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Underwater Riches in the Land of the Pharos

The land of the Pharos and pyramids is also one of the world's most celebrated dive destinations. In vivid contrast to its arid shoreline, the waters of the Red Sea teem with life. Fish watchers can tally more than 1,000 species, including some 200 that can be found nowhere else. Wreck enthusiasts have a submerged flotilla of historic and modern vessels to discover, and big animal enthusiasts are rewarded with manta rays, dolphins, pelagic gamefish and a smorgasbord of sharks. A fleet of modern liveaboards that give access to a vast range of sites that include everything from shallow bays and intricate reefs filled with small treasures to towering walls and offshore pinnacles where the big fish swim.

Highlights

  • Best for: All divers
  • Best season to visit: Year round. Water temperatures can range from a high 84 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer months to as low as 70 degrees in the cooler months
  • Weather: Winter temperatures stay in the 70s, with pleasantly low humidity. Summertime highs approach 90 but cool at night

Things to Do

  • Cultural tours to historic sites

Egypt Information

About Diving in Egypt

Popular starting points for liveaboard cruises are the ports of Hurghada and Marsa Alam, which are located on the northern shore of the Red Sea. These boats typically travel to reefs in the Ras Mohammed Marine Reserve and the Straits of Tiran and visit the wrecks of the SS Thistlegorm and Abu Nuhas. Some 100 miles to the south, Port Ghalib is the starting point for cruises to the Brothers Islands, Daedalus and Elphinstone, which are known for walls, sharks and mountainous hard coral formations.

Diving in Egypt Tips

The Red Sea offers a tremendous range of dive sites and underwater wrecks which means there are itineraries suitable for all divers, from novices to extended-range tech divers.

Best Places to Dive in Egypt

The coral-covered walls of the Brothers explode in a riot of color and often swarm with large schools of tuna, jacks and snapper. At Daedalus, divers have a good chance of encountering schooling hammerheads and grey reef sharks. The drop-offs at Fury Shoals attract passing pelagics. Divers are greeted by a resident pod of spinner dolphins at Sataya. The maze-like reefs of Sha’ab Claudia have maze-like coral tunnels and caverns for divers to explore

What to Pack for Diving in Egypt

Hats and loose-fitting garments for sun protection on land tours, and a light jacket for fall to spring visits, as temperatures can drop into the 60s. On liveaboards, add a windbreaker to ward off evening sea breeze chills after a day in the water. Pack in soft luggage that's easy to stow in a boat cabin.

Specials

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Red Sea

All Star Scuba Scene

RED SEA CITIZEN SCIENCE TRIP – SHARK WEEK.

Support our Underwater World and partner with Caradonna Adventures, All Star Liveaboards and the Red Sea Shark Trust. Join shark week and assist Dr. Elke Bojanowski with cataloging up to 6 different shark species using photo identification. Throughout the week Elke will give lectures about research, shark populations in the Red Sea and the threats posed to those sharks. A great opportunity to make a difference, help change our planet and scuba dive for good!

Liveaboard Packages include 7 Night Luxury Cabin (Daedalus, Rocky Island, Zabargad Itinerary, all diving (up to 4 dives/ day), all meals, snacks, beverages (water/soft drinks/tea/coffee), and local ground transfers from airport/hotel to the dock.

Shark Week Trips:
June 24-July 1, 2024
November 25 – December 2, 2024
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Rates from $2,095 per person, double diver

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Liveaboards

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Red Sea

Seven Seas

RED SEA Seven Seas is a very impressive and spacious liveaboard boasting 12 roomy cabins. With great food and facilities, it offers 5-star service – she is a five-time winner of the prestigious “Best Liveaboard in the Red Sea” award - and is perfect for exploring the waters with its large dive deck and 75HP zodiac tenders fitted with ladders. The main deck has an elegant, air-conditioned saloon with a well-stocked bar and separate dining room with ‘open kitchen’. The upper deck provides sundeck/outdoor lounging area the famous barbecue lounge with its shaded area to relax in. Seven Seas is a diver's dream as she has more than enough space to prepare. There are charging stations for cameras and lamps, two cleaning pools (diving equipment/photo and film equipment), over 40 stainless steel hangers for the diving suits, as well as two separate toilets and two showers on the diving platform, offer maximum space to start and end the dive in a relaxed manner.
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All Star Scuba Scene

