“How many days do I need to learn to ride?” This is the question we hear every single day. And the answer nobody wants to hear: it depends. But I can give you a realistic picture of what to expect.
The Basic Course: 8 Hours on the Water
Our Basic I course consists of 8 hours of actual time on the water. It’s spread over 3–5 days because you can effectively handle about 3 hours per day (two sessions of 1.5 hours each). More than that doesn’t make sense — after three hours, concentration drops and fatigue builds, which means slower learning and more mistakes.
Eight hours might sound like very little, but in kitesurfing, what counts is time on the water, not time on the beach. And three hours of active instruction per day is plenty intense.
Day by Day: What to Realistically Expect
Day 1 (Hours 1–3)
Theory, safety, kite control. By the end of the day, you can steer the kite, you know the safety systems, and you can bodydrag. No board yet.
Some schools promise you’ll be riding on day one. We don’t. We want you to be able to control the kite safely before we add a board into the mix. It’s like learning to drive a car — first you learn where the brake is, then you hit the road.
Day 2 (Hours 4–5)
Upwind bodydrag and first attempts with the board. Waterstart — the most technically challenging element of the entire learning process. Combining kite control with getting up on the board.
Most people make their first metres on the board on day two. It’s not a hundred metres of smooth riding — it’s five, ten, twenty metres before you fall. But you’re riding. And that feeling is indescribable.
Day 3 (Hours 6–7)
If you pick it up quickly, you’ll start riding consistently. Longer runs, better control, fewer falls. Some people start riding both directions — left and right — at this stage.
Honestly, talent plays a role. People who’ve surfed, snowboarded, or wakeboarded have an advantage — the brain already knows what it’s like to stand on a board. But even complete sports beginners get going by day three.
Day 4–5 (Hours 8–10+)
Working on riding upwind — against the wind. This is the key skill. Until you can ride upwind, you always end up further downwind than where you started and have to walk back or get a ride. Once you can ride upwind, you’re independent.
Most people master upwind somewhere between their 8th and 15th hour on the water. Some sooner, some later. It depends on fitness, talent, and conditions.
What Affects the Speed of Learning
Physical fitness — you don’t need to be an athlete, but basic fitness helps. Kitesurfing particularly works the core, arms, and legs. If you can do ten push-ups and swim 200 metres, you’re fine.
Prior board sport experience — snowboarding, skateboarding, wakeboarding, surfing. Anything where you stand sideways on a board gives you an advantage. But it’s not required.
Weight and height — lighter people generally have an easier waterstart (the kite pulls them out of the water more easily). Heavier people need a bigger kite and a bit more strength. But we’ve taught people from 45 to 120 kilos — it all works.
Conditions — and this is where El Gouna excels. Shallow water means you spend time learning, not swimming and searching for your board. Consistent wind means predictable conditions. No waves means one less thing to worry about.
Instructor quality — I’m not afraid to say that a good instructor saves you hours. That’s why we have IKO certified instructors and walkie-talkie communication — instant feedback right on the water.
After the Course: When Can You Rent Equipment
After completing Basic I (8 hours), you receive your IKO certification. It confirms your level and allows you to rent equipment at any IKO school in the world.
Realistically — after 8 hours of instruction, most people can ride independently in straightforward conditions (shallow water, steady wind, plenty of space). At our lagoon, you can rent equipment immediately after the course.
But keep in mind — IKO Level 3 (independent rider, rides upwind) means you can ride safely. It doesn’t mean you can jump, ride in waves, or handle strong wind. That comes with more hours of practice.
How Many Hours Do You Need in Total
For reference:
- 8 hours — basics, downwind riding, beginning upwind
- 15–20 hours — reliable upwind, riding both directions, basic transitions
- 30–50 hours — first jumps, riding in varied conditions, confidence on the water
- 100+ hours — advanced tricks, waves, strong wind
So if you’re planning your first kite holiday, expect to be riding independently after a week (8–15 hours on the water). After two weeks, you’ll be riding with confidence. And then you’ll want to come back — because the more you ride, the more fun it gets.
Refresh Course: When You Return After a Break
You learned to ride but then didn’t kite for a year (or three)? It happens. The body forgets, but the brain remembers more than you’d think.
We offer refresh courses — 3 hours from 175 € or 6 hours from 395 €. Most people are riding like before after 3–6 hours of refreshing. It’s like riding a bike — you never completely forget, you just need a little while to get it back.
Realistic Expectations
I’ll be straight with you: you won’t learn kitesurfing in an afternoon. If someone promises you’ll be riding after two hours, they’re either lying or have a very loose definition of the word “riding.”
But 3–5 days in El Gouna? That’s enough to get going, feel the incredible sensation of gliding across the water pulled by a kite, and earn a certification that lets you rent equipment anywhere in the world.
And then? Then you’ll come back. Just like 80–90% of our customers.
A full overview of courses and prices on our kite courses page and you can book through booking.