Marsa Alam stargazing: a telescope night in the desert
Marsa Alam stargazing happens inland, in the dry mountains behind the Red Sea coast, away from the lights of the coastal towns.
The tours fit different evenings. The shortest runs about 5 hours 30 minutes from a 14:00 start, the longest 7 hours with a ride on the beach before dark. Prices run from 57 USD to 90 USD per person.
Our picks: stargazing tours in Marsa Alam
A 5.5 hour jeep safari from 14:00, a six hour safari with a quad ride, an astronomer-led night with a GPS telescope and a seven hour beach tour with four rides. The astronomer tour specifies a GPS-directed telescope, while the jeep safari has the lowest listed price.
Hand-picked tours, booked through Viator and GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of November 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Desert stargazing tour with astronomer, camel ride and dinner
- Jeep pickup at your hotel
- Camel ride and sunset from a high viewpoint
- GPS-directed telescope with an astronomer
Six hours built around the night sky, with a Bedouin dinner and an oriental show. Buggy and quad rides are part of the evening.
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Stargazing on the beach with a 4-ride safari
- Quad, buggy, horse and camel rides
- Dinner and entertainment show
- Telescope with an astronomy guide
Seven hours combining a 45 minute quad ride with 15 minutes each on a buggy, horse and camel before the telescope session.
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Stargazing safari with dinner and quad bike ride
- 30 minute quad and 20 minute buggy ride
- Bedouin dinner and party
- Professional telescope viewing
Six hours with sunset viewing, a short camel ride, a Bedouin tent visit and an astronomy explanation at the telescope.
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Jeep safari with quad, camel, dinner and stargazing
- Quad, buggy and camel ride
- Bedouin dinner and tea
- Telescope stargazing with guidance
Starts at 14:00 and runs about 5.5 hours, depending on your pickup point. The government fee of 5 EUR is paid in cash on site.
Check availability →Stargazing tours in Marsa Alam
Desert nights with a guided telescope session, Bedouin dinner and quad, buggy or camel rides, with current prices and availability.
What each Marsa Alam stargazing tour includes
The 5.5 hour jeep safari costs 57 USD per person and starts at 14:00 with pickup in Marsa Alam and the area around it. It adds a quad ride, a dune buggy ride, a camel ride, tea with fresh bread, bottled water, a Bedouin dinner and a telescope session with a guide. The total time depends on your pickup point.
The six hour safari with dinner and a quad bike ride costs 72 USD per person and combines a 30 minute quad ride, a 20 minute buggy ride, a short camel ride, a Bedouin tent visit, sunset viewing, a Bedouin party and a professional telescope session with an astronomy explanation.
The six hour tour with an astronomer costs 90 USD per person and is the one built around the sky. It has a camel ride and sunset from a higher mountain, a Bedouin dinner with an oriental show, a GPS-directed telescope for deep space objects and jeep pickup from your hotel.
The seven hour beach tour costs 75 USD per person and offers hotel pickup in the advertised Marsa Alam area. It has hotel pickup, a 45 minute quad ride, a 15 minute buggy ride, a 15 minute horse ride, a 15 minute camel ride, dinner, a show and an astronomy guide with a telescope.
Which tour fits you
Anyone with limited time takes the 5.5 hour jeep safari, and those who care most about the sky take the astronomer tour. Travelers who want horse riding as well as quad, buggy and camel rides suit the seven hour tour, while a group that wants several rides before dinner fits the six hour quad safari. For four people paying the listed per-person price, the jeep safari totals 228 USD and the astronomer tour 360 USD, before additional fees.
Prices, extras and who can join
Prices as of November 2026. The 5.5 hour tour lists a government entry fee of 5 EUR per person, paid in cash on site, and excludes souvenirs, shisha and tips. On the seven hour tour, hotels before El Quseir or beyond Iberotel Costa Mares add a transfer fee of 10 EUR per person. The 5.5 hour tour is not wheelchair accessible, and its quoted duration includes the rides, dinner and telescope session. The 5.5 hour tour refunds fully when you cancel up to 24 hours before.
Moon, weather and what to wear
Marsa Alam stargazing is best on clear evenings with little moonlight, because bright moonlight washes out faint stars and the Milky Way. Wind, cloud and cold also change what you see, so no tour can promise a particular planet or galaxy. Desert nights are cool, so bring a jacket and long trousers, plus a camera, sunscreen and water.
Off-road travel in Egypt needs a qualified guide and a permit from the Interior Ministry, and night driving outside resorts is discouraged, which makes a guided tour the practical choice for a desert evening. If you want more daytime action, see the quad biking tours, the horse riding rides or the Marsa Alam excursions.
Marsa Alam stargazing: practical questions
How much does a stargazing tour in Marsa Alam cost?
The tours cost 57 USD to 90 USD per person. The 5.5 hour jeep safari is 57 USD, the seven hour beach tour 75 USD, the six hour quad safari 72 USD and the astronomer tour 90 USD. Prices are as of November 2026, and some tours add a cash fee on site.
How long does a stargazing tour last?
Between 5.5 and 7 hours in total. The jeep safari starts at 14:00, and the longest tour takes 7 hours including quad, buggy, horse and camel rides. The telescope session itself follows dinner, after dark, and the total time depends on your pickup point.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes on most tours. The jeep safari picks up in Marsa Alam and the surrounding area, and the astronomer tour collects you at your hotel by jeep. On the seven hour tour, hotels before El Quseir or beyond Iberotel Costa Mares add 10 EUR per person.
Can I see the Milky Way?
Clear, dark nights offer the best chance, since the desert is away from town lights. Little moonlight helps, because bright moonlight hides faint stars. Wind and cloud can reduce the view, so no tour guarantees a particular object, and the guide chooses targets on the night.