A Giftun Island day trip from Hurghada can combine a named island beach, two planned reef stops, lunch and time sailing on the Red Sea. The first decision is which destination and package you are booking: Orange Bay and Paradise Island are separate choices, not automatic stops on every island cruise.
This guide compares the booking formats and practical questions before you choose. The standard shared options are approximately eight hours overall, with about two hours ashore. Product details checked on 23 September 2026.
1. What does a Giftun Island day trip mean?
Giftun is the island area off Hurghada, while an excursion name may identify a particular beach destination and package. Egypt’s official tourism website introduces the Giftun Islands as a boat outing from Hurghada. For booking, the specific beach named in your confirmation matters.
Our two main shared island choices are Orange Bay and Paradise Island. Each combines a named island visit with reef stops and time aboard. Booking one does not automatically give you access to the other, and a generic “island cruise” description is not enough to establish your destination.
Start by deciding which beach you want, then compare the complete program that takes you there. If a photograph or a particular facility is the reason you are booking, ask whether it belongs to that destination and is available under your package.
This guide helps you choose the type of day. The individual destination, price and snorkeling guides cover their specialist questions in more detail, so you can move from a broad idea to a specific reservation.
2. Choose the named destination and package
For a Giftun Island day trip with Orange Bay, use the Orange Bay boat excursion. It includes the island visit, two planned reef stops, equipment, lunch and drinks onboard, and Hurghada hotel transfers. Approximately two hours is planned at Orange Bay within an approximately eight-hour outing.
The Paradise Island boat excursion also combines two planned reef stops with approximately two hours ashore, onboard lunch and drinks, equipment and Hurghada transfers. Its overall duration is also approximately eight hours. These shared packages have a published maximum of 50 guests.
Both current products describe water activities subject to conditions. Do not choose between them on an unsupported promise that only one includes games, or that a floating aqua park and sofa ride are guaranteed. Confirm a specific activity if it is essential to you.
Use the Orange Bay versus Paradise Island comparison to consider the beach experience. Neither destination guarantees an empty beach, still water or a quieter departure on your date. Photographs help identify the setting but do not establish the day’s conditions.
3. Understand the eight-hour outing
A Giftun Island day trip is not eight hours of uninterrupted beach time. The overall duration includes hotel travel, boarding, sailing, reef stops, lunch, the island visit and the return. Time ashore is approximately two hours in the standard programs.
The exact pickup depends on your hotel and confirmed departure arrangements. Do not use a generic 8:00 AM collection time or a promotional sailing timetable as your own appointment. Save the meeting point and pickup details supplied for your reservation.
The sequence can change. Lunch, the beach visit and the two reef stops do not have to appear in a fixed order. Listen to the crew’s plan and reconfirm the meeting time before leaving the group at the island.
When arranging another activity afterward, leave room for the approximate nature of the return. Tell the booking team about a same-day flight or another fixed commitment before booking; an estimated finish is not a guaranteed connection.
4. Decide how much you want to swim
The two reef stops on a Giftun Island day trip are separate from the beach visit. They are planned opportunities to snorkel from the boat, not a promise of a fixed reef name, swimming duration or particular animal sighting.
Explain your swimming ability before booking and again during the briefing. A first-time snorkeler who swims confidently has different needs from someone who cannot swim. Included equipment and a flotation aid do not turn the excursion into a swimming lesson.
You may prefer to stay aboard for one or both stops. Agree the arrangements with the crew, and ensure an accompanying adult remains responsible for any child outside the water. Declining an activity does not automatically reduce the package fare.
For equipment, reef selection and participation questions, read the Giftun snorkeling guide. Choose your excursion around the experience your party can enjoy, rather than feeling obliged to complete every activity.
5. Plan the day around your family
For the standard Orange Bay and Paradise programs, ages 0–3 travel free, ages 4–10 pay a fixed €15, and ages 11+ pay €25. Include each child’s age and every infant in the reservation, even when the infant’s excursion fare is zero.
A child price does not mean every water activity suits that child. Ask about equipment sizes, boarding, supervision and participation requirements separately. Do not promise children a particular game before its availability and suitability are confirmed.
