Shaab El Erg Northern Horseshoe Reef · Wild Bottlenose Dolphin Lagoon
The 2026 direct tariff for the full-day Dolphin House Hurghada (Shaab El Erg reef) cruise is €20 per adult and €10 per child (ages 3–11) plus the €5.00 HEPCA marine park fee—totaling €80.00 all-in for a family of four with 3 coral reef snorkeling stops and buffet lunch.
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2026 DOLPHIN HOUSE (SHAAB EL ERG) DIRECT TARIFF & GATE (BAWABA) PASS
€80.00(4,320 EGP)
All-In Direct Total
€60 Base + €20 HEPCA + €0 Zone
€170.00
Hotel Rep Quote
Saves €90.00 (52.9% saved)
3 Stops
Reef Mooring Stops
6.0m horseshoe lagoon + 2 walls
08:00 - 08:45
Gate Pickup Window
Return to hotel by 16:30
Active Gate Pass: Dolphin House (Shaab El Erg Reef) Cruise · 2 Adults + 2 Children from Hurghada Central = €80.00 EUR (4,320 EGP) · Includes 3 guided snorkel stops, buffet lunch & €5/guest HEPCA levy.
Notice: This calculation engine models published statutory formulas and regulatory codes for informational and planning purposes only. It does not provide certified legal, medical, veterinary, tax, or engineering advice. For definitive rulings, consult an actively licensed professional in your jurisdiction.
Northern Red Sea Protectorate
Unlike Giftun Island beach trips, Dolphin House is a pure 3-stop offshore coral reef expedition designed for swimmers and snorkelers seeking wild Red Sea marine life.
Dolphin House (Shaab El Erg) All-In Direct Family Tariff Formula:
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Located 90 minutes north of Hurghada New Marina & El Gouna, Shaab El Erg ("Dolphin House") is a 5-kilometer horseshoe barrier reef whose calm 4m–6m turquoise inner channel serves as a resting and nursing lagoon for wild Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus).
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Confused between "Dolphin House" and "Dolphin World"? Dolphin House (€20 + €5 HEPCA, 7.5h boat cruise) visits wild, free-swimming dolphins in their natural northern coral lagoon. Dolphin World Makadi (€18, €0 HEPCA, 3.0h) is a shaded land-based amphitheater show ideal for non-swimmers and toddlers.
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Under HEPCA marine mammal guidelines, vessels moor at fixed buoys outside the resting channel while certified snorkel guides accompany swimmers in small groups—followed by two coral garden stops (Erg Somaya / Fanadir), a hot seafood/chicken buffet lunch, and banana boat ride.
Wild Reef Lagoon vs. Shaded Stadium Arena
Select the right dolphin experience for your group's swimming confidence, youngest child age, and motion-sickness sensitivity.
Formed like a giant submerged C-shaped atoll between Hurghada and Shadwan Channel, Shaab El Erg blocks open Red Sea wave energy and creates a calm, sunlit 4-to-6-meter sandy channel. Resident pods of Tursiops aduncus enter this inner channel during morning hours to rest, socialize, and nurse calves before heading into deep pelagic water at dusk to hunt squid and reef fish.
Because Shaab El Erg lies 90 minutes north in open water and has no dry island beach landing, families with infants, non-swimmers, or guests prone to motion sickness often prefer Dolphin World Makadi Bay (€18.00 adult / €9.00 child, €0 HEPCA fee)—a 3-hour half-day excursion featuring a 60-minute choreographed dolphin, seal, and walrus show under a shaded stadium roof.
| Dolphin Excursion | Marine Setting | Duration | Direct Adult | Child (3–11) | vs. Hotel Rep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolphin House (Shaab El Erg Wild Reef Cruise) | Open-sea horseshoe coral lagoon (North Red Sea) | 7.5h full-day yacht (08:00–16:15) | €20.00 (+€5 HEPCA) | €10.00 (+€5 HEPCA) | €50.00 (Save 50%) |
| Dolphin World Makadi Bay Arena Show | Shaded land amphitheater pool (Makadi Bay) | 3.0h half-day (09:15–12:45) | €18.00 (€0 HEPCA) | €9.00 (€0 HEPCA) | €38.00 (Save 53%) |
| Private Speedboat Charter to Shaab El Erg | Early 07:00 arrival before day yachts | 4.5h private speedboat (up to 6 pax) | €160.00 boat (+€5/pax HEPCA) | Included in hull charter | €280.00 (Break-even 7 pax) |
2026 Dolphin House All-In Tariff Matrix
Compare all-in adult, child (50%), and family-of-four totals including the €5.00 HEPCA levy and round-trip hotel zone transfers.
