Safaga, Brothers & Elphinstone
All Year | Hurghada to Port Ghalib or Port Ghalib to Hurghada
Panorama Reef, Middle Reef, Salem Express, Brother Islands, Abu Dabab, Elphinstone
Itinerary Highlights
- Sheer walls draped in colourful soft corals and gorgonian forests at the Brothers and Elphinstone.
- In Safaga, magnificent anemones, glass fish and huge coral formations at Panorama Reef. Artificial reef of the Salem Express thriving with life; frogfish, blue-spotted stingrays, angel and butterfly fish.
- Diverse range of marine life such as tuna, barracudas, jacks, groupers, snappers and reef sharks. Occasional hammerheads, silky and oceanic white tips, dolphins and mantas. Rare chance to spot threshers.
The area around Safaga has some great diving, the best being the offshore reefs of Panorama Reef, Middle Reef and Abu Kafan. Some divers say this area equals the great sites of Ras Mohamed. The diving offers a combination of shallow reef dives and drop-offs, as well as the famous wreck of the Salem Express.
The Salem Express is a dramatic wreck dive. It is now home to a thriving underwater life, including a famous resident frogfish, blue-spotted stingrays, angel and butterfly fish. The ship itself is covered in a large quantity of hard and soft corals. It is one of the largest wrecks in the Egyptian Red Sea, roughly the same size as the Thistlegorm.
There is superb wall diving at Panorama: on the south-east side of the plateau is a gorgonian and glassfish corner with the whole plateau covered in soft corals and on the south side is an anemone city.
Hal Hal (Middle Reef) is a rarely chosen dive site due to its distance from the coast, which makes it a virgin spot. The north side is a drop off going down to 80 metres and is a perfect location to spot tunas, barracudas, turtles and sharks. The southern side has colourful coral gardens along with some caves and canyons.
Abu Kafan is a 300-metre long, narrow reef offering a plateau at both north and south tips. We normally jump in the water on the north plateau and glide with the frequent strong current southwards along the impressive walls covered with soft and black coral, giant fans and gorgonians.
The Brother Islands are the pinnacles of two undersea mountains rising from the depths of the abyss and are located about 60 miles offshore. Part of the Marine Park Islands National Park, these islands offer stunning wall diving, with the walls covered in soft corals and forests of gorgonians, creating a kaleidoscope of ever-changing colours. They attract a diverse array of marine species and large pelagics. Large tuna, jacks and snappers cruise in the blue, accompanied by occasional hammerheads, silvertips, silky and oceanic white tip sharks and mantas. Even the rare thresher shark can be found here. Sightings of the grey reef shark are almost guaranteed on the North and South Plateaux of Small Brother.
Abu Dabab is six reefs commonly known as “Fathers Steps” or “Fathers Stepping Stones” and as the name suggests a set of fairly shallow reefs ranging from depths of 25 metres to the seafloor. In between Abu Dabab II and III at approximately 15 metres is the wreckage of a small ship sunk after a fire in 2004.
Elphinstone is approximately 30km from Port Ghalib; Elphinstone reef is 300 metres long with sheer walls richly covered in colourful pink and red soft corals and elegant red gorgonians descending to around 40 metres. Other areas of the reef have near vertical cliffs, overhangs, small caves and drop offs of up to 100 metres. Elphinstone is known to experience some strong currents attracting many diverse species such as barracuda, angel fish, groupers, Napoleons, morays, reef sharks and great shoals of dogtooth tuna and jacks. Occasional sightings include dolphins, turtles, oceanic white tip and hammerhead sharks.
*Please be aware the dive sites and areas mentioned in our itineraries are not guaranteed. They are subject to change based on weather conditions and are at the discretion of our cruise director/captain. This is to ensure we provide the best sightings and activities possible during your dive experience while also prioritising your safety.
Dive Sites
Click dive site markers for detailed descriptions.
Dive sites & areas that we may visit are subject to weather conditions.
Small Giftun
With the current carrying you, this dive is a relaxing exploration along a magnificent wall, where you can 'fly over' extensive stretches of large fan corals and if you look out into the blue it's not uncommon to see large tunas and trevallies. The dive leads to a sandy plateau dotted with numerous coral formations. Here it is common to see turtles, moray eels, crocodilefish and spotted stingrays, as well as schooling fusiliers and goatfish. Often done as a drift dive but can also be done as a normal dive where the boat is moored up. An excellent site for technical diving and courses.
Salem Express
The 'Salem Express' is a wreck with a tragic history. Built in 1966, not much is known of the history of the ship, other than disaster struck her close to midnight, on 15th December 1991.
The Salem was packed with passengers returning from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, bound for the port of Safaga, when on that fateful night she struck one of the banks of coral that just break the surface south of Hyndman Reef (near Sha'b Shear), off Safaga in the Egyptian Red Sea. It was a stormy night and rescue teams failed to help. The collision gouged out a hole in the forward part of the hull, causing the stern door to burst open.
The ferry very quickly began to take on water and in only a matter of minutes she had sunk. There are claims that the number of passengers actually aboard the Salem when she sank was much, much higher than the official count of 690, with only 180 survivors. There may have been as many as 1600 people who perished in the tragedy, but many different counts have been provided. However many unfortunates perished, it should be noted that this is a grave as well as a wreck and must be treated with the utmost respect.
