Northern Reefs Liveboard - Aila

Diving cruise Egypt - Nord Brothers Itinerary


This cruise is a good compromise between the most beautiful wrecks in northern Egypt, Ras Mohamed and the drop-offs on the Brothers Islands. Ideal for fans of pelagics and wrecks.


Before reaching the international waters of the Red Sea, ships must cross the Detroit of Gubal, one of the most difficult passages in Egyptian territorial waters. At the time, the instruments on board the ships were very limited: a compass and a nautical chart. The crossing time between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea took around 48 hours. The ships had then to pass through the Strait of Gubal. About fifteen wrecks are now in this area due to navigational errors. You will discover wrecks of merchant ships of a hundred meters as well as warships dating from the 1940s. You will dive on the mythical wreck of the Thistlegorm, discovered by Commander Cousteau.

After exploring the warships dating from World War II, you will sail to the tip of Sinai to dive in the Ras Mohamed reserve where many schools of fish await you. You will then descend to the south. You will arrive on the Brothers Islands where the pelagics evolve around magnificent drop offs with an impressive coral diversity.

The Brothers are 2 islands located 60 km off the village of Quseir, in Egyptian territorial waters. These islands are made up of volcanic rocks. On the large island, about 600 m long, there is a lighthouse built in the 19th century by the English. 4 guards on site ensure its proper functioning and are delighted to welcome you for the visit of the lighthouse. In the north of the island are 2 beautiful wrecks that you can discover during your dives. The Numidia (1901), very concreted, is between 12 and 83 meters deep. The wreck is almost vertical. A vertiginous dive on a very colorful drop off. The Aida 2 (1958), an Egyptian army boat supplying the islands and carrying the relief of the guards, is barely 100 meters from the Numidia at a depth of 30 to 63 m. It is not uncommon to come across a thresher shark in this area. The small island made up of the same rock as the large one, measures approximately 200 m long. It is a real nugget. Between gorgonian garden, black coral, pelagic passage, you will be enchanted by the richness of this reef.

Itinerary

  • Day 1 Saturday

    Saturday Our friendly staff welcomes you at the airport. Bus transfer from the airport to the marina. You will, then, be attributed a cabin and discover the boat.

  • Day 2 Sunday

    Sunday After breakfast, your guide will tell you everything you need to know about your programme of the week, safety recommendations and, more generally, your life on the boat. Your diving certifications, logbook and insurance will be checked before leaving the marina. The boat will then sail to the first dive site, 30 minutes away from the marina.
    Your guide will give you a detailed briefing about your first dive.
    After lunch you will do your second dive in the area of Hurghada.
    You will then keep sailing north to reach the El Gouna area where you will spend a quiet and peaceful night moored behind a big reef.

  • Day 3 Monday

    Monday Arrived the day before on site, you will do your first-two wreck dives in the morning. After lunch you will do the third dive of the day. Upon request, a night dive may be added. For a quiet and peaceful night, you will spend the night away from the waves, moored behind a big reef. This programme may be subject to change according to weather conditions.

  • Day 4 Thuesday

    Thuesday You will do your first dive of the day in the early morning. After breakfast you will sail for two hours to cross the Gubal strait and reach the eastern shores of the Sinai. Two other dives will be proposed in this area. Upon request (and according to the site and weather), a night dive may be added.

  • Day 5 Wednesday

    Wednesday On that day you will do a minimum of two dives on the world-renowned wreck of the SS Thistlegorm, discovered by Cousteau in the 50s. You will then sail to the eastern side of the Sinai Peninsula to reach Shaab Mahmud dive site. One more dive will be proposed in this area. Upon request (and according to the site and weather), a night dive may be added. You will spend the night away from the waves, moored behind Shaab Mahmud reef.

  • Day 6 Thursday

    Thursday At the break of dawn, the boat will sail to the Ras Muhammad Marine Park where you will dive twice on the dizzying drop-offs among thousands of colourful fishes. After lunch, the boat will start heading south. The third dive will either be done on a beautiful coral garden or on a shipwreck. Upon request (and according to the site and weather), a night dive may be added. This programme may be subject to change according to weather conditions.

