Stargazing in Hurghada: Seeing the Milky Way from the Egyptian Desert

Hurghada's hotels are bright, but drive 30 minutes into the Eastern Desert and the sky transforms. With dry air and little light pollution, you can see thousands of stars — and on the right nights, the Milky Way.

This guide covers when to go and what to look for. For a guided evening with a telescope, book the stargazing safari.

When is the best time to stargaze?

• Moon phase: the days around the new moon give the darkest skies. Around the full moon, fewer stars are visible — but the Moon through a telescope is spectacular.
• Season: the brightest part of the Milky Way is best seen roughly from spring to autumn; winter skies bring bright constellations like Orion.
• Weather: clear nights are the norm; winter nights are cold, so bring layers.

What can you see through a telescope?

Depending on the season: the craters of the Moon, Jupiter and its moons, Saturn's rings, bright star clusters such as the Pleiades, and nebulae like the Orion Nebula in winter. Your guide will point out constellations with a laser and explain how desert travellers navigated by the stars.

Photographing the night sky

• Use your phone's night mode and keep it perfectly still — lean it on something or use a small tripod.
• Turn screen brightness down to protect your night vision.
• With a camera: wide lens, high ISO and exposures of around 15–20 seconds.

Make it part of a bigger evening

Combine a sunset jeep ride with stargazing on a private safari, or learn about desert life in our Bedouin culture guide.

Frequently asked questions