Sha'ab El Erg reef, about 25 km north · wild dolphins, never guaranteed · 2 snorkel stops on most boats
Dolphin House is Sha'ab El Erg, a horseshoe-shaped reef north of Hurghada where a pod of wild dolphins often rests. A big-boat day costs little and takes most of the day; a speedboat gets you there and back in about four hours. Nobody can promise the dolphins will show up, so pick a trip whose snorkel stops you would enjoy anyway.
Hotel to hotel
≈ 8–9 h by big boat, ≈ 4 h by speedboat
Pickup
≈ 08:00 in Hurghada town, earlier from Makadi or Soma Bay
Back
≈ 16:30–17:00 (big boat)
On the way
≈ 25 km north of Hurghada; ≈ 45 min by speedboat
Best for
Snorkellers who will still enjoy the day if the dolphins don't come
Fee status. EEAA lists Ministerial Decision 360 of 2025 on protectorate visit fees, with activation postponed for Ras Mohamed, the Northern Islands and Erg & Fanous2
Daily cap. No more than 300 visitors per area per day (Erg and Fanous)1
What it is. Sha'ab El Erg ('Dolphin House') is a resting place for dolphins near Hurghada3
Swimmers. Fins, mask, snorkel and a lifejacket are mandatory4
No touching. Touching dolphins is strictly forbidden5
No chasing. Do not chase dolphins; let them approach6
Sha'ab El Erg is a long horseshoe reef, about 7 km end to end, with a sandy lagoon inside and the open side facing south. It sits in open water north of Hurghada, on the way to El Gouna. A pod of dolphins uses the sheltered water there to rest during the day, which is why every agency in town calls it Dolphin House.
That word "rest" is the key to the whole trip. HEPCA, the Hurghada environmental association that maintains the moorings at the site, lists Sha'ab El Erg together with Fanous and Abu Nugar as places where dolphins mainly sleep. A good morning there means a quiet pod and a few minutes swimming alongside it. A bad morning means fifteen boats, two hundred snorkellers and dolphins that leave.
Dolphins are a maybe, not a promise
Some listings use words like "guaranteed" or quote high sighting rates. Treat that as advertising. The dolphins are wild and they move. Most days they are there, some days they are not, and the boat will not refund you either way. What you can control:
Go early. A speedboat that leaves around 08:00 usually reaches the reef before the big boats from the main marina have finished boarding.
Book a trip that is worth it without dolphins. Most big boats add two snorkel stops on ordinary reefs. If those sound boring to you, a speedboat is the better gamble because you lose less time.
Winter is colder, not calmer. From December to March the water is noticeably cooler and a windy day makes the open stretch north rough. Ask for a shorty wetsuit on board, and take a seasickness tablet before you board, not when you already feel sick.
Big boat, speedboat or private
Big group boat
Shared speedboat
Private speedboat
Time
Most of the day
About 4 hours
About 4 hours, you choose the start
People on board
Often 25–30 or more
Small group
Only your party
Lunch
Buffet on board
Usually fruit and drinks
Snacks; lunch on some boats
Snorkel stops
Dolphin House plus 2 reefs
Dolphin House plus 1–2
Your call, within the hours
Comfort in wind
Steady, has shade and a toilet
Bumpy, little shade
Bumpy, little shade
Price level
Lowest
Middle
Highest per boat, fair split 4–6 ways
If you are staying in El Gouna, look for trips from there: the ride to the reef is shorter. From Makadi, Sahl Hasheesh or Soma Bay, the drive to Hurghada marina adds time before you even board, and many agencies charge a pickup supplement.
The swim rules, and why the guide shouts
HEPCA wrote a code of conduct for dolphin encounters, and it is mandatory, with a fine for boats that break it. For you in the water it means:
Mask, fins, snorkel and a life jacket for everyone, good swimmers included.
Slide into the water. No jumping, no splashing.
Swim gently with your fins, beside the group and parallel to it. Never dive down on top of them.
Don't chase. If the dolphins swim away, the encounter is over.
No touching, ever. It spreads disease both ways. If a seller offers "touch the dolphins", that is a red flag about the whole operation.
No feeding, no rubbish in the water, no underwater scooters near the pod.
For the captain: stay at least 30 metres away, approach slowly and parallel, put the engine in neutral if the dolphins come to the boat, and never follow them into the lagoon. If your boat is chasing a pod at speed, you are allowed to complain to the guide, and later in your review.
What you pay on the day and what to bring
Most boats sell photos and video on board. You can use your own phone in a waterproof pouch instead. Tips for the crew are expected. Some listings leave out the protected-area fee and collect it in cash; the fee card on this page shows the official amount. Bring a towel, reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, cash in small notes and a copy of your passport, which some boats need for the coastguard passenger list.
Questions people ask
Are dolphins guaranteed at Dolphin House?
No. The pod uses the reef to rest, but some days it is elsewhere or swims off when boats arrive. Honest operators say the sighting depends on the dolphins and the sea, and none refunds you if they don't appear.
Can you swim with dolphins in Hurghada?
Yes, with wild dolphins at Dolphin House, but only on their terms. The HEPCA code requires a life jacket, mask, fins and snorkel, and forbids touching, chasing or diving down onto the pod.
How far is Dolphin House from Hurghada?
Sha'ab El Erg is roughly 25 km north of Hurghada, between the town and El Gouna. Speedboats take about 45 minutes from Hurghada marina; big boats are slower. Boats from El Gouna have a shorter ride.
Is the Dolphin House trip good for non-swimmers?
Partly. You can watch from the deck, and crews hand out life jackets, but the reason to go is getting in the water. A non-swimmer in a life jacket can float next to a guide; just don't expect the dolphins to wait.
What is not included in the price?
Usually tips, photos or video from the onboard cameraman, drinks beyond water and soft drinks, and on some listings the protected-area fee (see the fee card). Pickup from Makadi, Soma Bay or El Gouna often costs extra.
Is Dolphin House the same as Dolphin World?
No. Dolphin House is open sea with wild dolphins. Dolphin World is a captive dolphin show in a pool in Makadi Bay, with the welfare problems that come with it.
eeaa.gov.eg — “4- منطقتي العرق والفانوس بمحمية جزر البحر الأحمر م الفئة القيمة ملاحظات 1 فرد مصري 50 جنيه لا يزيد عدد الزوار لكل منطقة عن 300 فرد يومياً 2 فرد أجنبي 10 دولار” (checked 29 October 2026)
eeaa.gov.eg — “القرار الوزارى رقم 360 لسنة 2025 بشأن مقابل زيارة المحميات الطبيعية (مع تأجيل تفعيل القرار لمحمية رأس محمد، الجزر الشمالية، والعرق والفانوس)” (checked 29 October 2026)
