The birth of a new town

Who hasn’t ever dreamt of their own beach property overlooking golden sands and cerulean waters? Some of us want a cozy bungalow by the seaside, others fancy a luxurious house, a family cottage or even a couple’s romantic cabin and some don’t need more than a chalet or a studio.

In 1989, Samih Sawiris had a similar quest: he visualized building a residence by the sea; his friends, fascinated by the beauty of the spot he had picked soon joined in and El-Gouna, Orascom’s first flagship, was thus born to become today the jewel of the Red Sea and one of the most sought-after touristic destinations in Egypt.

El-Gouna’s location and features

El-Gouna is located 25 km north of Hurghada on the west coast of the unique Red Sea Riviera. 12000 people reside in it all year long. Many more are contemplating relocating to El-Gouna because of the refined and distinguished quality of life it offers.

El-Gouna has its own private airport, a school, a university and two vocational institutes, a mosque and a church, uncountable hotels and resorts, more than 100 restaurants and bars, two championship golf courses, three marinas- Abydos Marina, the Abu Tig Marina and the Abu Tig Marina Extension-, a state-of-the-art hospital and even its own winery.

El Gouna expands along 10 km of coastline and consists of 20 picturesque islands immersed in lagoons. Charming canals and quaint stone bridges network the open space and allow many houses to have their own private beaches. Its earthly modern architecture mimics the traditional rural Egyptian styles and gives visitors a colorful sense of serenity and calmness. Sunrises and sunsets are particularly spectacular as colors dance with the sun to form an enchanting natural painting.

Nevertheless, what truly makes El-Gouna one-of-a kind is the fact that it is Egypt’s greenest and most environmentally-friendly town; it also endorses sustainable tourism initiatives and projects that put forward environmental consciousness such as green hotels.


Transportation to and in El-Gouna

El-Gouna’s location is not only strategic but also accessible to everyone.

  • Coming from abroad: Fly into Hurghada International Airport, which is about a half an hour car ride from El-Gouna. Once in Hurghada, it’s easy to either grab a taxi from outside the arrivals’ hall or call a car service. Some hotels can arrange to send pick-up cars or shuttles. One can also fly to Cairo International Airport.
  • Coming from Cairo: There are three excellent options- drive, take a bus/taxi, or fly. Driving from Cairo is smooth and easy thanks to the Galala Road. It takes about 3.5 hours from the Cairo toll station to the Hurghada toll station
  • Other options include booking a bus ride, a private taxi, a shared taxi or even using carpooling apps.

Now once in El-Gouna, one can get around by tuktuk, a car service, a shuttle service or even a bike. El-Gouna offers an e-bike sharing system where one can take an e-bike from any station from the 10 stations spread throughout the town and return it at any other one.


El-Gouna’s accommodations

El-Gouna is about having a moment and the accommodations in El-Gouna are ready to meet that moment. It’s no surprise El-Gouna is growing in popularity within the travel industry as it has more than enough cultural, sports and touristic attractions to fulfill tourists’ longing for far-flung travel. Deciding where to stay in El-Gouna nevertheless depends on personal preferences and travel purposes.

  • Booking a hotel room or suite: El-Gouna offers uncountable options to suit all budgets and tastes ranging from luxury hideaways to five, four and three star hotels. Some of these options include:
    • Luxury Hideaways: Casa Cook El-Gouna; La Maison Bleue; The Chedi of El-Gouna
    • Five-star hotels: Ancient Sands Golf Resort; Mövenpick Resort & Spa El Gouna; Sheraton Miramar Resort El Gouna; Steigenberger Golf Resort El Gouna
    • Four-star hotels: Ali Pasha Hotel; Cook’s Club El Gouna; Dawar El Omda Hotel; Fanadir Hotel; Labranda Club Paradisio El Gouna; Mosaique Hotel; Sultan Bey Hotel; The Three Corners Ocean View Hotel; The Three Corners Rihana Resort
    • Three-star hotels: Captain's Inn; Turtle’s Inn
  • Renting a property: Fancy living like a gounative in the comfort of a real home? If you want more space, facilities, privacy and flexibility than a conventional hotel, then all you have to do is justpack and rent a vacation residence for your short stay in ElGouna.
    • Booking.com offers tens of homes and furnished apartments that accommodate all budgets and styles.
    • Airbnb also puts forward several options that meet vacationers’ various preferences and financial considerations.
    • JustPack proposes a unique luxury vacation service to all tourists who seek serenity and refined comfort. Justpack’s properties are meticulously handpicked and all equipped with high-end amenities in the most stunning spots of El-Gouna.

El-Gouna’s peculiarities

So why El-Gouna? Well simply-put because from day one, this town was envisioned and executed the way every town should be. It is organized, structured, colorful, environmentally green and friendly, cozy, joyful and has everything any tourist desires. It is unique in its design, dazzling in its beaches and waters, bustling in its night-life, charming in its architecture and vivid in its family and friends’ activities. At El-Gouna, one savors freedom, serenity, space and peace of mind.

In 2017, the launching of El-Gouna Film Festival transformed the town into a lifestyle artistic destination. People from all over the world now wait for the yearly renowned film festival that celebrates art, culture, progress and fashion in the most lavish way.

Touristic activities in El-Gouna

Anything that is truly worth doing is readily available in ElGouna! The Red Sea is the world’s northernmost tropical sea and one o f the best swimming, snorkeling and diving sites in the world all year long. El-Gouna has the soft white sand beaches, warm waters and abundant coral and marine life to prove it. That is why the options are limitless. You can sit back, enjoy the breeze, savor the food, contemplate the scenery, relax in the water, lie back on the sandy beach or:

  • Rent a luxury yacht, a casual boat, a catamaran or a glass-bottom boat and embark on a full-day tour on the Red Sea where you will have the opportunity to participate in a range of water activities. You can suntan, swim, fish, snorkel and enjoy fun water sports with friends and family. It is also possible to stop at the scenic Orange Bay island, one of the liveliest seabed in the world and enjoy al-fresco dining.
  • Discover parts of the Eastern Desert on a quad bike desert safari in an adventure of a lifetime. There, one can see fossilized coral and shells in the Dry Canyon, meet Bedouin locals, and enjoy a camel ride, then savor a simple Bedouin dinner in a desert camp.
  • Indulge in the many available water sports namely diving, snorkeling, kitesurfing, windsurfing, sliders the cable park, water-skiing or waterboarding.
  • Enjoy the many offered regular sports namely tennis, squash, horseback riding, golf, go-karting, mini-golf and biking.

JustPack

El-Gouna holds a secure place in the dreamy Egyptian landscape. Gounatives are life connoisseurs whose days hold full measures of such civilized pleasures as film, music, art, sports and delectable food. Their children will probably grow up thinking all towns and cities are just as wonderful as their own! El-Gouna is the destination not to be missed and that is why all you have to do is JustPack!