Quad biking from Soma Bay: the in-resort desk or the long drive north

A Soma Bay quad trip is possible, but it is not a short outing. Soma Bay lies well south of the main safari stations, which are in Safari Land, a desert zone of numbered sectors on the Safaga road past Hurghada airport, about 38 km away in a straight line. Sellers give up to an hour each way.

So the question for a Soma Bay guest is not only which quad trip, but whether the trip is worth two hours in a minibus. There is a shortcut worth trying first: Soma Bay has its own quad desk inside the resort.

Soma Bay quad: the in-resort desk

Soma Bay's official resort directory lists Alex Safari, a desk offering quad bike rides and safari trips, open 08:00–17:00. It publishes no prices and no route on its page. It is the only resort on this coast where a quad start without the long transfer is documented.

Ask there before you book anything else: how far the ride goes, how many minutes you spend on the quad, whether a helmet is provided, what it costs and whether the price is per person. If the answers are clear and the price is in line with what Hurghada trips cost plus the €10 pick-up, it saves you most of the driving.

The prices page gives the platform price levels to compare against.

How far Soma Bay is from the desert stations

Soma Bay lies 24 km south of Makadi Bay and 10 km north of Safaga. It is 47 km by road from Hurghada airport and 52 km from Hurghada Marina, about 40 minutes in free traffic. A minibus collecting several hotels takes longer:

From the station the group rides out to a Bedouin-style camp 15–35 km further inland. Sellers also differ in where they take you: one seller meets Soma Bay guests at a point 25 km north of Hurghada airport, on the El Gouna side — a much longer drive. The nearest station depends on the seller, not on your hotel. The resorts guide has the drive times from every resort.

Soma Bay quad tours you can book online

On GetYourGuide no quad listing starts in Soma Bay. The desert trips sold to Soma Bay guests are the Hurghada and Makadi listings with a Soma Bay pick-up added. Before you pay, message the operator to confirm that they collect from your hotel and what the supplement is.

Good starting points:

• The 2-hour Makadi Bay ATV tour, from about $17 and rated 4.7 on 3,168 reviews. It is the GetYourGuide listing whose route matches Makadi Excursions' own Makadi Bay quad; the route ends at a rock formation and a natural beach. Ask for Soma Bay pick-up.
• The Makadi Bay sea and desert quad with hotel pick-up, from $20, one of the few listings that rides along the coast as well as through the desert.
• The Makadi Bay ATV, horse and camel ride, from about $19, rated 4.9 on 53 reviews — a quad, a horse and a camel in 3.5 hours.
• The Makadi Bay mega desert tour with jeep, quad and camel, from about $30, with about 45 minutes on the quad inside 6 hours.

Daytimefrom$17

GetYourGuide2 hMakadi Bay

From Hurghada: Makadi Bay ATV Tour

4.7 (3,168)

per personCheck dates

Daytimefrom$20

GetYourGuide2 hMakadi Bay

Makadi Bay: Sea & Desert Quad Biking w/ Hotel Pickup

4.6 (30)

per personCheck dates

Daytimefrom$19

GetYourGuide3.5 hMakadi Bay

Makadi Bay: ATV, Horse, and Camel Ride Tour

4.9 (53)

per personCheck dates

Daytimefrom$24

GetYourGuide4 hSahl Hasheesh

Sahl Hasheesh: Quad Bike Desert Safari with Hotel Pickup

4.8 (2,057)

per personCheck dates

Daytimefrom$30

GetYourGuide6 hMakadi Bay

Makadi Bay: Mega Desert Tour with Jeep, ATV & Camel

4.5 (39)

per personCheck dates

Daytimefrom$23

GetYourGuide3 h

Hurghada: Desert Quad Bike Adventure With Hotel Transfers

4.9 (1,169)

per personCheck dates

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

GetYourGuide shows the operator's name on each listing page, and that company is your contract partner. The quad tours guide explains how to read a listing.

A morning beach quad from Soma Bay, hour by hour

One local agency sells a beach quad from Soma Bay, and its archived timetable shows how the long transfer shapes the day. At €40 per adult and €25 for children aged 2–12, with groups of 2–8, it is dearer than the Hurghada trips, but the times are honest:

That is the pattern for Soma Bay: whatever the ride, add an hour each way. In summer it means the morning slot is doubly sensible — the drive is done before the heat — and in winter it means a sunset trip brings you back well after dark.

Pick-up from Soma Bay: the cash supplement

Most desert-trip prices are set for Hurghada hotels. From Soma Bay, expect to pay extra, often in cash on the day:

Many sellers add €5–15 per person from the outer resorts. Add it to the listing price before comparing, and ask whether it is collected in cash. The BADU Camp dinner in the Makadi Bay desert does not list Soma Bay among its pick-up areas — ask BADU before booking that one (BADU Camp review).

Is it worth the drive? What to choose from Soma Bay

With an hour each way, a short ride loses most of its value: a trip with 40–60 minutes of riding becomes a half-day for less than an hour at the controls. Our view:

• Try the in-resort desk first. No long transfer, and you can ask your questions face to face.
• If you go north, make it count. A trip with more published riding time, or a buggy where you sit beside your partner, is better value than the cheapest short quad. See the buggy guide.
• Combine it with the evening. A sunset trip with dinner or stargazing turns the long drive into one evening out rather than two separate trips.
• Go early in summer. A 05:00 sunrise pick-up is hard, but May to September it is the coolest time to ride (morning rides).

For something closer, Soma Bay's own "Hopper" desk rents golf carts, bikes and electric bikes from 09:00 to 17:00 (Hopper). See biking around Hurghada for other options.

Safety and kit are the same as anywhere: drivers 16+, long trousers and closed shoes, a buff and sunglasses for the dust, and a helmet — the UK government advises "always wear a crash helmet" (FCDO safety advice). Check that your travel insurance covers quad biking. The practical guide has the full list.

Soma Bay quad: questions