Pickalbatros Jungle Aqua Park
Pickalbatros Jungle Aqua Park is a big four-star all-inclusive on the Red Sea coast at Hurghada, in Egypt, built around an enormous shared waterpark and a funfair. Families come for the slides, pools and rides, the Kids Aqua Park and a kids' club from age four. The all-inclusive price is one guests rate highly for value.
On this page
Is it worth it?
The quick read before the detail: who it suits, what the price covers and the age line that decides a lot.
Pickalbatros Jungle Aqua Park is a large four-star all-inclusive on Egypt's Red Sea coast, built around one thing: an enormous waterpark. It shares that park and its funfair with two sister hotels next door, and for families with children of about four and up there's a lot here, with slides, pools, rides and a kids' club all folded into one price. Mumsnet lists it among its waterpark picks for Egypt, and guests rate it highly, around 9 out of 10 on Booking.com and 4.6 out of 5 on On the Beach from thousands of reviews as of mid-2026, with particular praise for the aqua park, the cleanliness, the staff and the value.
For the youngest visitors, the age line is the thing to weigh. The Kids Aqua Park and the Alba Kids Club both start at four, so an under-four is limited to the general pools rather than the slide park that makes the resort's name. There's no beach on site either, so beach days mean a free 10 to 15 minute shuttle to a sister hotel's sand, and the pools listed as heated aren't reliably warm in the cooler months. It suits families who want non-stop water and activity at a low price and don't mind a large, busy site; it suits less well if your child is under four and the waterpark is the point, or you want a quiet, beach-on-the-doorstep week.
Best for
You want a huge waterpark and non-stop activity for children of about four and up, an all-inclusive that covers the lot and a short transfer, without paying five-star prices.
Maybe not for
Your child is under four and the main aqua park is the point, you want a beach on your doorstep, or you're after a quiet, restful hotel.
Best ages
About four and up, when the Kids Aqua Park, the slides and the Alba Kids Club all open up. Under-fours are limited to the general pools.
What stands out
A shared Neverland aqua park guests call the best they've seen, a funfair with eleven rides and value the reviews rate very highly.
What to check
Whether the pools are heated for an autumn or winter trip, and that the beach shuttle suits how you like to spend a day.
Where is it?
South Hurghada on the Safaga Road, about 6 miles (9 km) and 20 minutes from the airport, on Egypt's Red Sea coast.
Quick facts for families
What the resort is like
Where it sits, how the site is laid out and what that means for getting around with young children.
Pickalbatros Jungle Aqua Park Resort, Neverland Hurghada in full, sits on the Safaga Road in south Hurghada, on Egypt's Red Sea coast, about 6 miles (9 km) south of the airport, and opened in 2009. It's one of three Pickalbatros hotels that make up the Neverland complex, alongside the Arabian-themed Alf Leila Wa Leila and the newer five-star Water Valley, and the three share one giant aqua park and a run of entertainment. Booking the Jungle Aqua Park gets you the run of those shared facilities across the complex. It's the biggest of the Pickalbatros hotels by land area, which you feel in the walking.
It's a large, flat site, and that cuts both ways. The rooms are bungalow-style, many set around the pools with a balcony or terrace looking onto the water, and the flat ground helps with a pushchair. The distances between the accommodation and the far side of the aqua park are long, though, and plenty of guests find the walking tiring by the end of a day. Electric golf buggies run around the grounds and staff will call one to your block on request, although reviews say they aren't always quick to come. In UK terms these are the resort's own carts for getting about, not prams, so bring your own pushchair for the little ones. The resort lists lifts, wheelchair access and step-free facilities, which the flat layout helps.
For the wider area, its beaches and when to go, see our Hurghada guide.
Every restaurant and bar
The full line-up of themed restaurants and bars, what's included and how the table booking works.
