There is a reason the Blue Horizon liveaboard has become one of the most respected vessels in the Egyptian Red Sea. At 41 metres in length, she offers a rare combination of space and stability, accommodating just 26 guests in a layout that never feels crowded. This is a boat designed by people who understand what scuba divers need, from the generous dive deck to the thoughtful separation of social areas. Before her 2016 refit and after, the vessel has collected accolades including 'Best Liveaboard' from Sport Diver magazine and 'Liveaboard of the Year' from DIVER magazine, recognition that reflects a commitment to quality that remains evident throughout every sailing .
Step aboard the MY Blue Horizon and you quickly appreciate the difference that genuine space makes. The upper deck houses a large, air-conditioned saloon with comfortable seating, a bar, and entertainment facilities where guests gather for briefings or to relax between dives. Down on the main deck, a separate dining room means meals are served without the bustle of passageways, and the food itself draws consistent praise for its variety and quality. When you want to be outside, options abound: shaded lounge areas on the main deck, 2 sundecks for soaking up the Egyptian sun, and a Jacuzzi where the day's diving can be rinsed away with a cold drink in hand .
For divers, the setup on the Blue Horizon leaves little to want. The dive deck is exceptionally well organised, with individual stations, storage crates for loose equipment, and dedicated tables for camera gear with charging points nearby. The dive platform itself is substantial, spanning 2 levels with shower hoses and additional facilities to make post-dive transitions smooth. Critically, this vessel supports a wide range of diving styles: nitrox is available for those who want extended bottom times, and the boat is fully equipped for technical diving and rebreather setups.
What truly sets the MY Blue Horizon apart, however, is the range of dive expeditions it covers. Operating under the experienced Master Liveaboards fleet, she runs confirmed trips to both the northern and southern Red Sea, giving divers access to the full spectrum of what Egyptian waters offer. Northern routes take in the iconic wrecks of the SS Thistlegorm and Abu Nuhas, along with the reef systems of Ras Mohamed and the Strait of Tiran. Southern expeditions venture to the offshore marine parks: the Brothers Islands, Daedalus Reef, and Elphinstone, where walls drop into the blue and pelagic encounters are a genuine possibility .
Beyond the hardware and the cruise routes, the crew consistently earns the trust of those who sail with them. Guest feedback regularly highlights the professionalism of the dive guides, the attentiveness of the service team, and the quality of the food prepared in the galley . Briefings are thorough, safety protocols are taken seriously, and there is a genuine enthusiasm for showing divers the best of what each site has to offer. For those travelling alone, the atmosphere is welcoming; for groups, the space and flexibility make for an easy, comfortable week on the water.
Whether you are looking to tick off the classic wrecks of the north or chase the big animals of the southern marine parks, the Blue Horizon liveaboard delivers an experience that balances serious diving with genuine and affordable comfort. It is a vessel that has earned its reputation over years of consistent operation, and it continues to set a standard for what a Red Sea liveaboard should be. With well-planned diving expeditions, a crew that knows these waters intimately, and a boat designed for the diver's needs, the Blue Horizon is a choice that inspires confidence from the moment you step aboard.
Brothers, Daedalus & Elphinstone (8 Days / 7 Nights - 18 Dives)
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, manta rays, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Big Brother, Little Brother, Aida II wreck, Numidia wreck, Daedalus Reef and Elphinstone
Day 1
MY Blue Horizon is moored at Port Ghalib. You will be transferred there the 2 hours van ride from Hurghada airport. Alternatively if you fly to Marsa Alam, it is only 10 minutes away. Upon boarding you will be welcomed by the crew and receive a full boat and cruise briefing from the tour leader. You will be assigned your cabin and settle in before dinner which is your first chance to get to know your fellow guests. The boat leaves port the following morning after a calm night's sleep.
