Red Sea Mountain Trail Trek

Written by the Egypt Day Tours team and reviewed by our licensed Egyptologist guides. Last updated July 2026.

A Bedouin-led trek on the Red Sea Mountain Trail, mainland Egypt’s first long-distance hike, a roughly 170km route through the wild Red Sea mountains near Hurghada, owned and run by the Maaza Bedouin. Walk a stage or the full trail, easily combined with the Red Sea coast.

Just inland from the beach resorts of Hurghada rises a range of wild, jagged mountains that almost no tourist ever sees. Through them runs the Red Sea Mountain Trail, mainland Egypt’s first long-distance hiking route, a roughly 170km path stitched together from ancient Bedouin ways. It is owned and run by the Maaza, and it offers some of the emptiest, most adventurous trekking in the country, a world away from the sunloungers a short drive to the east.

The trail is the younger sister of the Sinai Trail, opened in 2019 and created by the Khushmaan clan of the Maaza, Egypt’s largest Bedouin tribe, working with experienced trail developers. Like its sibling, it is a community project: owned by the Bedouin, guided by the Bedouin, and built to bring tourism income and pride to a remote mountain people. Choosing it means your adventure does real good.

The trekking here is gloriously wild. You climb to high, rocky summits, including Gebel Shayib el-Banat, the highest mountain in mainland Egypt, and cross silent valleys where the only signs of life are a Bedouin camp or a herd of goats. Your guides read the landscape effortlessly, finding water, shade, and the old paths, and share a culture shaped by these mountains over generations. Nights are spent at simple camps beneath some of the darkest skies you will ever see.

We are honest that this is remote, rugged country and a real physical challenge, best for hikers who are reasonably fit and ready for multi-day effort. You can walk a stage of a few days or the full trail over around ten days, and because it sits right beside the Red Sea coast, it pairs beautifully with a few recovery days by the water in Hurghada or beyond.

We arrange everything around the trek and connect you with the Maaza trail team for the guiding itself. Learn about the people on our Bedouin culture page, get ready with our trekking in Egypt guide, and unwind afterward with a Red Sea wellness retreat. See more Bedouin routes on our best hikes in Egypt guide, including easier options for a rest day. It is part of our Bedouin trekking in Egypt collection.

Included

• [check icon] Bedouin-guided trekking on the Red Sea Mountain Trail
• [check icon] Camels and gear support
• [check icon] Camps and meals on the trail
• [check icon] Trail fees supporting the Maaza community
• [check icon] Transfers from Hurghada
• [check icon] Bottled water

Excluded

• [x icon] International flights
• [x icon] Egypt visa
• [x icon] Hotels before or after (can be arranged)
• [x icon] Personal hiking kit and sleeping bag
• [x icon] Travel insurance
• [x icon] Personal expenses and tips

Tour Highlights

• [trail icon] Mainland Egypt’s first long-distance trail, around 170km
• [bedouin icon] Owned and guided by the Maaza Bedouin
• [summit icon] Gebel Shayib el-Banat, mainland Egypt’s highest peak
• [star icon] Wild camps under exceptionally dark skies
• [sea icon] Easily paired with the Red Sea coast at Hurghada

Pricing

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Red Sea Mountain Trail?

In the mountains just inland from Hurghada, on mainland Egypt’s Red Sea coast, a short drive from the resorts.

Who owns and guides it?

The Khushmaan clan of the Maaza tribe. It is a Bedouin-owned community project, and we partner with their trail team.

How hard is it?

It is remote, rugged, multi-day trekking for reasonably fit hikers. Stages can be matched to your fitness; see our prep guide.

Can I combine it with the beach?

Yes, ideally. It pairs perfectly with recovery days on the Red Sea coast at Hurghada or nearby.

How long does the full trail take?

Around ten days for the full route, or you can walk a shorter stage.