Buggy sunset safari Hurghada: when to go and what to book

A sunset buggy in Hurghada is an afternoon drive into the Eastern Desert timed so that you reach a camp or a ridge as the sun goes down, often followed by dinner and the drive back after dark. It is the best-looking slot of the day, and from May to September it is also the coolest one you can get without an alarm before 05:00.

Two things decide how good it is: whether the trip is built around the buggy or just includes one, and what month you go. The first changes your time at the wheel; the second changes everything else.

Sunset buggy Hurghada: what the trip is

There are two kinds of sunset buggy trip. A buggy-only safari gives you roughly 60–90 minutes at the wheel where the seller publishes it. The dune buggy safari with optional BBQ has a sunset option and rates 4.9 from 129 reviews; the dedicated sunset dune buggy safari runs 3 hours from Hurghada, passing local villages, and does not state its driving time, so ask.

The second kind is a quad-and-buggy evening: a quad ride, a short buggy leg of 15–30 minutes, sunset at a Bedouin-style camp, then dinner and a show. The quad, buggy and dinner show safari has the same programme as Scorpion Safari's Discovery PM tour and rates 4.7 from 1,455 reviews. It is good value, but it is a quad trip with a taste of buggy.

One Makadi sunset buggy sold on another booking marketplace shows how a buggy-led evening runs: a test drive, about 35 km across the desert to a village, tea, a camel ride at sunset, a BBQ with an oriental show and folk songs, then a night drive back. For everything else about buggies (ages, extras, safety) see the main buggy guide.

When is sunset in Hurghada? Pick-up times by month

Sunset runs from about 16:51 in early December to 19:44 in early July. Pick-ups for sunset trips are usually 2–3 hours before that, based on published afternoon departures of 14:00–15:00 against a winter sunset around 17:00. From El Gouna, Soma Bay and Safaga add another 30–60 minutes, because those resorts are up to an hour from the stations.

Egypt keeps summer time from the last Friday of April to the last Thursday of October. On those two nights the clock moves by an hour and so does sunset: in late October it drops from about 18:05 to 17:05 overnight. Some sellers keep fixed clock times all year, so a "15:00" ride in July runs in the full afternoon heat and ends long before the sun goes. Times are confirmed the day before by WhatsApp or email: check that confirmation, not an old review.

Buggy sunset safari, hour by hour

Tanoura is the Egyptian whirling dance in a wide, coloured skirt. With belly dance and a fire show it makes a lively cabaret, not a Bedouin tradition, and the camp is a stop built for visitors. If you want a quiet evening instead, read our Bedouin village guide. During Ramadan, sunset dinners coincide with iftar, when guides and drivers break their fast.

Winter vs summer: a cold drive back or the only sane slot

From November to February the afternoon is mild, the light is soft and you can wear a T-shirt on the way out. The trouble is the return. Hurghada's coast averages lows of 11.6 °C in January and 13.4 °C in December, and the desert, where the camps are, is about 4–5 °C colder at night. Many winter nights out there fall to 10 °C or below. In an open buggy with the wind on you, a fleece and a scarf matter more than sunscreen. Scorpion Safari's own advice is to bring a jacket because evening temperatures drop quickly.

From May to September it flips. Coast highs reach 37.4–37.5 °C in July and August, and the camps are around or above 40 °C on many afternoons. A sunset slot is then the sensible choice for a buggy; a midday super safari whose ride starts around 12:30 is hard work in an open car. Avoid the 11:00–12:00 pick-ups in summer.

March and April bring the most blowing sand of the year, so goggles earn their place. October and November have the least dust and warm, comfortable afternoons. Our best time guide has the month-by-month view.

Sunset buggy Hurghada reviews: which trip to book

Ratings on the buggy evenings vary more than the prices suggest. The buggy safari with optional BBQ leads at 4.9 from 129 reviews, which is why it is our pick for a sunset buggy. The VIP buggy and camel safari with BBQ and stargazing rates 4.5 from 528 reviews and runs into the evening; stargazing there means looking up after dinner, as no telescope is promised. The dedicated sunset dune buggy has the most sunset-specific reviews but the lowest score of the group, 4.0 from 308.

If you are two, check whether a price is per person or per buggy before you compare: see the two-seater buggy guide. One newer buggy-with-dinner listing costs far more than the rest and has no reviews yet. Let other people test it first.

For a sunset in the desert without driving, the jeep and camel stargazing trips are calmer; see sunset and stargazing.

Eveningfrom$39

GetYourGuideFull dayMakadi Bay

Makadi Desert: Quad, Buggy, Camel Ride & Dinner

4.3 (3)

per personCheck dates

Eveningfrom$178

GetYourGuide4 h

Hurghada: Desert Buggy Ride with Dinner and Show

No reviews yet

per personCheck dates

See everything on GetYourGuide →See everything on Headout →Prices checked on 20 October 2026

Prices and what the dinner adds

On GetYourGuide the sunset buggy-only trips start at about $56 and the dedicated sunset buggy at about $95; the VIP evening with BBQ sits at about $78. The price shown is the cheapest option, often without the BBQ, so pick the dinner option before you compare. Quad-and-buggy dinner evenings start at about $37, and the 5-in-1 safari with jeep, quad, buggy, camel, BBQ and show at about $26, with short legs for each vehicle.

Safari Sahara lists a sunset dune buggy with BBQ on its own booking site at €180 (at the last check). A euro price on an operator's site cannot be compared like for like with a dollar price on a platform: check what each includes, especially pick-ups.

Headout sells a comparable quad-and-buggy evening with dinner and show. It is new with no reviews, and it adds "governmental taxes and Safari Land fee" (amount not stated) and outer-resort transfers.

Headout is cheaper at the checkout; add its cash fee and any pick-up supplement first, and remember the operator, camp and riding minutes may differ. More on the combos in our desert safari guide.

What to bring on an evening buggy

• A warm layer from November to March, even if the afternoon is hot.
• A buff or scarf and sunglasses or goggles; scarves and goggles cost about €5 each at the station.
• Long trousers and closed shoes; glasses rather than contact lenses in the sand.
• Small notes for extras, a possible cash "safari fee" of about €5–10 on some listings, and a modest tip.
• A passport copy: Travco asks for passport and visa on its buggy trips.

Ask for a helmet and wear it: the UK Foreign Office advises visitors on quad and desert trips to always wear one (https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/egypt/safety-and-security). No alcohol before or during the drive. The practical guide covers insurance and the rest.

Sunset buggy Hurghada: common questions