Stroll into any tour company in Dahab or Sharm El-Sheikh and you’ll see pictures of an incredible red canyon. It looks strikingly similar to Antelope Canyon in Arizona (and in the more unscrupulous places it actually is Antelope Canyon!).
However, after a bit of digging and finally meeting someone who was 100% honest with us, we found out that the original Coloured Canyon is actually closed (more on that later) and you will be taken to Salama Canyon instead. Most of the time you will not be told that’s what’s happening.
We decided to visit anyway, to find out exactly what this new coloured canyon is actually like, and if it’s worth your time. Here’s how we found it.
Visiting Salama Canyon
The walk
The walk through Salama Canyon is easy and just 800m long.
It’s almost entirely flat and the sand is compact, so it’s not hard to walk on. There are a couple of rocky sections, but nothing too challenging.
The first 250m are all through an open section of canyon, it’s very pretty, with orange walls on either side of you. It’s wide, more like a picturesque walk than the slot canyon that you would have expected to be walking through when you see all those promo photos.
After the first 250m you start heading into a narrower section of canyon, this is the bit that requires climbing down a few rocks.
The next 150m are in what feels like more of a canyon, and whilst it’s not like walking through a prolonged slot, I found it fun and very pretty. The slot section isn’t particularly deep, so it won’t tower over you, or block out all the light like some do, but nevertheless it’s picturesque.
If you think of it as a walk and not a slot canyon, then you won’t be disappointed with the scenery. It’s gorgeous and the pink coloured rock is such a surprise after driving through the open sandy desert.
After you pass through the short narrower section, you’re back in open canyon again, and the next 400m are are similar to the first section, though the walls felt taller and there was more colour in the rock.
At the end of the walk you’ll come to a small Bedouin camp where you can buy Bedouin tea (black with sugar and marmaria herb), as well as handicrafts. It’s always atmospheric to sit and drink tea boiled over open flames, and it’s a great end to the walk.
The logistics of visiting Salama Canyon
Unfortunately for lovers of independent travel, as with almost every hike in the region, you need to visit Salama Canyon with a guide.
Sometimes, like with Mount Sinai, this is more about employment for locals than the real need for a guide. However, with Salama Canyon you would struggle to get there without a guide because you need a 4WD and some good skills to drive across a small section of desert to reach the trailhead. It’s not signposted or marked, so even finding it would be difficult.
Once inside the canyon, it’s straightforward and you can just stroll through.
You can either visit on a group or private tour. We had a custom day planned so we went privately. Our guides were very good, understanding that we wanted to walk through at our own pace, taking pictures etc.
It’s much cheaper to take a group tour if your are travelling on a budget. The group tours are usually combined with a trip to Mushroom Rock, a desert oasis for lunch and White Canyon. We did this too, but also added in a trip to the original Coloured Canyon. I know I said it was closed, but there’s more to it than that.
So is Salama Canyon worth it?
I think if you are going on the trip because you want to see something like in the pictures at the tour offices, then the answer is no. Salama Canyon is nothing like that.
However, if you want to visit a beautiful open canyon in a gorgeous bit of the desert, then it’s a yes.
One of the posters with photos of Antelope Canyon on their tour
As you are likely to combine it with White Canyon, which is even more spectacular, then it’s a great trip.
As long as your expectations match the reality then you won’t be disappointed, but for those sold on pictures of the real Coloured Canyon, then you are going to feel seriously short changed.
Big Coloured Canyon vs Small Coloured Canyon, aka Salama Canyon
Can you still visit the real Coloured Canyon?
Yes you can, but it takes more effort. The truth is that group tours and the majority of tour companies now want to take you to Salama Canyon, as getting to Big Coloured Canyon is much harder and costlier following a road closure.
The canyon at Big Coloured Canyon (the original one)
You need special permission to visit and the route involves a 1 - 1.5 hour drive through the desert.
You will pay a lot more for this trip, because it’s private and involves extensive use of a Land Cruiser, however it was worth every last penny. It was a highlight of our month in Egypt. We paid USD $150 total for our trip, which included three canyons, Mushroom Rock and lunch at a desert oasis. We were initially sceptical about the cost, but the trip ran from 8am to 6.30pm and was totally worth the money.
We have a whole guide dedicated to the Coloured Canyon for more details. If you want to discuss the trip with the guide we used then you can contact Tarek on this number: +20 127 301 2274.
Update for 2024: we’ve recently spoken to Tarek who has informed us that due to rising costs the trip is now USD $180 for two people.
Which is better: Salama or Big Coloured Canyon?
These two canyons are leagues apart. The original Coloured Canyon (big) is a world class canyon of incredible beauty. Depending on your speed it’s a 1-2 hour walk, first through a sensational open canyon and then through multiple long slots. Salama Canyon is almost entirely wide and open. There really is no comparison between the two.
However, given that you can now only visit Coloured Canyon on a private trip, you can easily visit both canyons on the same day like we did. We visited Salama Canyon, Coloured Canyon, Mushroom Rock, the desert oasis and White Canyon in one day. It was tiring, but absolutely wonderful. If you love canyons and the desert, then it’s a trip not to be missed.
Another great option if you’re feeling adventurous is Arada Canyon, but this requires some scrambling and is harder than both Salama or Big Coloured Canyon.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions. And in case you’re wondering, we paid full price for the tour and have no affiliation with Tarek, so as always, we’re sharing our 100% honest opinion.
Where to stay
Le Meridien, Dahab
Le Meridien is an oasis of tranquility in Dahab, it was perfectly quiet - which is incredibly rare in Egypt. As it’s set a little way out of town, it means you’re away from the hustle and bustle, but the drive in only takes 10 minutes and costs about 50 EGP ($2 USD) one way - do not use the hotel’s taxi service though which is very over priced. You’ll want to grab the number of a driver from town and then call or Whatsapp them for lifts.
The deluxe rooms are comfy, quiet, spacious and some come with an outdoor shower, which was my absolute favourite way to end the day. The resort also has 3 pools (2 saltwater, 1 fresh), its own beach and pretty grounds. It’s one of the best hotels we stayed in in Egypt and if you visit out of peak season, you can snag a great deal.
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