Safaga
- Abu Kafan -
Abu Kafan
Possibly the best dive in Safaga. A 300m long, narrow barrier features a 'plateau' in both north and south extremes, teeming with anthias and soft corals. Superb wall diving dropping off to over 300m with overhangs covered in soft and black coral and giant gorgonians. Frequent sightings of jacks, tuna, barracuda, reef sharks and the occasional hammerhead.
- Middle Reef -
Middle Reef
Northerly reef face slopes to 30m, then plummets vertically to much greater depths. Hard coral gardens on the east and west corners with acroporas, brain and salad coral. Fun dive on the south side through the shallow labyrinth of caves, tunnels and passages. Groupers, puffers and sweetlips.
- Panorama Reef -
One of the highlights of the area. Huge coral formations with walls dropping to over 200m. Jacks, barracudas and reef sharks often visit the area. Panorama is also the home of Anemone City, ranging from 14m up to 5m over 40 Magnificent anemones offer homes to hundreds of feisty clownfish. A stunning spot for your safety stop! The north plateau is a stunning array of purple soft corals and a south bound current offers a thrilling drift!
Elphinstone
A world famous offshore reef, Elphinstone is the jewel in our crown. Sheer walls and sometimes currents at exhilarating speeds make this one for advanced divers only but it will be one you remember. Dive the east wall in the morning and the west in the afternoon to make the most of the sun, and light up the abundant soft corals. Anthias smother the walls and large gorgonian fans and black corals hide critters such as the infamous longnose hawkfish. Keep an eye out in the blue for resident schools of snapper, large barracuda and enormous Napoleon wrasse.
The north and south plateaus drop to over 40mt in depth but can be a place for very special encounters - manta rays, silvertip, tiger, grey reef and hammerhead sharks have all been seen here and cruising the shallows at the right time of year can be curious silky and oceanic whitetip sharks.
Torombi
Torombi always gives a wilderness feel. Immaculate corals underwater, an undeveloped coastline view - and often you'll be the only boat there! Sites include:
- Marsa Torombi -
With deep seagrass in the bay divers usually stick to the reef walls. The northern side is a good place to see some of the more unusual Red Sea creatures, such as Burrfish but a firm favourite is a shallow drift dive over the south reef. Here large hard corals flank small lagoons and table corals stack up near the reef plate. Turtles are often seen mixing it with the abundant Unicornfish and large Titan Triggerfish patrol their territory.
- Torombi Garden -
A small lagoon just south of the main bay has become a recent favourite with guests.
- Torombi Pinnacles -
Usually a school of barracuda meets the divers under the boat in summer months and mesmerise with their movement. Moving around the pinnacles at the deeper part you will spot rays, Scorpionfish and Lionfish before ascending to the finger-like walls on the eastern side of the largest pinnacle. Here the colourful hard corals are host to thousands of small reef fish, and perhaps even a Hawksbill Turtle.
Abu Dabab
The Brothers
The Brother Islands are the pinnacles of two undersea mountains rising from the depths of the abyss and are located about 60 miles offshore. Part of the Marine Park Islands National Park, these islands offer stunning wall diving, with the walls being covered in soft corals and forests of gorgonians, creating a kaleidoscope of ever-changing colours.
- Big Brother -
The northerly of the two islands and has a small lighthouse. It has two wrecks laying on its walls. At the northern most tip of the island lays a large freighter named the Namibia, the other is the Aida II, an Egyptian supply vessel that struck at night. There is excellent wall diving all along the southern side of the reef with strong currents promoting the growth of a spectacular forest of soft corals. Frequent sightings of big pelagics and an astonishing variety of marine life.
- Little Brother -
This island is the smaller of the two as the name implies. At the northern end is a long tongue of reef that extends seaward and in good weather it is possible to drop in here and drift. The current runs from east to west and here sharks may be seen cruising. On the south east side is a superb fan coral forest but it is deep and starts at 35m, there are also plenty of caves, overhangs, black coral, and lots of pelagics including sharks, tuna, barracuda, turtles and schools of reef fish. As you round the southern corner the slope gives way to a vertical wall where you can catch a glimpse of a silver tip shark. In summer thresher sharks are seen here, in October grey reef sharks gather to mate and divers have also reported schooling hammerheads and groups of sailfish in this area. Before you know it your computer will tell you it time to head back to the boat having had the most spectacular diving.
Hurghada Airport
Hurghada Port
Marsa Alam Airport
Port Ghalib
Also Important
Check Dive & Depart Port
Once onboard there will be a safety briefing, crew introduction, complete and check dive paperwork, cabin allocation and boat orientation. Our boats moor in port on arrival day departing early next morning. The first dive is a check dive near port.
Return to Port
On the last diving day, 2 dives are available in the morning whilst observing the rule of no diving within 24 hours of reaching altitude. We return to port at approximately 1pm and moor here overnight. Evening-time pack up diving equipment, visit the marina and settle any outstanding bills ready to depart for the airport or hotel the following morning.
Itinerary Experience
Intermediate, 30 dives
We recommend that you have 30 logged dives to join this trip and you should be comfortable diving in drifts and currents as they can vary from gentle to strong. Many dives are below 18m therefore we recommend having advanced experience or taking your PADI Advanced Open Water course on board. Booking a private guide may help divers unsure of their suitability for the trip to maximise their enjoyment. Divers may find some dives challenging and may be asked by the Cruise Director to skip dives that are not suitable for their diving experience. Diving is from zodiacs to give precise entry and exit points.