The Colored Canyon, Blue Hole and Dahab day is for people who want to see more of Sinai than the resort strip. It is a full day by 4x4 with a walk, a swim, lunch by the sea and a short stop in a laid-back town. It is not a beach day, and it is not a gentle one. You will be on your feet in the morning, in the water after lunch, and in the vehicle for several hours.
It suits active adults, teenagers and older children from age 8 who like to move. It is a poor choice for anyone who dislikes long drives, rough ground or a start before dawn. Read the timings below and decide honestly whether the pace suits you.
The drive north
We collect you from your hotel in Sharm at 06:00. The group is shared with other guests in 4x4 vehicles, with an English-speaking guide and at most 16 people on the trip. The drive north through the Sinai mountains toward Nuweiba takes about two and a half hours, until 09:00. You have your passport with you, because it is checked at the road checkpoints.
Eat something before you leave. A breakfast box from your hotel is available if you ask the evening before, and the canyon walk starts at about 09:15, hours after you get up. Bring a layer for the early morning and a hat for later, and keep a bottle of water in your hand.
The Colored Canyon
At about 09:15 you reach the Colored Canyon. The walk is guided and lasts around 90 minutes. A Bedouin guide leads you through narrow sandstone walls whose layers vary in color. In places the passage is tight and you scramble over rocks, so sturdy shoes matter. Take your time; the pace is set by the slowest walker.
This is the part that surprises some guests, because it is more physical than a photo stop. If you have a bad knee, or you dislike narrow places, tell the guide at the start. The canyon is quiet and the light is good in the morning, so you may want to carry a camera in a bag you can fasten.
The canyon is a place to slow down. Walls of orange, red and cream sandstone close in until you can touch both sides, and the sky becomes a thin strip. Your Bedouin guide knows which turns are tight and where to put your hands. Listen to the instructions at the start, and let others go ahead if you want a quiet look.
Lunch and the Blue Hole
At 11:30 the vehicles drive to the Blue Hole near Dahab. Lunch at 12:30 is at a Bedouin restaurant on the shore, included in the day, though drinks with lunch are extra. At 13:30 you snorkel along the reef wall; mask and snorkel are included, while fins and a life-jacket can be rented there. Protectorate fees and bottled water are covered.
Conditions at the Blue Hole can vary, and you should only go as far as you are comfortable. The place has a serious reputation among divers, and you are snorkeling at the edge, along the reef wall, not diving the hole. Stay with the guide, keep to the route, and use the rental life-jacket if you are not a confident swimmer. A camel ride at the Blue Hole is an optional extra.
After the water, the Bedouin restaurant is a good place to dry off. The food is simple, served at low tables, and the view is across the water to the mountains on the far shore. There is no hurry, but the schedule is tight, so the guide keeps an eye on the time and calls the group back when it is time for Dahab.
Dahab and the drive back
- 06:00 – pick-up in Sharm.
- 09:15 – Colored Canyon walk.
- 12:30 – lunch at the shore.
- 13:30 – snorkel at the Blue Hole.
- 15:00 – an hour on the Dahab seafront.
- 16:15 to 17:45 – drive back to Sharm.
In Dahab you have about an hour to walk the seafront, shop or sit with a coffee. It is a low-key place, not a resort, and a pleasant break after a physical morning. The drive back is listed from 16:15 to 17:45, and most people sleep through it.
Who should book it
Book this if you want a varied day with some effort and a bit of local color. Skip it if you are looking for a restful excursion. Bring your passport; the free Sinai-only entry stamp is the Sharm area stamp, and this trip leaves that area, so ask our team before booking if you hold that stamp. For the price, see the trip page.
Plan with us
Colored Canyon and Blue Hole from Sharm: how the Dahab jeep day runs
An 11-hour 4x4 day from Sharm El Sheikh: Colored Canyon walk, Bedouin lunch, Blue Hole snorkeling and time in Dahab. Timings and who it suits.