Swimming with Dolphins in Sharm El Sheikh: What to Know Before You Book

Swimming with dolphins is one of the most asked-about trips in Sharm El Sheikh. Before you book, it helps to know exactly what you're getting: where the swim happens, how long you're in the water, and what is and isn't included. This guide covers our swim with dolphins trip at Dolphina Park, how it compares with the dolphin show, and what to expect if you're hoping to see dolphins in the wild.

Where it happens: Dolphina Park

The swim takes place in a pool at Dolphina Park in Sharm El Sheikh, with trained dolphins and their trainers. It isn't a sea trip: there's no boat, and the water is calm and clear, which is why it suits nervous swimmers and children. We pick you up from your hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle, and a guide who speaks your language stays with you until you're back.

How the swim works, step by step

1. Hotel pickup at 10:30 for the morning session, or at 16:00 for the afternoon session, which follows the dolphin show.
2. Briefing. At the park you meet your professional trainer, who explains how to approach the dolphins and what to do in the water.
3. In the pool. You spend 15 or 30 minutes in the water with the dolphins and the trainer: touching them, hugging them, playing, and even getting a dolphin "kiss". Everyone wears a life jacket, so you don't have to be a strong swimmer.
4. Photo and video viewing. Afterwards you watch the photos and video of your swim on a projector in an air-conditioned room (about 30 minutes, free). Prints and a DVD are sold on site if you want to keep them.
5. Back to your hotel. The whole trip takes about two hours.

15 or 30 minutes?

• •15 minutes (€65 per adult) gives you time to meet, touch and play with the dolphins, and suits most first-timers and younger children.
• •30 minutes (€85 per adult) is for people who want longer in the water, if the dolphins are the highlight of your holiday.

Both include hotel pickup and drop-off, the trainer, life jackets, the rep and all service charges. Food, drinks and photos are extra. See all prices on our price list.

Leave your phone in the bag

Personal phones and cameras aren't allowed during the swim. The park takes the photos and video, which you can watch for free afterwards and buy if you like them. Bring some money for this; our money and tipping guide explains what to carry in Sharm.

Swim or show?

If you'd rather watch than swim, the dolphin show (€20 per adult) is a 60-minute performance at the same park: three dolphins jump, perform tricks and pose to music with their trainers, and there may be a chance to touch them afterwards. Pickup is around 14:15 and you're back at about 16:15. There's no prepayment; you pay in cash on the bus or at the park. For children aged 3–8, ask us for the price.

Want both? Swimming can be added to the show day as an optional extra; book it at least one day ahead.

What to bring

• •Swimwear, worn under your clothes.
• •A cap or scarf, sunglasses and sun cream for the transfer and the time before and after the swim.
• •A towel and dry clothes for the ride back.
• •Money for photos and drinks.

Our packing list for Sharm El Sheikh covers the rest of your holiday.

Is it suitable for children?

Yes. The swim suits all ages, and it's one of the easiest outings for families: about two hours in total, with calm water and a life jacket for everyone. Tell us your children's ages when you book. For more family ideas, see our Sharm El Sheikh with kids guide.

Pool dolphins or wild dolphins?

The dolphins at Dolphina Park live in a pool; they aren't wild. Wild dolphins do live in the Red Sea and are sometimes seen from boats on the way to the reefs, but no trip from Sharm can promise a sighting, and none of our boat trips is sold as a dolphin trip. If dolphins do appear on the Ras Mohammed and White Island boat trip or the Tiran Island trip, enjoy them from a distance and don't chase them or try to touch them.

Some travellers prefer not to visit dolphins kept in captivity. If that's you, a day on the reefs is the way to see the Red Sea's marine life in the wild: our White Island guide and snorkeling for beginners guide will help you choose.

Fitting it into your day

The morning session has you back at your hotel around lunchtime, leaving the afternoon free for the beach or an afternoon quad safari (pickup around 14:00 in winter, 15:30–16:00 in summer). As with all our tours, cancellation is free up to 24 hours before. For more ideas, see things to do in Sharm El Sheikh.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to swim with dolphins in Sharm El Sheikh?

With us, €65 per adult for 15 minutes in the pool or €85 for 30 minutes. Both prices include hotel pickup and drop-off, a professional trainer, life jackets and a guide who speaks your language.

Do I need to be a good swimmer?

No. Everyone wears a life jacket, the trainer is in the water with you, and the pool is calm. The swim suits all ages, including children.

Can I take my own photos during the swim?

No, personal phones and cameras aren't allowed in the pool. The park films and photographs your swim; you can watch it for free afterwards and buy the photos or a DVD.

Are the dolphins wild?

No. The swim and the show are at Dolphina Park, with trained dolphins in a pool. Wild dolphins are sometimes seen from boats in the Red Sea, but no trip can guarantee a sighting.