How much does a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park and White Island cost in Sharm El Sheikh, and how to avoid scams?

A scam example from August 2026: a traveler bought a Hula Hula yacht trip from a seller on the beach. The seller tried to pass himself off as a guide and charge a lot, but agreed to $22 when the tourist showed him the real price. Since they boarded straight from the beach, they skipped the transfer — and on the way back the yacht dropped them 3 km from the hotel, so they had to walk in the heat with a child. On top of that, the seller took a $100 bill, left supposedly to get change and did not return before departure. Lesson: confirm where the boat will return and pay with exact money.

Another family (2 adults + a 6-year-old) took a boat to White Island and Ras Mohammed with an Italian-run operator, about 25 people on board. They enjoyed the trip and paid $56 total for three people.

Booking a Ras Mohammed trip through a tour operator (e.g. Anex) costs noticeably more than a private boat, but offers more reliability. Note that souvenir photos on-site can end up costing more than the excursion itself.

You can also find a trip online: in September 2026 a traveler searched for Sharm El Sheikh excursions, found a local company called Karina Tours and went with them to Ras Mohammed and on a quad-bike ride — it came out cheaper. He found Ras Mohammed interesting; the rest, in his opinion, was not worth the money.

Prices depend a lot on where you buy. In September 2026 participants wrote that excursions sold on hotel grounds cost more than the same trips across the road. At a welcome meeting a tour-operator guide offered options at different prices: an expensive one and a cheaper one that, in one traveler's estimate, was about $5 more than local sellers charge — apparently he was just reselling a local company's excursion.

Ras Mohammed can also be visited by land. In August 2026 a traveler who spent a full day in the reserve by car called it her best trip and said it left the strongest impression.