Kite Surfing Holidays at Wadi Lahami in Southern Egypt

Overview

Wadi Lahami is one of Egypt’s last frontiers and an extremely valuable natural resource. The beautiful bay is located in the Deep South, around 393km from Hurghada airport and 180km from Marsa Alam airport. The resort is 10km south of Hamata and the drive from Marsa Alam airport takes around 3 hours.

A stay at Wadi Lahami offers guests a unique experience with its original tented accommodation dating back to the 1990s when the resort first opened. The naturally stunning location is the perfect spot for kitesurfing due to its flat water, constant wind and soft sandy lagoons. Kite Surfing can be done straight from the beach from 7am until 5pm and the vast area available will not disappoint. The resort caters for a maximum of thirty kite surfers at any one time which gives it an intimate and personal vibe. Larger groups will really get the feeling of a private resort experience, with the sea and wind available just for them. Every kiter should visit this destination once in their lifetime and explore the world-class kite surfing on offer.

Kite surfing is just one of the treasures Wadi Lahami has to offer, if there is no wind you won’t be short of things to do. The destination is famous for scuba diving as it is one of the only places where you can dive the stunning reef system of the Fury Shoals from land. If you have never dived before this is an ideal chance to give it a go in a relaxed environment with good instructor to student ratios.

The location is unique in that it is surrounded by mangroves attracting various avian species perfect for those interested in indigenous birds, even flamingos can be seen on occasion. The desert offers a multitude of excursions such as quad bikes, Bedouin encounters and camel and horse riding. You can also visit local temple ruins dating back many years.

This remote village provides the perfect opportunity to escape from life's pressures and enjoy peace and tranquillity. This combined with exceptional kite surfing makes for a wonderful holiday experience. Along with the superb scuba diving, snorkelling and kite surfing there are local activities available to experience some of the culture and natural beauty of this unforgettable place.

Kite Surfing Centre

Wadi Lahami Kite Surfing Centre was the first in the Southern Red Sea opening its doors back in 1998. This wonderful location has so much to offer to both beginners and experienced kite surfers and is a place to make new friends and unforgettable memories.

Kitesurfing is a complex but rewarding sport, it is great for those who love the water and are looking for their next big thrill! It involves a combination of several sport skills, including surfing, wind surfing, wakeboarding and kite flying so if you have experience of any of these you are off to a good start!

Beginner kite surfers will appreciate the ease of access into the protected lagoon, while advanced riders will love the wind conditions and larger platform stretching into the sea allowing them to progress more and land those tricks. Kite excursions to outer reefs and islands in the area are also available.

One of the benefits of kite surfing at Wadi Lahami is that the centre remains intimate and welcoming with no shortage of space on the water. The bay is large but quiet and private with a sandy bottomed lagoon directly in front of the beach, this is ideal for launching and landing kites.

The Kite Station has been recently refitted to offer kiters a top-class service. It has excellent storage facilities and the latest gear to rent from Airush Kiteboarding. The centre offers lessons with IKO certified instructors in a warm and friendly vibe and is fully equipped with the top-quality gear used during lessons and also available for renting.

Kitesurfing season in Egypt begins around late February / beginning of March and ends in late October / early November. If you visit during these months and are new to the sport we strongly suggest having lessons to get you out on the water quicker. You will also learn about the equipment and products before having to buy anything.

Kitesurfing allows you to surf in, over and out of waves. You will learn to harness the power of the wind to jump and propel yourself across the water with your kite, so get ready to shred!!

Holiday Packages

New to Kiting
The beginner kite course will teach you the basics about equipment, safety, kite control, body drag and self-rescue. You’ll need to practice all your new-found skills and our instructor is on-hand to guide you in the right direction.

Kite and Dive
If you are keen to do a bit of both then we are on hand to put together a bespoke package just for you. Kite surfing and scuba diving are the perfect combination as you can dive on calm days and kite surf when the wind is high.

New to Scuba Diving
Wadi Lahami Diving Centre offers many PADI courses including the Open Water Course. After completion you will be a certified scuba diver and ready to take your first breaths underwater. The course lasts 3-5 days depending on your progress and can be coordinated with your kiting activities, so you don’t miss any time on the water. PADI is an internationally recognised certification.

Diving Course and Packages
There are many courses available at Wadi Lahami, you can start your diving adventure here or for the more experienced try one of the PADI speciality courses. This can be combined with the standard diving package of up to 4 dives per day including 2 offshore dives to sites such as the Fury Shoals, a local unguided afternoon dive and an unguided night dive on the house reef.