Meals run on the all-inclusive buffet rotation across a set of themed restaurants, and there's real range for a big resort. The official count is thirteen restaurants and twelve bars. Almost all of it is included; only the Starfish seafood restaurant costs extra.
| Restaurant | Cuisine | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Tagine | Moroccan and oriental | Breakfast, lunch and dinner, with pool views. |
| Zum Kaiser | German fusion | Open daily for all three meals, an unusual find in Egypt. |
| L’Asiatique | Asian | Traditional Asian dishes, with pool views. |
| Alfredo | Italian | Singled out by guests for the food and for birthday and celebration service. |
| Mediterranean | Mediterranean | Breakfast, lunch and dinner. |
| Soprano | Italian buffet | Pasta, pizza and desserts. |
| Rocking Burger | Burgers | A rock-and-roll theme, an informal poolside snack stop. |
| Taj | Indian | Traditional Indian cuisine. |
| Bakery Station | Bakery | Baked goods, pastries and ice cream through the day. |
| Le Marche | International and seafood | A broad international menu, overlooking a pool. |
| Club MC | Snacks | Daytime café-style bites. |
| La Casa | Italian | A specialty open buffet, included in the all-inclusive; book a table, dinner 18:00 to 21:00 daily. |
| The Starfish | Seafood, à la carte | The one restaurant that costs extra. |
Two venues need a word of their own. La Casa looks like a specialty Italian you'd pay extra for, but it's an open-buffet restaurant included in the all-inclusive, needing only a table booking, and it serves dinner from 18:00 to 21:00. The Starfish is the one that does cost extra: an à la carte seafood restaurant you pay for on top. Of the everyday restaurants, guests most often single out Alfredo, the Italian, for the cooking and for the fuss they make of a birthday. Two more are worth knowing what to expect from: L’Asiatique serves traditional Asian dishes and cooking styles with pool views, and Soprano is an Italian buffet built around pasta, pizza and desserts, an easy choice for a fussier eater.
How the restaurants work
Reservations are needed for both the à la carte Starfish and the included open-buffet restaurants, so it's worth booking your dinners when you check in rather than turning up on spec. The everyday buffet meals don't need booking. Families have flagged a shortage of highchairs at busy mealtimes in the past, so if you're travelling with a baby it's worth asking the resort to have one ready before you go.
The bars are dotted around the pools, the lobby and the entertainment areas. The resort counts twelve bars in all and names ten: the Columbus Bar, which also runs a VR experience, the Jungle Bar by the main aqua park, the Orange Bar, the La Veranda Bar, the Mid-Way Bar in the funfair area, the Lobby Bar, the Terrace Bar, the Water Valley Bar by the pools, the Beach Bar down at Dana Beach and the Bakery Bar for fresh pastries. Local-brand drinks are included through the day, while imported spirits and anything after midnight cost extra.
Rooms and suites
The bungalow room types and which suit a family, the aqua park and pools, plus the shuttle-access beach.
Where you'll sleep
The official site lists three room types, all bungalow-style and all with a pool view, with a few occupancy variations of the same rooms also bookable. Sizes aren't published, but these read as roomy bungalows rather than compact hotel rooms.
| Room | What you get | Family fit |
|---|---|---|
| Bungalow Pool View | The entry-level bungalow, with a pool view and a private balcony or terrace. | Fine for a couple with one small child; it can feel tight for a family of four. |
| Bungalow Swim Up | The terrace opens straight onto a pool, with no walkway to cross. | The easiest room with a baby or toddler, for step-out water access. |
| Family Bungalow Pool View | The top room type: one bungalow with a sliding-door division between the living space and a children’s area with bunk beds, plus a private terrace. | Suits families who want the children sleeping in a partitioned area, though it’s one bungalow divided rather than a separate second bedroom. |
Beyond the three main types there's also a Bungalow Triple for three adults with a child or two, a Superior Bungalow, a Honeymoon Bungalow and a Deluxe Room in the neighbouring Alf Leila Wa Leila section of the complex that you can book through the Jungle Aqua Park. They're configurations of the same bungalow stock rather than a separate class.
Every room comes with air conditioning, a 50-inch satellite TV, a minibar, a kettle, a safe, a hairdryer, a balcony or terrace, a shower bathroom, free WiFi and a phone. Baby cots are free on request and worth arranging before you arrive. Room service is available but costs extra.
For a family with a baby or toddler, the Swim Up bungalow is the simplest choice, with the terrace opening straight onto a pool and no walkway to cross, so water is a step away. The Family Bungalow gives you a sliding-door division between the living space and a children's area with bunk beds, which helps if you want the children sleeping apart from you, though it's one bungalow partitioned rather than a full second bedroom. A standard Bungalow Pool View is fine for a couple with one small child but can feel tight for a family of four.
