Author: Cassiopeia Safari

Egyptian Liveaboard Diving Safaris for Dive Enthusiasts – Also in 2026

Posted on by Cassiopeia Safari

Egyptian liveaboard diving safaris invite lovers of the underwater world to explore the breathtaking Red Sea. During these week-long trips, participants live aboard a comfortable, well-equipped dive boat and can dive multiple times a day at some of the region’s most famous — or hidden — dive sites.

During the dives, you can discover legendary shipwrecks, magical coral reefs, and encounter large marine creatures such as sharks, dolphins, rays, and turtles, which are frequent visitors. Full board, experienced dive guides, and a friendly atmosphere await you on board.

NORTHERN REEFS AND WRECKS

Egypt’s northern diving safaris are among the most popular routes in the Red Sea, especially for those who love diverse dive sites, wreck diving, and rich marine life. The northern route is ideal for both beginner and advanced divers, as the dives usually take place in calm conditions and the sites are easily accessible.

Top Dive Sites on Northern Safaris

1. Thistlegorm
One of the world’s most famous wrecks — a British cargo ship bombed and sunk during World War II.
Inside the wreck, you can still see trucks, motorcycles, weapons, and other military equipment.
Due to the depth and strong currents, this site is recommended for advanced divers.

2. Abu Nuhas
A “ship graveyard” featuring several wrecks such as the Giannis D, Carnatic, Chrisoula K, and Kimon M.
These wrecks are particularly spectacular, as many are still in good condition and beautifully overgrown with corals.

3. Ras Mohammed National Park
One of Egypt’s most beautiful and diverse dive areas.
Famous for its huge schools of fish, sharks, and colorful coral gardens.
Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef are especially popular sites.

4. Sha’ab El Erg
Known for its friendly pods of dolphins that often appear around divers.
An easy and enjoyable dive site for both beginners and advanced divers.

5. Tiran Strait
Its four main reefs — Gordon, Thomas, Woodhouse, and Jackson — offer stunning wall dives.
Along the steep drop-offs, divers often encounter various shark and ray species.

Why Choose a Northern Diving Safari?

  • Rich marine life: turtles, dolphins, moray eels, rays, and even sharks can be seen.
  • World-famous wrecks: the Thistlegorm and Abu Nuhas are top attractions.
  • Easy access: safaris usually depart from Hurghada or Sharm El-Sheikh.
  • Easier diving conditions: currents and depths are generally less extreme than on southern routes.

Northern safaris are perfect for those who seek varied and exciting dives but prefer not to dive in very deep or technically demanding sites. If you love wrecks, colorful coral reefs, and abundant marine life, this route is an excellent choice!

SOUTHERN & DEEP SOUTH LIVEABOARDS, ISLAND TRIPS

The southern Red Sea dive sites are true paradises for divers, featuring pristine reefs, drop-off walls, and encounters with large pelagic species. The best-known sites — Elphinstone, Daedalus, St. John’s, Fury Shoals, and Zabargad — are famous for dolphins, sharks, colorful coral gardens, and crystal-clear water.
These sites are best reached by liveaboard, and most dives are for advanced divers due to the depth and currents. Southern safaris are ideal for those seeking adventure and solitude, diving close to untouched nature.

Famous Dive Sites

  • Brothers – Daedalus Reef: oceanic whitetip sharks, dramatic wall dives
  • Elphinstone: dolphins, sharks, drop-offs
  • St. John’s: spectacular, remote reef system
  • Fury Shoals: famous for its dolphin population — e.g. Sha’ab Sataya (Dolphin Reef)
  • Rocky & Zabargad: pristine, colorful sites; Zabargad is a small island with crater-shaped reefs, while Rocky Island offers steep drop-offs.

Recommended For:

  • Those seeking more challenging dives
  • Experienced divers
  • Those wanting to see large marine life (e.g., sharks, mantas)
  • Divers who prefer less crowded, more natural locations

Contact us: info@cassiopeiasafari.com

We look forward to welcoming you aboard Cassiopeia Glory and Andromeda!

Dive with us in Saudi Arabia!

Posted on by Cassiopeia Safari

INSTEAD OF SUDAN WE DIVE IN SAUDI ARABIA

Your liveaboard in Saudi Arabia, M/Y ANDROMEDA

Due to the political climate in Sudan at the moment, we have decided to sail to Saudi Arabia this spring and dive the Farasan Banks which are at the same latitude as the Sudanese dive sites except on the Eastern shores of the Red Sea.

About Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is surrounded by never ending legends, famous stories, and mysteries. Up until a few years ago, entry into the country was permitted only to religious pilgrims and business visitors. However recently, when the country began to issue tourist visas as well, it opened its doors even wider, and travellers can finally explore this enigmatic country, full of cultural and historical sites.

The Arabian Peninsula is a large, mostly desert-covered geographic area, at the convergence of Southwest Asia and Africa in the Middle East and with great petroleum and natural gas reserves that gave the region great economic and political presence in the 20th century.

In the middle of the desert is the Saudi capital Riyadh with a population of more than 7 million.

About Jeddah

Our first group of divers landed here in March this year. They travelled by bus to the town of Al Lith, and from the harbour they sailed toward Farasan Banks. The Red Sea coast town of Jeddah is a port city and a commercial centre, and the second largest city in the Kingdom.

Flights to/from Jeddah

– From your country to Jeddah (most large cities now have direct flights to Jeddah)
– Or you may choose your flight to Jeddah at your preference

Saudi tourist visa

Nationals of the countries listed on the visa portal www.visa.visitsaudi.com may easily and quickly purchase the Saudi tourist visa on this or on the portal www.visa.mofa.gov.sa in the form of an e-visa.

The 365-day Saudi tourist visa is a multiple-entry visa, permitting a stay for up to 90 days in the country per entry.

The tourist visa may also be purchased on arrival for nationals listed on the above portal but we recommend this to last-minute travellers only. Whether online or on arrival, you are able to pay with a card only. (The visa fee, including mandatory insurance, is about USD110.)

Boat schedules

From February until March 29, Friday – Friday
From March 31 until the end of May, Sunday – Sunday

Your liveaboard: M/Y Andromeda

M/Y Andromeda is a diving motor yacht (liveaboard). She boasts 4 decks and provides guest accommodations in 13 double cabins. Each cabin is air-conditioned, equipped with en-suite bathroom with sink, toilet, and hot-water shower. One dive deck, a spacious diving platform, and 3 sun decks provide comfort and ample space for our guests. There is a dining room, a salon, and a beloved shisha room. For most of the dives our divers are transferred to the dive sites with 2 zodiacs. Our boat is fast, spacious, and comfortable – a large liveaboard with a warm and helpful crew.

Diving

Dive with us the Farasan Banks, famous for their out-of-this-world reefs and wild islands. Sizeable fish and magical walls are waiting for you this coming spring on our Saudi diving safaris. Jacques Cousteau’s first expedition to the Red Sea aboard his beloved Calypso was in 1963, and exactly in these waters which he called one of the most amazing and most pristine places on Earth.

The Farasan Banks are a large collection of islands made up of islets and coral reefs. The entire region is of volcanic origin. The madrepore (stony coral) columns growing on the rim of the old craters formed these vertical walls from the depths of over 300 metres. The islets, mainly circular or oblong in shape, are often surrounded by an outer coral belt which are testament to their volcanic origins. At first glance the islands and islets seem to be similar however each has its own secret, starting with the different composition of the fossilised coral layers that determined their formation.

The very fine coral sand on the shores is an ideal home for turtles that lay their eggs there all year round. Bird colonies nesting in the low vegetation make this group of islands a rare and beautiful natural oasis.

The demand for our new destination is quite high, so please make sure to reserve your places on the boat optionally before purchasing any flight tickets.

Price list

BASIC TOUR EXPENSES

1. Boat rate: 1 478 EUR/person/week + 15% VAT

2. Fuel surcharge: 150 EUR/person/week

3. Saudi Arabian taxes, permissions, transfer, marina: 250 EUR/person/week

Feel free to contact us for further details (prices, group discount, free weeks, extras). We look forward to seeing you all in Saudi Arabia on board M/Y Andromeda!

Check out our brand new website: https://diving-saudi-arabia.com/

FALL DIVING SEASON IN EGYPT

Posted on by Cassiopeia Safari

Sky blue seas, stunning coral reefs basking in thousands of colours, uninhabited islands with white sandy beaches, an endless aquarium as far as the eye can see… It’s a postcard dream… This is Egypt…

Relax and spend a week on a 5* diving safari in nature, with no distractions.

Following the family safari season this summer, now the fall diving season has begun!