Other Activities

Astronomy Tours
The Astronomy tours offered at Wadi Lahami are a great way to see the stars in a low light pollution environment. As you venture out into the desert the remote location provides the opportunity to see many star constellations that you may not have had the pleasure of seeing before. Dinner in the desert can also be arranged where during the evening you will be attended by Ababda who will make tea, coffee and a delicious meal for your enjoyment. Upon request the Bedouin can prepare goat for dinner, a local speciality.

Bird Watching
Next to a protected mangroves Wadi Lahami boasts one of the best areas for bird watching along the Red Sea coast. Many waders and shore birds roost and nest close by the mangrove swamps. These include the white heron, night heron, striated heron and sometimes the spoonbill. The sooty falcon is a possible visitor in the summer, and of course not to forget the magnificent ospreys which are nesting here. In summer the white-eyed gull can easily be seen, as well as the white-cheeked and the Caspian tern. The gull is special as its breeding range is restricted to the Red Sea. In fall and spring there are thousands of small birds can be seen.

Scuba Diving & Snorkelling
The world-famous Fury Shoals offers fantastic opportunities for both scuba diving and snorkelling. It is great for snorkellers due to its sheltered, sometimes shallow reefs and bays where you can hope to see turtles, reef sharks and dolphins. You will be overwhelmed with the abundance of marine life and spectacular colours. You can also take a 45 minute RIB excursion to one of the most popular snorkelling sites in the Red Sea, Satayah Reef (Dolphin House), where spinner dolphins are frequently found resting in the shallow lagoon.

Over 30 different dive sites can be accessed from Wadi Lahami , accommodating all level of experience, and the diving package of 4 dives per day via RIB gives divers the chance to enjoy the Fury Shoals in all of its glory.

Shelateen Market
Shelateen is the most important tribal market in this part of southern Egypt and it is a melting-pot of different cultures. Sudanese bring camels and handmade items trade for goods not available in their country. Spread out over the market area are little shops with an incredible variety of merchandise. In Shelateen you first visit the camel market, followed with a stroll around the general market area. After lunch at a small restaurant on the market you will finish your visit to Shelateen with Gebena-coffee at an Ababda Bedouin Women Cooperation. The women produce handmade traditional and artistic crafts of tightly woven straw, leather and beads.

Beach Safari Tent

Facilities

Daily Housekeeping
Sunrise View
Shower gel & handwash provided in public bathrooms
Guaranteed Sea View
Frequent Public Bathroom Cleaning

Beach Safari Tents are one of the village hallmarks and an exciting experience of how their concept began. The Tents are close to the sea, in front of the mangroves. They measure 3.5x3.5 meters with hand-made furniture, lighting, electricity outlet and a seating area just outside. Tents are available with 2 single beds and share a communal bathroom facility

Royal Tent

Facilities

Fan
Mini Fridge
Daily Housekeeping
Sunrise View
Shower gel & handwash provided in public bathrooms
Guaranteed Sea View
Frequent Public Bathroom Cleaning

Royal Tents are the most popular accommodation option and an integral part of the minimal impact concept. Inside is well furnished with a mini fridge, fan, bean bag chairs and table, and a seating area close to the mangroves by the shoreline. Inside measures 5x5 meters and has a mini fridge, fan, bean bag chairs and table. Royal Tents have either a double or twin beds and share bathroom facilities

Deluxe Chalet

Facilities

Air conditioning
Daily Housekeeping
Wardrobe
Side and dressing table
Mountain amd sea view
Sunrise and sunset view

Deluxe Chalets are a standard en-suite room with a AC that overlook the mountains to one side, and the Red Sea to the other. Their large terraces come complete with a table and chairs for you to relax and enjoy the breathtaking views. They measure 4x6 metres and come with either a double or twin beds. Towels are provided for showering.

Board

You will be supplied with three hearty meals a day, breakfast is served buffet style, lunch and dinner is served plated, vegetarians and other special dietary requirements are very well catered for, please let us know in advance any special requirements. Freshly baked cake is available in the late afternoon, tea, coffee, water and bottled soft drinks are served throughout the day (cans, diet & tonic water are at an additional charge). Egyptian beer is available as well as fresh juices, speciality teas and coffees, ice cream, chocolate and crisps – all of which are allocated to your room by name, signed for and settled at the end of the week during check out.

Flights and Transfers

We can arrange direct flights from Gatwick to Marsa Alam each Wednesday and Thursday and from Birmingham on Mondays. It is also possible to fly from Gatwick into Hurghada on a Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday from Manchester on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, and from Birmingham into Hurghada on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The flight to Marsa Alam normally takes around 5 hours. From Marsa Alam Airport the journey to Wadi Lahami takes approximately two and a half hours and from Hurghada airport the journey takes approximately five hours. The Red Sea Diving Safari representative will meet you inside the terminal building with your VISA.