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Southern Safari Routes
Itineraries Description |
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Brothers
Islands and Elephantine Reef |
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The
Brothers Islands, tops of two undersea mountains rising from the
depth, are located about 50 N.M. offshore, at the height of the
town of Quseir. A part of the Marine Park, they offer
breath-taking underwater scenery, wall diving along their whole
perimeter, and the possibility to spot a wide variety of
pelagic. Their walls are covered in soft corals, creating a true
feast for the eyes. Big tuna, shoals of jack fish and snappers
cruise in the blue, accompanied by hammerheads, grey reef
sharks, silver tip sharks, silky and oceanic white tip sharks
and mantas. The thresher shark, an oceanic species, very rarely
spotted close reefs, circles the walls of the Brothers on a
regular basis. The huge and spectacular moonfish can also be
observed near the reefs. Nobody can ever get tired of diving the
Brothers Islands. |
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Even
wreck lovers get spoilt on the Brothers. The Aida II, an
Egyptian supply vessel, and the Namibia, a cargo ship, lie on
the walls of the Big Brother. They are covered in soft and hard
corals, and are a real treat. Because of strong current and may
be high waves it is not easy to dive at the Brother's. This
safari is only for experience divers. The Reef Elephantine, a
truly legendary reef, is one of the most beautiful reefs in the
red sea, with its north and south plateau's, and its walls
covered in soft corals, black corals, wire corals and
gorgonians. Hammerheads, oceanic white tip sharks and grey reef
sharks can also be spotted here on a regular basis. |
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The Brother
Islands are one of the best diving spots in the world |
The Islands - the Big Brother and the
Little Brother - are two small isolated promontories that just
come out of the water in the middle of the sea at some 140 km
from the coast. The Little Brother has a very high
concentration of life in a much reduced area. The walls are
covered literally with sponges, anemones and all sorts of soft
coral alcyonarian in an astonishing variety of colors and
shapes. Of course you will find here plenty of fish. It is not
unusual to see sharks: hammerheads, thresher sharks, grey
sharks, silvertip and white tip reef sharks. About one km
north of the Little Brother lays the Big Brother. At the west
side, in the middle of the island, is a lighthouse. When it is
not too windy, you can proceed to dive the wreck "NUMIDIA" which
lies upon the reef on the northern side of the island between 10
and 80 m. This 150 m long ship sunk 100 years ago and is now
completely covered with both hard and soft corals and
gorgonians. A fantastic view! |
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At the NW side of the island you will
find the other wreck: the "AIDA". This 82 m long steam ship sunk
1957. The remaining pieces of the wreck are scattered all over
the reef and just the back side of the hull can be found between
30 and 60 m. It is nicely overgrown and worth to visit. Because
of strong current and maybe high waves it is not easy to dive at
the Brother's. This safari is only for experience divers. |
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Brothers
Elephantine Deadalus |
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The Brothers Islands, tops of two
undersea mountains rising from the depth, are located about 50
N.M. offshore, at the height of the town of Quseir. A part of
the Marine Park, they offer breath-taking underwater scenery,
wall diving along their whole perimeter, and the possibility to
spot a wide variety of pelagic. Their walls are covered in soft
corals, creating a true feast for the eyes. Big tuna, shoals of
jack fish and snappers cruise in the blue, accompanied by
hammerheads, grey reef sharks, silver tip sharks, silky and
oceanic white tip sharks and mantas. The thresher shark, an
oceanic species, very rarely spotted close to the reefs, circles
the walls of the Brothers on a regular basis. The huge and
spectacular moonfish can also be observed near the reefs. Nobody
can ever get tired of diving the Brothers Islands. Even wreck
lovers get spoilt on the Brothers. The Aida II, an Egyptian
supply vessel, and the Namibia, a cargo ship, lie on the walls
of the Big Brother. They are covered in soft and hard corals,
and are a real treat. |
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Because of strong current and may be
high waves it is not easy to dive at the Brother's. This safari
is only for experience divers. The Reef Elephantine, a truly
legendary reef, is one of the most beautiful reefs in the red
sea, with its north and south plateau’s, and its walls covered
in soft corals, black corals, wire corals and gorgonians.
