Is Summer Too Hot for Kitesurfing in El Gouna?

35–40°C in El Gouna in summer – can you kite? Honestly: yes, but with adjustments. Morning and evening sessions, wingfoil as an alternative, fewer people.

Short answer: no, but you need to know what you’re getting into. The long answer is this article.

Summer in El Gouna is hot. That’s no surprise — we’re in Egypt, on the edge of the desert. But there’s a difference between “hot in the city” and “hot at a kite spot by the sea.” And that difference is crucial.

What the Real Temperatures Are

Let’s get to the numbers, no sugarcoating:

• Air: 35°C is normal, in July it can hit 40°C or more — mainly in town without wind
• Water: 27–29°C — warm, pleasant, no wetsuit
• Wind: When it blows, it’s pleasant on the water. Wind cools you down. When there’s no wind, it’s hot

Here’s the key: on the beach by the sea, where the wind blows, it’s bearable. In town without wind, it’s really hot. If you spend the day at the spot — on the water, in the shade of the beach club, with wind — it’s a completely different experience than walking through town at two in the afternoon.

When to Ride

In summer, the daily schedule adapts to the weather. Nobody sensible goes on the water at noon in 40°C and calm air. Here’s how it works:

Morning Session (7:00–11:00)

The best part of the day. The temperature is still bearable (28–32°C), the wind tends to be stable, and the spot is quiet. Most experienced kitesurfers ride in the morning.

Midday Break (11:00–16:00)

Rest. Lunch at the beach club on the spot — shade, cold drinks, WiFi. Or the air-conditioned coworking space with a sea view. You simply wait out the worst of the heat.

Late Afternoon Session (16:00–sunset)

The temperature drops, the wind often picks up. A second chance to ride. Sunset over the water is a bonus.

This isn’t a compromise — it’s a smart approach. Even in October (peak season), many people ride morning and late afternoon. In summer, it’s just more pronounced.

Advantages of Summer — Yes, They Exist

Now for the part you might expect less: summer has real advantages.

Fewer People

July is our quietest month. Significantly fewer people at the spot, on the water, at the beach club. If you don’t like crowds and want to enjoy the lagoon almost to yourself — summer is your time.

Lower Accommodation Prices

Hotels and apartments in El Gouna are significantly cheaper in summer. The same goes for flights. If you have a flexible schedule, you’ll save enough on accommodation and travel to make up for a few days of lighter wind.

Warm Water Without a Wetsuit

At 27–29°C you ride in boardshorts or a rashguard. No wrestling into a wetsuit, no overheating on the beach while you wait for wind. Just jump on the water and ride.

More Time With Instructors

During peak season, instructors are fully booked. In summer they have more space — you can arrange a flexible schedule, get individual attention, and have more time for feedback. With a maximum of two students per instructor anyway, summer makes that one-on-one feel even more personal.

What If the Wind Isn’t Enough for Kiting?

Honestly — it happens. On some summer days the wind simply isn’t enough for comfortable kitesurfing. What then?

Wingfoiling

Wingfoiling works from around 10–12 knots — significantly less than a kite needs. In light summer wind, when the kite sits on the beach, the wing rides. It’s the ideal summer complement. And if you’re already a kitesurfer, learning to wing is faster — you already understand wind and board. If you’re weighing the two, here’s kitesurfing vs wingfoiling.

Hydrofoil Kite

With a hydrofoil on the kite, you ride in lighter wind than on a twintip. The foil reduces drag, so even with a smaller kite you get going. If you have the experience, foiling extends your wind window downward.

No-Wind Day

Sometimes there’s simply no wind at all. And that’s fine. You have the beach club with shade and cold drinks, you can swim in the lagoon, go snorkeling, or just rest. El Gouna as a resort offers plenty of activities even without wind.

Who Summer in El Gouna Is For

Let’s be specific:

Ideal for:

• Wingfoilers and those who want to try winging
• People who don’t like crowds
• Digital nomads (coworking + sport + cheaper accommodation)
• Families (warm shallow water and a kids’ playground; the play area is not supervised childcare and an accompanying adult remains responsible)
• Kitefoilers (who ride in lighter wind)
• Anyone with a flexible schedule who wants to save money

Less ideal for:

• Complete beginners who want reliable strong wind for lessons every single day
• People who don’t tolerate heat well
• Those who require strong kite wind on every booked day — no season can promise that

Practical Tips for Summer

• Hydration — drink lots of water, all day. We have cold drinks at the spot.
• Sunscreen — SPF 50+, reapplied often. The Egyptian sun is strong.
• Light clothing — a long-sleeve UV shirt on the water protects better than sunscreen alone.
• Early rising — the best conditions are early in the morning.
• Air conditioning — when choosing accommodation, make sure you have AC.

What the Numbers Say

We measure the wind ourselves on our own weather station, and the pattern is clear: wind in El Gouna blows year-round, but intensity varies. Early summer (June into July) is statistically the lighter period. From mid-August the wind picks up significantly, and August through October is the absolute peak. For the full month-by-month breakdown built on years of our own station data, see our best time to kite in El Gouna guide.

So if you come at the end of August, you still get summer accommodation prices, but the wind is already strong. That might be the best compromise of all.

Conclusion

Is summer too hot? No, if you know what to expect. Is it hot — yes. Is that a reason not to go? For most people, no.

Adjust your daily routine, add wingfoiling to your repertoire, and enjoy a quiet spot with minimal crowds and warm water. And if you want the best compromise — go at the end of August: the wind returns, prices are still at summer levels, and the spot is just starting to fill up.

Have questions about summer conditions? Write to us — we’ll answer honestly.