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Stargazing in the Egyptian desert
When people think of Egypt, they often picture beaches, all inclusive hotels, snorkelling trips or ancient temples.
But one of the experiences that genuinely surprised me the most was spending an evening deep in the Egyptian desert looking up at one of the clearest night skies I’ve ever seen.
And honestly… I nearly didn’t book it.
I’ll admit I was sceptical beforehand. I didn’t want one of those overly commercial tourist excursions where you’re thrown into a huge convoy, rushed through activities, fed average food and given 30 seconds looking through a telescope before being sent home again.
This turned out to be the complete opposite.
Into the desert by Jeep
The adventure starts in the late afternoon as you leave Hurghada behind and head out into the desert by Jeep.
The journey itself is part of the experience. Mountains begin to appear in the distance, the landscape changes completely, and suddenly you realise just how vast and empty the Egyptian desert really is.
Yes, parts of the route are dirt tracks… but it’s the desert after all.
What I really appreciated was that our driver was calm and respectful. No “yalla yalla” racing through the dunes trying to bounce everyone off the roof for entertainment. It was a proper enjoyable drive where you could actually relax, take in the scenery and enjoy the experience.
Sunset over the mountains
One of my favourite moments of the evening was stopping to watch the sunset over the Red Sea mountain range.
There’s something very special about desert sunsets. The colours seem deeper, the silence feels bigger and everything suddenly slows down.
People naturally stopped talking for a while and simply watched the sky change colour around us.
It was peaceful, calming and honestly quite emotional.
Bedouin hospitality and camel ride
After arriving at the Bedouin camp, we were welcomed with traditional tea before having the chance to enjoy a short camel ride.
Now before anyone asks… yes, it’s touristy in the sense you are visiting as a guest. But it didn’t feel fake or over-produced. The whole evening had a much more intimate and authentic atmosphere than I expected.
Our group only had 12 people and there were two telescopes available between us, which worked perfectly. I’m told larger groups simply have more telescopes added so everyone still gets plenty of opportunities.
The smaller group size made a huge difference to the overall feel of the evening.
The food was excellent
I honestly expected average excursion food.
Instead, the BBQ dinner was genuinely excellent.
Freshly cooked, plenty of choice and enjoyed by candlelight in the middle of the desert whilst darkness slowly settled around us.
It felt relaxed rather than rushed, which again completely changed the atmosphere of the evening.
The stargazing experience
And then came the real highlight…
The stars.
As darkness fully arrived, the desert sky transformed completely.
With almost no light pollution, the number of visible stars was incredible. You could clearly see constellations, planets and the Milky Way stretching across the sky.
This wasn’t just somebody vaguely pointing upwards saying “that’s a planet”.
The astronomy side of the evening was genuinely fascinating.
Our guide, Moussa, has spent over 15 years studying astronomy in Egypt after beginning his career in Sharm El Sheikh as a telescope technician back in 2008. He even met the legendary British astronomer, Sir Patrick Moore, whilst working in Luxor.
You could immediately tell this is something he genuinely loves.
The guides spoke excellent English and German and explained everything in a really enjoyable way. We learnt about planets, stars, galaxies, constellations, seasons and even the origins of star signs whilst standing beneath one of the clearest skies imaginable.
Looking through the telescopes at planets and deep space objects in complete desert silence was honestly magical.
Why I’d recommend it
For me, this excursion worked because it never felt rushed, fake or overly commercial.
It felt personal, relaxed, authentic, and incredibly good value for what you experience.
If you are visiting Hurghada, Makadi Bay, El Gouna, Soma Bay or surrounding areas and want to experience a completely different side of Egypt away from the hotel, I genuinely think this is one of the best excursions you can do.
Not just another trip. A proper memory.
And yes… I can absolutely book this experience for you too.
