Egypt Red Sea - Route Open (8 Days / 7 Nights - 21 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: Route not yet decided. First booking of 2 customers will determine the route: Ras Mohamed & Tiran; North & Wrecks; Brothers; Brothers, Daedalus Reef & Elphinstone; or St. John's.
Itinerary details dependent upon route selected.
St. John's Reefs (8 Days / 7 Nights - 21 Dives)
Trip highlights: 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. John's reef system: Big Habili, Small Habili, Umm Erug, Umm Hararim; Fury Shoals: Shaab Claudio, El Malahi, Abu Galawa Soraya; Shaab Sharm
Day 1
Once onboard the Golden Dolphin I liveaboard in Port Ghalib, the crew and tour leader will welcome you, show you around the boat, assign your cabin, and provide a detailed briefing on the itinerary and other important information for your holiday. Enjoy dinner, before resting for the night; your diving begins the next day.
Core Days
This itinerary ventures into the deep south of the Red Sea, offering the opportunity to dive St. John’s Reefs, widely considered the most vibrant and healthy in the region. The underwater landscapes are spectacular, featuring dramatic drop-offs, pinnacles, canyons, caves, and tunnels decorated with stunning hard corals. Marine life is plentiful, with possible sightings of barracuda, various reef sharks, and occasionally dolphins, dugongs, and mantas. The tour also incorporates visits to Fury Shoals, a reef system renowned for its superb scuba diving and some of Egypt's most pristine reefs.
Big Habili, also known as Habili Ali, is a famous submerged reef in the St. John's system, and a highlight of the deep south. As a 'habili', its top sits several metres below the surface, and it plunges dramatically into the deep with steep walls. It is common to see barracuda, tuna, and jacks hunting in the blue. It is also a prime location for sighting various sharks, particularly grey reef sharks, with hammerheads, silvertips, and oceanic whitetips also making appearances. The walls are covered in spectacular hard corals, alongside vast gorgonian sea fans and curtains of black coral.
Umm Erug, often known as Umm Arouk, is located in the heart of the St. John's reef system. Its name translates to "mother of coral towers.The site is generally shallow with minimal currents, making it a relaxed and easy dive, as well as a popular choice for night diving. The coral-covered walls and pinnacles attract large shoals of reef fish, particularly sweetlips. It is also an excellent place to look for smaller creatures hidden in the recesses, such as octopuses, shrimps, and Spanish dancers.
Shaab Claudio is one of the most famous reefs in the Fury Shoals system. It is celebrated for its unique and accessible network of shallow caverns and swim-throughs. The reef itself is not just about the caves; the western side features a beautiful hard coral garden. Marine life is plentiful, and you can often find napoleon wrasse, moray eels, and whitetip reef sharks. The coral blocks and ledges also provide a good habitat for macro life like nudibranchs.
The main attraction of Abu Galawa Soraya is the wreck of a small sailing yacht that sank in the 1980s. It rests upright on a sandy bottom at around 17 metres and is completely intact. The wreck is beautifully colonised by soft and hard corals and is often filled with dense shoals of glassfish.The reef itself is just as impressive. It features a magnificent, fairytale-like canyon or swim-through that cuts through the reef at a shallow depth. This leads out to a stunning hard coral garden on the reef's western side. The site is well-protected, with minimal current, making it perfect for photographers and a popular choice for night dives.
There will only 2 dives on the last day before disembarkation as the boat will then sail back to Port Ghalib.
Day 8
Following a small breakfast and saying farewell to the crew, check-out in Port Ghalib is normally at 10 a.m. You will then be transferred to either the airport or your hotel.
Red Sea North, Wrecks & Tiran Straits (8 Days / 7 Nights - 21 Dives)
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, 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), Dunraven, Ras Mohamed: Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef; Straits of Tiran: Jackson, Woodhouse, Thomas and Gordon reefs
Day 1
As soon as you land in Hurghada the Golden Dolphin staff will be at the arrival terminal to welcome you and take care of your visa on arrival. An air-conditioned van will take you in less than 20 minutes to the marina where the dive cruise ship is moored. Once onboard the liveaboard you will be met by its crew and the tour leader that will show to you the boat, assign you a cabin, and explain in detail the important info and the itinerary of your vacation. Enjoy your dinner in the air-conditioned saloon before going to bed: you will start diving on the next day.
