Super Safari or Super Sand Buggy Safari? Two Evenings in the Desert Compared

If you want to spend an evening in the Sinai desert from Sharm El Sheikh, two trips stand out: the Super Sand Buggy Safari and the Super Safari. Both pick you up from your hotel in the late afternoon, catch the sunset in the desert and end with an open-air dinner and a show at a Bedouin camp. The difference is the ride.

At a glance

• •Super Safari: quad bike ride, camel ride at sunset, dinner and show. €24 per adult, €11 per child aged 6–12, under-6s free. About 4 hours.
• •Super Sand Buggy Safari: 1-hour dune buggy ride, stop at the Echo Temple, Bedouin tea, dinner and show; camel ride optional. €30 for one person in a buggy, €25 each for two sharing, €80 for a family buggy for four. About 4 hours.

Both include hotel pickup and drop-off and an English-speaking guide.

The Super Safari: quad and camel

The Super Safari is the classic Sharm evening. After pickup and a safety briefing, you ride a quad through the desert to a camp, then swap to a camel for a slow ride as the sun sets over the mountains.

As it gets dark, dinner is served in the open air: a barbecue with rice, chicken, kebab and salads, with soft drinks and water. Then the show: tanoura (the spinning dance with colourful skirts), belly dancing and a fire show. You're back at your hotel around 21:30.

Choose it if: you want the full mix of desert experiences in one trip, you're travelling with children (it has child prices), or you'd like to ride a camel.

The Super Sand Buggy Safari: drive and dine

Here the main event is driving. You take the wheel of a dune buggy for about an hour, with a guide leading the way, and stop at the Echo Temple, a rock formation where your voice bounces back off the stone. Then it's Bedouin tea in a tent, an optional camel ride at sunset, and the same style of dinner and show.

Choose it if: you'd rather drive than ride a quad, you want to sit side by side with your partner, or you're a family of four who'd like to share one family buggy.

Which is better for...

• •Couples: both work. The buggy lets you ride together; the Super Safari has the camel ride at sunset.
• •Families with young children: the Super Safari, with child prices (€11 for ages 6–12, under-6s free), or the family buggy if you'd rather all ride together.
• •First-time drivers: the buggy, which feels like a small car; quads take a few minutes to get used to.
• •Budget: the Super Safari (€24) is slightly cheaper than the buggy (€25 sharing).

What to bring

The desert cools down fast after sunset, especially from November to March, so pack a warm layer. Bring a scarf for the dust, sunglasses, closed shoes and a small amount of cash for drinks or photos. See our packing list for more.

What's authentic and what's a show

The Bedouin tea, the bread, the camels and the hospitality are genuinely Bedouin. The tanoura and belly dancing come from wider Egyptian tradition and are performed as entertainment. We explain more in our guide to Bedouin culture in Sinai.

If you'd prefer a shorter trip without dinner, the 3-hour quad safari or the dune buggy safari are the daytime alternatives. All desert trips are compared in how to choose your desert safari.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the Super Safari and the Super Sand Buggy Safari?

The Super Safari includes a quad ride and a camel ride at sunset; the Super Sand Buggy Safari includes a 1-hour dune buggy ride and a stop at the Echo Temple, with the camel ride optional. Both end with a Bedouin dinner and show.

How much do the evening safaris cost?

The Super Safari costs €24 per adult and €11 per child aged 6–12, with under-6s free. The Super Sand Buggy Safari costs €25 per person when two share a buggy, €30 for one person alone or €80 for a family buggy for four.

What time do the evening safaris finish?

Pickup is in the late afternoon (earlier in winter, later in summer) and the trips last about 4 hours. On the Super Safari you're back at your hotel around 21:30.

Is dinner included?

Yes. Both trips include an open-air dinner at a Bedouin camp and a show with tanoura, belly dancing and a fire show.