| Hotel Pickup Corridor | Gate Pickup | Adult All-In | Child (3–11) All-In | 2A + 2C Total | vs. Hotel Rep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone A — Central Hurghada & North Al Ahyaa (Closest to Northern Jetty) | 08:00 – 08:45 AM | €25.00 (€20 + €5 HEPCA + €0 Transfer) | €15.00 (€10 + €5 HEPCA + €0 Transfer) | €80.00 (4,320 EGP) | €170.00 (Saves €90.00) |
| Zone B — Makadi Bay & Sahl Hasheesh Resorts | 07:30 – 08:10 AM | €30.00 (€20 + €5 HEPCA + €5 Transfer) | €20.00 (€10 + €5 HEPCA + €5 Transfer) | €100.00 (5,400 EGP) | €190.00 (Saves €90.00) |
| Zone C — El Gouna Lagoons & Marina Resorts (15 mins to Northern Jetty) | 08:00 – 08:30 AM | €32.50 (€20 + €5 HEPCA + €7.50 Transfer) | €22.50 (€10 + €5 HEPCA + €7.50 Transfer) | €110.00 (5,940 EGP) | €200.00 (Saves €90.00) |
| Zone D — Soma Bay & Safaga Coastal Resorts | 07:10 – 07:45 AM | €35.00 (€20 + €5 HEPCA + €10 Transfer) | €25.00 (€10 + €5 HEPCA + €10 Transfer) | €120.00 (6,480 EGP) | €210.00 (Saves €90.00) |
The 2026 direct operator tariff for the full-day Dolphin House (Shaab El Erg reef) snorkeling cruise is €20.00 per adult and €10.00 per child (aged 3.00 to 11.99 years, 50% base discount), plus the mandatory €5.00 per person HEPCA Marine Park conservation levy. For a family of 2 adults and 2 children from Central Hurghada, the all-in direct price is €80.00 (4,320 EGP) versus €170.00 at hotel lobby desks.
Because Shaab El Erg is an open-sea natural coral reef rather than a captive enclosure, wild Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin sightings occur on roughly 75% to 85% of calm-weather morning crossings when pods enter the horseshoe channel to rest. Even if a pod is foraging offshore, the excursion includes three distinct Red Sea coral wall snorkeling stops teeming with Napoleon wrasse, blue-spotted rays, moray eels, and anthias.
Dolphin House (Shaab El Erg, €20 direct + €5 HEPCA) is a 7.5-hour open-sea yacht and snorkeling excursion to a wild coral reef north of Hurghada—there is no sandy beach island landing, as all 3 stops are moored over coral lagoons. Dolphin World (€18 direct, €0 HEPCA) is a 3-hour land-based visit to a shaded marine arena in Makadi Bay featuring a 1-hour choreographed dolphin, sea lion, and walrus show.
Excursions Hurghada 2026 Statutory Tariff Summary: All 24 catalogued Red Sea island cruises (Orange Bay, Paradise Island, Mahmya, Eden, Hula Hula, Bianca, Utopia, Ozirea), submarines (Sindbad 22m, Royal Seascope 3.5m, Hurghada Grand Aquarium, Dolphin House), Eastern Desert ATV quad/buggy safaris, and Luxor/Cairo historical day tours enforce a 3-tier age pricing standard (Infants 0–2.99 yrs 0%, Children 3.00–11.99 yrs 50% base tariff, Adults 12+ yrs 100%), €5.00–€10.00 HEPCA marine park levies (Law 102/1983), and 4 hotel transfer zones (€0 Central, €5 Makadi/Sahl Hasheesh, €7.50 El Gouna, €10 Soma Bay/Safaga) at 1 EUR = 54.0 EGP.