Core Days
The SS Thistlegorm is probably the most famous wreck in the Red Sea, lying upright on the sea-bottom at 32m depth, with its cargo of tanks, trucks, motorcycles, weapons, railway carriage and 2 railway engines. The reef at Abu Nuhas is famous for its 4 wrecks, an attraction point for divers from all around the world, as they are now encrusted with beautiful corals that attract lots of reef fish. Inside the wrecks expect to find thousands of glassfish. The Ras Mohammed marine park offers great diving, especially at Shark and Yolanda reef. Both reefs feature great hard and soft corals, plenty of fish and also sharks, especially during the morning dives. The Straits of Tiran are one of the most famous diving areas in the Red Sea. The strong current brings plenty of nutrients and schooling fish to the reef, tempting pelagic fish in from the open water. Large schools of barracuda and jacks are common here, as are larger predators including several species of shark.
3 or 4 dives a day are the norm in the Red Sea, with a couple of morning dives followed by a 3rd dive in the afternoon and a night dive that ends each amazing day of underwater discovery. There will only 2 dives on the last day before disembarkation as the boat will then sail back to port.
Expect 3 delicious meals and a snack with fresh juice every day. Main meals are buffet style. Breakfast is usually eggs cooked to your choice (omelette, fried, or scrambled), pancakes, toast, bread, fresh fruit and veggies, cereals and milk or yoghurt, cheese and sausages, hot coffee and tea. Lunch and evening meals usually consist of lots of fresh vegetables, rice, noodles, chicken, beef and fish prepared mainly with international recipes, but also some local delicacies will be served during the trip, plus an exciting barbeque night that always impresses the guests. Snacks like cookies, juices and fresh fruit are always available.
Day 8
Check out time is normally after a small breakfast and farewells with the crew, before being transferred either to Hurghada Airport or your local hotel.
Red Sea North, Wrecks & Brothers (8 Days / 7 Nights - 19 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, Aida II wreck, Numidia wreck, Thistlegorm, Abu Nuhas wrecks (Giannis D, Carnatic, Kimon M, Chrisoula K), Dunraven, Ras Mohamed: Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef
Day 1
As soon as you land in Hurghada the Golden Dolphin staff will be at the arrival terminal to welcome you and take care of your visa on arrival. An air-conditioned van will take you to Port Ghalib where the dive cruise ship is moored. Once onboard the liveaboard you will be met by its crew and the tour leader that will show to you the boat, assign you a cabin and explain in detail the important info and the itinerary of your vacation. Enjoy your dinner in the air-conditioned saloon before going to bed: you will start diving the next day.
Core Days
The Brother Islands are 2 small exposed promontories in the middle of the sea, with a very high concentration of marine life. The walls feature sponges, anemones and hard and soft corals, giving an astonishing variety of colour to the underwater world. It's very common to see sharks at the dive sites around the islands. Scalloped hammerheads and grey reef sharks, silvertip and whitetip reef sharks. At Big Brother there is the Numidia wreck. It lies between 5-8m, completely covered with hard and soft corals. and gorgonians. The SS Thistlegorm is probably the most famous wreck in the Red Sea, lying upright on the sea-bottom at 32m depth, with its cargo of tanks, trucks, motorcycles, weapons, railway carriage and 2 railway engines. The reef at Abu Nuhas is famous for its 4 wrecks, an attraction point for divers from all around the world, as they are now encrusted with beautiful corals that attract lots of reef fish. Inside the wrecks expect to find thousands of glassfish. The Ras Mohammed marine park offers great diving, especially at Shark and Yolanda reef. Both reefs feature great hard and soft corals, plenty of fish and also sharks, especially during the morning dives.
4 dives a day are the norm in the Red Sea (but only 3 when in the marine parks), with a couple of morning dives followed by a 3rd dive in the afternoon that ends each amazing day of underwater discovery. There will only 2 dives on the last day before disembarkation as the boat will then sail back to port.
Expect 3 delicious meals and a snack with fresh juice every day. Main meals are buffet style. Breakfast is usually eggs cooked to your choice (omelette, fried, or scrambled), pancakes, toast, bread, fresh fruit and veggies, cereals and milk or yoghurt, cheese and sausages, hot coffee and tea. Lunch and evening meals usually consist of lots of fresh vegetables, rice, noodles, chicken, beef and fish prepared mainly with international recipes, but also some local delicacies will be served during the trip, plus an exciting barbeque night that always impresses the guests. Snacks like cookies, juices and fresh fruit are always available.
Day 8
Check out time is normally at 10 am after a small breakfast and farewells with the crew, before being transferred either to Hurghada Airport or your local hotel.
