Deep South, St. John (Port Ghalib - Port Ghalib)

Aphrodite · Egypt · 7 nights

Duration
7 nights
Embarkation
Port Ghalib, Egypt
Disembarkation
Port Ghalib, Egypt
Dives
Approximately 17 dives in total

About this route

Explore the vibrant reefs of the Egyptian Red Sea's Deep South and St. John's, known for their abundant soft corals and diverse marine life. This itinerary offers a chance to encounter a wide variety of fish, including schooling barracudas and snappers, along with larger pelagics like hammerheads and manta rays. The trip focuses on the rich biodiversity and impressive underwater topography of this region, providing an immersive diving experience in pristine conditions. With a mix of reef and possibly some wreck dives, this journey promises memorable encounters for experienced divers.

Regions on this route

St. JohnsElphinstoneFury ShoalAbu DababEgyptRocky

Highlights

Abu Dabab

Abu Dabab is one of the most famous dive sites in the Red Sea, particularly known for its gentle inhabitants. It is one of the few places where divers can encounter dugongs. The dive site also features thriving seagrass beds, where giant green sea turtles are commonly found, and a resident guitar shark. In addition to these, the area is home to various reef fish.

  • Dugong encounters
  • Giant green sea turtles
  • Guitar shark sightings
  • Thriving seagrass beds

Abu Fendera Reef

Abu Fendera Reef is a main reef stretching between 400 and 800 meters, known for its extensive coral gardens. It offers opportunities for divers to explore beautiful soft corals and a rich variety of marine life. This reef provides a unique experience for those seeking vibrant reef ecosystems.

  • Extensive coral gardens
  • Beautiful soft corals
  • Rich marine biodiversity
  • Vibrant reef ecosystems

Elphinstone

Elphinstone is a legendary reef in the southern Red Sea, recognized for its long, finger-like shape. Its walls plunge dramatically into the depths, featuring vibrant soft corals on the north and south sides. The reef is celebrated for its abundant reef fish population and is a prominent site for pelagic encounters.

  • Long finger-like reef
  • Deep wall dives
  • Abundant reef fish
  • Soft coral formations

Fury Shoal

Fury Shoal comprises several stunning reefs in the Southern Red Sea, offering an amazing scuba diving experience with some of Egypt's most pristine reefs. The area boasts hard and soft coral gardens, along with abundant marine life. Divers can expect to see large schools of barracudas, giant trevallies, and dogtooth tuna, alongside various species of reef sharks.

  • Pristine reefs
  • Hard and soft coral gardens
  • Schooling fish
  • Reef shark encounters

Gota Abu Galawa

Gota Abu Galawa features a wreck at 15 meters, offering an exciting dive experience. The wreck is penetrable and is home to a rich variety of marine life. This site is particularly known for night dives, and it is believed to be the resting place of a Spanish dancer. The funnel of the ship is a key highlight.

  • Penetrable wreck at 15m
  • Rich marine life
  • Night dive potential
  • Spanish dancer sightings

Marsa Alam

Marsa Alam serves as a barrier in front of the last inhabited city of the Egyptian coast. The area features large blocks of coral gardens, teeming with various reef fish, triggerfish, and platax. It is a vibrant site for observing typical Red Sea reef life.

  • Coral garden blocks
  • Abundant reef fish
  • Triggerfish sightings
  • Vibrant reef life

Marsa Shuni

Marsa Shuni, a sprawling sandy plateau, is unique for its extensive seagrass beds, which are home to a diverse array of marine life. The reef lies between 10 and 15 meters deep, gradually sloping into a sandy bottom. It's an excellent site for macro photography and discovering smaller critters, including pipefish, ghost pipefish, and seahorses, as well as various types of rays.

  • Sprawling sandy plateau
  • Seagrass beds
  • Macro photography
  • Pipefish and seahorses

Red Sea

The Red Sea is globally renowned for its exceptional biodiversity and crystal-clear waters, making it one of the world's top diving destinations. Its extensive coral reefs are home to thousands of marine species, including vibrant reef fish, large pelagics, and various shark species. The consistent warm temperatures and excellent visibility contribute to unforgettable underwater experiences.

  • Exceptional biodiversity
  • Crystal-clear waters
  • Vibrant coral reefs
  • Diverse marine life

Rocky

Rocky Island, a remote and exposed site, offers exhilarating drift dives along its steep walls. The currents here can be strong, bringing nutrient-rich waters that support a vibrant ecosystem. It is a prime location for encountering pelagic species and is adorned with impressive gorgonian fans and soft corals, making it a challenging yet rewarding dive.

