Sinai by quad, then supper with the Bedouin

The story

South Sinai's desert climbs from the coast towards granite mountains that reach 2,285 m at Mount Sinai (Wikipedia). The quad routes from Sharm stay in the valleys close to the coast.

It is Sharm El Sheikh's most reviewed desert evening by a wide margin. The praise is for guides who make nervous first-time riders feel safe; the complaints are about waiting and crowds at the busiest camps. We ask for smaller groups and a clear timetable.

Our judgement: This is the evening most visitors to Sharm book. We pick the version with the fewest people and the clearest plan.

What happens

1. Collection from your hotel in the afternoon and a briefing at the quad station.
2. About an hour and a half on a quad through the valleys as the light softens.
3. A camel ride and tea at a Bedouin camp.
4. Supper after dark, then the drive back to Sharm.

A proposed shape, not a fixed programme. The host sets the order on the day.

What it asks of you

The balance to steer a quad, dust and bumps. Evenings in the Sinai desert can be cold from December to February.

Minimum age

Set by the operator; children ride as passengers

Best season

October to April; winter evenings are cold

What we confirm before you go

Where it fits

• A Red Sea Coast Journey to RestWhere on the coast should you rest, when some companions are active and others are not?

More in desert & sand

• Quad, camel and supper in the desert behind HurghadaThe Eastern Desert inland from Hurghada
• Sunrise on Mount SinaiMount Sinai and St Catherine's Monastery, South Sinai
• A telescope night in the Eastern DesertThe Eastern Desert inland from Hurghada
• A Sinai Trail daySt Catherine, South Sinai
• Saqqara by quad and dirt bikeThe desert edge at Saqqara, south of Giza
• The White Desert after darkWhite Desert National Park, Western Desert