The aqua park and pools
The waterpark is the whole point of the place. The Neverland Aqua Park is shared across the three hotels, and between them the complex claims 81 water slides and 45 pools, with named rides like the Dragero, King Chopra, Freefall, Aqua Tube and Looping Rocket. That's more water than most families get through in a week.
Beyond the slides there's a wave pool, a lazy river, a faster current-driven Crazy River, an indoor pool and a surf pool with a flowrider for older children and adults. A separate Kids Aqua Park is built for children, with its own slides and splash zones and dedicated staff, and it has an official minimum age of four. There are four children's pools among the total, and some of the larger pools have shallow sections set aside for children. Sun loungers and parasols are free at the pools, on the same towel-card system as the beach. The Water Valley Bar is the pool-facing swim-up bar.
One adults' pool and one children's pool are heated, though not reliably warm in the cooler months, so it's worth checking for an autumn or winter trip. The aqua park doesn't post a fixed timetable, so check the day's sessions when you arrive.
The beach
There's no beach on the resort itself. You reach the sea on a free shuttle to Dana Beach, the private sandy beach at the sister Pickalbatros Dana Beach Resort, which runs regularly through the day and takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Dana Beach is a large five-star beach resort in its own right, 181,000m² on Villages Road, Hurghada, so the sand and facilities are good, with free loungers, parasols and beach towels on a card and an included Beach Bar. The Alba Kids Club runs a Nemo zone there for children too.
The trade-off is spontaneity. A beach morning takes a shuttle each way rather than a walk from your room, which is a bit more planning with a baby and all the kit, and there are no prams provided at the beach itself. If a safe toddler paddle is a deciding factor, ask the resort how the sea shelves at Dana Beach before you book, whether it's a gradual sandy entry or a sharper drop. The Red Sea here is clear and full of coral and fish, and the Giftun Islands, reachable on a day boat trip, are the main snorkelling trip.
Babies and toddlers
What's on for younger children, everything that fills a family day, then the area beyond the gate.
The kids' club and the baby basics
The age line runs through everything here. The Alba Kids Club, for ages four to twelve, is included and runs creative activities, arts and crafts, a playground, water play, the animation team and an evening mini disco; its hours aren't published, so check the day's sessions at check-in. The Kids Aqua Park is also four and up. That leaves under-fours to the general and children's pools, which they can use, rather than the dedicated slide park.
There's no crèche, and babysitting or in-room childcare isn't listed as an official service, so don't count on it; contact the resort directly if you need care for a younger child. On the practical side, baby cots are free on request and there's a doctor on call, a hairdresser and a pharmacy guests find pricey. Highchairs have been in short supply at busy times in the past, so ask ahead if you'll need one.
For supplies, the Spinney's supermarket at Senzo Mall, a few minutes away, stocks nappies, wipes and baby food at prices similar to or below the UK. In Egypt baby formula is sold through pharmacies rather than supermarkets, so buy that at a chemist.
On resortThings to do
Beyond the water, the Midway Street funfair is the big draw, with eleven rides including a flying chair, a pirate ship, a top spin, a Super Himalaya and a drop tower, all included. There's a VR experience at the Columbus Bar, a small museum with replicas of Luxor's artefacts, a skate area, bumper cars, water bumper boats, bikes to ride round the paths, a playground, an art school, garden chess, table tennis and a games room. Billiards is there too but costs extra.
For sport there are two tennis courts with a coach, where the equipment and the floodlights cost extra, plus padel courts, a football pitch, mini golf, boules and beach volleyball. Aerobics and daily animation round it out.
In the evenings the animation team runs shows for all ages and the children's mini disco, and the headline is the Neverland Night Show at the Alf Leila Wa Leila theatre next door: a couple of hours of live performers, belly dancing, acrobatics and folklore that guests rate highly. It's included once per stay if you reserve a place, though a few have reported being charged, so confirm it at check-in.
The spa has a sauna, steam bath, jacuzzi, massages, body treatments, a beauty salon and a gym. The treatments all cost extra, and whether the gym is included isn't clear, so ask at check-in which facilities are free; several guests mention a hard sell at the spa door. A small daytime touch children love is the free ice cream in the lobby. Pickalbatros belongs to Egypt's Green Star sustainability scheme, though that's a chain-level credential rather than something specific to this hotel.
