Ancient Sands El Gouna Review
Ancient Sands Golf Resort & Residences, El Gouna: The Real Local Guide
Ancient Sands El Gouna Review
I’ve lived in El Gouna for 12 years as a private guide. Over the years, I’ve seen hundreds of guests arrive at Ancient Sands with high expectations. Some fall in love with the hilltop views right away. Others feel stranded on day two because they didn’t understand the resort layout.
This guide covers everything you need to know before landing in Egypt.
Where is Ancient Sands and why its location is different?
Ancient Sands sits in the Hilltop Village area. Because developers built it on an elevated rise, the views are incredible. You get a 360-degree look at the lagoons, fairways, and the open Red Sea.
The property feels private and breezy. It feels like a high-end neighborhood rather than a crowded resort.
However, the location is strictly off-beach.
The resort sits 1.3 miles from downtown Tamr Henna and Abu Tig Marina. You cannot step out of your room and walk to the ocean sand. Reaching the beach, a kite center, or a dinner spot requires transport.
Local tuk-tuks get pricey quickly if you take four rides daily. Taxis work, but relying on them for planned daily excursions gets messy fast. That is why most guests arrange private door-to-door transfers with us. We drop you off at your boat or quad safari and bring you back safely.
Apartments & Villas – Not a typical hotel room
If you hate feeling cramped, you will love Ancient Sands.
Instead of endless identical hotel rooms, the property offers spacious apartments and residential villas. Most units feature full kitchens, separate living rooms, dining areas, and private balconies or terraces.
Because of this layout, the resort attracts a very specific crowd:
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Families who need extra bedrooms and a kitchen for snacks.
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Remote workers who want a quiet base with reliable Wi-Fi.
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Golfers and couples looking for peaceful evenings away from late-night noise.
You get massive swimming pools across the grounds, access to the 7 CIEL SPA, two solid restaurants, and bike rentals. The vibe stays quiet and residential. It offers a massive contrast to the mega-resorts in Hurghada where thousands of guests fight over sun loungers.
What to do around Ancient Sands?
Hilltop peace is brilliant for reading a book by the pool. But after two days, almost everyone gets restless. Since you are not sitting on a beachfront resort, you have to plan your water sports and excursions actively.
Here is how our guests make the absolute best out of a stay at Ancient Sands.
Private Boat Trip to Orange Bay or Dolphin House
Most travelers come to the Red Sea for pristine sandbars and wild dolphins. Since Ancient Sands lacks direct ocean access, booking a private boat day is your best move.
Instead of crowding onto a public charter boat with 40 strangers, you rent your own speed boat or yacht. We sail out to the shallow waters of Orange Bay or head north to swim with wild dolphin pods.
We run daily morning pickups directly from the Ancient Sands reception at 8:30 AM. Your private vehicle transfer to the marina is completely included.
Check Private Speed Boat Price from Ancient Sands
Desert Safari & Quad Biking in the El Gouna Mountains
Behind the Hilltop Village, the vast Eastern Desert stretches out into dramatic mountain peaks. A quad bike safari at sunset is easily one of the most popular activities for guests staying up here. You ride across open desert trails, visit a Bedouin setup, and watch the sunset.
Last week, I took a family from Ancient Sands on a private quad ride. The parents worried their teenage daughters would get bored hanging around the quiet pool all week. By the end of the sunset trail ride, the girls called it the highlight of their trip.
We collect guests directly from the Ancient Sands entrance at 3:00 PM for all afternoon desert trips and return you in time for dinner.
Kitesurfing Lessons on Kite Centre Road(Ancient Sands El Gouna Review)
El Gouna is world-famous for kitesurfing due to stable winds and shallow lagoons. Ancient Sands sits near the main road leading to northern kite spots like Makani, Elements, and KBC.
You do not need to sleep on the beach to enjoy the wind. You can enjoy the calm golf view at night and hit the water during peak wind hours during the day.
We provide flexible morning and afternoon pickups from Ancient Sands straight to any kite center along the strip.
El Gouna City Tour & Abu Tig Marina at Sunset
You shouldn’t leave without exploring the main town. A private city tour takes you through lagoon channels, past luxury villas, through Tamr Henna, and finishes at Abu Tig Marina. It’s the best way to orient yourself, pick dinner spots, and enjoy the evening atmosphere near the superyachts.
Our evening city tours pick up from Ancient Sands at 5:00 PM, giving you a smooth transfer right as the marina lights come on.
Explore All Private Excursions & Transfers
Insider tips from a local
Living here for twelve years teaches you a few tricks. Here are three simple tips for your stay at Ancient Sands:
1. Rent a bicycle from the resort on day one
The resort area itself is vast and hilly. If you enjoy fresh air, renting a bike on-site makes getting around the internal lagoons, pools, and clubhouse restaurants effortless. (Plus, coasting downhill in the morning breeze is fantastic).
2. Don’t rely on random evening tuk-tuks for dinner runs
While tuk-tuks are fine during the middle of the day, finding one up on the hill at 8:30 PM when everyone is heading to dinner can take a long time. Prices also creep up at night. If you have dinner reservations at the Marina or downtown, book a pre-arranged private return transfer so you aren’t stranded after dessert.
3. The absolute best sunset isn’t on the beach
Most tourists rush down to the beach to watch the sun go down, but from beach level, the sun often sinks behind buildings or dunes. Because Ancient Sands sits elevated on the hill, the view across the 9th hole of the golf course at dusk is stunning. Grab a drink at the clubhouse lounge right before twilight—you won’t regret it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, absolutely. The huge multi-room apartments, kitchens, and multiple pools help families relax. However, because it isn’t on the beach, you should plan active outings like boat trips or quad tours so teenagers don’t get bored.
It sits approximately 1.3 miles (2 km) from the nearest beach clubs in El Gouna. Walking down under the hot sun is not ideal. You will need a quick 5-minute drive via private transfer, taxi, or tuk-tuk to reach the water.
Not necessarily. While the resort sits isolated on the hill, driving in Egypt can feel stressful. Most guests find it cheaper and easier to book private transfers and excursion pickups with a local service rather than renting a car.
Ready to Explore Beyond the Hilltop?
Ancient Sands offers a quiet, spacious base in El Gouna . But to get the full Red Sea experience, you need to step outside the hilltop bubble.
Whether you need a quick transfer down to Abu Tig Marina, a custom speed boat trip to Orange Bay, or a quad ride, we have you covered. We live here, know every shortcut, and pick you up directly from the resort entrance every day.
Book Your Private Transfer or Excursion Now