Brothers & Safaga (8 Days / 7 Nights - 18 Dives)
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, manta rays, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Safaga: Panorama Reef, Middle Reef, Abu Kafan, Salem Express; Brother Islands, Abu Dabbab and Elphinstone
Day 1
Board the Emperor Asmaa in the late afternoon, where the crew will welcome you aboard and help you get comfortable in your chosen cabin. After a thorough safety briefing and boat orientation, settle into the rhythm of liveaboard life with a relaxed dinner in the spacious saloon. The vessel remains in port overnight, giving you time to set up your dive gear and share the anticipation of the week ahead with fellow divers before the journey begins in earnest at first light.
Core Days
This diving tour is built around some of the Red Sea’s most celebrated offshore adventures, with the Emperor Asmaa liveaboard carrying you first to the legendary Brother Islands. These remote pinnacles rise from deep water, their walls draped in massive gorgonian fans and vibrant soft corals. Diving here means watching for the pelagic action the islands are known for: oceanic whitetip sharks often cruise the blue, while schools of hammerhead patrol the deeper drop-offs. Thresher sharks and whale sharks are also encountered by those with sharp eyes and a bit of luck. Between the big-animal moments, the reef itself rewards patience with resident napoleon wrasse, turtles, and clouds of anthias weaving through the terrain.
From the Brothers, the route shifts south toward the reefs and wrecks of Safaga. The region offers a compelling contrast to the offshore seamounts. At Panorama Reef and Middle Reef, the diving takes you along sloping plateaus and walls where hard coral gardens give way to sandy flats, often hosting eagle rays and resting whitetip reef sharks. Abu Kafan is another highlight, a dive site where the topography creates sheltered gullies brimming with schooling barracuda and trevally. The Salem Express is a dive with weight: the 100-metre ferry lies on its side, now encrusted with years of coral growth. Frogfish, blue-spotted stingrays, and schools of angel and butterfly fish have made the wreck their home, and the structure offers a respectful, absorbing exploration.
The final offshore stop is Elphinstone Reef, a classic Red Sea seamount that caps the diving with steep walls and a signature plateau. The current here often draws in sharks, with grey reef sharks and the occasional oceanic whitetip making passes along the reef edge. Between the adrenaline of the blue-water watch, the reef’s overhangs and ledges shelter everything from lionfish to nudibranchs, making every dive feel complete. Throughout the week, the crew positions the Emperor Asmaa to maximise dive times and minimise travel, allowing for a relaxed yet productive pace that suits experienced divers looking to cover ground without feeling rushed.
Day 8
After a final breakfast, disembarkation begins, with the crew on hand to assist with transfers to the airport or local accommodation. It is a smooth conclusion to a week spent exploring some of the Red Sea’s most compelling dive sites aboard the Emperor Asmaa liveaboard.
Brothers, Daedalus & Elphinstone (8 Days / 7 Nights - 17 Dives)
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, manta rays, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Elphinstone, Daedalus Reef, Brother Islands
Day 1
The crew welcomes you aboard the Emperor Asmaa in Hurghada, shows you to your cabin, and provides a detailed boat briefing to help you settle in and feel at home. Dinner is served in the spacious indoor saloon, where the dedicated dining area offers a chance to meet other divers who, like you, chose this Red Sea cruise for their holiday. The boat sets sail early the next morning as everyone prepares for the first dive.
Core Days
This diving cruise takes its name from the 3 iconic locations that define this liveaboard experience: Brothers, Daedalus, and Elphinstone. The Emperor Asmaa liveaboard carries you first to the Brother Islands, two remote pinnacles rising from deep water where the diving is defined by dramatic drop-offs and the constant possibility of pelagic action. The walls here are draped in massive gorgonian fans and soft corals, while the wrecks of the Aida and Numidia lie in the depths, their structures now encrusted with marine growth and home to everything from frogfish to schools of batfish. Above the reef, oceanic whitetip sharks are a regular presence, often moving in with a quiet confidence that leaves a lasting impression. Hammerheads patrol the blue beyond the drop-off, and for those with patience, thresher sharks and the occasional manta ray complete the offshore picture.