RED SEA The All Star Red Sea, a spacious liveaboard designed with divers in mind, is the newest vessels serving the Red Sea. The modern decor features warm earth tones and inviting light colored furnishings throughout. It accommodates up to 28 guests over five decks. For the convenience of divers, the shaded dive deck features gear storage and a camera table.

Itineraries vary. Northern Red Sea trips include Ras Mohamed Nature Reserve, established as Egypt’s first national park in 1983, and the Straits of Tiran, the SS Thistlegorm and Abu Nuhas’ shipwrecks, plus hammerhead, silky, thresher and whale sharks. Southern trips highlight marine parks of Brothers Islands and Daedalus Reef. Oceanic whitetip sharks are seen at Elphinstone Reef, also one of our dive stops.
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Emperor Elite

RED SEA Emperor Elite custom-designed and built to a superior standard Emperor Elite is a 38 metre boat accommodating a maximum of 26 guests in 8 standard twin-berth cabins (lower deck), 3 premium twin cabins (choice of decks), a premium, upper deck Executive Suite, and - NEW for 2019 - a double Junior Suite (upper deck) with an amazing panoramic view of the Red Sea. All cabins are ensuite, boast independent air conditioning, three towels and a dive poncho per guest. She is a spacious boat with limited free WiFi (signal permitting), three sundecks, dive deck with platform, a stylish air-conditioned salon and air-conditioned dining room where great food and free red wine with dinner is served. She has all diving and safety equipment including two large RIBs with outboards, is also equipped with NITROX and can handle sidemount, rebreather & tech diving on request.
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Emperor Superior

RED SEA Emperor Superior (37 Meters long) superb year-round diving in the Egyptian Red Sea. 13 cabins comfortably accommodating 26 divers. Itineraries are week-long, many of which offer more than 21 dives per trip. Divers get the most of their Red Sea dive safari. With camera set up stations, charging areas, and dedicated rinse tanks, a photographer's dream. The dive deck has individual gear storage and ample space for all divers to get ready in comfort, and two dive tenders to make getting to and from the dive sites hassle-free.
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Grand Sea Explorer

Red Sea Grand Sea Explorer accommodates 22- 28 divers (only 22 divers required for full private charter), this luxurious vessel has 14 staterooms split into two [very large] suites, 2 double cabins, and 10 twin cabins. Fully licensed to cruise the entire Egyptian Red Sea and offering multiple itineraries. Bonus: Certified divers receive free Nitrox!

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Red Sea Aggressor III

Red Sea Red Sea Aggressor operates from the Port Ghalib yacht marina and resort area. It is a beautiful gated upscale resort community that is home to the 120 ft., 20 passenger Red Sea Aggressor and includes lots of restaurants and shopping. With awesome visibility and breath-taking soft corals, the Red Sea is one of the most popular scuba diving destinations in the world. There are over one thousand species of fish in the Red Sea, 20 percent of which can be found nowhere else in the world. It is hard to believe that where the Egyptian desert sands end, a marine paradise begins. Ironically, Egypt's desert climate has created an ideal liveaboard scuba diving setting.

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MV Heaven Saphir

Red Sea MV Heaven Saphir offers 6 spacious cabins, 2 honeymoon suites located on the upper deck, and an executive suite on the middle deck, as well as an elegant lounge and bar, 2 submersible and 3 sun decks, flatscreen TV/DVD/wifi available; this vessel provides a space that is generous, with a maximum occupancy of 19 guests and a length of 36m. Each cabin is equipped with a fridge, air conditioning, and plentiful closet space. All bathrooms have a large shower cubicle and an electronically controlled toilet. Every week, two large and two small towels are available per guest. MV Heaven Saphir is accompanied by 2 experienced dive guides, who translate their excellent knowledge of the southern regions of the Egyptian Red Sea into beautiful and memorable dives.

