especially valued for his astronomy knowledge and explanations. Assam helped one nervous rider feel secure on the camel. Asem was praised for staying involved and providing personal service. You may not have one of these exact guides, but the tour includes guides in English, Italian, Russian, and Arabic.

Communication before the trip is another practical strength. FTS Travels uses WhatsApp to stay in touch, which can make pickup details easier to manage. You should still confirm the pickup time and hotel location, since collection time varies across Sharm El-Sheikh.

What $48 includes

At $48 per person, the price covers a lot in one evening:

• Two-way hotel transfer
• Tour guide support
• A 15 to 20 minute camel ride
• Bedouin bread-making
• BBQ buffet dinner
• Water, a soft drink, and tea
• Fire and folk performances
• Stargazing
• Scarves, if you select that add-on

The value is strongest if you want several activities without arranging separate transport. A camel ride, dinner, entertainment, and astronomy session would be difficult to organize independently for the same price, particularly when hotel pickup and return are included.

The trade-off is control. You do not choose how long to spend at each stop, and the entertainment is shared with a group. The food and performances may not satisfy someone searching for a highly traditional or private experience.

The booking terms also make the decision easier. You can reserve and pay later, and cancellation is allowed up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. Children under four, pregnant women, and people with back problems should not book this activity.

Who should choose this evening tour?

I would recommend it to first-time visitors who want a clear introduction to the Sinai Desert without giving up a full evening. Families with older children may enjoy the mix of animals, food, crafts, shows, and stars. One account describes a three-year-old enjoying a related activity, but the stated rule says children under four are not suitable, so follow the operator’s age guidance.

It also suits couples looking for a desert dinner with something to do before and after the meal. The sunset period, tented dinner, fire performance, and star-filled setting can make it feel special, although the group format means it will not be a private romantic dinner.

You should think twice if you have back problems, are pregnant, or dislike camel rides. The operator also lists the tour as unsuitable for children under four. Anyone seeking an entirely traditional performance should know that modern music may be part of the show.

Should you book the Sharm desert night?

Book this tour if you want good variety for $48, reliable hotel transfers, a short camel ride, and a real astronomy session rather than dinner alone. The strongest elements are the helpful guides, the hands-on bread-making, and the telescope talk, especially if you are paired with someone such as Ibrahim, Asem, or Assam.

Skip it if you want solitude, a long camel trek, or a strictly traditional cultural evening. The shows are staged, the dinner is a group buffet, and the evening follows a set program.

For most visitors staying in Sharm El-Sheikh, I think it is a sensible first desert outing. Keep your expectations practical, bring closed shoes and your ID, confirm the pickup time, and negotiate clearly if you are offered photographs. You will get a busy evening, but the mix of desert scenery, food, performance, and stars gives the experience more depth than a standard resort excursion.

FAQ

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 advertised as lasting 15 to 20 minutes. Some descriptions of the experience place it closer to 20 to 30 minutes.

What food and drinks are included?

You receive an open BBQ buffet dinner, water, a soft drink, and tea.

Is stargazing included?

Yes. The experience includes a stargazing session, and an astronomy guide may explain visible stars, planets, and the galaxy while you use a telescope.

Which languages are supported?

Guides are available in English, Italian, Russian, and Arabic.

Who should not take this tour?

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