Ideal for Winter Season
Laden with history and phenomenal beauty, the iconic Red Sea offers unrivalled natural wonders, making for an unforgettable yacht charter vacation. Explore the best offshore dive sites in the area with this adrenaline fuelled 6-day itinerary.
- Day 1
Begin in Port Ghalib
You begin your unforgettable tour of the Red Sea, meeting your yacht in Port Ghalib. Considered a gateway to Egypt, this $2 billion marina is packed with luxury and set within an 18km stretch of stunning coastline.
Situated within the city boundaries of Marsa Alam, there's plenty of time to explore the popular Arab destination. Take a stroll through the streets or head straight to the resort community of Port Ghalib for an indulgent brunch before joining your chosen luxury charter yacht.
After meeting your dedicated Captain and crew, the afternoon is yours to relax and settle in to your new home for the week. Heading south from Port Ghalib, there will be an opportunity to acclimatise to the surrounding waters with a local dive on route to your first port of call. Get your first glimpse of brightly coloured reefs and a plethora of pelagic fish in their natural habitat, then enjoy an exquisite evening meal and nightcap under the stars.
- Day 2-3
Explore the Rocky and Zabargad Islands
Continuing south throughout the night your first full day will be spent at the world famous marine parks of the Rocky and Zabargad Islands. As one of the most southern dive sites in the Red Sea, the area is remarkably quiet, meaning each dive will be unhurried and undisturbed.
Day two of your yacht charter vacation will start at the stunning reef system of St John's. Boasting crystal clear waters and an abundance of fish, the vibrant reefs are 25 miles southwest of Rocky Island. To see the best coral displays in the area the Habili Ali and Habili Gafaar dives are a must, with close up encounters with pelagic fish plus both soft and black corals. Some very lucky divers may even get the opportunity to see a hammerhead shark or two. Make time for a second dive at St John's to investigate some of the many underwater tunnels which are ideal for inaugural cave dives.
Finish the day in style with a visit to Zabargad Island. Located only 50 miles from the beautiful ancient port of Berenice, Zabargad is the perfect chance to try out a drift dive. The seabed is ladened with slopes filled with bright corals and large shoals of fish. However the main attraction here is a wreck dive. Known as the Russian Wreck, the 24 meter dive is thought to be the spy ship called The Khanka. Measuring 75m (245ft) the wreckage is now home to marine life and some reports indicate the ship went missing in 1982.
Following on from an exciting day of dives, day three has something completely new in store at Rocky Island. Only a mere four nautical miles away from Zabargad the terrain completely changes and there's a host of much larger marine species to meet. Take the plunge in to the water to find an array of dolphins, sea turtles, rays, reef and hammerhead sharks plus the abundant rainbow of fish dancing around them.
For divers with more experience, drop offs are waiting for you. Not for the faint hearted, the strong currents and deep walls are truly remarkable to see up close with even more opportunities to witness the marine creatures in their natural environment.
- Day 4
Relaxing dives of Fury Shoals
A highlight diving site of the Northern Red Sea, Fury Shoals is adjacent to Wadi Lahami, south of Marsa Alam. Comprising of a network of reefs, this is a relaxing stop off after a busy couple of days in the marine parks. Divers of all levels of experience can enjoy the sights including another wreck dive.
Enjoy a light breakfast on the aft deck before embarking on the first dive of the day. Showcasing unspoilt corals and a pristine reef, Fury Shoals is one of the best in the area to see a flourishing reef system plus an abundance of natural inhabitants including barracudas, giant trevallies, octopus and whitetip sharks.
Spread small dives throughout the day to witness the vast array of underwater terrains, take in the breathtaking dropoffs and lagoons but don't forget to take a look at one of the main attractions. A wreck dive somewhat smaller than the spy ship at Zabargad Island, a Chinese tug boat from the 1940s lays here largely still intact.
For another unforgettable dive, one of the must see dives at Fury Shoals is known as Dolphin Reef. As the name suggests this is the best place to see these fantastic creatures up close, with sightings of the pod of dolphins often visible just by snorkelling.
- Day 5
Face the deadly at Daedalus reef
The penultimate day of your luxury charter yacht tour of the Red Sea brings you closer to Port Ghalib as you visit the standalone Daedalus reef. Spanning 400 metres in length there's ample opportunity to once again get a close up view of large shoals of fish and stunning coral formations.
Navigating around Daedalus reef is easy compared to other reefs thanks to a central artifical island. Comprising of floating pontoons for mooring, an eyecatching lighthouse dominates. Originally built in 1863, and then reconstructed in 1931, the lighthouse offers exceptional views of the surrounding reef and is a prime opportunity to stretch out sea legs.
Situated within the boundaries of a marine park, the reef has been kept in an immaculate condition and largely features drift dives. Common residents of the Daedalus reef include reef sharks, manta rays, hammerhead sharks and an abundance of fish. Some divers may even be lucky enough to sight a rare tresher shark.
If you've still got the energy to spare, the waters here are primed for watersports so empty the toys garage and speed around on Jet skis or try out some paddleboarding.
- Day 6
Return to Port Ghalib
Making your way back towards Marsa Alam there's still time to make the most of the day before disembarking. On route to your final port there's an opportunity to explore one more reef just 30km away from Port Ghalib.
Elphinstone reef is a prime scuba diving location with a vibrant array of soft corals and multiple deep walls to keep you occupied until its time to head back to shore. As one of the more famous reefs in the area it is well known for its habitant sharks and other large marine animals including dolphins.
After taking in the sights one last time your Captain and crew will escort you back to Port Ghalib in the early afternoon so you can enjoy an evening in the local restaurants, buy some souvenirs and start planning your next yacht charter vacation.
If you're looking to explore the incredible depths of the Red Sea, start planning your unforgettable Arabic experience by looking at all the available yachts for red sea charter.
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*All distances are approximate