A full Giftun Island day trip includes travel and waiting as well as swimming. Think about shade, dry clothing, food and how your child handles a long day away from the hotel. Confirm any essential vessel facility or dietary arrangement before booking.
For two adults and two children aged 4–10, the standard base excursion amount is €80. An infant does not add an excursion fare, while an eleven-year-old belongs in the €25 category. Hotel-area supplements and optional purchases are additional where applicable.
Agree in advance which adult will supervise a child who stays aboard or leaves the water early. Crew presence does not replace parental supervision, and another guest should not be assumed to provide childcare.
6. Compare the complete party cost
The base Giftun Island day trip price for either standard shared option is €25 per adult and €15 per child aged 4–10. The useful comparison is the total for your actual party and hotel, with the named destination and inclusions held constant.
| Cost item | Current standard arrangement |
|---|---|
| Hurghada hotel pickup and return | Included. |
| Makadi Bay / Sahl Hasheesh | Published supplement €5 per person; confirm the full party amount. |
| El Gouna / Soma Bay / Safaga | Published supplement €10 per person; confirm the full party amount. |
| Onboard lunch and drinks | Included in the standard shared package. |
| Purchases ashore or optional photography | Separate unless explicitly included in your confirmation. |
Do not calculate a child’s or infant’s transport supplement from the excursion fare alone. Ask how the supplement applies to everyone traveling from your hotel. A clear written total is more useful than a headline price with unresolved additions.
The Orange Bay budget guide and Paradise Island budget guide contain family examples and ticket details. Use the product page to reserve the actual excursion rather than treating an information article as a booking.
7. Shared boat or private speedboat?
A shared Giftun Island day trip and a private boat are different products. The standard island excursions last approximately eight hours and have a published maximum of 50 guests. “VIP” in a product description does not mean the boat belongs exclusively to your party.
The private speedboat excursion is priced at €150 for the whole vessel, with a maximum of six guests including children and an approximate duration of four hours. Fruit and drinks are listed; a full lunch is not the same inclusion as on the shared excursion.
Orange Bay is an optional visit on that private product, listed at €10 per visitor. Confirm the admission total for all ages, transfer arrangements and chosen route. A private Paradise visit requires a separate itinerary explicitly confirming that destination and its admission.
Do not compare €150 with a single €25 shared ticket without considering the guest count and package. Equally, do not assume a private boat becomes suitable for every family simply because the party can share its price. Capacity, access and facilities still matter.
A private hotel transfer is separate from private boat use. If only the vehicle is upgraded, the island excursion remains shared unless the confirmation also changes the vessel arrangement.
8. Make the most of your time ashore
When your Giftun Island day trip reaches the booked beach, note the group meeting point and return time before exploring. Allow time to get back without rushing, and keep children with an accompanying adult around the shoreline and boarding area.
Beach swimming and an offshore reef stop are different activities. Follow any marked swimming area and local instructions. Shallow water in a photograph does not establish the depth or conditions everywhere at the venue on your visit.
The standard meal is onboard. If you choose to buy food or drinks ashore, check the price and accepted payment method first. Do not assume all beach services or every photographed seating arrangement is included in your excursion.
Use your camera without blocking access or ignoring the return instructions. A venue photograph illustrates the setting, not an assurance that a particular spot will be empty. If a specific facility is central to your plans, ask about it before booking.
9. Check food, access and onboard comfort
Before a Giftun Island day trip, describe any access requirement in practical terms: boarding steps, a ladder, walking distance, balance or assistance. Ask about the actual marina and vessel arrangements rather than relying on a general “suitable for everyone” label.
Similarly, confirm shade, seating and toilet facilities if they affect your decision. Different boats may be used, and an image of one vessel does not establish the layout of another. Ask early enough to choose an alternative if a requirement cannot be met.
Lunch and drinks are included onboard in the standard shared packages. A particular fish dish, vegetarian option or allergy arrangement is not guaranteed by the word “lunch.” Explain the requirement and obtain a clear answer before departure.
If your party includes guests who are uncomfortable with a long boat journey, discuss the full duration and available alternatives. No destination name can promise a motion-free sailing day. Health or medication questions should be taken to an appropriate professional.
