Packing
Kite safari packing list: what to bring for a week on a yacht
Meals, drinks, pumps and snorkelling gear are on board. You bring your kite gear if you ride your own, sun protection, reef shoes and the right documents.
Do you have to bring your own kite gear? No. If you do not own any, you can rent a complete set on the safari for €300 for 6 days. A kite safari packing list for 8 days and 7 nights on a Red Sea yacht is short, because meals, drinks, pumps, snorkelling gear and airport transfers are included. What you do need to pack: sun protection, reef shoes, a small first aid kit, the right documents and money for the marine park and marina fees and crew tips, which are paid on site.
On days 2-6 there are 2 kite sessions, morning and afternoon, and on day 7 a last one. That is a lot of hours in sun and salt water, so when you work out what to pack for a kite trip on a boat, sun protection and comfort on the water come first.
If you are still deciding whether a week on a boat suits you, read what to expect on a kite safari in Egypt first.
Kitesurf trip packing list
Plan for 7 nights, warm days and possibly a last night in a hotel in Hurghada instead of on the boat.
Kite gear
Clothes for the boat
Sun protection
First aid kit
Documents and money
Ask your GP about vaccinations a few weeks before the trip. The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly recommends hepatitis A and B for Egypt.
Electronics
What is already on the boat
The safari is all-inclusive, so a lot of the usual travel kit can stay at home. According to the 2026 price list, the price includes:
- A cabin with air conditioning, fridge, WC and shower.
- Full board 3 times a day as a buffet, snacks, soft drinks and alcohol.
- Wi-Fi.
- A beach base on the islands with a tent, carpet, water, chilled drinks and fruit.
- Storage for kite and wing gear on the boat.
- A compressor and pumps.
- Beach boys, crew members on the beach who carry and inflate your gear and help with launching and landing.
- A rescue boat.
- Wakeboarding behind the boat.
- Fishing gear and snorkelling gear.
- Transfers from the airport to the yacht and back.
Bring your own gear or rent?
Both work. The organiser's 2026 price list has these options:
| Option | Price |
|---|---|
| Complete kite gear | €300 / 6 days |
| Twintip only | €60 / 6 days |
| Beginner course, 6-day intensive, gear included | €600 |
| Refresh course 3 h / 6 h | €180 / €330 |
| Individual lesson | €65 / hour |
If you ride regularly and know your kites, bring them. You know how they fly, how they relaunch (get back in the air after a crash) and where the bar sits, and that matters on a trip where the spot changes with the wind.
If you kite only a few times a year, compare €300 with what your airline charges for sports baggage there and back. A middle option is to fly only your kites, bar and harness and rent a twintip for €60: kites pack small and the board makes the bag long.
If you can't ride on your own yet, start with a course on the coast. The safari gives the most to riders who already ride on their own after a course. There is also a 6-day beginner course on board (€600 with gear); the organiser confirms how many instructors come along with your dates. Either way, do not buy gear before the trip. The beginner course includes it, and after a week you will know much better what suits you. My guide to kitesurfing gear for beginners covers what to look at once you are ready to buy.
How to fly with a kite bag
Airline rules for sports equipment differ and change. The general steps:
- Book the sports baggage when you buy the ticket, or add it well before the flight. Check the weight and length limits and whether the kite bag replaces your checked bag or comes on top of it.
- Deflate the kites fully, roll them carefully and keep the leading edges (the inflatable front tubes) free of sharp objects.
- Take the fins off the board. Use the wetsuit, harness and towels as padding around the board.
- Wind the lines on the bar and secure them so they cannot tangle.
- Keep power banks in your hand luggage and the hook knife and tools in the kite bag.
- Put your name and phone number on the bag and photograph the contents before you close it.
If the bag arrives damaged or late, report it at the airport and then in writing to the airline: within 7 days for damage and within 21 days of getting a delayed bag back. Under the EU rules on the Your Europe portal, the airline's liability for checked luggage is limited to approximately €1,300. You can ask for a higher limit for a fee at check-in at the latest, and for expensive gear the portal recommends private insurance.
What to leave at home
- Drone, binoculars and camouflage clothing. According to the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Egypt classifies them as military material, and having them without a Ministry of Defence permit can lead to confiscation and, in extreme cases, detention. Getting the permit is slow and complicated.
- Pump, snorkel set, fishing gear, wakeboard. All of it is on board.
- Large amounts of medicines or food beyond what you need for yourself.
- Half your wardrobe. On the boat you live in swimwear, lycra and a warm layer.
The crew picks the spot each day according to the wind. The Red Sea kite safari islands guide shows what each spot is like.
The safari is built as a week of progress: a morning and an afternoon session from day 2 to day 6, and video coaching on the evenings of days 3-6, where your rides are analysed. 2026 departures: 11-18 April, 22-29 May, 10-17 October and 7-14 November. The 2027 dates are not published yet; to hear when they are out, leave your email in the form on the kite safari in Egypt page.
Questions
What should I pack for a kite safari in Egypt?
