Dolphin trips in Hurghada: where to see wild dolphins, and what the pool swim really is

A dolphin trip in Hurghada can mean two very different things. One is a boat into the open Red Sea to the reefs where wild dolphins rest by day, with a chance — never a promise — of swimming near them. The other is Dolphin World, a land-based dolphinarium in Makadi Bay with a show and short swims in a pool. Platforms sell both under "swim with dolphins", so it is easy to book one thinking it is the other.

Below: where the wild dolphins are, which boats really go looking for them, the rules, the prices, and why we prefer the wild trip done properly. For the reef itself in detail — map, fees, timetable — see our Dolphin House guide.

Can you swim with dolphins in Hurghada, Egypt?

Yes, in two senses — and only one of them is wild.

In the sea, you can swim near wild dolphins if they are present and calm. The dolphins around Hurghada are mostly Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, sometimes spinner dolphins. According to HEPCA, the Hurghada conservation association behind the local moorings and dolphin rules, they hunt in open sea at night and rest at a few reefs during the morning and early afternoon. Boats visit those reefs; snorkelers slip in and float while the pod passes. Researcher Angela Ziltener of the Dolphin Watch Alliance has photo-identified more than 200 individual bottlenose dolphins in the El Gouna and Hurghada area — and has warned that tourist boats drive snorkelers straight at resting dolphins.

In a pool, Dolphin World sells short supervised swims with captive dolphins. That is not snorkeling and not a trip to sea, and we cover it plainly further down.

Where to see wild dolphins around Hurghada

HEPCA names three areas that dolphins use mainly for resting:

• Sha'ab El Erg — Dolphin House. A horseshoe reef about 20 km north-north-east of Hurghada Marina, roughly opposite El Gouna; about 1.5 hours by day yacht. This is the reef dedicated dolphin trips go to. HEPCA's map marks a band where boats may not enter, with moorings at the southern tip and free access for snorkelers from the inner lagoon.
• El Fanous. A reef with a lagoon about 30 minutes by boat from Hurghada. A governor's decree of 2011 banned all vessels from its south-western part, marked by large white buoys; snorkeling and diving stay allowed there, free of charge, if you follow the dolphin code. HEPCA calls it Egypt's second dolphin sanctuary. Dive centres also report turtles, giant morays and big table corals. Few listings name it — ask whether your boat stops there.
• Abu Nugar. A reef area off El Gouna, with a no-boat band on HEPCA's map. The shallow Gotha Abu Nugar coral gardens, about 9 m deep, are the easy snorkel stop there. Do not confuse it with Abu Minqar, the mangrove island near Hurghada Marina — that one is not a dolphin resting area.

Elsewhere, dolphins are a matter of luck on the way. When an island day or a speedboat trip says "dolphin watching", it means the crew looks out for a pod en route — the listings word it as "if spotted". It is a pleasant extra, not a dolphin trip. And if you see "Dolphin House" with "Marsa Alam" or "Samadai" in the title, that is a different reef about 250 km south.

Staying in El Gouna? Sha'ab El Erg is about as close from there as from Hurghada, and boats from Abu Tig Marina skip the drive of about 40 minutes to Hurghada Marina. See our El Gouna guide.

Dolphin trip Hurghada: the kinds of tour

A Dolphin House day. The real dolphin trip: a shared yacht sails north for about 1.5 hours, spends a long stop at Sha'ab El Erg, then a second snorkel stop with lunch on board. Shared days start from about $21 on Headout and about $30–39 on GetYourGuide; Hurghada: Dolphin House Yacht Trip & Swim W Dolphins & Lunch is the most-reviewed one. A VIP version with massage and buffet is Royal Cruise Hurghada's Elite VIP Dolphin House day.

Today Headout has the cheapest of these comparable days, Tiqets is next and GetYourGuide is the dearest; the boat, the second reef, the pick-up area and the inclusions may differ, and the Tiqets listing has very few reviews.

