LDA Travel

Please note: As a 21+ DIVES cruise, there's a good chance that you can enjoy 21 or more dives on a 7-day safari if you so wish. You must be a PADI Open Water diver or equivalent and you are expected to be able to complete each dive with your buddy or following the guide. The guides may not enter the water and remain on-board as surface support for some dives. However to get the most from the trip we suggest you are certified to dive to 30 meters and be PADI Advanced Open Water or equivalent. The PADI Advanced course can be completed whilst on-board so be sure to pre-book.
This itinerary presents the best of both worlds, where you visit famous wrecks in the northern Red Sea along with some stunning reef diving.
The famous horseshoe shaped reef of Shaab El Erg is a perfect example of the reefs on offer on this cruise with its beautiful hard coral garden and the chance to see dolphins.
Abu Nuhas has four well-known wrecks: Giannis D, Carnatic, the Chrisoula K ('tile wreck') and the Kimon M ('lentil wreck'), all offering spectacular dives and plenty of fish life.
In between wreck dives you will also visit the reefs of the Straits of Gubal, Gulf of Suez and those to the north of Hurghada. A variety of deep walls and hard coral gardens with an abundance of reef fish make them well worth a visit.
Night dives can be superb as Gubal Island offers protected anchoring for the night. A small wreck at 8-10 metres makes for a spectacular night dive with lionfish, scorpion fish and its resident giant moray eel as well as the wreck of the Ulysses. Next onto the Kingston lying at Shag Rock, the Carina lying close to Sha'ab Ali and the Dunraven at Beacon Rock.
Ras Mohamed lies on the southernmost tip of the Sinai and is one of the best kept National Parks in Egypt with waters full of nutrients, steep walls going down to a depth of 1000 metres attracting a large amount of big fish and earning itself a reputation as one of the top diving areas in the world. Whilst here, you may have the chance to dive at Shark Reef; a sheer wall falling into the blue, as well as the wreck of the Yolanda.
Jackson Reef, locally named the 'Aquarium', is Tiran's most popular dive with the 'Jackson Drift' being Sharm's' fastest and most exhilarating drift dive past a stunning wall bursting with prolific coral growth. Occasionally, in the summer months, a school of scalloped hammerheads can be seen. Thomas Reef gives you plunging walls covered with soft coral, gorgonians and colourful fish life. The west wall is darker with overhangs and caves full of glassfish and sweepers. A night dive at Gordon Reef promises various species of coral, small nudibranchs hidden in the crevices and the soft corals and a chance to see white tip reef sharks, eagle rays, octopus and different types of eel such as moray, peppered and gold edged morays.
Finally the most famous wreck in the Red Sea, the SS Thistlegorm, at Shaab Ali and including a night dive on Thistle. The Thistlegorm was sunk in 1941 after being bombed by the German Luftwaffe while on a mission to deliver a cargo of ammunition and other war materials to the British troops in North Africa.
From here the boat heads back towards Hurghada.
All dives sites are subject to divers' experience and weather conditions.

Abu Nuhas - Ulysses - Rosalie Moeller - Thistlegorm and others
Please note: As a 21+ DIVES cruise, there's a good chance that you can enjoy 21 or more dives on a 7-day safari if you so wish. You must be a PADI Open Water diver or equivalent and you are expected to be able to complete each dive with your buddy or following the guide. The guides may not enter the water and remain on-board as surface support for some dives. However to get the most from the trip we suggest you are certified to dive to 30 meters and be PADI Advanced Open Water or equivalent. The PADI Advanced course can be completed whilst on-board so be sure to pre-book.
The Get Wrecked cruise combines the 'best of the best' of the most famous wrecks in the northern Red Sea along with some stunning reef diving.
Leaving from Hurghada, we aim to dive all the wrecks in the area including:
El Mina, an Egyptian mine sweeper lying just outside Hurghada's harbour; the Carnatic, the Chrisoula K ('tile wreck'), the Kimon M ('lentil wreck') and Giannis D at Abu Nuhas; at Gubal islands we dive the Barge, the Ulysses (sunk in 1887) and the Rosalie Moeller; next onto the Kingston (or Sarah H, sunk in 1881) lying at Shag Rock; and, of course, the Dunraven (sunk 1876) at Beacon Rock situated in the Ras Mohammed National Park, then finally the most famous wreck in the Red Sea, the Thistlegorm, which lies at Shaab Ali.
These wrecks are spectacular and make fantastic material for the underwater photographer, being smothered in corals, especially the Carnatic, which sank in 1869. The famous SS Thistlegorm and the Rosalie Moller are World War II wrecks and one of the highlights of this cruise.
The SS Thistlegorm was sunk in 1941 after being bombed by the German Luftwaffe while on a mission to deliver a cargo of ammunition and other war materials to the British troops in North Africa. The Rosalie Moeller, carrying a cargo of coal, suffered the same fate just two days later.
In between wreck dives you will also visit the reefs of the Straits of Gubal, Gulf of Suez and those to the north of Hurghada. A variety of deep walls and hard coral gardens with an abundance of reef fish make them well worth a visit.
All wrecks are subject to divers' experience and weather conditions.

Rosalie Moller - Abu Nuhas - Thistlegorm - Ras Mohamed - Brother Islands - Salem Express
Please note: Emperor requires that you have 30 logged dives to dive in the Marine Parks and you are expected to be able to complete each dive with your buddy or following the guide. The guides may not enter the water and remain onboard as surface support for some dives. No night dives are allowed in the Marine Parks. Long overnight sailings are required and due to distances travelled the number of dives is limited compared to other routes. These are challenging dives, with strong currents, so not for inexperienced divers.
Starting from Hurghada, we sail north towards Gubal Island and on to Abu Nuhas and its four well-known wrecks: Giannis D, Carnatic, the 'Lentil Wreck' and the 'Tile Wreck', all offering spectacular dives and plenty of fish life. Explore the Rosalie Moller (the sister ship of the slightly more famous Thistlegorm), which lies from 30 to 50 metres deep and is in excellent condition. Although the visibility is not always good the wreck is covered in glassfish from bow to stern and hunting them are masses of lionfish. Around the wreck are the usual pelagics such as tuna, trevallies, Emperor fish and many more.
A short ride across the Straits of Gubal and you visit the most famous wreck of the Red Sea, the SS Thistlegorm! An awe-inspiring World War II British vessel with a cargo full of armaments, Bedford trucks and BSA motorbikes, which were all destined for the British troops in North Africa. She was sunk by the German Luftwaffe and now lies in 30 metres of water. Depending on divers' experience, along with weather and current conditions, we try to offer a night dive here. Nearby is the Ras Mohamed National Park, offering a morning dive at the renowned 'Shark and Yolanda' reefs. Ras Mohamed National Park is the furthest Sinai destination before heading south towards 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 from El Quseir. 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. They attract a diverse array of marine species and large pelagics. Big tuna, barracudas, jacks and snappers cruise in the blue, accompanied by occasional hammerheads, silky and oceanic white tip sharks and mantas. Even the rare thresher shark can sometimes be found there. Sightings of the grey reef shark are almost guaranteed on the North and South Plateaux of Small Brother.
For the wreck diver, the Aida II, an Egyptian supply vessel, and the Numidia, a cargo ship, lie on the walls of the Big Brother. Both are covered in a rich growth of soft and hard corals. Marine life includes a family of Napoleon wrasse and grey reef sharks.
The boat will then sail back to Hurghada via Safaga where you can dive at Panorama Reef or the famous wreck of Salem Express for a memorable finale!