Ras Mohammed by private yacht

Protected since 1983, the park is home to more than 1,000 species of fish and more than 220 species of coral, 125 of them soft corals. Green and hawksbill turtles are seen regularly. At the very tip of the peninsula, a small mangrove forest grows along a shallow channel about 1.2 km long.

Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef are the park’s best-known dive sites. Other reefs along the coast include South Bereika, Marsa Ghozlani, Old Quay and the Shark Observatory. On a private yacht, your captain picks which of these suit your group and the sea on the day.

1. You send a request with your date, your group and your swimming level. Ras Mohammed is already filled in.
2. A concierge replies within 2 hours, 9:00 to 22:00 Cairo time, and sends a written quote: the yacht, the operator, the harbour, the departure time, the hours at sea and what is included.
3. You accept the quote and pay the 25% deposit through a secure payment link from your concierge. The operator confirms in writing.
4. On the day, you meet the crew at the harbour named on your quote and follow the captain’s safety instructions.
5. The yacht sails south-west along the coast into the park. The captain chooses the swimming and snorkelling stops for the wind and the sea.
6. Between stops you rest on deck. Lunch and drinks are on board if your quote includes them.
7. You sail back to the same harbour at the time on your quote. The 75% balance goes to the operator before boarding.

We list a yacht only after we have seen its licence and insurance and reviewed it with its operator on a video call. What is on board depends on the yacht and is written on your quote, line by line, before you pay:

• life jackets in children’s sizes, if children are coming
• snorkelling masks and fins
• food, soft drinks and water
• towels
• the park fee
• a transfer from your hotel

If something is not on the quote, it is not included. You can ask for it in your request.

• Families, because the captain can choose calm, shallow stops and the day runs at your own pace.
• Couples and friends who want the reefs without a crowded day boat.
• First-time snorkellers, with the crew close by.
• Groups who want to add White Island in the same day.

A motor yacht or a catamaran gives shade and space for a full day. A speedboat is quicker and suits a small group for a shorter trip. See which boat to choose in Sharm. Our first yachts in Sharm are being reviewed with their operators; the yachts shown today are samples.

Boats sail to Ras Mohammed all year. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable for a full day at sea. In summer the sea is warmest, and a morning start avoids the strongest sun. Wind decides more than temperature: if the port authority or your captain stops sailing, you choose a new date or a full refund. Month-by-month figures are in the best time for a boat trip in Sharm.

The park fee at the time of writing is USD 5 per foreign visitor and EGP 25 per Egyptian visitor, with children under 7 free. Your quote says whether it is included. Inside the park, do not touch or stand on coral, do not feed the fish, and take nothing from the sea. Full details are in our guide to Ras Mohammed park fees and reef rules.