The area and days out
The resort sits a little apart from Hurghada's centres. The modern El Mamsha marina and promenade is around 9 miles (15 km) away and the old town of El Dahar about 11 to 12 miles (18 to 20 km), neither walkable, so both mean a taxi or a tour. Much closer, Senzo Mall is about 0.4 miles (640 m) away, with the Spinney's supermarket handy for supplies.
For days out, the tour desk sells the usual excursions, though some guests find the on-site operators pricey, so it's worth comparing before you book. Luxor and the Valley of the Kings is a full-day trip of about three to three and a half hours by road, and one Mumsnet reviewer singled it out as a highlight of their stay; the Giftun Islands are roughly an hour out by boat for snorkelling; Cairo is a long day or an overnight, six hours by road or an hour by plane; and closer to home the Hurghada Grand Aquarium is about 2 miles (3 km) away and Sand City's sculptures are nearby. For more on the region, see our Hurghada guide.
Loves and gripes
What guests rate and what frustrated them, how it compares locally, the journey in and the weather by month.
What families love, and the gripes
Mumsnet's editorial team names it a “best with a waterpark” pick for Egypt, and its writers found “sheer wow factor” here for families with primary-age children and teens. One Mumsnet parent's review put it more bluntly: “It was absolutely INSANE. The hotel was amazing. 2 water parks. Kids absolutely love it and want to go back this year.” The review scores back that up. Booking.com rates it 9.0 out of 10 from more than 2,750 reviews, with facilities the strongest category at 9.3 and cleanliness, comfort and staff all around 9.1. TripAdvisor scores it 4 out of 5 from over 8,300 reviews and Trip.com 9.0 out of 10, and On the Beach guests rate it 4.6 out of 5 from more than 8,000 reviews. On TripAdvisor it ranks in the mid-80s out of the more than 330 hotels in Hurghada.
What families love
- The aqua park, which many reviewers call the best they've been to.
- The value, with one reviewer comparing it to Disneyland at a tenth of the price.
- The cleanliness across the pools, rooms and grounds.
- The staff, with reception, the lifeguards and the animation team singled out.
- The range of food on offer across the restaurants.
- Rooms that reviewers describe as spacious and well kept.
- The Neverland Night Show and the range of free rides and activities.
- The free ice cream in the lobby, a small hit with children.
Common gripes
- The WiFi, weak and unreliable in the rooms and the lowest-scored category on Booking.com.
- The beach needing a shuttle, awkward for spontaneous beach time with a pram.
- Pools listed as heated that aren't always warm, mainly in the shoulder and winter months.
- A shortage of highchairs at busy mealtimes, from older reviews.
- Food that's varied but can be bland dish to dish.
- The scale and the walking, tiring with young children, with golf-buggy waits.
- Night show access that's meant to be included but has caught a few guests out.
- Some slides closed on any given day, day-use crowds and pricey on-site services.
How it compares
Around Hurghada, the closest comparison for a waterpark family is JAZ Aquaviva at Makadi Bay, which rates a touch higher and draws praise for its service and its 50-slide park, though it's a 45-minute transfer against the 15 to 20 minutes here, and the Jungle's shared Neverland complex packs more variety into one place. Sunrise Alora at Al Ahyaa is newer and the highest-rated in the area, but its waterpark is much smaller at 16 slides, so it comes down to whether newness or waterpark scale matters more to you. Steigenberger Aqua Magic sits closer to central Hurghada with a shorter transfer and scores higher on food and comfort, again with a smaller park. Within the Neverland complex itself, the adjacent five-star Water Valley Resort shares the same aqua park but gives you a higher-grade room, worth pricing up if the four-star bungalows here feel basic.
From the airportGetting there and when to go
Hurghada International Airport (HRG) is about 6 miles (9 km) from the resort, a 15 to 20 minute drive, which is a short hop with a tired toddler after a flight. It's served from UK regional airports by TUI, Jet2, easyJet, Ryanair and charter operators. UK operators selling the resort include TUI, under its SplashWorld range, First Choice, Jet2holidays, loveholidays, On the Beach, easyJet Holidays, Thomas Cook and Broadway Travel, and a package often includes the transfer. If you book the room only, the resort can arrange an airport transfer for an extra charge, but you have to request it ahead by email or phone rather than expect it laid on. The resort takes a one-night minimum booking and doesn't sell day passes.