Core Days
The much-loved famous Brother Islands are among the first names in Red Sea diving. These 2 exposed promontories act as a magnet for marine life. Sharks are often sighted here: scalloped hammerheads, grey reef sharks, silvertips and whitetips being the most frequent. There is a colourful wreck called the Numidia lying in the shallows. It is adorned with hard and soft corals and gorgonians fans. You will dive along walls festooned with soft corals, anemones and brightly coloured sponges.
At Daedalus and Elphinstone the reefs are full of an impressive variety of tropical fish as well as healthy schools of trevallies, fusiliers and surgeonfish. Sharks here are more likely to be oceanic whitetips, thresher sharks and hammerheads. In the summer months you can also often encounter mantas rays.
Under normal circumstances you can expect 4 dives per day in the marine parks; 2 morning dives and a 3rd afternoon dive. There will only be 2 dives on the last day before disembarkation, after which the boat sails back to port.
Awaken each morning to a hearty fully cooked breakfast with eggs cooked to order and a vast spread of breakfast choices. A buffet lunch and dinner every day will include plenty of fresh vegetables, rice, noodles, fresh fish, chicken and beef. The menu is mostly international fare as well as a range of interesting Egyptian and middle-eastern specialties. Snacks like cookies and fresh fruit are always on hand should you need a nibble. Juices and a range of black, green and herbal teas are always available.
Day 8
On the final day you can enjoy a final, farewell breakfast before check out, The crew will transfer you to the airport or hotel. Please note that these trips sometimes use different departure or arrival ports - see above for details.
Daedalus & St. John's (8 Days / 7 Nights - 19 Dives)
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, dugongs/manatees, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: St. Johns, Fury Shoals, Daedalus Reef and Elphinstone
Day 1
After arriving at the airport you will be met and transferred to the boat in Port Ghalib marina; Hurghada airport (3 hours) Marsa Alam airport (10 minutes).The crew will welcome you on board and the tour leader will brief you about the boat and the cruise and assign your cabin. Dinner will be served and allow you to meet your fellow guests, before bedding down for a good night’s sleep. The fun stats before the fun days ahead.
Core Days
St. John's Reefs dive sites are very close to each other so it is easy cruising from one site to the other. Enjoy diving the drop-offs, tunnels, huge gorgonians and colourful soft corals, pinnacles and amazing hard-coral reefs. These sites are home to rays, sharks, octopus, large schools of fish, lionfish, nudibranchs and frogfish. Photographers are never short of a subject. Mantas, silvertip and grey reef sharks can often be seen in the blue.
Common encounters include with curious turtles, whitetips and Napoleon wrasses, while dugongs are more rare but certainly possible.
The Fury Shoals is a vast reef system. Malahi features mazes and friendly turtles. Abu Galawa Soraya is home to a fantastic coral garden and a wreck of a private sailing boat swarmed by glassfish. Shaab Claude is a classic dive with its famous swim-throughs and huge porites corals, Sataya has a resident spinner dolphin population and is a must for snorkelling between dives, as well as having some good underwater offerings. Daedalus and Elphinstone are reefs teeming with myriad tropical fish plus schools of fusiliers, trevallies and surgeonfish. Sharks here are more likely to be threshers, hammerheads and oceanic whitetips. Manta rays are more likely to be encountered in the summer time.
There are usually 3 dives a day in the Red Sea marine parks with 2 morning dives and 1 afternoon dive. On the last full diving day, there will only be 2 dives. After the 2nd the boat returns to port.
The menu consists of mostly international fare plus a number of local delicacies. Breakfast is a plated, cooked affair with eggs to order, pancakes, sausages and more. Buffet-style lunch and dinner includes plenty of fresh vegetables, rice, noodles, fresh fish, chicken and beef. Snacks such as fresh fruit and cookies and are always available throughout the day. There is juice and a range of black, green and herbal teas to slake any daytime thirst..
Day 8
On the final day you can enjoy a last breakfast and then check out. Depending whether you are going to a local hotel or airport, the crew will transfer you.
