Quad Biking in Marsa Alam: A First-Timer’s Guide to the Desert Ride

Why quad biking is the desert’s favourite thrill

Ask guests what they remember from a week in Marsa Alam and the quad ride comes up again and again, usually just after the dolphins and the turtles. A few minutes from the coastal hotels the road gives way to the Eastern Desert: open sandy plains, dry riverbeds and the Red Sea Hills on the horizon. Riding through it on your own quad, with the late sun turning the mountains gold, is the quickest way to feel how big and quiet that landscape is.

It is also far more approachable than it looks. Most of the people who ride with us have never sat on a quad before. The trips are guided from start to finish, the route is chosen for beginners and the pace is set for the group, so the only skill you need is the willingness to try. If you are still choosing between the sea and the sand for your week, our guide to the best things to do in Marsa Alam puts both side by side.

How a quad biking trip works

Our dedicated sunset quad bike tour is a compact afternoon of about three hours from hotel pickup to drop-off. A typical trip runs like this:

1. Pickup from your hotel in Marsa Alam town, Port Ghalib, Coraya Bay or Madinat Coraya, roughly 30 minutes before the ride. The exact time is confirmed by WhatsApp the day before.
2. A hands-on safety briefing at the desert base, then your helmet goes on and you take a short practice loop to get a feel for the throttle and brakes.
3. The ride itself: you follow your guide in a convoy across dunes and dry riverbeds toward a viewpoint over the Red Sea Hills.
4. A stop for Bedouin tea and photos as the sun sinks behind the mountains.
5. The ride back to base and the transfer to your hotel, in good time for dinner.

The quad, fuel, helmet, safety briefing, Bedouin tea, a local guide, bottled water and the hotel transfers are all included. Dinner is not part of this trip, which is exactly why it suits people who want the thrill without giving up a whole evening.

Who can drive a quad, and who rides as a passenger

You do not need a driving licence or any previous experience. The rules that matter are about age:

• Riders aged 16 and over can drive their own quad.
• On the quad bike tour the minimum age is eight. Children aged 8 to 15 ride as passengers with a guide.
• A double quad lets a child or a partner ride pillion behind an adult. Mention it when you book so the right quads are ready.
• Younger children, from age three, are better suited to the full desert safari with quad, camel and Bedouin dinner, where they ride as passengers on a guide’s quad or in the support vehicle.

In our experience, families with younger children usually enjoy the full safari more than the quad-only trip, because the camels, the Bedouin village and the campfire matter as much to them as the engine. Our guide to Marsa Alam with kids has more ideas for a family week.

Riding tips for first-timers

Your guide covers everything in the briefing, but knowing the basics in advance makes the first few minutes far more relaxed:

• Start gently. Squeeze the throttle smoothly rather than snapping it open, and get used to how the quad responds during the practice loop.
• Brake before a turn, not in the middle of it, and look where you want to go: the quad follows your eyes more than you expect.
• Keep both hands on the handlebars and your feet on the footrests at all times.
• On bumpy ground, relax your arms and let your knees take the movement instead of gripping tightly.
• Keep a steady gap to the quad in front. It gives you time to brake and keeps you out of the worst of the dust.
• Stay on your guide’s line and do not overtake. If you want to slow down or need a break, signal to your guide — nobody is in a hurry.

Quad, buggy or jeep: which desert ride suits you?

Quads are not the only way to get out into the dunes. Each option suits a different kind of traveller:

• You want the ride and nothing else: the three-hour quad bike tour, timed for the sunset viewpoint.
• You want the quad as part of a full desert evening: the classic desert safari adds a camel ride, an Ababda Bedouin village, a barbecue dinner and stargazing, with around 45 minutes to an hour of riding split into segments.
• You want everything, including off-roading in a 4x4: the Super Safari jeep adventure combines a jeep drive, a quad leg, a camel ride and dinner. Every activity is optional, so anyone who would rather stay in the jeep can.
• You want to keep the whole family together: the family buggy safari puts up to four people in one buggy with a roll cage and four-point seat belts. An adult aged 18 or over drives, and children from four ride as passengers.
• You are travelling as a pair: the private two-seat buggy safari gives you your own buggy for canyons, a panorama stop and a faster run across the open flats.

If you are unsure, the simple rule is this: quads feel the most adventurous because you sit astride the machine and feel every bump, while buggies are steadier and more sheltered. You can compare every trip in our desert safari tours, or read our guide to the Marsa Alam desert safari for how the full evening works.

What to wear and bring

• Closed shoes. Sandals and flip-flops are not suitable on a quad.
• Comfortable clothes you do not mind getting dusty.
• A scarf or buff to pull over your mouth and nose. A dust scarf is available on request.
• Sunglasses, a hat for the stops and reef-safe sunscreen.
• Your phone or camera on a strap or in a zip pocket, so nothing is lost on the ride.

Helmets are provided and must be worn. For the rest of your holiday, from the beach to the boat trips, see the complete Marsa Alam packing list.

Safety on a guided quad trip

The quads can go faster than you will ever need, but on our guided routes the pace is kept safe and comfortable for the whole group. Helmets are mandatory, the briefing and practice loop come before anyone heads out, and the convoy is staggered so the riders behind are not driving through the dust of the riders in front. On the full desert safari a support 4x4 with a first-aid kit travels with the group.

Sandstorms and unsafe conditions are rare, but if one ever forces a cancellation you are offered a free reschedule or a full refund. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before the start of the trip.

The best time of year for quad biking

Quad trips run daily all year. In July and August daytime temperatures often reach 38–40°C, which is why the rides start in the afternoon and finish around sunset, when the heat has eased. Winter, from December to February, brings mild, sunny days that are ideal for riding, though the desert cools quickly once the sun goes down, so bring a light layer. Spring and autumn sit comfortably in between. For a month-by-month picture, read the best time to visit Marsa Alam.

Where you ride: the desert behind Marsa Alam

Our desert trips head inland into the Eastern Desert, the same landscape that runs south into Wadi El Gemal National Park, one of Egypt’s largest protected areas. It is a desert with a long human story: the Ababda Bedouin have lived in these valleys for generations, and the tea stop on the ride is a small taste of their hospitality. Ride gently, take your rubbish home and leave the plants and wildlife undisturbed, and the desert will look just as good for the next riders.