From the Brothers, the Emperor Asmaa navigates south to Daedalus Reef, a circular reef with a lighthouse at its centre that marks one of the Red Sea's most reliable locations for shark encounters. The steep outer walls drop into deep water, and early morning dives here offer the best chance to find scalloped hammerheads moving along the current-swept edges. Grey reef sharks are also common, often holding station in the blue while divers watch from the reef slope. The coral itself is in excellent condition, with healthy hard coral gardens on the plateau and cleaner stations where resident turtles and napoleon wrasse come to be attended by small reef fish. It is a place that rewards vigilance: the big animals set the pulse racing, but the reef holds its own quiet drama.
Elphinstone Reef caps the Emperor Asmaa tour with 2 days of diving at one of the Red Sea's most beloved seamounts. The reef runs north-south, its walls falling away on either side, with a shallow plateau that provides a resting point between deeper excursions. Oceanic whitetip sharks are encountered here with regularity, often coming up from the depths to investigate divers along the wall. Grey reef sharks patrol the northern and southern tips, while schools of barracuda and trevally hunt in the blue. Between the shark encounters, the reef itself demands attention: overhangs shelter lionfish and glassfish, the walls are studded with whips and soft corals, and the sandy patches below the plateau hide resting whitetip reef sharks.
The crew of the Emperor Asmaa times the diving to work with the tides and currents, ensuring each day delivers the best possible conditions across these 3 world-class locations.
Day 8
Disembarkation begins in Hurghada after a final breakfast on board. The crew will assist with transfers depending on your onward plans. For those flying out, there is time to reflect on a week spent exploring the Red Sea's finest offshore reefs from the comfort of the Emperor Asmaa.
Please note that the trips sometimes uses Port Ghalib. Kindly check your trip details.
Daedalus, Fury Shoals & Elphinstone (8 Days / 7 Nights - 18 Dives)
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, dugongs/manatees, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Daedalus Reef, Fury Shoals Reef System (Sha'ab Claude, Abu Galawa Soraya, Malahi, Sha'ab Hamam, Abu Galawa Kebir, Tien Hsing Wreck, Gota Sataya, Habili Sameh), Sha'ab Sharm, Elphinstone
Day 1
The Emperor Asmaa waits moored in the marina at Port Ghalib. The crew welcomes you aboard, shows you to your cabin, and provides a thorough boat briefing to help you settle into your new surroundings. Dinner is served in the spacious indoor saloon, where the dedicated dining area offers a chance to meet the other divers. The vessel remains in port overnight, setting sail early the next morning while everyone prepares for the first dive.
Core Days
The cruise opens with Daedalus Reef, a circular formation with a lighthouse at its centre that marks one of the Red Sea's most reliable dive locations for big animal encounters. The steep outer walls drop into deep water, and early morning dives here offer the best chance to find scalloped hammerheads moving along the current-swept edges. Grey reef sharks are also common, often holding station in the blue while divers watch from the reef slope. Beyond the pelagic action, the coral itself is in excellent condition, with healthy hard coral gardens on the plateau and cleaner stations where turtles and napoleon wrasse come to be attended by small reef fish. It is a place that rewards patience: the sharks set the pulse racing, but the reef holds its own quiet drama.
From Daedalus, the Emperor Asmaa moves south into the Fury Shoals reef system, a sprawling complex of sites that offers a different character entirely. Sha'ab Claude is a standout, with its famous swim-throughs weaving through ancient porites coral heads that have grown into remarkable formations. Abu Galawa Soraya presents a fantastic coral garden alongside the wreck of a private sailing boat, now smothered in glassfish that shimmer in the light. Malahi offers maze-like gullies where friendly turtles are regular residents. Gota Sataya, known as Dolphin House, provides a surface interval like no other: the lagoon here is home to a resident pod of spinner dolphins, and time is set aside for snorkelling with them between dives. For those seeking less frequented sites, Sha'ab Hamam (often called Stairway to Heaven) rewards exploration with its stepped reef structure, while Abu Galawa Kebir holds the Tien Hsing wreck and Habili Sameh offers a submerged pinnacle that draws in schools of barracuda and trevally.