Hammerheads, oceanic white tip sharks and grey reef sharks can
also be spotted here on a regular basis. The Deadalus Reef is a
huge reef formation that lies at about 180 km south of Brother
Islands. The reef is surrounded by a sheer wall all around,
featuring a plateau in its southern side that goes from 30 m
beside the reef to 40 m on the edge of the drop-off. If the
weather is good, try to get as far north as possible and drift
along one of the sides of the reef. Reef and hammerhead sharks
are often spotted here. UW life is here more abundant than
anywhere else, with schools of surgeons, fusiliers, carangids |
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Deep South
St Johns |
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Deep, deep in the south (in the near
of Rocky Island) are the St. John's Reefs. Because of the long
distance, this reef group is quite virginal. You will find here
exciting drop offs. The wall of one of the reefs is overgrown
with big gorgonians; the wall of the other reef is overgrown
with all kind of colorful soft corals. You will find here a lot
of fish and in the blue you can see with a little bit luck "big
fish" like hammerhead, grey sharks, silvertip and white tip reef
sharks, barracudas, tunas and mackerels.
Sometimes even you can see mantas and dolphins. It is possible
to reach St. John's in one week, but you are going to sail a lot
(mostly in the night) and the time is very short to dive at all
the reefs in St. John's. Because of the long distance, it is
advisable to decide to do a 10 or 13 days safari-cruise |
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Great
Island Tour |
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The Islands
- the Big Brother and the
Little Brother - are two small isolated promontories that just
come out of the water in the middle of the sea. The
Brother Islands
have a very high
concentration of life in a much reduced area. The walls are
covered literally with sponges, anemones and all sorts of soft
coral alcyonarian in an astonishing variety of colors and
shapes. Of course you will find here plenty of fish. It is not
unusual to see sharks: hammerheads, grey sharks, silvertip and
white tip reef sharks. Additionally you can dive at the Big
Brother at two wrecks: the "NUMIDIA" and the "AIDA". |
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The
Deadalus Reef
is a huge reef formation that lies at
about 180 km south of Brother Islands. The reef is surrounded by
a sheer wall all around, featuring a plateau in its southern
side that goes from 30 m beside the reef to 40 m on the edge of
the drop-off. If the weather is good, try to get as far north as
possible and drift along one of the sides of the reef. Reef and
hammerhead sharks are often spotted here. UW life is here more
abundant than anywhere else, with schools of surgeons,
fusiliers, carangids… |
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Rocky Island
is a mythical site that
represents the diver's dream. The fringing reef that circles the
entire perimeter of the island drops steeply to an astonishing
depth and the constant currents that flow all along the year
favor the growth of all different kinds of life in a continuous
struggle for a place on the reef. The walls are absolutely
covered with the most beautiful soft corals ever found, as well
as gorgonians, fans, sponges and black coral trees. Because of
its isolated situation and the reduced dimensions of the reef
wall, everything seems to concentrate on the surroundings of
this small islet. Reef sharks, especially grays and silvertips,
you can watch in the blue and maybe manta rays, sailfish and
dolphins. |
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The Island of Zabargad
is a superb dive spot. Here you can dive along walls, hover over
drop offs or dive slowly in the shallow area, watching the fish
and admire the coral garden. At the north side of Zabargad lays
a nameless wreck. The 70-m long ship lies upside in 24-m depths.
The whole stern section is nearly intact- stairs, rail, davit
and the bridge |
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The Island of Zabargad
is a superb dive spot. Here you can dive along walls, hover over
drop offs or dive slowly in the shallow area, watching the fish
and admire the coral garden. At the north side of Zabargad lays
a nameless wreck. The 70-m long ship lies upside in 24-m depths.
The whole stern section is nearly intact- stairs, rail, davit
and the bridge |
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South
Safari |
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The
reef at Elephantine
is one of most
beautiful reefs in Egypt. The north and the south plateaus of
this reef are alone worth the visit to Egypt. At the wall and
the drop off you will find a lot of spectacular colorful soft
corals and also black corals. Because of the remote location of
the reef you can meet the "big fish". It is not unusual here to
find hammerheads, grey sharks, barracudas, and dolphins.
