Resting only a few miles from the coast of Marsa Alam, Elphinstone Reef is likely the most famous dive site in Egypt – and it’s no wonder why. Here, the corals are as pristine and colorful as any diver could imagine.

Steep walls drop off the east and west edges of the reef, which tower up to just a few feet below the surface. On the north end, two pillars mark the end of the plateau. At the southern tip, the sarcophagus archway is a beautiful piece of scenery sitting in deep water beyond recreational limits. Fortunately, shallower water along the reef walls are plentiful and waiting to be explored.

Due to Elphinstone’s exposed location, currents can be quite strong but this means it’s a popular place for pelagics. Along the wall, schooling barracudas, jacks and trevallies hunt for smaller fish. Whale sharks even make their way through the area occasionally. From May to August, manta rays frequent the reef. And from time to time, dolphins, napoleon wrasse and tiger and hammerhead sharks are seen by lucky divers. The beauty of Elphinstone’s soft corals can’t be overstated; they truly are an underwater marvel.

Highlights:

• Sharks – especially oceanic whitetips and hammerheads
• Pelagics – occasional whale sharks and manta rays
• Vibrant soft corals

The Brothers Islands are an exciting destination for divers visiting Egypt. More than 40 miles from shore, they’re quite difficult to access unless diving from a liveaboard. These two islands are well-known for their magnificent hard and soft corals and shark sightings. The exposed location results in some strong currents and surface conditions.

LITTLE BROTHER
Diving the walls at Little Brother is a real treat. Since the island is uninhabited, its corals are extremely pristine as evidenced by the vibrant colors. Schooling fish flourish along the full length of the wall, while sharks make frequent visits as they ascend from deep water. Grey reef sharks are most common at this island, but oceanic whitetips are visible from October to November.

BIG BROTHER
A working lighthouse, manned by four to five Egyptian soldiers (and not open to visitors), sits atop Big Brother; from a liveaboard, it’s an impressive sight. The diving is quite different compared to Little Brother because of the shipwrecks, sharks and a sizable fish population.

The Numidia wreck,  a colossal British cargo ship that sunk in 1901, rests steeply on the wall. Recreational divers can explore the bow section of the boat. However, the stern is submerged into the depths and only accessible to tec divers. Since 1957, the wreck of Aida II has sat about 100 feet (30m) down on the wall and features many photo-worthy opportunities.

Thresher sharks are periodically spotted at Big Brother, making it one of the rare places divers can encounter the elusive animals. Grey reef sharks are also common, along with oceanic whitetips and sometimes whale sharks.

Highlights:

• Sharks – especially threshers and oceanic whitetips
• Wrecks for recreational and advanced divers
• A fully functional lighthouse

Much like the Brothers Islands, Daedalus also sits in open water a good distance from the shore and has a manned lighthouse. However, the reef is much larger and because of its sheer size leaves divers with many options, depending on skill level and challenge desired.

With year-round viewings of hammerheads, Daedalus is a unique locale. While schooling hammerheads often appear from May to August, divers may also encounter oceanic whitetips, grey reef and thresher sharks. Tunas, trevallies and manta rays are seen here, too.

While sharks and pelagics are the main attraction for this area, Daedalus hosts an astounding array of visual experiences, too. Steep walls, covered with hard and soft corals, are stunningly beautiful and healthy. Many of the hard coral formations are massive creating dramatic scenes perfect for taking underwater photos or videos. Since the reef is situated in a marine park, it showcases some of the Red Sea’s healthiest corals. The vibrant colors, various textures and fascinating structures are world-class.

Highlights:

• Hammerheads – local year-round and schooling seasonally
• Pristine reef with immense hard coral formations
• A fully functioning lighthouse

We will have breakfast and then disembark the yacht at 9 AM. Transfer to the Hurghada airport OR continue the adventure and join us for the Nile River cruise! (Optional add-on)

If you're doing the cruise, we'll depart Hurghada and head to Luxor where we'll board the All Star Fayrouza. Following guest check-in, our Egyptologist tour guide will take us across the Nile River to Luxor’s West Bank to visit the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon. We'll return to All Star Fayrouza for lunch. The afternoon is free for you to relax and explore our luxurious Dahabiya.

Following breakfast onboard, we travel to Egypt’s famous Luxor Temple and Karnak Temple. Return to All Star Fayrouza to cruise toward Edfu, passing through the Nile River’s Esna Locks, where we will dock. Dinner onboard.

After breakfast onboard, we sail to Edfu to tour the temple of the god Horus, his wife and their son. We then cruise to Kom Ombo and explore this temple, dedicated to the two deities Sobek and Harwer (Horus the Elder). Returning to All Star Fayrouza, we sail to Aswan, where we overnight.

Following breakfast onboard, guests visit Philae Temple, dedicated to the Goddess Isis, and the Aswan High Dam, built for flood control of the Nile.

Guests return to All Star Fayrouza. This evening’s festivities feature for a traditional Galabia Party, a celebration where guests are invited to wear colorful, loose-fitting garments known as galabeyas.

After this morning’s final breakfast, we end of the cruise portion of our trip. Guests disembark All Star Fayrouza and transfer to their select Aswan hotel or the Aswan International Airport.

Interested in seeing even more in Cairo? We're looking into options for visiting the Great Pyramids and Sphinx in Giza, the new Egyptian Museum and some other must-see sites!