The flat sand and basalt mountains immediately behind Hurghada are the setting for the town's other major industry: the late-afternoon desert safari. Every hotel and every street tout sells some version of the same trip — pickup at four in the afternoon, an hour bouncing across the desert by 4×4 (or quad bike, or for the slow option, camel), a sunset, a Bedouin "village" stop with sweet tea, a grilled-chicken dinner under a tent and a brief astronomy talk before driving back. The fixed format is touristy in the obvious sense, but the desert itself is striking after dark and the stars from beyond the town's glow are genuinely worth the trip. Prices range from around 30 USD for the basic quad option to 70 USD for jeep tours that include the dinner.
For something less choreographed, ask about full-day expeditions to the Roman quarries at Mons Porphyrites or out to the Bedouin settlements of the Galala Plateau — these need permits and proper guides but show a side of the Eastern Desert most visitors never see.