Daedalus, Rocky & Zabargad (8 Days / 7 Nights - 18 Dives)
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Rocky Island, Zabargad, Fury Shoals, Daedalus, Elphinstone Reef
Day 1
Your Red Sea deep south expedition starts at Port Ghalib, easily accessible from Marsa Alam Airport. Upon boarding the MY Blue Horizon, the crew and tour leader will welcome you, provide an initial briefing on the vessel's amenities, and show you to your cabin. Guests arrive throughout the day, followed by dinner. This is your first opportunity to meet your fellow certified divers before settling in for a restful night's sleep before the main diving begins. The Blue Horizon sets sail the following morning.
Core Days
This cruise is an advanced diving route, combining the high-adrenaline, pelagic action of exposed offshore pinnacles with the rich, sheltered coral systems of the deep south. The Blue Horizon liveaboard provides access to the celebrated trio of Rocky Island, Daedalus Reef, and Elphinstone, supplemented by the expansive Fury Shoals.
The voyage takes you to Rocky Island and Zabargad. Rocky is a tiny, current-swept pinnacle known for its rich nutrient waters, which support phenomenal growth of gorgonian fans and black corals. The exposed location acts as a beacon for larger life, frequently drawing in grey reef sharks and silvertip sharks. Zabargad Island offers scuba divers a complex topography, including a historic wreck and thriving seamount diving.
Next, we navigate to the remote Daedalus Reef. This large offshore reef, marked by its distinctive lighthouse, is famed for its steep walls and high chance of pelagic encounters. Experienced divers often observe schooling scalloped hammerhead sharks, oceanic whitetips, and the dramatic vertical drop-offs here.
The diving tour often includes time at Elphinstone, legendary for its north and south plateaus. The walls are teeming with schools of surgeonfish, trevallies, and fusiliers, while common larger encounters include curious green sea turtles and the impressive Napoleon wrasse. During the summer months, both Elphinstone and the outer reefs provide the seasonal possibility of thresher sharks and manta rays.
Finally, Blue Horizon explores sections of the vast Fury Shoals, an area featuring intricate topography and pristine coral gardens. Dive sites like Shaab Claude offer famous, light-filled swim-throughs carved into huge porites corals, while Malahi presents mazes and gentle slopes where friendly green turtles are often encountered. The Fury Shoals area, including Dolphin Reef (Sataya), provides stunning visibility and is perfect for wide-angle photography.
After the last two dives on the final full day, the vessel returns to Port Ghalib to anchor overnight. The combination of intense pelagic activity and complex reef systems ensures this Blue Horizon itinerary is a definitive Red Sea safari.
Day 8
Following breakfast on the final morning, you will check out, say your goodbyes, and be transferred to the airport or your hotel.
Red Sea North & Tiran Straits (8 Days / 7 Nights - 21 Dives)
Trip highlights: turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: SS Thistlegorm, Dunraven, Ras Mohammed: Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef, Tiran, Sha'ab El Erg, Gubal
Day 1
This expedition starts and ends in Hurghada. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed aboard the Blue Horizon and receive a full cruise briefing from the tour leader before settling into your cabin. Dinner will be served, offering the first opportunity to meet your fellow certified divers before a restful night's sleep in port ahead of leaving the next morning.
Core Days
This tour aboard the Blue Horizon liveaboard is a definitive northern Red Sea dive safari, perfectly blending some of the world's most famous wreck dives with the spectacular, current-swept walls of the Tiran Straits and Ras Mohammed. The Blue Horizon provides consistent access to these legendary sites, ensuring a rich diving experience.
The historical highlights include the renowned SS Thistlegorm, a World War II British armed merchant vessel lying upright at a maximum depth of 32 metres. Divers spend time exploring its holds, which are brimming with preserved wartime cargo like motorbikes, trucks, and ammunition, now fully colonised by marine life, including large schools of jackfish and snapper. You will also visit the wreck of the Dunraven, resting on its side near Beacon Rock, offering excellent penetration opportunities and vibrant coral gardens on its exterior. Further dive sites in the Gubal Strait, such as Sha'ab El Erg, are known for their spectacular reef life and potential interactions with resident pods of dolphins.
