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

The desert gets better after sunset. This $48 evening from Sharm El-Sheikh combines a short jeep-style ride, camel riding, Bedouin bread making, dinner, entertainment, and a telescope session under the Sinai sky. I especially like the hands-on bread workshop and the strong personal care from guides such as Assam, Asem, and Ibrahim.

The astronomy session gives the evening more purpose than a standard dinner show, and the camel ride is brief enough to stay enjoyable. The main caution is that the evening is staged for tourism, so the food and entertainment may feel less traditional than expected. One person found the meal disappointing and disliked hearing modern pop music during the show.

Key points at a glance

• A short camel ride: Expect roughly 15 to 20 minutes, or around 20 to 30 minutes according to one booking account. It is long enough for photographs without leaving you sore for the rest of the night.
• Bedouin bread you can make yourself: You do not just watch. You can try preparing bread in the desert, which adds a useful human touch to the evening.
• Good guide support: Assam, Asem, and Ibrahim receive particular praise for keeping people comfortable, involved, and informed.
• A proper astronomy stop: On a clear night, you can use a telescope and hear explanations about visible stars, their distance, makeup, and conditions.
• Dinner with live entertainment: The open buffet includes a BBQ-style meal, followed by fire performance and El Tannoura folk dancing.
• A $48 all-in evening: Transfers, guide, camel ride, food, water, soft drink, tea, shows, and stargazing are included, making the price reasonable if you want several activities in one outing.

Leaving Sharm for Wadi-Khrome Valley

Pickup usually begins around 4 PM, depending on where your hotel sits in Sharm El-Sheikh. The drive to Wadi-Khrome Valley takes about 20 minutes, so this is not an exhausting cross-country expedition. You get a quick change of scene from the resort area to the open desert around South Sinai.

That short transfer matters. You spend less time sitting in a vehicle and more time at the camp and activity stops. A modern vehicle and two-way transportation are included, with a tour representative accompanying the group and helping with practical questions along the way.

The route is part of the appeal. You can look out at the desert rock and open spaces as you leave the city behind. The evening light is especially useful for photographs, although the exact sunset views and visibility will depend on the season and weather.

This is a group outing rather than a private desert escape. The pace is organized, and the guide keeps the program moving from one stop to the next. That helps if you want a simple evening with everything arranged, but it gives you less freedom to linger wherever you like.

A camel ride that keeps moving

The camel ride lasts about 15 to 20 minutes. One account describes it as closer to 20 to 30 minutes, so allow for a little variation depending on the group and the day’s schedule.

I see the short length as a benefit. Camel riding is an unusual sensation, especially when the animal rises and lowers itself. The movement can feel intimidating if you have never done it, and the saddle can become uncomfortable during a long ride. A brief circuit lets you try the experience without making it the whole evening.

You should wear closed-toe shoes and keep your camera ready, since this is one of the clearest photo opportunities on the tour. You may also be offered camel-riding photographs afterward. A practical tip: ask for the price before agreeing, and negotiate if the amount seems high. One booking account described an initial attempt to charge more than the final price of about £5 per person.

The guide support makes a difference here. Asem and Assam are praised for helping nervous riders feel safe, and one person specifically credited Assam with helping overcome a fear of camels. That personal attention is useful because the ride is not just about sitting on an animal. Getting on, staying balanced, and handling the movement all feel easier when someone is paying attention.

The tour is not suitable for pregnant women or people with back problems. Children under four are also excluded by the stated conditions, even though one family account described a three-year-old enjoying a separate quad-bike activity. Do not assume that this means very young children are eligible for every part of the program.

Making Bedouin bread in the desert

The bread workshop is one of the more appealing parts of the evening. You watch Bedouin cooks prepare their bread, then get the chance to try the process yourself.

This small activity gives the program more substance than a quick ride followed by a meal. It shows a practical desert skill and gives you something to do with your hands. You are not simply being moved from one photo stop to another.

Tea is also served, and the bread-making session offers a natural moment to meet local people and learn how food is prepared in a desert setting. The activity is informal, so do not expect a long cooking lesson or a formal cultural presentation. Its value is in the direct participation.

The workshop also helps break up the schedule. Camel riding can be over quickly, while dinner and the performances come later. Making bread gives you a calmer, more personal stop in between.

Bedouin dinner under the tents

Dinner is served in Bedouin-style tents as an open buffet. The included meal is described as a BBQ dinner, with water, a soft drink, and tea also provided.

The food seems to be one of the stronger parts of the evening for many people. Several accounts describe the meal as delicious, with meat and vegetables prepared well enough for second helpings. That is a good sign for an excursion where dinner is part of the main program rather than an afterthought.

Still, I would keep expectations measured. One person did not enjoy the food and wanted something more traditional. Another concern was the overall presentation, which can feel designed for an organized tourist evening rather than a private meal with a Bedouin family.

That distinction matters. You are paying for a convenient combination of dinner, transport, entertainment, and activities. You are not booking a quiet, fully traditional household meal. If you want variety and an easy evening, the buffet format works well. If authentic regional cooking is your main reason for going, the meal may be less convincing.

The romantic setting is a real part of the appeal. Sitting under desert skies, with the meal served in tents and the city at a distance, gives dinner a different mood from a hotel restaurant. Bring a light layer if you tend to feel cool after sunset, although no specific clothing temperature guidance is provided.

Fire, folk dancing, and a modern edge

The entertainment usually begins during dinner with a fire show lasting about 15 minutes. This is followed by an El Tannoura performance, a folk dance featuring a dancer spinning in a colorful costume.

