Pyramids, camels and brightly coloured fish. In the photos, Egypt looks like a holiday where you won't know where to look first. When you're choosing a hotel with little travellers, though, something else often decides it: whether they can ease into the sea over sand, or whether the way in is down steps from a pier straight into deep water.
Those are the details worth checking before you book. A beautiful sea photo won't tell you whether your three-year-old partner can build a sandcastle and dip their toes — or whether you'll spend the whole time explaining why they can't go in on their own.
A beach in a photo isn't everything
Along the Red Sea, the way into the water changes from hotel to hotel. Some have a sandy entry and a shallow stretch; others have a coral seabed and a pier that drops you straight into deeper water. Both can be lovely, but for little non-swimmers the difference really matters.
When you're choosing, look for photos of the actual entry into the sea — not just sunbeds and umbrellas. Family reviews from people who travelled with children of a similar age help too. And find out whether there's somewhere to go when the wind picks up and the sea isn't an option that day.
A children's pool is a welcome backup. If you're mainly going for the sea, though, it's better to know beforehand that little travellers will actually get to enjoy it — not just watch it from a sunbed.
Little fish aren't only for serious divers
The colourful underwater world is one of the things that draws both little and big travellers to Egypt. Some dive straight in with delight; others won't put a mask on even on dry land. So buying a full kit in advance isn't always necessary.
If they do want to try a mask, let them get used to it first in calm water where they feel comfortable. And if a crab on a rock is still more interesting than snorkelling, that's fine. That's part of the underwater world too.
When to go and what to expect from the weather
The time of year matters when you're heading to Egypt. In summer it can get properly hot by the Red Sea, while in winter the wind can make a day by the water less pleasant — and you'll want a warmer layer in the evening. "It's always warm in Egypt" isn't a reliable packing list on its own.
In winter, a heated pool comes in rather handy. You can't tell the water temperature from a photo; little travellers will announce it the moment the first toe goes in.
On hot days it pays to use the gentler morning and look for shade later. Think about a sunhat, sun protection and drinks, even when the children insist they're definitely not coming out of the water.
And what about the pyramids?
If you've promised little travellers the pyramids, check first how far you'll actually be staying from them. The pyramids at Giza are near Cairo, not next door to the seaside resorts in Hurghada or Marsa Alam. A day trip can mean a very early start and long hours on the road.
If you skip the pyramids this year, you can look at them together in a book or a picture guide and talk about how such enormous buildings were ever put up. When you do get there one day, little travellers will already know what they're looking at.
Outings without a full-day marathon
You don't have to leap straight into a whole-day excursion. Even a shorter boat trip can be a big adventure for little travellers. Just ask beforehand how much time you'll really spend on the boat and how much getting there. An hour on the water and two hours on a bus are rather different programmes.
An Egypt little travellers will notice too
On holiday, what catches their eye might be a fish they've never seen before, the desert outside the window, or signs that look nothing like the ones at home. If you show them a few of those things before you go, they'll start spotting them for themselves. And you may be the one tugged by the hand because there's something they simply have to show you.
That's exactly why we've prepared an illustrated Egypt guide at cestoteka.com. So the sea, the desert and the pyramids aren't only something the adults talk about — but something your little travellers can understand and look forward to as well.