This won’t be an article full of catchphrases about “fulfilling dreams” and “escaping reality.” It’s about real people who came to El Gouna — some planned, some by accident — and something changed. Not always dramatically. Sometimes they just added a week to their year that makes sense.
80-90% of our guests return. We don’t say that number to boast. We say it because it tells a story on its own.
The One Who Came for a Week
Most stories start the same: someone books a week-long holiday. They want to try kitesurfing, or they already know a bit and are looking for good conditions. They arrive, take a course or rent equipment, spend a week on the water.
And then this happens: on the way to the airport heading home, they think — next year, again.
It’s not that El Gouna is paradise on earth. It’s the combination of things: warm water, reliable wind, shallow lagoon, professional facilities, pleasant atmosphere. Each of these exists elsewhere too. But together, in one place, with consistent quality — that’s rare.
Digital Nomads — Work and Sport
This is a trend we see more and more. People who work remotely — programmers, designers, marketers, consultants — looking for a place to combine work with sport.
At our spot, we have a coworking space: an air-conditioned glass room with a sea view. WiFi, desk, chair, quiet. A morning hour on the water, then work, an afternoon session. Or the other way around — morning work, afternoon sport.
El Gouna is ideal for this:
- Time zone — same as Central Europe (GMT+2), so calls with colleagues in Prague, Berlin, or Zurich work seamlessly
- Internet — works reliably in El Gouna, at hotels and at the spot
- Costs — accommodation is cheaper than in Europe, food too
- Climate — warm year-round, no grey winters
Some of our guests come for 2-4 weeks and work from El Gouna. A few stay for months. They use long-term storage (€900 per season) and keep their equipment on site — no need to transport anything.
Families Who Made It a Tradition
One of the things that makes us happiest is families who come back every year. We have families that have been visiting El Gouna since their kids were small — and now those kids kite on their own.
How it works in practice:
- One parent kites — course or open hours
- The other parent — beach, pool, walking around El Gouna, reading
- Kids — kids’ playground at the spot, swimming in the shallow lagoon, from age 5-6 they can try kite
- Together time — lunch at the restaurant, trips around El Gouna, dinner in town
It’s not a holiday where one person does sport and the rest are bored. El Gouna offers enough for everyone — and the spot is a place where the whole family can meet up.
Long-Term Guests — 1-3 Months
There are people who come for entire months. Retirees, freelancers, people between projects. They rent an apartment in El Gouna, leave their equipment in our storage, and live here.
Their day looks something like this:
- Morning at the spot, check conditions
- Ride when it blows
- Coffee and lunch at the restaurant
- Afternoon reading, walking, second session
- Evening in El Gouna — restaurants, friends, peace
This isn’t an escape from reality. It’s a different way to spend time — actively, outdoors, with a community of people who enjoy the same thing.
What Changes When You Kitesurf Regularly
We won’t claim kitesurfing changes your life. But here’s what we hear from people who ride regularly:
Physical fitness — kitesurfing is a full-body sport. Core, legs, arms, back. After a week on the water, you feel different than after a week on the couch.
Disconnection — on the water, you don’t have your phone. No email. You have the kite, wind, and water. For people who are online all day, that’s a rare reset.
Community — at the spot, you meet the same people. Friendships form, joint trips get planned. After a few years, you have a “kite family” in El Gouna.
Goals outside of work — learning a new sport gives a sense of progress unrelated to career. Standing on the board for the first time, the first ride, the first jump — those are milestones you remember.
Patterns We See Repeatedly
We won’t name specific people (we respect privacy), but here are patterns that recur:
A manager from Germany — comes for 10 days twice a year. October and March. Always private lessons, always the same instructor. She says those two weeks a year keep her balanced.
A Czech couple — he’s been kiting from the start, she started three years ago. Now they both ride. They leave the kids with grandparents (or bring them along). A week in El Gouna is their shared thing.
A Swiss retiree — 2 months in winter, every year. Has his kite in storage, knows all the instructors by name. He’s more at home at the spot than at home.
A Polish group of friends — 6 people, once a year, always October. They book together, stay next to each other, spend a week on the water and at dinners. A tradition they’ve kept for 5 years.
It’s Verifiable
You don’t have to take our word for it. We have 4.9 stars on Google and hundreds of reviews from people who’ve been here. Read them — they’re honest, specific, and speak for themselves.
We’ve been operating since 2004. In El Gouna’s north since 2016. Lukas and Andrea Vogeltanz are co-owners since 2022. We have 250+ kites, 70+ boards, 25 instructors in peak season. This isn’t a startup — it’s an established operation with history.
How to Try It
If you’ve read this far and you’re thinking “that sounds good” — here’s what to do:
- Check kite courses or wing courses — so you know what to expect and what it costs
- Read about the spot — to understand the conditions
- Book your dates through booking
- Buy flights to Hurghada (HRG) — direct flights from most European cities
And if you have questions — any at all — write via contact. We’ll answer honestly, because honesty is what we build on.
Conclusion
We’re not selling a dream. We’re selling reality — a quality kite spot, professional facilities, reliable conditions. What you make of it is up to you. Some people come once and that’s enough. Some come once and keep returning for twenty years.
But one thing we can say with certainty: nobody who’s been here said they regretted it.