Do you need to hand over your passport for excursions and hotel check-in in Sharm El Sheikh?
Based on 2 discussions with 6 participants · Last activity: 5 days ago
TL;DR
Yes — excursions into protected areas like Ras Mohammed usually require your original passport or a photo/scan sent in advance, and some hotel receptions hold your passport as a deposit until checkout, which is standard practice locally.
What the community said
At check-in, hotels typically scan the passport and enter its details into their system; they may request a copy to compare the information with their database record.
6 days ago
When booking an excursion through a hotel or local agency, they often ask you to send passport photos in advance to arrange permits.
28 days ago passport photo required for excursion booking
For excursions into a nature reserve like Ras Mohammed, you must bring the original passport — a scan isn't accepted, as it's checked at the entrance.
29 days ago original passport required for Ras Mohammed reserve
If you leave your passport at reception as a deposit, ask about staff shift-change times — travelers reported cases where the document got lost in handoffs between employees.
54 days ago
Some hotels do keep your passport at reception until checkout — this is common practice in Sharm El Sheikh, not a scam sign.
58 days ago passport held at reception until checkout
On hotel-organized excursions that enter a protected reserve, they ask for your passport specifically because of park regulations, not general ID checks.
59 days ago
To influence your room choice at check-in, some travelers slip a small tip in USD inside their passport — an unofficial but common practice.
67 days ago tip inside passport for room preference
Before an excursion, check with the organizer whether a passport scan is enough or the original is mandatory — requirements vary by route.
68 days ago