Elphinstone Reef caps the safari with a final day of diving at one of the Red Sea's most beloved seamounts. The reef runs north-south, its walls falling away on either side, with a shallow plateau that provides a resting point between deeper excursions. Oceanic whitetip sharks are encountered here with regularity, often coming up from the depths to investigate divers along the wall. Grey reef sharks patrol the northern and southern tips, while schools of batfish and snapper gather in the lee of the current. The overhangs shelter lionfish and glassfish, the walls are studded with whips and soft corals, and the sandy patches below the plateau hide resting whitetip reef sharks.
The crew of the Emperor Asmaa times the diving to work with the tides and currents, ensuring each day across Daedalus, Fury Shoals, and Elphinstone delivers the best possible conditions.
Day 8
Disembarkation in Port Ghalib begins after a final breakfast on board, with the crew on hand to assist with transfers to the airport or local accommodation. It is a straightforward conclusion to a week spent exploring the Red Sea's southern marine parks from the comfort of the Emperor Asmaa liveaboard.
Daedalus, Rocky, Zabargad & St. John's (8 Days / 7 Nights - 22 Dives)
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, dugongs/manatees, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Daedalus Reef, Rocky Island, Zabargad, Fury Shoals Reef System (Sha'ab Claude, Abu Galawa Soraya, Malahi, Sha'ab Hamam, Abu Galawa Kebir, Tien Hsing Wreck, Gota Sataya, Habili Sameh), St. John's Reefs (Gota Kebir, Gota Soraya), Sha'ab Sharm, Elphinstone
Day 1
The crew will welcome you aboard the Emperor Asmaa liveaboard in Port Ghalib, show you to your cabin, and provide a detailed boat briefing to help you get familiar with your new home for the duration of the trip. Dinner will be served in the huge saloon, which has a separate dining area, giving you a great opportunity to get to know the other divers who, like you, have chosen this amazing liveaboard for their holiday in the Red Sea. The boat will leave port early in the morning while everyone gets ready to dive.
Core Days
Daedalus Reef is home to schools of surgeonfish, fusiliers, trevally, and colourful reef fish. Hammerheads, oceanic whitetips and thresher sharks can all be seen here, along with manta rays, particularly during the summer.
Rocky Island is one of the more current-swept regions of the Red Sea. Here, the nutrient-rich water movement supports healthy gorgonian fans, black coral trees, and sponges. Turtles, grey reef sharks and silvertips are often found taking shelter in quieter spots, and manta rays and dolphins are also frequent visitors.
Zabargad is an island populated by soldierfish, wrasses, and schools of snappers. It features walls, drop-offs and shallow coral gardens.
The dive sites at St. John's Reefs feature drop-offs, pinnacles, tunnels, and amazing hard-coral reefs. They're also home to huge gorgonians and colourful soft corals, and are a true underwater photographer's dream.
Here, you'll find an abundance of marine life, including rays, sharks, octopuses, lionfish, nudibranchs and frogfish, along with large schools of fish. You'll commonly encounter curious turtles, Napoleon wrasse, and whitetip reef sharks, while dugongs are a rarer find. Manta rays, grey reef, and silvertip sharks can also often be seen in the blue.
The Fury Shoals are a vast reef system. Sha'ab Claude is a classic dive site with its famous swim-throughs and huge porites corals. Malahi is known for its mazes and friendly turtles, while Abu Galawa Soraya features a fantastic coral garden and a wreck of a private sailing boat covered in glassfish. Sataya, with its resident spinner dolphin population, is a must for snorkelling between dives, and also has some great diving opportunities.