When to goWeather
The resort is open all year and Hurghada barely sees rain, so the choice of month comes down to heat and sea temperature. October to November and March to April are the kindest for young children, warm enough for full days in the water without the peak-summer heat. June to August climbs to around 37°C with an extreme UV index, so shade and midday breaks matter with young children. December to February stays mild and sunny by day but cooler after dark, and this is when the heated-pool question matters most, as some pools aren't reliably warmed and a few rides close in the cooler weeks.
| Month | Daytime high | Overnight low | Rain | Wet days | Sea temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22.5° | 11.5° | 0 mm | 0 | 23° |
| February | 23.5° | 12.5° | 0 mm | 0 | 22° |
| March | 26.5° | 15° | 1 mm | 0 | 22° |
| April | 30° | 18.5° | 0 mm | 0 | 23° |
| May | 34° | 23° | 0 mm | 0 | 25° |
| June | 36.5° | 26° | 0 mm | 0 | 27° |
| July | 37.5° | 28° | 0 mm | 0 | 28° |
| August | 37.5° | 28° | 0 mm | 0 | 29° |
| September | 35.5° | 26° | 0 mm | 0 | 28° |
| October | 32° | 22° | 5 mm | 0 | 27° |
| November | 28° | 17.5° | 6 mm | 0 | 26° |
| December | 24° | 13.5° | 0 mm | 0 | 25° |
Typical monthly averages from weather-station records. Sea temperature is the open-water figure, so a sheltered bay can feel a degree or two warmer. The resort is open all year.
Health, safety and travel advice
The practical health notes, the current travel advice for Egypt, then the things families ask most.
On site there's a doctor on call and a pharmacy, though the pharmacy is priced for convenience. Bottled water is included around the pools and is what to drink; tap water in the rooms isn't for drinking, as across Egypt. Bring insect repellent for the evenings.
The resort's own policy is that the first child aged eleven or under stays free, a second child aged two to eleven is charged at half the adult rate, and in a family room both children under twelve stay free. Bring each child's birth certificate to check in.
Travel advice for Egypt
As of May 2026, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) doesn't advise against travel to Hurghada or Egypt's other main Red Sea resorts. Its restrictions apply only to areas far from here, within 20 km of the Libya border and North Sinai, both hundreds of miles away. Advice can change, so check the FCDO's Egypt page before you book and again before you travel. Resort areas are patrolled by a dedicated tourist police force and hotel grounds are secured.
Questions
Do we arrange the airport transfer ourselves?
It isn’t automatic. The resort will book one for an extra charge if you ask ahead by email or phone, or your UK operator can include it in the package, which is usually the simpler route. Sort it before you fly rather than on arrival.
Can an under-four use the waterpark?
Not the Kids Aqua Park or the Alba Kids Club, which both start at four, but younger children can still use the general and children’s pools. If the slide park is your main reason for coming, it’s worth waiting until your child turns four.
How do beach days work?
You catch a free shuttle to Dana Beach, about 10 to 15 minutes away, so pack for a half-day since popping back for a forgotten sun hat isn’t quick. Loungers, parasols and towels are provided there.
Is there babysitting?
No crèche or babysitting appears on the official list, so plan around the supervised options that do exist, the Alba Kids Club from age four and the evening mini disco. For a younger child your only route is to ask the resort directly, well before you travel.
Is the Neverland Night Show free?
Reserve a place at reception and it’s on your all-inclusive, once per stay. A handful of guests have been charged anyway, so when you book that slot, check it’s listed as included on your package.
What costs extra on top of the all-inclusive?
Imported drinks and drinks after midnight, the Starfish seafood restaurant, hookah, room service, phone calls, water sports at the beach, spa treatments, court floodlights, some sports equipment, the tour desk and the pharmacy. Set aside a little spending money for these.
Do we need to book restaurant tables?
For the sit-down restaurants, yes. The extra-charge Starfish and the included specialty buffets such as La Casa all run on table bookings, so line up your dinners at check-in. Only the everyday main buffet is walk-in.
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Useful links
- Pickalbatros Jungle Aqua Park: the resort's own site for rooms, the aqua park and what's included.
- GOV.UK Egypt travel advice: entry rules and safety updates before you travel.
- Hurghada with little ones: our guide to the wider area, its beaches and when to go.
Last updated 17 July 2026.
