Excursions from El Quseir: Which Trips Pick You Up, and What to See in Town
Omar SaidFounder & Head Guide6 min read
Staying in El Quseir? The Luxor and Aswan day trips include pickup from El Quseir hotels, and the desert safari and the Super Safari pick up there for a surcharge. Here is how the excursions from El Quseir work, plus what to see in the old port town itself.
El Quseir is the old port town on the Red Sea coast north of Marsa Alam, about an hour by road from Marsa Alam International Airport. It is quieter than the resort areas farther south, with its own beaches and reefs, an Ottoman fort and a small old town. If you are staying there, the main question is which excursions can collect you from your hotel. This guide answers it trip by trip, using the pickup areas of our live tours, and adds a few things to see in El Quseir itself.
The short answer
- The Luxor day trip and the Aswan day trip include hotel pickup from El Quseir.
- The Marsa Alam desert safari and the Super Safari by 4x4 also pick up from El Quseir, for a surcharge. We confirm the amount when you book.
- The other trips (quad and buggy rides, the camel ride, the snorkeling and boat trips and the diving trip) don’t list El Quseir as a pickup area. Message us with your hotel and date, and we will tell you what is possible.
Our hotel pickup checker shows the pickup areas for every trip in one place.
Luxor and Aswan: the Nile Valley from El Quseir
For centuries, El Quseir was the Red Sea end of the Wadi Hammamat route across the Eastern Desert to the Nile Valley, so a day trip to the pharaohs fits it naturally. Both of our Nile Valley trips include pickup from El Quseir hotels.
- The Luxor day trip visits the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon and Karnak Temple with an Egyptologist guide, with lunch included. It is a full day of about 13 to 14 hours, and pickups in Marsa Alam start at around 4:00 AM.
- The Aswan day trip takes you to the island temple of Philae by motorboat, the Aswan High Dam and a felucca sail on the Nile. It is also a full day of about 13 to 14 hours, starting at around 3:30 AM in Marsa Alam.
Your exact pickup time from El Quseir depends on your hotel and is confirmed before the trip. Bring your passport or ID for the police checkpoints on the desert road. Not sure which to choose? Our comparison of Luxor or Aswan from Marsa Alam sets them side by side.
Desert safaris from El Quseir
Two afternoon safaris pick up from El Quseir hotels, with a surcharge for the longer drive:
- The Marsa Alam desert safari: a quad ride across the dunes, a visit to an Ababda Bedouin village with tea, a camel ride at sunset and a barbecue dinner under the stars. It lasts about 5 to 6 hours, and children from age three can join.
- The Super Safari by 4x4: a longer afternoon of about 6 to 7 hours with a 4x4 ride as well as quads, camels, the Bedouin village and dinner in the desert.
Pickup times depend on your hotel and are confirmed by WhatsApp the evening before, so be ready in the lobby a few minutes early. Our Marsa Alam desert safari guide explains what the evening is like.
Sea trips: ask us first
Our snorkeling, boat and diving trips collect guests from Marsa Alam town, Port Ghalib, Coraya Bay and other resort areas, but they don’t list El Quseir. The Sataya dolphin reef and Hamata Islands boats also sail from Hamata harbour in the far south, which is a very long way from El Quseir for a day trip. If one of them is high on your list, message us before you book and we will tell you honestly whether it can work from your hotel.
In the meantime, El Quseir has reefs of its own, and many hotels there sit on one. Our guide to snorkeling a Marsa Alam house reef explains how to do it safely from the jetty or the beach.
What to see in El Quseir itself
El Quseir is one of the oldest ports on this coast. For centuries it was a departure point for pilgrims sailing to Mecca and a harbour for grain from the Nile Valley, and its old town still has narrow streets with small shops, a pleasant change from the resorts.
The landmark is the Ottoman fort, built in the 16th century to guard the harbour. French troops took it in 1799 and strengthened it, and the same year two British frigates bombarded it for days. It was later restored as a museum and visitor centre about the town’s history and the Red Sea coast; check the opening times locally before you go.
For souvenirs, spices and how haggling works, see our guide to shopping in Marsa Alam.
Planning a week from El Quseir
- Arriving: hotels in El Quseir are about an hour from Marsa Alam airport; our airport transfer can take you there.
- Plan Luxor or Aswan for the middle of your stay, not your first or last day, and keep the day after it easy.
- An afternoon desert safari is a good contrast with beach days, and you are back at your hotel in the evening.
- Use your own house reef for easy snorkeling between trips.
For every trip on the coast in one place, see our guide to Marsa Alam excursions.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, some do. The Luxor and Aswan day trips include pickup from El Quseir hotels, and the desert safari and the Super Safari pick up there for a surcharge. For other trips, message us with your hotel and date.
On the desert safari and the Super Safari, yes, because of the longer drive; we confirm the amount when you book. Pickup from El Quseir is included on the Luxor and Aswan day trips.
Yes. The Luxor day trip includes pickup from El Quseir hotels. It is a full day of about 13 to 14 hours with a very early start; your exact pickup time is confirmed before the trip.
Hotels in El Quseir are about an hour by road from Marsa Alam International Airport.
The 16th-century Ottoman fort, now a museum and visitor centre, the narrow streets of the old town, and the reefs and beaches along the coast.
Omar Said
Founder & Head Guide
Omar has led desert and sea excursions on Egypt’s Red Sea coast for over 15 years. Born in Marsa Alam and a licensed guide, he founded Marsa Alam Safari to share the region he knows intimately — from the best dolphin reefs to the quietest desert valleys.