Your kite gear if you ride your own, swimwear and lycra, a light layer for evenings, mineral sunscreen, a small first aid kit, a passport valid for at least 6 months, travel insurance that covers kitesurfing and money for the marine park and marina fees and crew tips, which are paid on site. Pumps, snorkelling gear, meals and drinks are already on the boat.
Do I need to bring my own kite gear on a kite safari?
No. On the safari I go on, a complete kite set costs €300 for 6 days and a twintip alone €60 for 6 days (2026 price list). The beginner course for €600 includes the gear.
How much is the Egypt tourist visa and is it included in the safari price?
The visa is not included. UK government travel advice gives 30 USD for the visa on arrival, cash only, and the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs dates this price to 1 March 2026. The official e-Visa portal lists 30 USD for a single entry.
What plugs and voltage does Egypt use?
Egypt uses type C and F sockets, the same round-pin plugs as most of continental Europe, at 230 V and 50 Hz. Travellers from the UK (type G plugs) or the US (types A and B) need an adapter.
Can I take a drone or binoculars to Egypt?
Not without a permit. The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns that drones, binoculars and military or camouflage clothing count as military material in Egypt and need a permit from the Egyptian Ministry of Defence.
Sources
- Guest review on the organiser's website (Jan Procházka): the safari spots mostly have offshore wind paradisekitesurf.cz (checked 16 October 2026)
- Safari price list 2026: what is included (cabin with AC, full board, drinks, Wi-Fi, beach base, gear storage, compressor and pumps, beach boys, rescue boat, wakeboarding, fishing and snorkelling gear, transfers) and what is not (flights, visa listed as 25 USD, marine park fee and crew tips, insurance) paradisekitesurf.cz (checked 16 October 2026)
- 2026 dates: 11-18 April, 22-29 May, 10-17 October, 7-14 November paradisekitesurf.cz (checked 16 October 2026)
- Rental and extras 2026: complete kite gear €300 / 6 days, twintip €60 / 6 days, beginner course €600 incl. gear, refresh course 3 h €180 and 6 h €330, individual lesson €65 / hour, kite photos €2 per photo paradisekitesurf.cz (checked 16 October 2026)
- Tawila: steady winds 15-25 knots (8-13 m/s), shallow water, sandy bottom paradisekitesurf.cz (checked 16 October 2026)
- Programme: on days 2-6 a morning and an afternoon kite session, last session on day 7; video coaching (ride analysis) in the evenings paradisekitesurf.cz (checked 16 October 2026)
- Visa on arrival at approved airports costs 30 USD, cash only, bought at kiosks before immigration; valid up to 30 days; passport expiry date at least 6 months after the date you arrive www.gov.uk (checked 16 October 2026)
- Visa on arrival at Cairo, Hurghada and Marsa Alam airports costs 30 USD from 1 March 2026 (previously 25 USD); the visa can also be bought in advance on the e-Visa portal mzv.gov.cz (checked 16 October 2026)
- Official e-Visa portal: single entry tourist visa 30 USD, passport valid at least 6 months from arrival date, e-Visa printout required on arrival www.visa2egypt.gov.eg (checked 16 October 2026)
- e-Visa application must be created at least 7 days before departure, payment by card www.visa2egypt.gov.eg (checked 16 October 2026)
- Passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry to Egypt mzv.gov.cz (checked 16 October 2026)
- Drones, binoculars and military or camouflage clothing are classified as military material and prohibited without a permit from the Egyptian Ministry of Defence; medicines and other goods above personal-use quantities face strict customs checks; do not exchange money on the black market mzv.gov.cz (checked 16 October 2026)
- No health insurance system for foreigners in Egypt, private hospitals are expensive, travel health insurance advised; hepatitis A and B vaccination strongly recommended mzv.gov.cz (checked 16 October 2026)
- Women are advised to avoid short shorts, strapless dresses and deep necklines in public mzv.gov.cz (checked 16 October 2026)
- Egypt uses plug types C and F, mains voltage 230 V, frequency 50 Hz www.worldstandards.eu (checked 16 October 2026)
- Type F sockets in Egypt accept plug types C, E and F; type F is used almost everywhere in Europe except the UK and Ireland www.worldstandards.eu (checked 16 October 2026)
- The UK uses type G plugs www.worldstandards.eu (checked 16 October 2026)
- The US uses plug types A and B www.worldstandards.eu (checked 16 October 2026)
- Spare batteries and power banks only in carry-on baggage, never checked; individually protected against short circuit; maximum 2 per person www.easa.europa.eu (checked 16 October 2026)
- Lost, damaged or delayed checked luggage: airline liable up to approx. €1,300; higher limit can be requested for a fee at check-in at the latest; written claim within 7 days, or 21 days for delayed luggage; private insurance advised for expensive items europa.eu (checked 16 October 2026)
- Some chemical UV filters (e.g. oxybenzone, octinoxate, octocrylene, nano zinc oxide, nano titanium dioxide) can harm corals and other marine life; mineral sunscreen is a better option; seek shade 10 am to 2 pm and wear UPF clothing oceanservice.noaa.gov (checked 16 October 2026)