Day 8
Disembarkation starts after a final breakfast on the boat. You can arrange with the crew to be transported back to the airport or to a local hotel in Port Ghalib.
Fury Shoals & St. John's (8 Days / 7 Nights - 21 Dives)
Trip highlights: dolphins, manta rays, dugongs/manatees, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: St. John's Reefs (Gota Kebir, Gota Soraya), Fury Shoals Reef System (Sha'ab Claude, Abu Galawa Soraya), Abu Dabab, Sha'ab Sharm, Elphinstone
Day 1
As you board Emperor Asmaa in Port Ghalib, the crew welcomes you and shows you to your cabin. A thorough orientation helps you settle in before dinner is served in the saloon, a relaxed space for meeting fellow divers. The boat stays docked overnight and quietly sails out at sunrise as everyone prepares for the first dive.
Core Days
St John’s Reefs in the southern Red Sea are a dream for divers and underwater photographers alike. The sites are close together, making it easy to explore multiple locations in a single day. You’ll glide past dramatic drop offs, towering pinnacles, winding tunnels, and coral gardens bursting with colour. Massive gorgonians and soft corals create a backdrop for encounters with rays, sharks, moray eels, barracuda, nudibranchs, and swirling schools of fish. Turtles are frequent visitors, and you might spot a Napoleon wrasse cruising by or a whitetip reef shark weaving through the reef. In the open blue, manta rays, grey and black reef sharks, and even silvertips sometimes make an appearance. Dugongs are rare but not impossible to see. For photographers, the shallow caves and swim throughs at sites like St John’s Caves, offer stunning natural light and wide angle opportunities on this liveaboard trip on Emperor Asmaa.
Fury Shoals is a vast reef system offering unforgettable dives. Shaab Claude features dramatic swim throughs and massive porites coral. Malahi is a maze of coral towers with friendly turtles. Abu Galawa Soraya has a coral garden wrapped around a sunken sailboat filled with glassfish. Sataya is perfect for snorkelling with spinner dolphins. Hidden gems include Shaab Hamam known as Stairway to Heaven, Abu Galawa Kebir with the Tien Hsing wreck, and Habili Sameh with its stunning anemone city. On the second to last day, enjoy two morning dives before heading back to port.
Day 8
After your final breakfast onboard Emperor Asmaa in Port Ghalib, it’s time to say goodbye to the crew and fellow guests. Disembarkation begins shortly after, with the team on hand to help organise transfers.
Red Sea North, Wrecks & Brothers (8 Days / 7 Nights - 18 Dives)
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: Big Brother, Little Brother, Abu Nuhas (Carnatic, Chrisoula K, Kimon M and Giannis D), Straits of Gubal, SS Thistlegorm, Ras Mohamed, Rosalie Moller, Panorama Reef, Salem Express
Day 1
When you hop on board in Hurghada, the crew will give you a warm welcome, show you to your cabin, and walk you through everything you need to know to feel at home on the boat. That evening, you’ll sit down to dinner in the roomy saloon, with a dedicated space for dining - a great chance to meet the rest of the crew of divers who picked this awesome Red Sea trip too. As everyone gears up for the first dives, the boat will quietly head out early in the morning.
Core Days
Diving the Brother Islands is an unforgettable experience reserved for seasoned divers, offering a thrilling blend of dramatic drop-offs, haunting wrecks, and thriving reef life. Descend into a vibrant world where towering gorgonians and technicolor soft corals host a rich variety of marine life-from octopus and lionfish to nudibranchs, frogfish, and swirling schools of reef fish-making it a dream destination for underwater photographers. For those chasing the ultimate encounter, the Brothers deliver: hammerheads, thresher sharks, oceanic whitetips, manta rays, and even the elusive whale shark are all possible sightings in these deep, blue waters. Add in frequent run-ins with inquisitive turtles, the imposing Napoleon wrasse, and sleek whitetip reef sharks, and you'll see why this site ranks high on every diver’s bucket list.