Shaab Sharm
has got very steep walls, a
lot of diversity and the possibility to encounter sharks and
other big fish. On the East Side of the reef you will find a
plateau in about 30-m depths, which is overgrown with soft
corals. Here you can see schools of barracudas, snappers, and
groupers. Shaab
Samadai (Dolphin
House): At this reef you find different diving spots: Drop offs
and shallow places, one with a nice cave. The reef has a form
like a horseshoe and inside the "U" the boat has the best
conditions to spend the night. In this sheltered lagoon you can
often see big pods of dolphins. These animals start getting used
to the diving boats, and allow snorkel to come quite near when
they are in the mood. |
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Shaab Maksur:
The south plateau offers a superb diving site. You will find
here three coral pinnacles which are overgrown with red soft
corals. They contain several caves and crevices where glassfish,
groupers, morays and other creatures hide among the soft corals
and gorgonians. Fish are also plentiful and large schools of
carangids, surgeons and other small fish can be seen here. With
luck you can see sharks at the edge of the plateau.
Abu Galawa:
Here a wreck lies in 18 m,
which sank in the 50's. It is so overgrown with all kind of hard
corals that it takes a little bit of time till you recognize the
bridge, rail and the funnel of the ship. The wreck is very
appealing for every photographer. Also it is nice to do a night
dive at Abu Galawa. With a little bit luck, you can see a
Spanish dancer.
Shaab Claude: This
reef is fun. It has multiple caves, passages, and canyons. The
underwater landscape is fantastic. Diving inside the caves at
Shaab Claude is safe. They are pretty wide and peaceful. The
distance between the different entrances is small and lots of
shafts on the ceiling let the sunbeams illuminate the magical
set. |
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Best of the
Red Sea |
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The
Reef Elephantine,
a truly legendary reef, is one of the most beautiful reefs in
the red sea, with its north and south plateau’s, and its walls
covered in soft corals, black corals, wire corals and
gorgonians. Hammerheads, oceanic white tip sharks and grey reef
sharks can also be spotted here on a regular basis. The
Deadalus Reef
is a huge reef
formation that lies at about 180 km south of Brother Islands.
The reef is surrounded by a sheer wall all around, featuring a
plateau in its southern side that goes from 30 m beside the reef
to 40 m on the edge of the drop-off. If the weather is good, try
to get as far north as possible and drift along one of the sides
of the reef. Reef and hammerhead sharks are often spotted here.
UW life is here more abundant than anywhere else, with schools
of surgeons, fusiliers, carangids… |
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Rocky Island
is a mythical site that represents the diver's dream. The
fringing reef that circles the entire perimeter of the island
drops steeply to an astonishing depth and the constant currents
that flow all along the year favor the growth of all different
kinds of life in a continuous struggle for a place on the reef.
The walls are absolutely covered with the most beautiful soft
corals ever found, as well as gorgonians, fans, sponges and
black coral trees. Because of its isolated situation and the
reduced dimensions of the reef wall, everything seems to
concentrate on the surroundings of this small islet. Reef
sharks, especially grays and silver tips, you can watch in the
blue and may be manta rays, sailfish and dolphins. The
Island of Zabargad
is a superb dive spot.
Here you can dive along walls, hover over drop offs or dive
slowly in the shallow area, watching the fish and admire the
coral garden. At the north side of Zabargad lays a nameless
wreck. The 70-m long ship lies upside in 24-m depths. The whole
strait Deep, deep in the south (in the near of Rocky Island) are
the St. John's Reefs. Because of the long distance, this
reef group is quite virginal. You will find here exciting drop
offs. The wall of one of the reefs is overgrown with big
gorgonians; the wall of the other reef is overgrown with all
kinds of colorful soft corals. You will find here a lot of fish
and in the blue you can see with a little bit luck "big fish"
like hammerhead, grey reef sharks, silvertip and white tip reef
sharks and barracudas, tunas and mackerels. Sometimes even you
can see mantas and dolphins. The stern section is nearly intact
- stairs, rail, davit and the bridge. |

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