Brothers, Safaga & Elphinstone

Brother Islands. The northernmost part of Egypt's offshore marine park is made up of two islands 60 km away from the coast and 140 km south from Hurghada. Big Brother, the larger island (complete with a lighthouse from 1883) is 400 m long with a spectacular plateau on the south east corner which is dotted with coral mountains and famous for thresher and grey reef shark sightings. The western side of the island has two impressive wrecks which both lie almost vertical on the side of the reef. The most spectacular wreck is the Numidia, a large cargo steamer which sank in 1901 and now lies on the tip of the island between 10 and 80 m covered in soft corals and frequented by large pelagic predators. The smaller wreck of the Aida (sitting between 30 and 65 meters) was a lighthouse authority supply vessel which sank in bad weather in 1957. Small Brother Island is only a little over 200 m long, but hosts an incredible concentration and variety of marine life. There is a pristine fan coral forest, a massive collection of hard and soft corals and compelling overhangs to explore. Main attraction is the abundant pelagic life; with regular seasonal sightings of hammerhead, thresher, grey reef and oceanic white tip sharks. Safaga. Filled with a variety of stunning drop offs, shallow coral gardens and interesting wrecks, Safaga offers something for everyone. The most famous wreck is ‘Salem Express’; a large ferry, which sank in 1991 with massive loss of life. There are also the large ferry wrecks of El Arish El Tor and Al Kafain, which both sank without any lives lost. The famous finger shaped reefs of Abu Kafan and Panorama offer stunning drop-offs with plentiful fan corals and incredible plateaus encrusted with soft and hard corals. Shallower reefs (such as Torbia Arbaa) are full of critters and make a perfect afternoon or night dive. Elphinstone is a renowned reef located in the Red Sea. Its unique shape resembles a finger, and it is home to both hard and soft corals on its north and south plateaus. The reef offers an exhilarating and unpredictable experience. During the summer, it is common to spot grey reef sharks and Napoleon wrasses, while in late autumn, oceanic white tip sharks gather in large numbers. Our typical itinerary includes a day spent at one of the Brothers Islands, Elphinstone, and the Safaga area. Throughout the day, you will have the opportunity to make three dives, as night dives are not allowed in the marine parks. However, please note that if we are sailing to or from Port Ghalib, we will only spend one day at the Brothers Islands.

After a week of exploring various drop-offs, you will enjoy two relaxed morning dives near your arrival port. This will allow you to leisurely cruise into the harbor in the early afternoon. In the evening, take advantage of the onshore time to purchase souvenirs and experience Egypt's renowned hospitality before your journey home the following day.