10. Pack for the boat and the beach
Bring swimwear, a towel, a hat, sun protection and dry clothing. A dry layer is useful after time in the water when the breeze feels cool. Keep important items protected from splashes and leave unnecessary valuables at your accommodation.
Basic snorkeling equipment is included, but a specialist item or size should be confirmed beforehand. If you bring your own mask or other gear, label the bag and ask where to store it. Keep walkways and boarding areas clear.
Protect the reefs by avoiding contact with coral and by not feeding, chasing or collecting marine life. Keep loose belongings secure and take litter back with you. A photograph is never a reason to damage the environment or leave the agreed swimming area.
Check your hotel’s towel arrangements rather than assuming one will be supplied on the boat. Carry only the optional spending money or payment method you need, and confirm the accepted currency when agreeing to an extra service.
11. Choose a date without relying on guarantees
The operating conditions for a Giftun Island day trip matter more than a promise that a certain month always has calm water. The crew may adjust reef stops or activity order, and a planned water game can be unavailable when conditions do not permit it.
For broader seasonal planning, see the island timing guide. Use it to prepare clothing and expectations, while confirming your departure separately. A seasonal overview cannot establish the conditions on one travel date.
If a specific activity is your only reason to book, explain that before reserving and ask what happens if it cannot operate. An altered activity and cancellation of the entire excursion are different situations, with different options to clarify.
Have an alternative date in mind if your holiday schedule allows it. A date-change request still needs confirmation; sending a message does not by itself move the reservation or guarantee availability.
12. Book the selected beach and keep the confirmation
Send the date, full hotel name, guest numbers and children’s ages when requesting your Giftun Island day trip. Name Orange Bay or Paradise Island rather than leaving the destination undecided. Add any swimming, dietary or access need that affects your choice.
Keep the confirmed product, date, pickup point, collection time, party total and agreed extras. Payment is made when the trip takes place; confirm the payment method and currency. Tell the team if your hotel or guest list changes.
Our cancellation and date-change terms provide a full refund for cancellation received at least 24 hours before the confirmed start, using local time in Egypt. Later cancellation and no-shows are non-refundable. Any disclosed non-refundable committed-cost exception must be stated before payment and in the confirmation.
A date-change request at least 24 hours ahead has no change fee, subject to availability, any price difference and confirmation. If we cancel, including for unsafe weather, choose an available alternative date or a full refund.
Giftun Island day trip: questions answered
Does Giftun mean I will visit both Orange Bay and Paradise?
No. The standard packages visit the named destination you book. A generic island description does not establish admission to both beaches.
Is the whole eight-hour trip spent on the beach?
No. Around two hours ashore is planned within an approximately eight-hour excursion that also includes transfers, sailing, reef stops and lunch.
Can people who do not swim join the same booking?
They can plan to enjoy the boat and island without joining the reef stops. Agree the arrangements with the crew and maintain adult supervision of children.
Are both shared island options €25 for adults?
The current standard adult fare is €25 for ages 11+ on both. Children aged 4–10 pay €15 and ages 0–3 are free, before applicable extras.
Does VIP mean a private vessel?
No. The standard products are shared, with a maximum of 50 guests. Private use needs a separate confirmed product.
Can I choose a particular reef in advance?
The standard package does not guarantee a named reef. The crew confirms the operating route according to conditions.
Is a floating aqua park included?
It is not an established inclusion of these current standard packages. Ask about a specific activity rather than assuming it from an old description.
Will a private transfer make the boat private?
No. Hotel transport and exclusive vessel use are separate arrangements.
Does the private speedboat automatically include Paradise?
No. The listed private option names Orange Bay as an optional visit. Paradise requires a separate confirmed itinerary.
Do infants need to appear on the guest list?
Yes. Include every traveler even when the excursion fare is free. Confirm any transport supplement for the complete party.
Can I rely on a fixed hotel return time?
The duration is approximate. Tell the team about a flight or other fixed commitment before booking.
What if the operator cancels because of weather?
Choose an available alternative date or a full refund if we cancel. Ask separately about changes to individual activities on an operating excursion.