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blue o two

Red Sea blue o two fleet sails weekly from Hurghada and Marsa Alam in Egypt with a perfect mix of luxury and practicality to ensure that you experience the best Red Sea diving in comfort, style, and safety. Blue o two maintains high standards for all of their vessels and the services provided on them. Each vessel is expertly managed by a dedicated team of employees who are always on hand to assist all levels of divers.

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Blue Horizon

Red Sea Blue Horizon Deep South Itinerary including all scheduled diving, meals, snacks, airport transfers provided on the day of embarkation/disembarkation.

Not included in package price: alcoholic beverages, enriched Nitrox air, dive gear hire, gift shop purchases, daily reef fees, gratuities.

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Diving in Egypt

The Red Sea is surrounded by desert coastlines. The lack of rainfall and minimal coastal development result in excellent underwater visibility, which can approach 200 feet. Currents are typically minimal along coastal sites, which begin with shallow shelves that transition to walls and canyons plunging to depths of more than a mile.

This combination of topographies creates sites suitable for all divers from novices to extended-range experts. In fact, the Red Sea has become a hotbed of technical diving. It also remains a favorite with underwater photographers, thanks to the excellent water clarity, and the 1000-plus species of fish and 200-plus varieties of coral that can be found in these waters. A fleet of liveaboards visits sites across the north-central regions of the Red Sea. Highlights of these cruises include the Brothers Islands, which are a pair of small, volcanic rock outcroppings located some 120 miles to the south.

These tiny islands are ringed by vertical walls riddled with caves and overhangs and decorated dense coatings of hard and soft corals. Massive schools of fish are often found around these islands, and wreck enthusiasts can explore a pair of natural wrecks, the Numidia and the Aida. The area is also known as one of the best places in the Red Sea for diving with sharks. Silvertips and grey reef sharks frequent the area and great hammerheads are sometimes seen in passing. Another top-rated liveaboard destination is Elphinstone Reef. This long, thin formation rises from the depths to within a few feet of the surface, attracting everything from sharks, tunas, mantas to large grouper, turtles and Napoleon wrasse. Currents can range from mild to strong, making for exciting drift dives. Farther to the south is the Daedalus Reef, which is a huge coral plateau surrounded by sheer walls. The reef is located within a marine park and is known for its abundant fish life. Huge schools of surgeons, fusiliers and carangids swarm the upper portions of the reef, and reef and hammerhead sharks are often spotted. Among the more distant sites visited by Red Sea liveaboards are the Fury Shoals. The shoals are an extensive collection of reefs that offer everything from shallow, sheltered dives, to walls, fast drifts, caves and wrecks.

Culture and Customs

Egypt is home to one of the world's oldest and richest cultures, dating back thousands of years to the time of the Pharos and the pyramids. This legacy has long attracted visitors, and historical sites remain the country's most important tourism resource. Sites such as the Pyramids of Giza and the temples of Luxor have long been considered bucket-list destinations, and the country is rich in museums holding ancient artifacts such as ceramic art, mosaics, sarcophagi and mummies. Beyond these vestiges of ancient traditions, modern Egyptian culture is a dynamic mix forged from a wide range of culture cross-pollination from across the Arab world, as well as influences from the British Colonial period. Arabic is the country's official language, but English and French are also fairly widely spoken in more cosmopolitan areas. The vast majority of Egyptians practice the Muslim faith, and Cairo has been known as the "City of a Thousand Minarets" for its large number of mosques. The city's old town provides an intriguing link to the past, as it is a place of narrow streets and open-air bazaars where merchants haggle and residents retire to tea rooms to smoke hookahs and discuss the day's events. Egyptian cuisine blends the flavors of the Mediterranean with North African staples in favorite dishes such as isfoul, which is made from fava beans cooked slowly over low heat and seasoned with salt, lemon, cumin, and oil, and iskoshari, which is a mixture of rice, black lentils, and macaroni covered with tomato sauce and garnished with fried onions.

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