Kitesurfing in Egypt

El Gouna

El Gouna, one of the world-renowned beaches in Egypt, is part of the list. The small seaside town is considered one of the best holiday destinations in Egypt, so it’s no surprise that it’s also a popular location for kitesurfing and other water sports.

El Gouna is located on the Red Sea, near Hurghada. The town lies along the shore and near small islands, lagoons, coral reefs, and white-sand beaches. Its Mangroovy Beach is popular among kitesurfers.

With its accessible location and a rich array of stunning beaches, El Gouna offers 24-hour parties, water sports, and other activities on its vast lagoons and sea-side entertainment complexes.

How to Get to El Gouna

El Gouna is a tourist destination for Egyptian residents and European tourists. For convenience, you can directly reach El Gouna approximately 40 minutes from Hurghada International Airport through a rented vehicle or public transport. From Cairo, the capital city, you can drive, take the bus, or rent a taxi and reach the destination in approximately 5 hours.

Address:

El Gouna, Hurghada, Red Sea Governorate, Egypt

Soma Bay

Soma Bay is a coastal resort and a natural peninsula between the Red Sea and some of the beautiful desert mountains in Egypt. It’s on the country’s eastern shores, accessible from various cities and even from central Europe. The resort is only 45 kilometers south of Hurghada International Airport.

Soma Bay houses flat-water and clear lagoons. And due to its strategic location surrounded by mountains, it consistently offers side-shore winds, allowing new and experienced kitesurfers to engage in the sport no matter the time of day.

Egypt is not the only country that recognizes Soma Bay as a beautiful kitesurfing spot. It was handpicked as the venue for Egypt’s first World Championship in Kitesurfing (PKRA) in 2014.

How to Get to Soma Bay

For convenience, you can directly get to Soma Bay from Hurghada International Airport through a rented vehicle or public transport in approximately 45 minutes. From Cairo, the nearest city and the capital of Egypt, Soma Bay is 500 kilometers away. It would be a long drive along the main highway.

Address: Somabay, Red Sea, Hurghada, Egypt.

Lahami Bay

Lahami Bay is a resort in Marsa Alam City, Egypt, that houses beaches, outdoor swimming pools, restaurants, fitness centers, bars, and other entertainment venues. It’s one of the best resorts that offer modern buildings on a Red Sea beach.

The natural wonders in Lahami Bay, which consists of flat and shallow bodies of water, small reefs, and lagoons, are blessed with strong winds, so they can cater to kitesurfing, wakeboarding, and other water sports. The central bay is huge and features a deep-bottomed lagoon directly in front of the beach, the best spot for launching and landing kites.

Lahami Bay is one of the underrated spots on the list, so expect quiet and private kitesurfing sessions on non-peak days at the bay. It’s one of the best locations for beginners and groups.

How to Get to Lahami Bay

You can head to Lahami Bay from Hurghada International Airport through a vehicle or public transport in approximately 4 hours and 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can reach the area through the same means from Marsa Alam Airport, which will only take 2 hours and 30 minutes. From Cairo, the capital of Egypt, Lahami Bay is 860 kilometers away.

Address:

115 km south of Marsa Alam, Berenice Road, Red Sea Governorate, Egypt

Ras Sudr

Ras Sudr is a historical town located on the Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea coast. It has been known since the old biblical era. Now, Ras Sudr houses residential areas, private villas, and entertainment complexes for residents, tourists, and even working professionals.

For kitesurfing and other water sports, Ras Sudr houses a 95-km beach coastline that also comes with safe open-water areas. The shallow beaches in the area receive constant winds, making Ras Sudr one of the best kitesurfing spots in Egypt—and maybe even the world due to its biblical reference.

Ras Sudr welcomes beginners and professional kitesurfers alike. Its La Hacienda beach resort, a private beach area, is said to feature strong winds that carry kitesurfers towards the beach instead of the opposite, so it’s perfect for beginners who are still learning the ropes around kitesurfing.

How to Get to Ras Sudr

For convenience, you can directly head to Ras Sudr from Cairo through a private vehicle or by taking a taxi, which will only take roughly 2 hours and 22 minutes. Alternatively, there’s a direct-transfer bus that departs from Cairo to Ras Sudr daily, which will take approximately 3 hours. Ras Sudr is almost 6 hours away from Hurghada International Airport and 2 hours away from Cairo International Airport.

Address: Ras Sudr, South Sinai Governorate, Egypt

Dahab

Dahab is a newly-constructed, man-made town on the southeast coast of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. Before it became a town and one of the best kitesurfing spots and diving destinations in Egypt, Dahab was a Bedouin fishing spot.

Dahab’s natural waters offer beautiful coral reefs and blue waters; that’s why divers, windsurfers, and kitesurfers flock to this spot. There are flat-water lagoons, deep-water lagoons, and secluded lagoons in the area that cater to beginners and advanced kitesurfers. Some kitesurfing spots are only accessible by foot or via camel ride. Still, all of them allow visitors to engage in water sports in crystal blue open-water spots overlooking mountains.

Kitesurfing in Egypt wouldn’t be as popular as it is today without the help of the kitesurfer community in Dahab. The town now features many kitesurfing schools, events, and even competitions.