  • Day 7 Friday

    Friday The last two dives of the week will take place in the Hurghada or Safaga area (according to the marina of return). Stunning drop-offs await you to end the week properly. After the last dive, you will have the possibility to rinse all your diving gear on the diving deck at the rear of the boat before sailing for less than an hour to the marina. The estimated time of arrival is 2:00 PM (your guide will tell you all about the leisure activities you can book in the Safaga or Hurghada area to spend an entertaining Friday afternoon).

  • Day 8 Saturday

    Saturday Departure from the boat will be after breakfast or according to your flight and transfer schedules to the airport or hotel.

Important notice

This program may be subject to changes according to the conditions.

Dates & prices

Departures for French-speaking groups:

From To Price / pers. Boat Places Options Booking
€1,100 DUNE - ALIA high class 26 / 26 Book now!
€1,250 DUNE - ALIA high class 26 / 26 Book now!
€1,000 DUNE - ALIA high class 26 / 26 Book now!
€1,250 DUNE - ALIA high class 0 / 26 Fully booked

Departures for English-speaking groups:

No departure for now

Trip code: 148

Included

The beginning of the Liveaboard service starts with the dinner on Saturday evening the day before the departure of the trip and ends the day after the boat has returned to the marina with breakfast on board (check out 10:00AM) according to the different flight’s schedules.

All the costs that might incurred before and after the beginning of the service are the responsibility of the customers (Day use, meals, hotel night…)

 

1 week Liveaboards (6 days and 7 nights on board)


  • Airport-boat transfers (outward) and boat-airport (return)
  • 6 days full board (includes tea, instant coffee, water and soft drinks)
  • 7 nights on board in a sharing double cabin (single use with extra fee available)
  • Services fees.
  • For the 7th night, Dune reserves its right to accommodate guests in a 3* hotel with half board in a double or triple room to share. (drinks not include)
  • 2 or 3 dives per day divided from Sunday to Friday with a 12 L tanks (DIN or INT), and weights. DUNE Red Sea reserves the right to limit this number of dives depending on: external events, weather conditions, diving level constraints, physical condition of the diver... without any compensation being claimed.
  • Nitrox is free of charge and cannot be subject to any complaint especially in case of possible failure of the compressor. 
  • Government taxes

Not included

  • International and domestic flights
  • Cancellation and assistance insurance
  • Drinks such as beer, wine, and espresso
  • Rental of diving equipment, diving torch, SMB, computer…
  • Diving courses 
  • Supervision by a diving instructor for OWD and Cmas** beyond 20m
  • Visas and assistance
  • Extras nights or day use before and after the liveaboard 
  • Transfers airport/hotel or hotel/airport in case of day use before and after the liveaboard 
  • Additional activities at the end of the cruise
  • Marine park taxes

Notes

Liveaboards planning and boat organization


  • The boats displayed on our schedule can be modified and replace without prior notice by a boat of the exact same category. 
  • Departures and arrivals Marinas may be changed without notice depending on Dune’s schedule and other constraints. 
  • Arrival marinas may be modified during the week of the liveaboard according to the boat schedule.

Information and documents needed to register customers :

  • A passeport or an ID card (This has to be checked according to the customer nationality) valid for 6 months after the return date is mandatory (it has to be shown to customs clearance)
  • Names and first names to be given upon booking
  • Passeport/ID number 
  • Level and number of dives 
  • Flights informations : arrival and departure 
  • Booking requests such as : rental equipment, diving courses, cabin requests
  • Dive insurance

* If DUNE has to redo the cruise departure authorizations, due to the communication (by the diver or by the agency) of an incorrect passport number during registration, € 30 (corresponding to the authorization change price ) will be re-billed to the diver or agency concerned.

Terms and conditions

Payment and Refund policy 


  • For individuals and small group (less than 10 pax) A deposit of 30% will have to be paid so that the booking can be confirmed.
  • For groups (more than 10 pax) and Full charter bookings : a deposit of 10% wil have to be paid so that the booking can be confirmed
  • The balance of the booking must be made 30 days before departure for an individual booking or a small group booking (less than 10 pax).
  • The balance of the booking must be paid 60 days before departure for a group booking (more than 10 pax) or full charter.
  • Payments on board must be made in cash (Euro, Dollars, or Egyptian Pounds) or CC (excluding tips payment). Please be warned, 3% of bank charges will be added for payments in CC.
  • The itinerary can be modified during the trip because of external event beyond our control. Failure to follow a route does not allow an indemnity or a refund of taxes
  • Non-compliance with the program does not allow an indemnity or a refund of taxes. (ex : number of 16 dives not reached because of the weather, insufficient dive level…)
  • Changes of boat or marinas do not allow an indemnity.
  • A possible failure or the EANX compressor do not allow an indemnity.  

