El Gouna is a resort town on Egypt's Red Sea coast, about 25 km north of Hurghada. It's best known as a place to learn kitesurfing in shallow lagoons, but it's also a very good foiling trip: steady wind most of the year, warm water, sunshine almost every day, and deep water just beyond the reef where a foil has room to fly.
What makes it special
The wind blows from the north to north-west down the Gulf of Suez and along the coast, steady and without many gusts. The coast runs north-west to south-east, so on most beaches the wind is side-onshore. Behind the fringing reef there are big, shallow lagoons; outside it, the water is deep, with chop and the odd small wave. That combination is what makes El Gouna work for foilers: you learn and launch on the inside, and you foil on the outside.
Best time to go, month by month
Our numbers come from five years of GFS weather data (2022–2026). A "windy day" is a day with at least two daytime hours at 15 knots or more (how we count).
Windy days: days with at least 2 hours of 15+ knots between 9:00 and 18:00, averaged over recent years. Averages over recent years from weather data; tap a spot for daily detail.
June to September is the windiest stretch, with 22–25 windy days a month and an average wind of 15–16 knots. April, May and October are also good, with 17–20 windy days and less heat. From November to January the wind drops to 7–11 windy days a month. Schools say winter has fewer windy days but stronger gusts when it does blow.
For foilers that's useful: a wing or kite foil gets going in less wind than a twin-tip, so even the 13–14 knot averages of April, May and October give plenty of sessions. Local centres also say the wind here often blows harder than the forecasts show.
Heat is the other thing to plan for. In June to September the air reaches 35–37°C. Cover up between sessions, find shade and drink a lot.
Where to ride
The main kite area is north of the town, around Mangroovy Beach, with several centres along the shore. The layout is similar at most of them:
- The lagoon. Shallow, sandy, flat water, often waist-deep. Great for learning to kite and wing, and for the first touch-and-go on a foil with a short mast. One centre describes its lagoon as more than two square kilometres.
- Outside the reef. Deep water, chop and occasional small waves. This is where wing foilers and kite foilers go once they can ride upwind, and where most centres keep a rescue boat on duty.
- Tawila Island. Some centres run boat trips to this flat, sandy island offshore, where the wind is offshore and the water is clear.
Hazards: tides, reef and the rescue boat
- Low water in summer. The tide changes the water level by 20–70 cm. In summer, especially around full moon, one centre says its lagoon can drain for several hours, and then you can only ride behind the reef.
- The reef. It's shallow in places. Cross it only through the channels the schools show you, never over the top with a foil.
- Deep water outside. If you can't get back upwind, you rely on the rescue boat. Ride only when it's on duty, and check whether it can reach you in the lagoon at low tide (often it can't).
- The sun. Very strong, all year. High-SPF waterproof sunscreen, a lycra top and a cap.
Rules and etiquette
Kiting in El Gouna is organised by station and zone, and you're expected to register with a centre before riding. Typical rules at the centres:
- The first 50 m of beach are for launching and landing only.
- Lessons and experienced riders have separate areas.
- To rent gear you may need a certificate; one centre asks for a VDWS licence (level 3 for kite, level 5 for wing foiling).
- Finish your last session before sunset.
Water and what to wear
From June to October the water is 25–29°C: boardshorts and a lycra or thin top. In spring and late autumn a shorty is comfortable. From December to March the water is 19–21°C and it's cool after sunset, so bring a 4/3 full suit and something warm for the evening. More in our wetsuit guide by water temperature.
Getting there and getting around
Fly into Hurghada (HRG), about 30 minutes by car. Tour-operator bus transfers can take much longer. In town, tuk-tuks, taxis and shuttles take you to the beaches in a few minutes.
Schools and rentals
There are several centres on the beaches north of town, including Riah Kite Academy, which has a wide shallow area without reef, and KBC El Gouna, which runs wing-foil weeks with a rescue boat outside the reef. Centres offer lessons, rental and gear storage. If you're new to foiling, start with a lesson: the instructor will show you the channels through the reef.
FAQ
Is El Gouna good for wing foiling? Yes, once you can ride upwind. Learn in the lagoon, then foil outside the reef, where the water is deep enough.
What's the windiest month in El Gouna? In our data June, with 25 windy days. June to September all have 22–25.
Is El Gouna good in winter? It's warm and sunny, but with only 7–14 windy days a month from December to February and water at 19–21°C. Our winter kite trips from Europe guide compares it with other spots.
Can I foil in the lagoon? Only where it's deep enough and with a short mast. In summer the water level can drop a lot, so the outside is more reliable.
You can see every month for El Gouna, with wind, water, air and rain, on its page on Best Time to Ride.