You can still join us on one of our safaris from north to south along the Egyptian Red Sea. If you would like to test how well you know the Red Sea dive sites, guess which one of these photos was taken at Tiran, Zabargad, Elphinstone, Daedalus, Ghiannis D, Claudia Reef, the Brother Islands, El Malahi, Wadi el Gimal, Satayah…

For tour dates, prices, and for further information, write to us: info@cassiopeiasafari.com

We continuously advertise our tour dates with availability. At the moment you can join us on the following weeks:

  • October 3 – 10, 2021 Brothers+South, 2 free places
  • October 10 – 17, 2021 Brothers+South, 1 free place
  • October 17 – 24, 2021 South, 6 free places
  • October 24 – 31, 2021 Full
  • October 31 – November 7, 2021 St Johns+Rocky+Zabargad, 15 free places
  • November 7 – 14, 2021 Available to book
  • November 14 – 21, 2021 Full
  • November 21 – 28, 2021 South, 2 free places

We have been working with M/Y Andromeda since 2009. She is a diving liveaboard built based on a unique design, especially for divers and for family liveaboard vacations. The spacious air-conditioned cabins with private bathrooms, the large dining room, salon, and sun deck all make the week-long safaris even more enjoyable. The heart of the boat is the shisha room, enticing you with the spirit of the Middle East, where you can spend your evenings, sharing stories, in the lingering smoke of delicious, flavourful shisha. An experienced, cohesive, multilingual team is waiting for your arrival, may it be to dive or to simply relax… See you onboard!

For tour dates, prices, and for further information, write to us: info@cassiopeiasafari.com

FAMILY LIVEABOARD TRIP IN THE RED SEA IN 2021

Posted on by Cassiopeia Safari

DATES

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June, July, August

Sunday-Sunday schedule

 

TRAVEL

———–

Fly to Hurghada. You will be transferred to the boat in the marina (about a 10-minute ride).

Andromeda is anchored in the New Marina and this is where you will embark on Sunday. You will spend the night onboard in the marina, and will be sailing out in the morning the next day. You will be returning to the marina the following Saturday, and departing for home on Sunday.

OUR VESSEL – M/Y ANDROMEDA

———-

Length: 40 m

Width: 8 m

Number of decks: 4

Fresh water supply: 15 t, plus 3 t / day from desalination unit

Electricity: 220 v in each cabin and in the salon

Safety: 24-hour crew security watch, 2x life rafts, 40x life jackets, 2x 50 l oxygen tanks, first-aid kit, 8x fire extinguishers, satellite phone, life buoys, 2x zodiacs

Cabins: 3x queen-bed cabins, 10 twin-bed cabins, all equipped with private bathrooms and air-conditioning

Decks: 100 m2 sun deck, a smaller sun deck in front of the captain’s bridge, a covered deck in the back, and a dive deck

Common areas: The 3 large common areas are the separate dining room, salon, and shisha room

Water activity equipment: Inflatable slide, donuts, matrasses, unicorn J, floating pool, and zodiacs, diving equipment for scuba diving with dive guides.

WHAT DOES ONE OF OUR DAYS LOOK LIKE?

———-

We anchor the boat by an island or a coral reef, in a protected bay, and the fun begins. Swimming, snorkelling, riding in zodiacs, fun on the white sandy beaches of uninhabited islands. No need to cramp on your local beaches. You are the only ones on the natural beaches of the Red Sea.

In our experience, this type of time spent together is really good for parent-child relationships. These activities are useful, sensible, enjoyable, healthy, any not boring by any means. It is quite a thrill to see how children become one with nature as the days go by. While all these water activities are going on, others may go scuba diving (certified divers), or try for an intro dive with a dive guide, to see what it is like under water.

This is an all-inclusive week-long holiday for families, friends, divers, and non-divers alike.

A SPECIAL SHOUT-OUT TO DIVING INSTRUCTORS!

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These trips are perfect to hold OWD, AOWD, Nitrox, and various specialty courses.

DINING

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The buffet opens at 08:00 for breakfast. You can snack on some goodies like fruits and sweets, and enjoy cold and hot beverages throughout the day. Lunch (at 13:00) and dinner (20:00) is served buffet style with plenty of meal varieties to choose from.

Pic:

One of the sites of this year’s family trips is Gubal Island

Our vessel, Andromeda, is anchored here, in the bay

TRAVEL AND TOUR CANCELLATION INSURANCE

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All travellers must have valid travel/luggage/health insurance, and divers diving insurance as well. We also recommend purchasing tour cancellation insurance for the unlikely event of some of you not being able to travel.

Join us with your families and friends for an unforgettable holiday in Egypt onboard Andromeda!

Write to us for details: info@cassiopeiasafari.com