Sharm El Sheikh City Tour — Al Sahaba Mosque, Panoramic Viewpoint & Old Market
Overview
For visitors who have spent several days on the water or in the desert and want a lower-key, half-day alternative, or for those simply curious to see beyond the resort grounds, Egypt For Travel's Sharm El Sheikh City Tour covers the city's main cultural and shopping landmarks: the striking Al Sahaba Mosque, a panoramic viewpoint over the city and coastline, and the Old Market (Souk Sharm), the area's main bazaar district, with ample time allocated for browsing and shopping at the end of the tour.
Al Sahaba Mosque
The Al Sahaba Mosque is among the largest and most architecturally striking mosques in the Sinai Peninsula, built in a Mamluk-revival architectural style with distinctive striped stonework, multiple domes, and an elegant minaret, and named in honour of the Sahaba, the companions of the Prophet Muhammad. Visitors are generally welcome to view the exterior and, outside prayer times and subject to appropriate modest dress, to enter and view the interior, which features detailed decorative stonework and an impressive central prayer hall.
Panoramic Viewpoint
A stop at one of the elevated viewpoints above the city provides a genuinely useful orientation to Sharm el-Sheikh's geography for visitors who have so far only experienced their own resort area, with views extending across the bay, the resort strip, and the surrounding desert mountains, and is a popular spot for photography, particularly in the late afternoon light.
The Old Market
The Old Market, also known as Souk Sharm, is the city's principal bazaar district, a lively area of shops and stalls selling spices, perfumes, textiles, souvenirs, jewellery, and local crafts, considerably less polished and more authentic in character than the shopping arcades within the larger resort hotels. Your guide will accompany you through the market, offering guidance on fair pricing for the kind of bargaining that is customary in this setting, and ensuring you have ample free time to browse and shop without any pressure to purchase.
| Stop | Time Allocated | Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Al Sahaba Mosque | ~30–40 minutes | Striking Mamluk-revival architecture, interior visit subject to prayer times |
| Panoramic viewpoint | ~20 minutes | City and coastline orientation, photography |
| Old Market | ~1.5–2 hours | Spices, perfumes, textiles, souvenirs, guided fair-price shopping |
What no other guide tells you: Sharm el-Sheikh's Old Market sits at a genuine distance from most of the major resort hotel zones, and the prices for comparable souvenirs and goods here are typically noticeably lower than within hotel shopping arcades or beachfront tourist shops closer to the resorts, a price difference that reflects both lower overheads and the more traditional, bargaining-based commercial culture of the bazaar itself; this is one of the most practical, money-saving pieces of local knowledge a visiting guide can offer, and it is precisely why Egypt For Travel includes guided fair-price context as a standard part of this tour rather than simply dropping guests at the market entrance.
| Duration: Half Day (~4 hours) | Type: Day Tour | Run: Everyday |
Included
- Private licensed guide throughout
- Private vehicle — hotel pickup and drop-off
- Al Sahaba Mosque visit
- Panoramic viewpoint stop
- Guided Old Market visit, including fair-price purchasing guidance
- Bottled water
- All government taxes and service charges
Excluded
- Personal purchases at the Old Market
- Refreshments at the market or viewpoint (available locally at own cost)
- Tips for guide and driver
Itinerary:
16:00 — Hotel pickup in Sharm el-Sheikh (afternoon departure to combine the viewpoint and market with the most favourable light and temperature)
16:30–17:10 — Al Sahaba Mosque
17:10–17:30 — Panoramic viewpoint
17:30–19:30 — Old Market: guided shopping and free time
20:00 — Return to hotel
Prices:
Prices
Notes:
Prices Policy
All prices are quoted per person and are inclusive of your guide, private transport, and access to all included stops, as detailed in the Inclusions section above. Single travellers pay the same per-person rate. Children aged 2 to 11 receive a discounted rate — please contact Egypt For Travel for current pricing. As this is one of the lower-intensity, half-day options in the Sharm el-Sheikh range, it is generally one of the more affordably priced tours offered.
Departure Tips
Modest dress, with shoulders and knees covered, is required for entry to Al Sahaba Mosque, and visitors should be prepared to remove their shoes before entering the prayer hall; the timing of this tour is arranged to avoid scheduled prayer times where possible, but your guide will advise on the day if a brief adjustment is needed. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended for the Old Market, where the ground can be uneven in places. Bring a moderate amount of cash in Egyptian pounds if you intend to shop, as this generally secures better prices than card payment in a bargaining context.
Children Policy
Children aged 0–1 travel free of charge. Children aged 2–11 receive a discounted rate — please contact Egypt For Travel for current pricing. This tour is generally well suited to families, combining a relatively gentle pace with the engaging, sensory experience of the Old Market, though the bustling, sometimes crowded market environment is worth bearing in mind for very young children in strollers.
Payment Policy
A deposit of 25% of the total tour cost is required to confirm your booking. The remaining 75% balance is due before or on the day of the tour. During peak season, from October through April, and for group bookings of 6 or more people, a deposit of 50% is required at the time of booking. Egypt For Travel accepts payment by bank transfer, credit card, or cash in USD, EUR, or EGP.
Installment Policy
Flexible payment installments are available on request, particularly for group bookings or when this tour is combined with a broader Sharm el-Sheikh holiday package booked through Egypt For Travel. Please contact us via WhatsApp at +20 155 555 2466 or by email to discuss installment arrangements before confirming your booking.
Tipping Guide
Tipping is customary in Egypt but always at your discretion, and Egypt For Travel never adds automatic gratuities to invoices or applies any pressure to tip. As a general guideline, your guide typically receives $8–10 for a half-day tour of this kind, and your driver typically receives $5. These amounts are paid directly and in cash at the conclusion of the tour, entirely at your discretion.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations made 61 days or more before the scheduled departure incur a 10% cancellation fee. Cancellations made between 31 and 60 days before departure incur a 20% cancellation fee. Cancellations made between 15 and 30 days before departure incur a 50% cancellation fee. Cancellations made within 1 to 14 days of departure are non-refundable, representing a 100% cancellation fee. All cancellation requests must be submitted to Egypt For Travel in writing. Egypt For Travel reserves the right to modify or reschedule tours due to circumstances beyond its control, in which case a full refund or suitable alternative arrangement will always be offered.