I hope this post works as an introduction to kitesurfing at el Gouna, Red Sea, Egypt. I like to consider el Gouna as a second home spot for me as I have been visiting the town repetitively in the past 3 years.
El Gouna is a fun and convenient destination for kitesurfing. The town is properly developed and relatively new, with variety of options for kitesurfing, accommodations, food, and nightlife. I find el Gouna very welcoming with friendly people from diverse backgrounds and heritage.
El Gouna is located on the Red Sea about 25 km from Hurghada International Airport. Usually the ride from the airport to the accommodation in El Gouna takes 30 minutes. Hurghada International Airport has many direct flights to several European cities, and multiple flights a day to and from Cairo airport, and I find the transit at Cairo International Airport is quite smooth and easy. Meanwhile, with the current COVID-19 regulations, a negative PCR certificate is required to get into Egypt.
Getting around El Gouna is quite easy, the tuctuc service is always available for transportation. The town has two main centers for restaurants and nightlife; the marina and the downtown. I found more good restaurants at the downtown and more fun nightlife at the marina.
Not Only Kitesurfing
El Gouna is rich with activities and not limited to kitesurfing. On the non-windy days there are plenty of alternative activities to do, like standup paddling (SUP), horse riding, snorkeling, scuba diving, cable park, or go on a boat trip to Bayout sandbank. I like to go out standup paddling from the Club House at the downtown, located on the lagoon and close to the open water. The ride on the lagoons from the Club House is quite scenic and gives the opportunity to explore El Gouna Lagoons.
The Wind
El Gouna is windy all year long, with peak wind season from April to October. Yet temperatures during summer gets really hot from June to August, though the wind is good, the summer heat on non windy days gets really irritating. After visiting El Gouna on different times of the year, my personal preference is to visit El Gouna on April, May, September, and October. Usually during these months, the wind is pumping and the climate is pleasant.
On average the wind blows between 15 to 20 knots, with less days of above 25 knots. When visiting el Gouna, I take my 8m, 10m, and 12m kites. For the past month or so I have mostly used the 10m kite. A wetsuit would be necessary depending on the time of the year, but definitely from June to September it’s not needed.
Kite Stations
There many options for kitesurfing at El Gouna, either on the beach of one of the kite stations or take a boat trip to Tawila Island or one of the other near by islands. The kite stations provide variety of services to kitesurfers, beside the help on the beach with setting up, launching, and landing the kites. The stations also offers food, drinks, beside kite rental, repair, kite school, and great atmosphere to hang around between sessions.
The kite stations that I have been visiting the most, during my current stay in el Gouna are Makani Beach Club and Element Water Sports. I like the spot on both stations, and they are walking-distance from each other. Alternating between both stations gives a wider menu selection for food, and a change of vibes. On November 5th there will be kitesurfing competition at Makani Beach Club. On my previous visits I used to go kiting from the Kiteboarding Club (KBC). The KBC was closed during since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it has just reopened during the last week of October.
Kitesurfing on the islands
Kitesurfing on the islands is quite fun, Usually the kite stations offer a weekly trip to Tawila Island or other near by islands, depending on the wind conditions. It is also popular to go out for a whole week on a boat for kite-safari, where usually the boat stops on multiple islands during the week. The kite safari trips are quite common on the Red Sea, and usually are organized by kite schools, which makes it a good opportunity to learn kitesurfing real quickly.
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