How to Get to Dahab

The best way to reach Dahab is through the Sharm El Sheikh International Airport, covering a 1-hour journey. From the airport, you can either ride a taxi straight to Dahab or head to the bus station where you can catch a direct bus to Dahab. Cairo, the capital city, is approximately 6 hours away from Dahab.

Address:

Dahab, Saint Catherine, South Sinai Governorate, Egypt

Zaafarana

Zaafarana is a small region on the Red Sea, popular for its wind farms and white-sand beaches. Egypt selected Zaafarana years ago as the ideal location for large wind power plants, so the region is an integral part of the country’s global energy strategy.

As an area with wind farms, Zaafarana as a whole is a secluded desert oasis. It actually only houses one hotel at the moment. But its long sandy beach adjacent to huge water lagoons, combined with strong winds in the area, makes a perfect spot for kitesurfing in Egypt.

How to Get to Zaafarana

Zaafarana is only two to three hours away from Cairo. You can reach the city through private or rented vehicles and a combination of various public transport, such as taxis and buses. There is currently no direct or one-way public transport from the capital to Zaafarana.

Address:

Zaafarana, Ras Gharib, Red Sea Governorate, Egypt

North Coast

The whole North Coast of Egypt is also considered by professional kitesurfers as one of the best spots in Egypt. After all, the North Coast is a weekend beach getaway that many residents, tourists, and expats love. It also features popular and historical cities like Alexandria, Al Alamein, Rosetta, and Marsa Matruh.

The North Coast is home to many crystal blue beaches, private resorts, and residential complexes. The city alone extends for approximately 1,000 kilometers along the Mediterranean Sea, covering the whole northern portion of Egypt, so it offers many opportunities for visitors to try various water sports, especially kitesurfing.

Compared to the Red Sea, the Mediterranean coastline, which houses the North Coast, offers plain beaches with low altitude shrublands. Visitors can expect little to no precipitation and prevailing winds if they want to kitesurf.

How to Get to the North Coast

The North Coast is conveniently accessible from other major parts of Egypt. It is only approximately 200 kilometers away from Cairo, just a two to three-hour journey, depending on the mode of transport. The nearest airport to the North Coast is the Al Alamain International Airport, which is only 33 minutes away.

Address:

North Coast Area, Alexandria Governorate, Egypt

Safaga

Safaga, a popular town and commercial port on the Red Coast, is truly a kitesurfer’s paradise. Today, several bungalows, residential houses, hotels, restaurants, bars, and entertainment complexes reside in Safaga. The tourist accommodation in the area aims to boost tourism and promote water sports and activities in the area, such as kitesurfing, windsurfing, scuba diving, and wakeboarding.

The town and its surrounding areas offer many reefs, beaches, and lagoons to explore. They all come with good kite and windsurfing conditions, ideal for practice sessions, beginner lessons, and competitions.

Safaga’s strategic location and weather conditions also massively contributed to promoting kitesurfing in Egypt to the world. The town, despite being small, was the host of the 1993 Red Sea World Windsurfing Championships.

How to Get to Safaga

The best way to get to Safaga is by air, as it is only 47 minutes away from the Hurghada International Airport. There are local airlines in Egypt that operate daily flights from various areas to Hurghada. You can easily reach Safaga from Cairo through the direct buses located at Tahrir, Torgoman, and Almaza bus stops.

Address: Safaga, Red Sea Governorate, Egypt

El Naaba

El Naaba is one of the few sandy beaches in South Egypt that attracts tourists and houses entertainment complexes. It is more developed than other islands in the area. As such, it’s the best holiday escape for families living in the busy city of Egypt and, of course, for kitesurfers all over the continent.

There are plenty of private and public spaces in El Naaba for water sports and other extreme activities. There is a kite lagoon for both beginners and freestyle kitesurfers, accessible through the main beach. Strong winds come and go in the area. If it’s not windy enough for kitesurfing, visitors can always try diving or snorkeling.

How to Get to El Naaba

Marsa Alam Airport is only 30 minutes away from El Naaba, so the most convenient travel option is by air. Unfortunately, it’s a bit far from Cairo, about 700 kilometers away.

Address:

El Naaba, Red Sea Governorate, Egypt

Hamata

Hamata is located in the south of Egypt, the southernmost part of the country, to be exact. Due to its remote location, it is considered one of Egypt’s hidden gems and most underrated kitesurfing spots. Not many tourists and residents from Egypt and Europe have been to Hamata, so expect the place to be unspoiled and uncrowded.

The natural aquatic wonders of Hamata mostly feature bright coral reefs, scenic mangrove trees, natural lagoons, and clear Red Sea waters. Since it’s in the southernmost part of the country, Hamata’s natural waters attract strong winds, perfect for kitesurfing in Egypt.

Hamata’s remote location and uncrowded kitesurfing spots is a perfect location for beginners, but take note that the town is in the middle of nowhere. It has yet to introduce nightlife and entertainment.

How to Get to Hamata

The best way to reach Hamata is by air, flying to Marsa Alam airport and organizing a private transfer or riding a public transport to the beach. Expect a two-and-a-half-hour ride from the airport to Hamata. From Cairo, the travel time is approximately 10 hours.

Address:

Halayeb We Shalateen Rd, Marsa Alam, Red Sea Governate, Egypt