The wall diving begins in the Ras Mohammed National Park. Here, the legendary sites of Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef are explored, often in tandem drift dives, where strong currents draw in spectacular schools of fish and are a prime area for spotting reef sharks. Other stunning dives in the area include Anemone City, a massive sloping reef covered in purple and pink anemones, and the various pristine walls of Ras Ghazlani.
Finally, the Blue Horizon incorporates the majestic Straits of Tiran, which feature 4 oceanic pinnacles: Jackson, Woodhouse, Thomas, and Gordon reefs. These exposed coral mountains are characterised by intense currents that fuel magnificent hard and soft coral growth. Jackson Reef is particularly famous for its pelagic sightings, including the possibility of scalloped hammerhead sharks passing in the blue during the warmer months, making this section of the trip a high-energy dive experience.
Day 8
Following breakfast on the final morning, you will check out and be transferred to the airport or a local hotel, depending on your onward travel arrangements.
Red Sea North & Wrecks (8 Days / 7 Nights - 21 Dives)
Trip highlights: dolphins, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: Thistlegorm, Abu Nuhas wrecks (Giannis D, Carnatic, Kimon M, Chrisoula K), Ras Mohamed: Shag Rock, Sha'ab El Erg and Gubal
Day 1
This northern Red Sea scuba adventure commences as you board the MY Blue Horizon at the Hurghada marina.The crew will greet you, and the tour leader will conduct a thorough safety briefing and itinerary overview. After settling your gear in your dedicated dive station, dinner provides a convivial setting to meet your fellow certified divers before the Blue Horizon anchors for the night, ready for an early departure.
Core Days
This is the definitive Northern Wrecks route, crafted for certified divers who demand world-class historical sites alongside vibrant coral ecosystems. Your voyage with the Blue Horizon liveaboard focuses on the famed Gubal Strait and the Abu Nuhas area. The centrepiece is the SS Thistlegorm, the monumental World War II cargo ship. At its maximum depth of 32 metres, the wreck allows for multiple dives, revealing its stunningly preserved cargo of trucks, boots, and weaponry, now completely integrated into the marine environment, patrolled by schools of trevally and large snapper.
The Blue Horizon also explores the notorious Abu Nuhas reef. Here, 4 wrecks - the Giannis D, the Carnatic, the Chrisoula K, and the Kimon M - lie on a sloping seabed, forming a spectacular maritime graveyard. The shallow depths and excellent visibility make these wrecks highly accessible for photography, highlighting huge gorgonian fans and clouds of shimmering glassfish within the holds.
Completing the diving tour are the thriving reefs of the Gubal Strait and Ras Mohammed. You will explore dive sites such as Shag Rock, known for its picturesque reef and a small wreck, and the extensive coral gardens of Sha'ab El Erg. Sha'ab El Erg is particularly recognised for potential surface encounters with resident dolphin pods. These spots are home to large schools of bannerfish and surgeonfish, as well as being key areas for encountering curious moray eels and flourishing hard coral systems. The blend of rich marine history and flourishing coral life cements the Blue Horizon as the finest way to experience the north.
Day 8
After a farewell breakfast, you will check out from the Blue Horizon in Hurghada and receive transfers to your airport or local accommodation.
Red Sea North, Wrecks & Brothers (8 Days / 7 Nights - 20 Dives)
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: Big Brother, Little Brother, SS Thistlegorm, Rosalie Moller, Ras Mohamed, Shag Rock, Sha'ab El Erg and Gubal
Day 1
This Red Sea diving expedition starts at Hurghada marina where the magnificent MY Blue Horizon awaits. The crew will welcome you aboard, provide a comprehensive briefing covering safety and the week ahead, and show you to your cabin. Dinner is served, offering a relaxed environment to meet your fellow certified divers before settling in for a restful night's sleep in port.