Customers are personally responsible for all their belongings from the airport arrival transfer to the moment they return to it. The loss or the damage of their personal belongings due to negligence or oversights cannot allow any recourse against Dune. 

Important notice : Our rates may change without prior notice during the season generally because of : increasing of taxes, fuel, or exchange rates fluctuation

Cancellation policy 


Cancellation fees apply to all services provided by DUNE. (Cruise, transfer and hotel service)
Cancellation fees also apply to visas 30 days before departure. 

A group is made up of 10 clients minimum. 

Any cancellation must be notified in writing (email).
The date of receipt of the cancellation mail or email will determine the schedule of cancellation fees. 

Cancellation conditions for individual bookings
Cancellation from 60 to 31 days before the date of departure: 30% of the total amount of the cruise / stay.
Cancellation from 30 to 21 days before the date of departure: 50% of the total amount of the cruise / stay.
Cancellation less than 20 days before the date of departure: 100% of the total amount of the cruise / stay. 

Cancellation conditions for group bookings (from 10 participants)
Cancellation from 90 to 61 days before the date of departure: 30% of the total amount of the cruise / stay.
Cancellation from 60 to 31 days before the date of departure: 50% of the total amount of the cruise / stay.
Cancellation less than 30 days before the date of departure: 100% of the total amount of the cruise / stay.

 Cancellation conditions for charter subscriptions
Cancellation less 90 days before the date of departure of the boat: 100% of the total amount of the cruise / stay. 

In case of cancellation of customers on a charter boat rate, the price may change to a group price if the departure of the boat is more than 90 days on written request (email) by the manager of the file.
Any charter must be signaled during the confirmation of the file by a comment in the file (FC + name of the group) 

In case of cancellation of customers on a charter boat rate, within 90 days of departure.
The person responsible for the file finds other participants at the charter rate to replace the participants who have canceled, or the cancellation fees will be applied at 100%. 

Cancellation conditions for a full charter
Cancellation from 90 to 61 days before the date of departure of the boat: 50% of the total amount of the cruise / stay.
Cancellation from 60 to 31 days before the date of departure of the boat: 75% of the total amount of the cruise / stay.
Cancellation 30 before the departure date of the boat: 100% of the total amount of the cruise / stay. 

The minimum number of participants to guarantee the departure of a cruise depends on the total capacity of the boat and if it is a chartered one.  

DUNE boat with 22 seats: 8 participants
DUNE boat with 30 seats: 18 participants
Rental Boat: 16 participants 

At more than 30 days of departure, Dune reserves the right to cancel a cruise without compensation if the number of participants is insufficient.

Liveaboard or Journey cancellation and Force Majeure  


Dune reserves the right to cancel a stay of cruise for reasons of force majeure such as natural disaster, epidemics, war, strikes, riots, etc… Dune declines all responsibility for events such as injury, death or destructions of personal belongings due to acts of war, insurrections, military actions, revolutions or exceptional weather/seismic events, that would occurred beyond its control. 

Any unpredictable and insurmountable event that would happen beyond Dune’s control constitutes a case of force majeure. If this case occurs, this will be notified to the customer as soon as possible. Due to natural disasters, revolutions, wars, or state decisions, the customer cannot claim any compensation if the trip is shortened or cancelled. This would apply as well for all that may keep the customer to benefit some of the services. 

The closure of roads, airports, train stations, marinas and the removal/suppression of trains, plans, boats decided by the carriers, administrations and official authorities are not on the behalf of Dune and will not allow any indemnities.  

All Dune Red Sea‘s team remains at your disposal for any other information needed. We wish all the divers and incredible journey, fill with wonderful underwater encounters as well as on board !  
Contact : Bruno Del Gallo  (Operating Liveaboard Manager)
Phone : +20 (0)1119710933

Contact : Nathanaël Zreik ( Manager General Dune Red Sea)
Phone : + 20 (0)11 22 71 24 97

Practical info

Book this trip
Destination
Liveaboards in Egypt
Activity
Liveboard Sharks Shipwrecks
Duration
8 days
Group
12 to 30 people
Code
148
Price
From €1,250
Level
3/5
Comfort
3/5
Language(s)
French / English

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