This itinerary also opens the door to some of the Northern Red Sea’s most legendary wrecks. At Shaab El Erg, divers are treated to vibrant hard coral gardens often visited by playful dolphins, setting a magical tone for the adventure ahead. Abu Nuhas, known as the “Ship Graveyard,” boasts 4 iconic wrecks, each offering unique dives brimming with marine life and atmosphere. Ras Mohamed, perched at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, is one of Egypt’s most pristine national parks. Its nutrient-rich waters are a magnet for pelagic species, creating exceptional dive conditions year-round.
No Red Sea wreck safari would be complete without the SS Thistlegorm, perhaps the most revered wreck in these waters. Bombed by the German Luftwaffe in 1941, this sunken British transport ship still carries its remarkable cargo of World War II vehicles, ammunition, and supplies-now an underwater time capsule that continues to captivate divers from around the globe. Just two days later, the Rosalie Moeller, a British cargo ship laden with coal, met the same fate and now rests serenely on the seafloor, cloaked in history and mystery.
Safaga offers a rich tapestry of diving experiences, from the colorful shallows of Panorama Reef to thrilling drop-offs that plunge into the deep blue. One of the standout dives is the hauntingly memorable Salem Express, a 100-meter-long ferry now cloaked in hard and soft corals. This sunken giant shelters frogfish, blue-spotted stingrays, and swirling schools of angelfish and butterflyfish-making it as captivating as it is contemplative.
On the penultimate day of your journey, after two final morning dives, the boat will chart a leisurely course back toward port, offering time to reflect on an unforgettable week beneath the waves.
Day 8
After a final breakfast onboard, disembarkation begins in Hurghada. Whether you’re heading to the airport or moving on to a local hotel, the crew will be happy to assist with your onward travel arrangements.
Red Sea North, Wrecks & Tiran Straits (8 Days / 7 Nights - 21 Dives)
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: Abu Nuhas (Carnatic, Chrisoula K, Kimon M and Giannis D), Gubal Island, SS Thistlegorm, Ulysses, Rosalie Moller, Shaab El Erg, Kingston, Dunraven, Carina, Straits of Tiran
Day 1
Upon boarding the Emperor Asmaa liveaboard in Hurghada, the crew will bring you to your cabin, and provide a thorough briefing to help you get comfortable with your new home for the duration of the trip. Dinner will be served in the spacious saloon, which features a dedicated dining area, an ideal setting to meet and mingle with fellow divers who, like you, have chosen this unforgettable Red Sea cruise for their holiday. The boat will set sail early the next morning, as everyone prepares for the first dive.
Core Days
This itinerary offers the ideal blend of internationally acclaimed shipwrecks and vibrant reef diving in the northern Red Sea. At Shaab El Erg, you’ll explore stunning gardens of hard coral and may even encounter playful dolphins. Abu Nuhas is a wreck diver’s paradise, boasting 4 captivating shipwrecks, each brimming with marine life and offering unforgettable underwater experiences. The legendary SS Thistlegorm is undoubtedly a highlight. Sunk in 1941 by German Luftwaffe bombers, this iconic wreck still contains its World War II cargo-motorcycles, lorries, rifles, and more, neatly preserved in its open holds. It’s a dive that leaves a lasting impression on all who visit. Not far away, the Rosalie Moeller, a coal transport vessel, met a similar fate just 2 days later and offers another hauntingly beautiful wreck to explore.
The reefs surrounding Gubal Island boast dramatic drop-offs teeming with vibrant schools of snapper, surgeonfish, and other reef dwellers. At the southernmost tip of the Sinai Peninsula lies Ras Mohamed - one of Egypt's most pristine national parks, where nutrient-rich waters draw in a host of pelagic species. You'll also explore the legendary quartet of reefs in the Strait of Tiran: Jackson, Woodhouse, Thomas, and Gordon. These awe-inspiring coral towers, rising from the depths, are magnets for large pelagics thanks to the steady, nutrient-laden currents.