Core Days
This dive safari is the ultimate Red Sea blend, marrying the historical depth of the northern wrecks with the raw, pelagic energy of the isolated Brother Islands. The Blue Horizon liveaboard is the perfect base for experienced divers seeking these high-impact sites.
The expedition focuses initially on world-class wreck exploration. We spend time at the renowned SS Thistlegorm, the celebrated British WWII cargo ship resting at 32 metres. Divers can explore the holds containing remarkably preserved war machinery. We may also visit the Rosalie Moller, a deeper sister wreck, providing a different technical challenge. Reef dives in the Gubal Strait, including Shag Rock and Sha'ab El Erg, offer shallower relief with stunning coral gardens and the high probability of interacting with dolphin pods and green turtles.
Blue Horizon incorporates dives in the pristine Ras Mohamed National Park. These walls, such as those near the Gubal Strait, are swept by nutrient-rich currents, ensuring large schools of snapper and barracuda patrol the drop-offs. The sheer variety and quality of sites available on the Blue Horizon ensures a week of sensational diving, from macro subjects like nudibranchs and frogfish to iconic pelagic encounters.
Moving south, to the 2 exposed pinnacles: Big Brother and Little Brother. These isolated reefs are essential diving due to their immense vertical walls, which are completely draped in huge gorgonian sea fans and a tapestry of soft corals. The currents routinely bring in oceanic whitetip sharks and various grey reef sharks, alongside vast schools of jackfish. Historical intrigue is added by the wrecks of the Aida and Numidia on Big Brother, now functioning as fully colonised sections of the reef structure.
Following the final 2 morning dives on the penultimate day, the Blue Horizon returns to port.
Day 8
After a farewell breakfast on the final morning, you will check out and be transferred to the airport or your local hotel.
Red Sea Northern Wrecks & Brothers (8 Days / 7 Nights - 20 Dives)
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: Big Brother, Little Brother, Abu Nuhas (Carnatic, Chrisoula K, Kimon M and Giannis D), Straits of Gubal, SS Thistlegorm, Ras Mohamed, Rosalie Moller, Panorama Reef, Salem Express, El Mina, Mohamed Hassabella
Day 1
Your intensive northern wreck and Brothers safari begins with your arrival in Hurghada where you will board the MY Blue Horizon at the marina. The crew will welcome you, and the tour leader will conduct a full briefing covering the vessel's features, safety, and the ambitious diving schedule. Dinner is served, allowing you to meet your fellow certified divers before settling in for a restful night's sleep in port.
Core Days
This tour route is an advanced combination for scuba divers seeking the most impactful wreck dives in the world alongside high-voltage reef action at the isolated Brothers Islands. The Blue Horizon liveaboard is perfectly positioned to deliver this challenging and rewarding route.
Wreck exploration begins with the renowned sites of the Gubal Strait and Safaga. The liveaboard dedicates time to the colossal SS Thistlegorm, the most famous wreck in the Red Sea, lying at 32 metres. Divers explore its extensive historical cargo of World War II vehicles and equipment, now utterly encased in marine life. The sister wreck, the Rosalie Moller, a deeper, upright steamer, offers an alternative, more solemn dive experience. The area around Safaga introduces the eerie but fascinating passenger ferry Salem Express and the coastal wreck of the El Mina, complementing the reef exploration at sites like Panorama Reef.
Further wreck diving is available at Abu Nuhas, the 'ship’s graveyard', where the sloping reef has claimed 4 major vessels. You will explore the Giannis D, Carnatic, Chrisoula K, and Kimon M. These sites are known for excellent penetration possibilities, stunning coral growth, and vast schools of glassfish. Reef life is further highlighted in the Gubal Strait, with sites that offer rich coral gardens and the chance to encounter marine animals in areas like Ras Mohamed and the Mohamed Hassabella area.