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), Dunraven, Ras Mohamed: Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef
Day 1
As soon as you land in Hurghada the Golden Dolphin staff will be at the arrival terminal to welcome you and take care of your visa on arrival. An air-conditioned van will take you in less than 20 minutes to the marina where the dive cruise ship is moored. Once onboard the liveaboard you will be met by its crew and the tour leader that will show to you the boat, assign you a cabin, and explain in detail the important info and the itinerary of your vacation. Enjoy your dinner in the air-conditioned saloon before going to bed: you will start diving on the next day.
Core Days
The SS Thistlegorm is by far the best-known wreck in the Red Sea. It sits upright on the sea-floor at a maximum of 32m depth. You can see and dive around its cargo of tanks, motorcycles, trucks, weapons, railway carriage and 2 railway engines. The Abu Nuhas reef is renowned for its 4 wrecks, which draw in divers from around the globe. They are now encrusted with beautiful corals attracting numerous reef fish. Thousands of glassfish lurk in shallow sections insider the wreck. The Ras Mohammed marine park promises excellent diving, particularly at Yolanda reef and Shark reef. Both feature excellent hard and soft coral coverage, large numbers of fish and sharks, especially on early morning dives. The Dunraven is another famous Red Sea wreck and inside you will see thousands of glassfish.
3 or 4 dives a day are the norm in the Red Sea, with a couple of morning dives followed by a 3rd dive in the afternoon and a night dive that ends each amazing day of underwater discovery. There will only 2 dives on the last day before disembarkation as the boat will then sail back to port.
Expect 3 delicious meals and a snack with fresh juice every day. Main meals are buffet style. Breakfast is usually eggs cooked to your choice (omelette, fried, or scrambled), pancakes, toast, bread, fresh fruit and veggies, cereals and milk or yoghurt, cheese and sausages, hot coffee and tea. Lunch and evening meals usually consist of lots of fresh vegetables, rice, noodles, chicken, beef and fish prepared mainly with international recipes, but also some local delicacies will be served during the trip, plus an exciting barbeque night that always impresses the guests. Snacks like cookies, juices and fresh fruit are always available.
Day 8
Check out time is normally at 10 am after a small breakfast and farewells with the crew, before being transferred either to Hurghada Airport or your local hotel.
Red Sea of Egypt (15 Days / 14 Nights - 39 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: Thistlegorm, Abu Nuhas wrecks (Giannis D, Carnatic, Kimon M, Chrisoula K), Dunraven, Ras Mohamed: Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef; Straits of Tiran: Jackson, Woodhouse, Thomas and Gordon reefs; Salem Express, Big Brother, Little Brother, Aida II wreck, Numidia wreck, Daedalus Reef, Elphinstone
Day 1
As soon as you land in Hurghada the Golden Dolphin staff will be at the arrival terminal to welcome you and take care of your visa on arrival. An air-conditioned van will take you to Port Ghalib where the dive cruise ship is moored. Once onboard the liveaboard you will be met by its crew and the tour leader that will show to you the boat, assign you a cabin and explain in detail the important info and the itinerary of your vacation. Enjoy your dinner in the air-conditioned saloon before going to bed: you will start diving the next day.
Core Days
This safari will visit the southern marine parks of Egypt’s Red Sea and the northern wrecks and Sinai Peninsula. 1 of the best known dive sites of the Red Sea is the WWII wreck the SS Thistlegorm. Lying upright at a maximum depth of 32 metres, you can dive around the cargo. This includes motorcycles, trucks, weapons, a railway carriage and engine and even tanks! The Abu Nuhas reef is home to 4 wrecks making it a popular spot. They have been overtaken by marine life and are home to large numbers of fish including thousands of glassfish in sheltered spots. The Ras Mohammed marine park’s best reefs include Yolanda Reef and Shark Reef which have excellent hard and soft corals and numerous fish and sharks. The Straits of Tiran are one of the most famous diving areas in the Red Sea. The strong current brings plenty of nutrients and schooling fish to the reef, tempting pelagic fish in from the open water. Large schools of barracuda and jacks are common here, as are larger predators including several species of shark.
Among the best loved dive sites of the Red Sea are the famous Brother Islands, 2 exposed promontories that act as a magnet for sea life. Here you will find walls bedecked in colour; sponges, soft corals and anemones. There is a good chance you will spot a variety of sharks including scalloped hammerheads, numerous grey reef sharks, silvertips and whitetips. There is a wreck called Numidia lying in the shallows which is decorated with gorgonians and hard and soft corals. The reef at Daedalus is home to schools of surgeonfish, fusiliers, trevallies and colourful reef fish. Hammerheads, oceanic whitetips and thresher sharks can be seen here, as well as manta rays.