A speedboat to Dolphin House. Faster out and back, more time in the water, a harder ride in chop. GoShalabi's speedboat is from about $45 a seat; the private speedboat from about $213 is priced per boat. Sellers warn that speedboats are not suitable for back problems.

An island day with "dolphin watching". The big sellers: 3 Islands, Dolphins & Snorkel Yacht (Orange Bay, Giftun and Magawish), GoShalabi's 6 Islands speedboat and the 4-hour Speedboat, Dolphins & 2 Islands. You get Giftun beaches and reefs, plus a look-out for dolphins on the way. Choose these for the islands; see our Giftun guide.

For the 6-islands speedboat, GetYourGuide's listing is slightly cheaper than the similar one on Headout today, which does not name the boat company; check which pick-up areas and extras each includes. On GoShalabi's own page, lunch ($20) and a €5 nature-reserve fee are extra on this trip.

A short sunset trip. Hurghada: 3-Hours Sunset Dolphin, Snorkeling with Lunch is a 3–4.5-hour afternoon trip to the Dolphin House area from about $24, with lunch — a good option if you do not want the 07:00 pick-up. Our half-day and sunset guide lists the others.

A dive-centre boat. Colona Divers, for one, sells a full-day dolphin-spotting boat trip and words it "if you're lucky"; on its price list a dolphin-spotting supplement to a boat trip costs €20. Dive boats are smaller and calmer, but divers come first. See our Colona Divers review.

Dolphin watching Hurghada: how an island day with a dolphin search runs

If a pod is found, a well-run boat slows down, keeps 30 m away and lets the dolphins decide. If the crew guns the engine to cut them off, or herds them towards the boat, that is the behaviour the code bans. You are entitled to tell the guide you would rather stay on board.

How to choose a respectful dolphin boat

HEPCA's dolphin code of conduct has been mandatory at Sha'ab El Erg and El Fanous since 2013, with fines of EGP 10,000. The full rules are on HEPCA's dolphin code page. As a passenger, here is what to look for.

The respectful way is also the better way to see them: dolphins that are left alone stay longer. A boat that waits at the mooring and lets a small group float quietly gets a calmer encounter than one that chases.

Dolphin World Hurghada: swimming with dolphins in a pool

Dolphin World is a land-based dolphinarium in Makadi Bay, beside Mini Egypt — not a wild-dolphin trip and not Dolphin House. Its operator page says it was planned in 2004 and opened to the public in 2010; it keeps dolphins, sea lions and a walrus. It is sold within the Egypt Sun Marine group's network: Egypt Sun Marine's site says it operates Dolphin World, and Dolphin World resells its Royal Seascope semi-submarine.

What it sells, at its own prices: a daily show at 10:30 lasting 60 minutes (the venue says daily — confirm Saturdays); a Family Day Out package at $35 ($18 a child) with the show, a Bedouin lunch, a camel ride and the semi-submarine; a Dolphin Photos package at $55; and a Dolphin Swimming Package at $70 ($60 for children 4–12) with show, lunch, camel ride and transfers. The pool swim itself is short: 5 minutes on your own, 10 for a duo — expect 5–10 minutes in the water. Phones are banned during swim and photo sessions; photographers on site sell the pictures. The venue also advertises "dolphin therapy" for children; it publishes no evidence for it, and we do not recommend it.

Now the context the ticket does not give you:

• In May 2013 HEPCA reported that two dolphins had been flown into Hurghada and taken to Dolphin World to replace dolphins that had died in its care, and urged the authorities to stop such imports. See HEPCA's report.
• HEPCA campaigns to ban dolphinaria in the Red Sea and asks tour operators not to sell them (HEPCA's campaign). World Animal Protection opposes captive dolphin entertainment in general.
• GetYourGuide's own animal-welfare policy, now being rolled out, says wild-animal shows or performances of any kind are prohibited — so its Dolphin World listing may not stay online.
• The venue does not publish how many dolphins it keeps or where they came from.