The high point of the reef segment with the Blue Horizon liveaboard is the Brothers Islands (Big Brother and Little Brother). These isolated oceanic pinnacles are mandatory diving for experienced enthusiasts. The walls are festooned with huge gorgonian fans and brilliant soft corals, providing shelter for lionfish and frogfish. More importantly, the exposed location draws in pelagic species: look out for oceanic whitetip sharks, various grey reef sharks, and the occasional hammerhead or manta ray in the blue. Encounters with curious green turtles and large Napoleon wrasse are common throughout the Brothers.
After the final two morning dives on the penultimate day, the Blue Horizon returns to Hurghada marina.
Day 8
Following breakfast on the final morning, you will check out and be transferred to the airport or a local hotel.
Red Sea of Egypt (11 Days / 10 Nights - 29 Dives)
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: Sha'ab El Erg, Abu Nuhas, Strait of Tiran, SS Thistegorm, Brother Islands, Daedalus, Elphinstone, Safaga, Salem Express
Day 1
The MY Blue Horizon is moored at Hurghada marina, where you will be met by the crew and welcomed aboard. After receiving a full briefing from your tour leader covering the vessel and the week ahead, you will settle into your cabin and enjoy dinner. This evening is a chance to meet your fellow certified divers before a restful night's sleep in port.
Core Days
This comprehensive dive expedition aboard the Blue Horizon liveaboard is designed to capture the very best of the Egyptian Red Sea, encompassing iconic northern wrecks, the current-swept offshore pinnacles, and the spectacular southern reefs. This is the definitive safari for certified divers who want to experience the Red Sea’s full spectrum of diving highlights.
Wreck enthusiasts will be thrilled by the historical dives in the north. We spend time on the legendary SS Thistlegorm, the massive WWII wreck sitting upright at 32 metres, where you can explore its astonishing cargo of tanks, motorbikes, and rifles. Nearby, you will visit Abu Nuhas to dive multiple wrecks, including the Carnatic and Giannis D. The route also incorporates the Safaga area to dive the Salem Express, an eerie and imposing passenger ferry wreck, alongside dynamic reef systems like Panorama Reef.
The high-energy segment of the trip focuses on the exposed offshore pinnacles. The Brother Islands (Big Brother and Little Brother) are essential diving, featuring walls festooned with huge gorgonians and soft corals, acting as a magnet for pelagics like oceanic whitetip sharks, grey reef sharks, and the occasional scalloped hammerhead. Further south, Blue Horizon visits the remote Daedalus Reef, known for its steep walls and the potential for large pelagic sightings, and the internationally celebrated Elphinstone, famous for thresher sharks and vast schools of trevally and surgeonfish.
The Blue Horizon also includes pristine northern reefs such as those in the Strait of Tiran, where strong currents feed spectacular coral growth on the reefs. In the shallower Gubal Strait, sites like Sha'ab El Erg offer the memorable chance to observe resident dolphin pods on the surface and explore rich, protected coral gardens below. The combination of intense current-diving, historical wrecks, and flourishing reefs makes this Blue Horizon safari the ultimate Egyptian diving experience.
Day 11
After a final breakfast, you will check out and be transferred to the airport or local hotel.
Note: this itinerary uses either Port Ghalib or Hurghada Marina - check port details for your trip.
Rocky, Zabargad & St. John's (8 Days / 7 Nights - 19 Dives)
Trip highlights: shark action, dolphins, manta rays, dugongs/manatees, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Rocky Island, Zabargad, St. Johns Reef, Fury Shoals, Elphinstone Reef
Day 1
The beginning of your deep south diving adventure with the splendid Blue Horizon starts at Port Ghalib marina. The tour leader and crew will welcome you, assign your cabin, and provide a detailed cruise briefing. Dinner is served while the vessel remains secured in port for a restful night, setting off early the next morning for the first dive site.
Core Days
This demanding safari is specifically designed for divers seeking the legendary combination of remote pinnacles and the unique, pristine reef formations of the deep south. The Blue Horizon provides privileged access to the exposed offshore sites of Rocky Island, Zabargad, and the renowned St. John's Reefs, complemented by the vast coral gardens of the Fury Shoals.