The fire show is the most dramatic part of the program. It gives the dinner a clear focal point and creates the sort of photographs that are difficult to get at a regular restaurant. The folk dancing adds a more recognizably Egyptian performance style, although the quality and exact lineup can vary.

You should know that the atmosphere is not strictly traditional. One person disliked hearing Shakira songs during the show and felt the presentation was staged. That criticism is fair. This is a desert show arranged for visitors, not a spontaneous local celebration.

I would treat the performance as entertainment rather than a cultural lesson. If you enjoy a lively dinner with visual spectacle, you will likely find it fun. If you want a quiet night with local music and no tourist staging, this section may feel too polished or too mixed with international pop.

Stargazing with a telescope

The astronomy session is the part that gives the evening its strongest sense of place. A professional astronomy guide explains the stars visible in the Sinai sky, including their makeup, distance, and conditions. On a clear night, you can view them through a good-quality telescope.

This is more useful than simply being told to look up. The guide helps you identify notable stars and understand what you are seeing. Ibrahim received particular praise for giving a detailed explanation, and the session was described as a highlight after the dinner and shows.

Timing is important. The activity takes place after the performances, when darkness is established. Clear weather makes a major difference, and the quality of the session depends on what can be seen that night. The tour cannot guarantee perfect visibility, but the telescope gives you a better chance of seeing specific objects than simple naked-eye stargazing.

I like this addition because it connects the evening to the actual desert setting. The camel ride and BBQ could take place in many tourist areas. The open sky and lack of city glare are what make this part feel tied to South Sinai.

Bring your camera, but do not expect every phone to capture the telescope view well. The guide’s explanation is likely to be more rewarding than trying to photograph a star through a small lens.

How the timing works from 4 PM onward

A typical evening follows this broad pattern:

• Pickup from your Sharm El-Sheikh hotel, usually around 4 PM
• A roughly 20-minute transfer to Wadi-Khrome Valley
• Jeep-style transport and desert scenery
• Camel ride for about 15 to 20 minutes
• Bedouin bread-making activity and tea
• Open buffet BBQ dinner in the tents
• Fire show and El Tannoura performance
• Guided stargazing with a telescope
• Return transfer to your hotel

The order can vary, and the available information does not give a fixed finishing time. Plan on giving the tour your full evening rather than scheduling another major activity afterward.

The program is well suited to people who prefer a clear schedule. You do not need to arrange separate transport, find a camel camp, locate a telescope, and then negotiate dinner on your own. The tradeoff is that you will follow the group timetable.

Communication is another practical strength. FTS Travels uses WhatsApp to keep in touch, which can make pickup arrangements easier. Guides stay with the group and help people through the stops, a useful feature if you are unsure about the sequence or need assistance.

What the $48 price really buys

At $48 per person, the value comes from the number of elements packed into one evening. The fee includes two-way modern transport, guides, a camel ride, BBQ buffet, water, soft drink, tea, bread making, several oriental shows, and stargazing.

If you paid separately for each part, the total would likely be harder to manage, and you would lose the convenience of one coordinated outing. The astronomy lesson in particular adds something that many standard desert dinner programs do not include.

The price is less compelling if you mainly want a long camel trek or a serious food-focused meal. The camel ride is short, and the dinner can feel more international and staged than traditional. You are paying for range and convenience, not depth in one single activity.

Scarves are available only if you select that add-on, so do not assume they are included in the standard $48 price. Bring your passport or ID card, camera, and closed-toe shoes. The booking terms allow you to reserve and pay later, and cancellation is available up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.

Who will enjoy this evening most?

I would recommend this tour to first-time visitors who want a broad taste of desert activities without arranging several bookings. Couples should like the sunset, tented dinner, and stars, while families with eligible children may appreciate the short rides and varied schedule.

It also works well for anyone who wants help from a guide. Assam, Asem, and Ibrahim are singled out for being attentive, friendly, and engaged with the group. That matters if you feel uncertain about camels or want real explanations during the astronomy session rather than a quick photo stop.

You may want to skip it if you dislike group schedules, staged shows, or buffet dining. It is also unsuitable for children under four, pregnant women, and people with back problems. Anyone hoping for a long, quiet camel trek should choose a different desert outing.

Should you book it?

Book this Sharm El-Sheikh desert evening if you want many experiences in one manageable outing: a short camel ride, bread making, dinner, fire performance, folk dance, and telescope stargazing. The guide care and astronomy session are the strongest reasons to choose it, and $48 is fair for the package.

Go with realistic expectations. The food and shows are arranged for tourists, and the music may not always feel traditionally Bedouin or Egyptian. If that balance suits you, this is a well-organized way to spend an evening outside the resort, with enough variety to keep the night moving and enough sky to make it memorable.

FAQ

Where does the tour take place?

The tour takes place in Wadi-Khrome Valley in South Sinai, about 20 minutes from Sharm El-Sheikh by vehicle.

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 lasts about 15 to 20 minutes. Some schedules may run closer to 20 to 30 minutes.

Is dinner included?

Yes. An open buffet BBQ-style Bedouin dinner is included, along with water, a soft drink, and tea.

What performances are included?

The program includes a fire show lasting about 15 minutes and an El Tannoura performance, along with other oriental shows.

Is stargazing included?

Yes. The tour includes a guided stargazing session with astronomy explanations and telescope viewing.

What should I bring?

Bring your passport or ID card, a camera, and closed-toe shoes.

Who cannot take this tour?

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

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes. You can cancel up to 24 hours before the tour for a full refund.