Most days will offer the thrill of 4 dives, with a slightly lighter schedule of 2 or 3 dives on the second-to-last day before returning to Hurghada.
Day 8
Disembarkation takes place following a final breakfast served aboard. Guests may liaise with the crew to arrange transport to the airport or a nearby hotel, according to their onward travel plans.
Red Sea North, Wrecks & Tiran Straits (Easy Diving Special) (8 Days / 7 Nights - 21 Dives)
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: Sha’ab El Erg, Alternatives, Stingray Station, Thistlegorm, Gubal Barge, Dunraven, Ras Mohammed: Shark Reef, Yolanda, Marsa Bereika, Straits of Tiran: Jackson Reef, Thomas Reef, Gordon Reef
Day 1
This is a Red Sea North route with slightly easier sites, for the less experienced divers among us. Upon arrival on the boat in Hurghada, guests will be welcomed by the Emperor Asmaa crew, guided to their cabins, and given a detailed orientation of the liveaboard’s amenities and protocols. In the evening, a dinner will be served in the saloon. Early the next morning, the vessel will depart from the marina, marking the start of an unforgettable Red Sea diving adventure.
Core Days
This cruise offers a leisurely exploration of the Northern Red Sea’s legendary wrecks and vibrant reefs, catering to both divers and snorkellers. It’s also the perfect season for spotting dolphins and witnessing the spectacular fish schooling phenomenon at Ras Mohamed. Expect up to 4 dives each day, 2 in the morning, 1 in the afternoon, and a sunset or night dive. Highlights include the coral gardens and playful dolphins of Shaab El Erg, as well as the awe-inspiring SS Thistlegorm wreck. At the southern tip of Sinai lies Ras Mohamed, Egypt’s most pristine national park. Its nutrient-rich waters draw an impressive array of pelagic life. You’ll also explore the world-renowned reefs of the Strait of Tiran where towering coral formations rise from the seabed and thrive in the current-fed waters, often attracting larger marine visitors.
The cruise winds down with 2 final dives on the last full day, before making the journey back to port.
Day 8
After a final breakfast onboard in Hurghada, disembarkation begins.
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].
All meals on Emperor Asmaa are taken in the air-conditioned dining room of the liveaboard, with catering service beginning at dinner on Day 1. Meal times will vary depending on if it's a 3 or 4 dive day and also depending on the travelling distance between dive sites. But a rough guide is as follows:
Wake up is at 6 am followed by the briefing and first dive, so breakfast is around 8 am. Dive 2 is late morning, so lunch around 1 pm. Dive 3 is the middle of the afternoon then either:
- on 3-dive days, dinner is around 7 pm.
- on 4-dive days, dinner will be taken after the last dive, depending on the time of sunset, but is normally around 8 pm.
Guests are served 3 main meals - breakfast, lunch, and dinner - with additional snacks offered between meals. A diverse menu featuring international, Italian, and local dishes is available throughout the cruise. Dietary preferences, including vegetarian, vegan and halal, are accommodated with advance notice.
Sample menu items on the Emperor Asmaa liveaboard:
- Breakfast: A typical breakfast selection includes cold cuts, yoghurt, fresh fruit, muesli, and an assortment of breads served with butter. Eggs are cooked to your liking, poached, boiled or fried.
- Lunch: May include comforting options such as zucchini soup, mashed potatoes and rice, served alongside a variety of proteins like fish fillet, shish tawook, beef shwarma and grilled chicken, offering a balance of international and Middle Eastern flavours.
- Dinner: Roast beef, pasta, sweetcorn soup, grilled chicken, rice, vegetables and 4 fresh salads are typically available, along with sweet desserts to finish.
- Vegan options could include dishes such as moussaka, tofu curry and sautéed vegetables, accompanied by pasta and French fries.
Complimentary bar snacks include biscuits and fresh fruit, along with tea, coffee, soft drinks, and drinking water.
Alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine by the bottle, and spirits, as well as chocolate bars, are available for purchase.
