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How to tip tour guides and boat crews in Hurghada
Tipping in Hurghada follows unwritten rules that catch first-time visitors off guard — too little feels rude, too much gets treated as the new baseline for the next tourist. This guide breaks down exactly what to hand boat crews, dive guides, desert safari drivers, and transfer drivers in 2026, in EGP and rough dollar terms.
Why this matters
Tip amounts in Egypt aren't printed on any menu, and asking your guide directly puts them in an awkward spot. Crews on Red Sea boats and desert safari teams often work on a base wage plus tips, so getting this right affects their actual take-home pay, not just their mood.
Get it wrong in either direction and it shows: undertip and the next group gets a colder welcome, overtip and you've reset expectations for every traveler after you. A clear tipping guide for Hurghada tours removes the guesswork before you even land.
What you'll need
• Small EGP notes: 20, 50, and 100 denominations, since ATMs dispense large bills that are hard to break
• A rough sense of your itinerary length (half-day vs full-day changes the tip)
• Cash set aside separately from your main wallet, so you're not fumbling in front of the group
• No card or app, since tipping in Egypt is a cash-only custom in 2026
• If you're booking an island boat trip , budget tips as a separate line item from the trip price itself
1. Withdraw EGP before you need it
Pull cash from an ATM the day before your excursion, not the morning of. Ask for a mix of denominations if the machine allows it, because a stack of 200 EGP notes is useless when you need three separate 50s for three crew members. Expect ATM fees around 100-150 EGP per withdrawal in 2026, so pull enough for the week in one go.