  • Exposed remote site
  • Exhilarating drift dives
  • Pelagic encounters
  • Gorgonian fans

Sataya (Dolphin Reef)

Sataya, also known as Dolphin Reef, is a large, smile-long horseshoe-shaped reef in the southern lagoon. It is famously a frequent home for large groups of spinner dolphins, making it one of the best places in the Red Sea for dolphin encounters. The reef's topography also offers interesting caves and passages to explore.

  • Horseshoe-shaped reef
  • Spinner dolphin encounters
  • Lagoon ecosystem
  • Cave exploration

St. Johns

St. John's is a remarkably pristine reef system located roughly 10 miles from the Sudanese border in the Red Sea's Deep South. This area is renowned for its excellent diversity of dives and extensive coral formations. Divers can explore rich coral gardens and dramatic drop-offs, making it a prime destination for varied underwater experiences.

  • Diverse reef system
  • Rich coral gardens
  • Dramatic drop-offs
  • Excellent dive diversity

Requirements

  • CertificationAdvanced Open Water
  • Minimum logged dives30
  • ExperienceDivers should have at least 30 logged dives.

Good to know

  • Diving is recommended at least 24 hours before flying.
  • If no marine park area is visible, diving may extend up to 4x a day, including night diving, where possible.

Day-by-day plan

  1. Day 1: Embarkation – Port Ghalib

    Upon arrival at the airport, guests will be transferred to the Aphrodite liveaboard. After a warm welcome briefing from the crew, divers will settle into their cabins and prepare their equipment. The evening allows for relaxation and anticipation of the week's diving adventures.

  2. Day 2: Deep South – St. John's Reefs

    The day begins with exploration of St. John's Reefs, a renowned area in the Deep South of the Red Sea. This region is characterized by extensive gorgonian gardens and vibrant soft corals adorning its walls. Divers can expect to see a diverse array of reef fish, including large schools of barracudas, snappers, and trevallies. Continuing the exploration of St. John's Reefs, today's dives will focus on further discovering the area's rich biodiversity.

  3. Day 3: Deep South – St. John's Reefs

    The day begins with exploration of St. John's Reefs, a renowned area in the Deep South of the Red Sea. This region is characterized by extensive gorgonian gardens and vibrant soft corals adorning its walls. Divers can expect to see a diverse array of reef fish, including large schools of barracudas, snappers, and trevallies. Continuing the exploration of St. John's Reefs, today's dives will focus on further discovering the area's rich biodiversity.

  4. Day 4: Deep South – St. John's Reefs

    The day begins with exploration of St. John's Reefs, a renowned area in the Deep South of the Red Sea. This region is characterized by extensive gorgonian gardens and vibrant soft corals adorning its walls. Divers can expect to see a diverse array of reef fish, including large schools of barracudas, snappers, and trevallies. Continuing the exploration of St. John's Reefs, today's dives will focus on further discovering the area's rich biodiversity.

  5. Day 5: Deep South – St. John's Reefs

    The day begins with exploration of St. John's Reefs, a renowned area in the Deep South of the Red Sea. This region is characterized by extensive gorgonian gardens and vibrant soft corals adorning its walls. Divers can expect to see a diverse array of reef fish, including large schools of barracudas, snappers, and trevallies. Continuing the exploration of St. John's Reefs, today's dives will focus on further discovering the area's rich biodiversity.

  6. Day 6: Deep South – St. John's Reefs

    The day begins with exploration of St. John's Reefs, a renowned area in the Deep South of the Red Sea. This region is characterized by extensive gorgonian gardens and vibrant soft corals adorning its walls. Divers can expect to see a diverse array of reef fish, including large schools of barracudas, snappers, and trevallies. Continuing the exploration of St. John's Reefs, today's dives will focus on further discovering the area's rich biodiversity.

  7. Day 7: Disembarkation – Port Ghalib

    This is the last day of the dive trip as we cruise back to the harbor. Guests will enjoy a final breakfast on board before checking out. Transfers will be arranged to the airport or hotel, concluding the journey.

  8. Day 8: Departure – Port Ghalib

    After breakfast and check-out, guests will prepare for disembarkation. The crew will organize the transfer to the airport or hotel, ensuring a smooth departure. Please note that the last dive was on the penultimate day, allowing sufficient surface interval before flying.

Upcoming departures

No departures scheduled for this route right now.

All routes of this liveaboard

About the vessel

AphroditeAphroditeEgypt
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