If you still decide to go, the show ticket costs a little less on Headout than on GetYourGuide today; note that Headout's Dolphin World show and pool-swim listings are non-cancellable. Our Dolphin World review has the details. For a family morning with animals and no performing, the Grand Aquarium is the better plan; for children who want to see a reef without getting wet, the semi-submarine. Our family guide compares them.

Swimming with dolphins Hurghada price: wild versus pool

The pool swim at Dolphin World costs more than most wild Dolphin House days, and buys five minutes in a tank. The wild trip is cheaper, longer and real — but it comes with the risk of a day without dolphins.

On the wild side, budget for cash extras. The EEAA lists a zone fee of USD 10 per foreign visitor for the Erg and Fanous zones; some listings include "marine fees", others add a cash charge, and some operators add a coast-guard fee of about €5. Outer-resort pick-ups usually cost extra. Our price guide puts these numbers next to every other boat trip.

Our dolphin trip picks

Best wild dolphin trips from Hurghada

1

First-timers on a budget

The most-reviewed Dolphin House yacht day; honest "if conditions allow" wording; lunch on board.

◐ Yacht

GetYourGuide5.5 hDolphin House (Sha’ab El Erg)

Hurghada: Dolphin House Yacht Trip & Swim W Dolphins & Lunch

4.5 (1,108)

from $39Check dates

2

Comfort and a top rating

Royal Cruise's Elite VIP Dolphin House day, the best-rated Dolphin House listing; massage and buffet.

◐ Full day

GetYourGuideFull dayDolphin House (Sha’ab El Erg)

Hurghada: All-Inclusive Elite VIP Dolphin House & Massage

4.9 (854)

from $50Check dates

3

Strong swimmers short on time

GoShalabi's shared speedboat; less sailing, harder ride.

◔ Speedboat

GetYourGuide4 hDolphin House (Sha’ab El Erg)

Hurghada: Dolphin House Speedboat Trip & Swim with Dolphins

4.7 (95)

from $45Check dates

4

Islands first, dolphins as a bonus

The big Giftun and Magawish yacht day with a dolphin search on the way.

◐ Yacht

GetYourGuideFull day

Hurghada: 3 Islands, Dolphins & Snorkel Yacht Trip w/ Lunch

4.7 (9,195)

from $45Check dates

◐ Yacht

GetYourGuide5.5 hDolphin House (Sha’ab El Erg)

Hurghada: Dolphin House Yacht Trip & Swim W Dolphins & Lunch

4.5 (1,108)

from $39Check dates

◐ Full day

GetYourGuideFull dayDolphin House (Sha’ab El Erg)

Hurghada: All-Inclusive Elite VIP Dolphin House & Massage

4.9 (854)

from $50Check dates

◐ Full day

GetYourGuide5.5 hDolphin House (Sha’ab El Erg)

Hurghada: Dolphin House, Snorkel & Swim, Meals & Transfer

4.6 (144)

from $39Check dates

◔ Speedboat

GetYourGuide4 hDolphin House (Sha’ab El Erg)

Hurghada: Dolphin House Speedboat Trip & Swim with Dolphins

4.7 (95)

from $45Check dates

◐ Yacht

GetYourGuideFull day

Hurghada: 3 Islands, Dolphins & Snorkel Yacht Trip w/ Lunch

4.7 (9,195)

from $45Check dates

◔ Speedboat

GetYourGuide4 h

Hurghada: Speedboat, Dolphins, Snorkeling & 2 Islands

4.6 (4,362)

from $45Check dates

See all trips on GetYourGuide →Also on Headout →Prices checked on 20 October 2026

Our view: one well-chosen Dolphin House day on a calm morning is enough. If the wind is up, move it rather than going anyway — the reef is exposed, the crossing north is the roughest in the area, and captains often skip it in a north wind. Book it early in your holiday so you keep a spare day. Our best time guide explains the wind, and our Royal Cruise Hurghada and Go Shalabi reviews cover the companies behind two of the picks.