The 29-metre M.Y. Snefro Pearl is a unique option in the Red Sea, specifically designed for certified divers who value intimacy and flexibility, taking a maximum of just 12 guests. This low passenger count creates a quiet, personal atmosphere, which is a rare treat on liveaboard yachts. Sailing from Sharm El Sheikh, the Snefro Pearl liveaboard focuses on popular short 3-night dive tours focused on the legendary SS Thistlegorm wreck, as well as less-frequent full 7-night trips exploring the wider Sinai Peninsula region.
The Snefro Pearl is a wooden-hulled motor yacht and operates under the banner of the King Snefro Fleet, an established operator with a history of quality service. Demonstrating a commitment to the marine environment, the fleet is proudly certified by Green Fins-. This ensures divers can be confident they are booking a well-maintained yacht run by a trustworthy, environmentally conscious team.
The diving tours focus squarely on the highlights of the northern Red Sea. Divers can look forward to exploring the iconic wartime SS Thistlegorm, alongside the stunning reef systems and famous current-swept walls of the Tiran Straits and the protected marine park of Ras Mohamed. The short cruise option is a major selling point for divers with limited holiday time.
Inside, the yacht is fully air-conditioned, with generous space dedicated to guest comfort. The main deck houses the spacious saloon and the dedicated dining area. Unusually for a vessel of this size, the Snefro Pearl also features a second, quieter saloon on the upper deck, ensuring guests can always find a peaceful spot to relax. All guests cabins are 2-share and feature en-suite bathrooms.
Meals are a social highlight on the Snefro Pearl, served buffet-style in the dining area, which offers sweeping panoramic views to accompany the variety of international and Egyptian dishes. Snacks, fruit, water, coffee, tea, and soft drinks are provided throughout the day to keep divers sustained. For post-dive enjoyment, guests can order an evening drink from the sundeck bar. Relaxation is easy in the open air, with a large, partially shaded sundeck for lounging, as well as a separate shaded seating area at the stern.
The dive facilities on the 29m Snefro Pearl liveaboard are tailored for efficiency. The deck features fresh-water showers and a toilet for diver convenience. To maximise bottom time, free nitrox is provided to all EANx certified divers, with both 12 and 15 litre tanks readily available. The Snefro Pearl provides an economy yet stylish and focused way to explore the Red Sea.
There are 6 cabins on board the Snefro Pearl liveaboard accommodating up to 12 guests. 5 of the cabins are twin share (4 on the lower deck and 1 on the upper deck). There is also 1 Master double bed suite on the lower deck.
All the liveaboard cabins have:
- Air-conditioning
- En-suite bathroom with hot-water shower
- Hand basins
- Portholes (windows on upper deck cabin)
- Bedding & towels provided
- Cabinet, shelves & mirror
- Reading lamp
- Safety box
- 24-hour, 220v electricity supply
- European-style 2-pin plugs
- Life jackets
- Fire extinguisher
No. of bathrooms / showers - 6 / 6 - hot water
Red Sea North & Wrecks (4 Days / 3 Nights - 11 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: Temple, Ras Katy, Ras Mohamed: Jackfish Alley, Shark and Yolanda Reef, Alternatives, SS Thistlegorm, Shaab Mahmoud, Dunraven, Ras Zatar, Ras Ghazlani or Ras Um Sid
Day 1
You will be welcomed aboard the Snefro Pearl liveaboard in the evening at New Marina (El Wataneya) in Sharm El Sheikh, receive a full safety briefing, and settle into your cabin. After preparing your dive gear, you will enjoy dinner with your fellow divers before the vessel departs for the open sea early the following morning.
Core Days
This popular short Sinai dive safari provides an intense focus on the region's most iconic dives. You will dive the globally famous SS Thistlegorm, a pristine World War II military wreck where you can explore the holds still packed with preserved cargo of vehicles and ammunition. Adjacent historical dive sites like the Dunraven wreck near Shaab Mahmoud are also explored, offering beautifully coral-encrusted relics.
The safari also includes dives in the Ras Mohamed National Park, renowned for its sheer walls and high-octane drift dives. Sites like Shark and Yolanda reefs, and Shark Observatory feature breathtaking topography and are covered in huge gorgonian sea fans and brightly coloured soft corals. Look for large schools of snapper, trevally, and tuna patrolling the currents, alongside sightings of hawksbill and green turtles. Shallower areas like Jackfish Alley and the Alternatives provide excellent photographic opportunities for macro life, including crocodilefish and lionfish, while Ras Zatar and Ras Ghazlani offer equally vibrant wall dives. The Snefro Pearl liveaboard ensures access to these top Northern Red Sea locations.
Day 4
After enjoying a final 3 scheduled dives, the Snefro Pearl returns to Sharm El Sheikh in the afternoon for disembarkation.
[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 operational tempo of the Snefro Pearl liveaboard is expertly managed to give scuba divers maximum saturation time in the Red Sea. The schedule is a satisfying rotation of 'immerse and refuel', offering up to 4 dives daily, which includes a night dive, backed by a full board dining service. All main meals are a generous buffet served in the saloon.
The daily routine is focused on the diving. A light pre-breakfast precedes the first descent of the day. Once you have returned to the dive deck, a full, hot breakfast is served. Lunch is provided following the second dive of the day, allowing for a relaxed break before the afternoon session.
You can expect a varied mix of cuisine at lunch, which typically includes fresh salads, rice and potato options, and grilled protein dishes. Following the afternoon dive, a well-timed snack is offered, keeping you energised as you prepare for the final plunge of the day.
The evening meal is the culinary high point on the Snefro Pearl. Dinner is served buffet style once the night dive is completed, providing a substantial meal to end your diving day. The food is plentiful, designed to appeal to a diver's appetite, with heartier options available. Look forward to warm soup, pasta, meat, and fish dishes, often concluding with a local sweet dessert.
The Snefro Pearl ensures continuous hydration with complimentary drinking water, soft drinks, tea, and coffee available throughout the day. For those wishing for an aperitif or an espresso, local alcoholic beverages can be purchased onboard.
If you require a special diet, for instance, vegan/vegetarian, or Halal, the team of the Snefro Pearl liveaboard will do their best to accommodate you, provided you inform them in advance. They advise that speciality items like lactose-free or gluten-free products are uncommon in local supermarkets.
"
My bouyancy is really bad and I didn't expect Thistlegorm to have so many small compartments! Very thankful to have a very patient & encouraging diving instructor. He carried me through small windows, doors and wall cracks during the dive and allow me to hook onto him. He wants more people to enjoy diving rather than be discouraged & give up diving totally. He is a very passionate diver!" -
Tan, Singapore, 6 March 2023 ...