One of the more current-swept regions of the Red Sea is Rocky Island. Here the nutrient-rich water movement gives rise to healthy gorgonian fans, black coral trees and sponges. Often found sheltering in quieter spots are turtles, grey reef sharks, and silvertips. Manta rays and dolphins are also common visitors. Zabargad islands is a site populated by soldierfish, wrasses and schools of snappers. It features walls, drop-offs and shallow coral gardens.
3 or 4 dives a day are the norm in the Red Sea, with a couple of morning dives followed by a 3rd dive in the afternoon and a night dive that ends each amazing day of underwater discovery. There will only 2 dives on the last day before disembarkation as the boat will then sail back to port.
Expect 3 delicious meals and a snack with fresh juice every day. Main meals are buffet style. Breakfast is usually eggs cooked to your choice (omelette, fried, or scrambled), pancakes, toast, bread, fresh fruit and veggies, cereals and milk or yoghurt, cheese and sausages, hot coffee and tea. Lunch and evening meals usually consist of lots of fresh vegetables, rice, noodles, chicken, beef and fish prepared mainly with international recipes, but also some local delicacies will be served during the trip, plus an exciting barbeque night that always impresses the guests. Snacks like cookies, juices and fresh fruit are always available.
Day 15
Check out time is normally after a small breakfast and farewells with the crew, before being transferred either to Hurghada Airport or your local hotel.
Red Sea South & St. John's Reefs (8 Days / 7 Nights - 18 Dives)
Trip highlights: dolphins, dugongs/manatees, great macro life/ marine diversity
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Daedalus Reef, Zabargad, Rocky Island, Elphinstone, St. John's reef system: Big Habili, Small Habili, Umm Erug, Umm Hararim
Day 1
As soon as you land in Hurghada the Golden Dolphin staff will be at the arrival terminal to welcome you and take care of your visa on arrival. An air-conditioned van will take you to Port Ghalib where the dive cruise ship is moored. The journey takes about 3 hours, during which you will receive a lunch box and drinks. Otherwise Port Ghalib is only 10 minutes away from Marsa Alam Airport if you have landed there. Once onboard the liveaboard you will be met by its crew and the tour leader that will show to you the boat, assign you a cabin and explain in detail the important info and the itinerary of your vacation. Enjoy your dinner in the air-conditioned saloon before going to bed: you will start diving the next day.
Core Days
In the Red Sea’s deep south among the best sites are St. John’s Reefs. These are among the most colourful and healthy sites in Egypt. Here there are fantastic drop offs, caves and tunnels, pinnacles, canyons and amazing hard corals. The prolific marine life includes barracuda, reef sharks, sometimes even mantas and dolphins. At Daedalus the reefs are full of myriad tropical fish plus schools of trevallies, fusiliers and surgeonfish. Sharks here are more likely to be hammerheads, oceanic whitetips and threshers. You can also see manta rays in the summer time.
Rocky Island’s year-round currents promote healthy specimens of soft coral, gorgonians, sponges and black coral trees. Marine creatures seek shelter here including grey reef sharks and silvertips, manta rays, dolphins and turtles. Zabargad island is an excellent dive destination with drop-offs, walls and brightly-lit coral gardens inhabited by soldierfish, wrasses, and schools of snappers.
Normally you can expect 3 dives a day in the red Sea marine parks, with a couple of morning dives followed by a 3rd dive in the afternoon and a night dive (when outside of the marine parks) that ends each amazing day of underwater discovery. There will only 2 dives on the last day before disembarkation as the boat will then sail back to port.
Expect 3 delicious meals and a snack with fresh juice every day. Main meals are buffet style. Breakfast is usually eggs cooked to your choice (omelette, fried, or scrambled), pancakes, toast, bread, fresh fruit and veggies, cereals and milk or yoghurt, cheese and sausages, hot coffee and tea. Lunch and evening meals usually consist of lots of fresh vegetables, rice, noodles, chicken, beef and fish prepared mainly with international recipes, but also some local delicacies will be served during the trip, plus an exciting barbeque night that always impresses the guests. Snacks like cookies, juices and fresh fruit are always available.
Day 8
Check out time is normally after a small breakfast and farewells with the crew, before being transferred either to the airport or your local 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].
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