Excursion to Pharaoh’s Island: What You should Know

The excursion to Pharaoh’s Island, in Egypt, is one of the most interesting for those who spend a few days of vacation in the Sinai Peninsula and want to live an experience that combines history and nature. In this post, we give you information about what you should know to carry it out: what exactly is this islet, where is it located, how can you get to it, and other questions that we will resolve below.

What is Pharaoh’s Island and where is it Located?

Pharaoh’s Island is, in reality, a small uninhabited islet that is located in the heart of the Gulf of Aqaba. It is only 400 meters from the Egyptian coast, about 2 km south of Taba, the nearest city. In addition, it is not very far from neighboring countries: only 5 km in a straight line from the Israeli city of Eilat and the Jordanian Aqaba, which is why it is also a common excursion from those tourist destinations.

But without a doubt, for bureaucratic and practical reasons, the excursion to Pharaoh’s Island is easier and more popular from Egypt. The program usually includes a visit to its most emblematic place: the Citadel of Saladin (not to be confused with the one in Cairo), named because at the end of the 12th century this Ayyubid sultan probably ordered the construction of the fortress visible on the summit of the islet. Previously, the crusaders had already used this place as a strategic military enclave, and also later it was administered and even inhabited by the Mamluk forces, in the 14th century.

On the other hand, the name ‘Pharaoh’ seems more like an evocation of the glorious period of Ancient Egypt, as there have been few references to this islet in the documents of the time. However, archaeological work suggests that the island was inhabited during the Ramesside dynasty (13th century BC) by a humble population of fishermen.

What to Do on Pharaoh’s Island

As we have said, the great attraction of the islet is the Ayyubid fortress on its summit. Apart from it, the island lacks other notable spaces, so the visit itself is brief. However, an excursion to the island usually includes other attractions located in its surroundings, such as a diving immersion or a snorkeling swim in its crystalline waters. Not far from the island are spots of interest where coral and colorful fish abound.

Another interesting option for those who come from afar (from Sharm el-Sheikh or other more distant points) is to take a tour of Dahab, another of the main tourist destinations of the Sinai Peninsula: despite lacking the monuments and sites of other cities, its peaceful, surfer and bohemian atmosphere is worth knowing.

How to get to Pharaoh’s Island

As we said, to get to Pharaoh’s Island it is necessary to take a small boat from the nearest part of the Egyptian coast, specifically from the piers located in the surroundings of Taba.

To get to these piers, you have to travel by road, the 55, which runs along the entire eastern coast of the Sinai Peninsula, passing through cities such as Nuweiba and Dahab. Therefore, it is possible to organize the excursion from both, in a journey of one hour and two hours, respectively.

However, the most common thing is to organize the excursion to Pharaoh’s Island from Sharm el-Sheikh. From this great resort city, the journey does not take three hours, so it can be conceived as an experience to live on the same day, in a private vehicle with a driver and without the need to stay overnight.