The voyage begins by navigating to Rocky Island and Zabargad. Rocky Island is a small, exposed current-swept reef that acts as an aggregation point for pelagic life. Divers should look out into the deep blue for sightings of grey reef sharks and silvertip sharks, while the walls are blanketed in impressive soft corals. Zabargad is distinct, featuring a large seamount and a complex perimeter reef, often providing calmer conditions and opportunities for unique photography.
Blue Horizon then explores the immense St. John's Reefs. This expansive system, including dive sites like Habili Ali and Gota Kebir, offers world-class drop-offs and hard-coral pinnacles. Due to the area’s remoteness, the reefs are exceptionally healthy, presenting huge gorgonians and brightly hued soft corals. Common encounters here include curious green turtles, Napoleon wrasse, and frequent sightings of whitetip reef sharks.
The dive tour incorporates the vast, beautiful Fury Shoals. Sites here, such as Shaab Claude, are famous for light-filled swim-throughs carved through enormous porites corals. Malahi features intricate, maze-like topography, and Dolphin Reef (Sataya) is renowned for its resident spinner dolphin population, offering an incredible surface experience.
Finally, the itinerary often includes the famous Elphinstone, where you might encounter oceanic whitetips and thresher sharks, or seasonal manta rays during the summer months. This blend of challenging offshore diving and delicate reef ecosystems aboard the Blue Horizon ensures a truly comprehensive deep south safari. Only 2 dives are scheduled on the last day before the Blue Horizon sails back to port, allowing for sufficient surface interval time.
Day 8
After breakfast on the final morning, you will check out, say your goodbyes to the crew, and be transferred to the airport or your hotel.
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].
The daily routine with the Blue Horizon liveaboard is straightforward: dive, eat, rest, dive again. But within that structure lies the comfort and ease that defines a week on this well-regarded boat.
The day begins with a light breakfast and coffee, tea, and juices are typically available from around 6 am, giving divers time to prepare kit and listen to the dive briefing before the first plunge. By 7 am, most are in the water. Morning dives are the main event: 2 dives before lunch, often at the most sought-after sites in the marine parks. After the first morning dive, a fully cooked breakfast awaits. Eggs are made to order however you like them, accompanied by a wide spread that includes fresh bread, pastries, cold cuts, cheeses, and often some local staples like ful or falafel. It is a substantial meal, intended to fuel the afternoon ahead.
The second dive of the day takes place after breakfast, typically around 11 am or just after. With that dive complete, lunch is served as a buffet. You will find a generous mix of international dishes alongside Egyptian and Middle Eastern specialities. Blue Horizon meals regularly feature fresh fish, chicken, and beef, with plenty of rice, noodles, and a good selection of fresh vegetables. A day might include grilled sea bass with lemon and herbs, followed by a rich vegetable tagine. Another day, the table might hold spiced kofta, a crisp fattoush salad, and bowls of fragrant koshari for those wanting something distinctly local.
After lunch, there is downtime. This is when guests nap on the sundeck, review underwater photos, or simply enjoy the shade on the upper deck. The third dive of the day is scheduled in the mid to late afternoon. In the marine parks, this 3-dive daily schedule is the norm, offering a full and satisfying day of exploration. By the time the fourth dive is done and the gear is rinsed, the evening is unhurried. Dinner is another buffet, continuing the theme of variety and quality. The Blue Horizon crew typically sets out dishes that balance Western favourites with Egyptian home-style cooking. One evening, you might sit down to creamy hummus, fresh salads, baked chicken with roasted vegetables, and a warming lentil soup. Dessert often follows: something simple like a rice pudding or fresh fruit.
Throughout the day, the Blue Horizon liveaboard keeps juices, water, and a selection of black, green, and herbal teas available at all times. Between meals, there are always snacks on hand: cookies, fresh fruit, and sometimes a small sweet treat brought up from the galley after a dive.
