Ras Mohammed by car from Sharm El Sheikh: distance, entry and checks
Ras Mohammed National Park sits at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula and is the closest big nature trip from Sharm El Sheikh. Many visitors ask whether they can go by car on their own. This guide gives the road distances we could compute, the park-entry facts we could source and, just as important, the points where sources disagree. We checked everything on 15 October 2026, and we found no current official notice from the park authority, so treat fees and hours as something to confirm at the gate.
Distance and driving time
The park entrance gate is about 29 km from Sharm El Sheikh airport, roughly 25 minutes, and about 19 km from Naama Bay, roughly 15 to 20 minutes. The southern tip, where the road ends, is about 45 km from the airport and about 35 km from Naama Bay, roughly 35 to 45 minutes. These are rounded road estimates without traffic, so allow more. Inside the park you will drive further to reach the viewpoints and beaches you want, so a half day is the minimum and a full day is more realistic.
Fees and opening hours: sources disagree
We found no current official fee or hours notice from the park authority. The best documented basis is a 2019 Ministry of Environment decision for Red Sea reserves, reported by Egypt Independent: USD 5 per foreign visitor for a daytime visit, doubled for visits after sunset, children under 7 exempt, and a vehicle fee that for a large car was USD 10 for foreigners. Commercial pages quote different amounts, from USD 5 to about USD 12 per person, so do not rely on a single number.
Opening hours are disputed as well. Sources say 08:00 to 16:00, until 16:30, 08:00 to 17:00 or sunrise to sunset. Egypt Independent says the daytime fee applies from eight in the morning until sunset. Plan to arrive early and ask at the gate what applies on the day.
Passport at the gate and the Sinai stamp
Several guides say a physical passport is needed at the park gate, and the UK Foreign Office notes that police check ID regularly and may detain you if you cannot show your passport and visa. Leave the copy in the hotel safe and carry the real passport.
Whether the free Sinai entry stamp covers Ras Mohammed is disputed. A Sharm dive operator says it does. Lonely Planet, quoted in a Canadian immigration report from around 2019, says it does not, and the Foreign Office lists only the resort areas of Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba. We found no current official text. Checked 15 October 2026; check before you travel with the park gate, a tour operator or the consulate. According to our local partner companies (October 2026), Russian and Ukrainian citizens receive the Sinai stamp for about a month, 28 to 30 days.
Self-drive or a tour
The fee notices we found list vehicle fees, which suggests private cars do enter the park, but we could not find a statement from the authority, so confirm at the gate. Tours from Sharm often include the park fee, while others list it separately, so compare what is included before you decide. If you prefer not to drive, a car with driver from Charm Rental is an alternative: the page shows the current lowest price per vehicle, driver included, and you can confirm the route and waiting time when you send the request.
If you self-drive, ask the company in your request to confirm that the trip is covered by the rental terms and whether a daily kilometre limit applies. Do not leave the asphalt without asking; for off-road travel the Foreign Office advises a qualified guide and a Ministry of the Interior permit.
Licence and deposit
According to our local partner companies (October 2026), a national driving licence from any country is accepted for the rental. The Foreign Office and German and Austrian motoring clubs separately advise carrying an International Driving Permit with the national licence for road checks. If the company holds your passport as security instead of a cash deposit, agree which ID you carry for the gate and for checkpoints. Fill the tank before you leave the city. Take water and sun protection, and plan to be back on the road before dark, since the Foreign Office advises against driving outside main cities and resorts at night.