Tag: andromeda

Our Sudan fall season has officially started!

Posted on by Livia (Volgyesi) Hertelendy

Great anticipation preceded our first week in Sudan this fall especially since this was going to be our first week-long Deep South tour in Sudan in the fall. We have travelled this itinerary in the spring many times and we were curious what it was going to be like down south close to the Eritrean border a few months later. What can we expect? What can we see? What is the weather like? How is the visibility? How warm of a sea can we jump into?

Sunset in SudanAir temperature: average 36C
Water temperature: 30-31C all the way to 40m
Visibility: varying from moderate to excellent
Tour dates: October 6-13, 2014
Itinerary: Sudan – Deep South
Boat: Andromeda

Mantas, even in groups, are a common sight, especially in the Northern region. But the South is not lagging behind either. 🙂 We were met by a world of gorgeous corals and insanely rich marine life. At the end of the dives, we almost had to force the divers out of the water!

Silky shark in the sudanese red seaOh, and since this is a true expedition and discovery tour, true to it, we have discovered a brand new site – Farsa Andromeda! 🙂

The schools of dolphins escorting our boat, sharks, brilliantly coloured corals, schools of fish packed by the hundreds in each school, magical sunsets, endless tranquility and smooth waters helped everybody soon forget the rush of civilization left behind.

Dolphins in the Sudanese Red SeaThe group this week was just as colourful and vibrant as the sights below the water but the week was spent in perfect and jolly harmony. Thank you for diving with us!

Group photo AndromedaTIP OF THE WEEK:
After a couple of our guests had planned on staying in Sudan after the safari and doing some sightseeing, we must emphasize that the Sudanese visa we issue you is valid

– only for the Red Sea State which is the Port Sudan area and
– only for the duration of the safari.

This visa is not valid for any areas outside of Port Sudan or for any periods before or after the safari.

In case someone wishes to do further travelling in Sudan outside of the safari period, please inform us about these plans in advance. In this case, the visa would have to be acquired from the local Sudanese Embassy.

Diving cruise AndromedaSchedule of the week:

Tuesday:
1. Shaab Ambar lagoon – check dive
2. Shaab Ambar South
3. Night Dive

Wednesday:
1. Dahrat Abid
2. Dahrat Abid
3. Darraka
4. Darraka – night dive

Thursday:
1. Habili Dahrat Abid
2. Quab Miyum
3. Habili Dahrat Abid

Friday:
1. Dibsel
2. Dibsel
3. Protector

Saturday:
1. Protector
2. Farsa Andromeda (a new site we have discovered! 5*)
3. Jibna
4. Umbria – night dive

Sunday:
1. Umbria
2. Umbria

https://sudan-diving.com

Whaling around in Sudan

Posted on by Livia (Volgyesi) Hertelendy

This is not the first time we have seen pilot whales in Sudan this year but this time around we were actually able to snap a few photos of them. Whale or dolphin? One thing is for sure – the pilot whale is one of nature’s loveable peculiar creatures, the interesting cross between a whale and a dolphin.

At first glance we might think we are seeing a dolphin but as soon as its head or tail fin appears from the water, we are in doubt. Usually they swim in pods of 10-15 and they are very active and playful.
Whaling around in Sudan
Air temperature: 22-30C
Water temperature: 24-25C
Wind: moderate winds throughout the week
Visibility: 30m

The first grey reef sharks appeared at Shaab Rumi and there was no lacking in hammerheads either, although the super-large 50-member schools did not show up this week. There were about 15 of them at Angarosh but truth be told, we had been very spoiled in the past few years when it comes to hammerheads. As we were sailing in the open sea toward Sanganeb, its famous lighthouse appeared, an atoll which lies on the outer edge of the coral reefs. Divers enjoy climbing to the top of the lighthouse after their dives to take spectacular pictures. You cannot go wrong with a photo from here.

Lighthouse at Sanganeb in SudanTurquoise blue sea as far as the eye can see where coral reefs can be easily spotted in the crystal clear waters. The atoll itself is unbelievably exciting where dozens of hammerheads and grey reef sharks live. This is one of the surest shark spots in the area!

Tip of the week:
Most common credit cards like American Express, Visa and Masterard are commonly accepted in Sudan but you must check beforehand where. On our boats we only accept cash payments.

This is where we were this week:

Divesites in SudanOUR LAST-MINUTE OFFER:
March 31-April 7, 2014, Cassiopeia, Sudan-North tour
Book by March 26, 2014 over the phone or in e-mail!

If you wish to know more about how to dive in Sudan, click here!

A rare sighting in the Sudanese Red Sea

Posted on by Livia (Volgyesi) Hertelendy

There was a rare sighting in the Port Sudan harbour last week, none other than the unusual line-up of stars. The ideal thing would be to see the line-up for yourself but for those of you who are not in the neighbourhood these days, we will tell you what you could see.

Air temperature: 25-28C
Water temperature: 23-24C
Wind: stronger in the first 2-3 days then calmer in the second part of the week
Visibility: 20m

Cassiopeia also arrived in Sudan from Egypt last Friday. She sailed out for her first, a North trip, yesterday, head to head with Andromeda.

Cruise Cassiopeia and Andromeda Red SeaWe are getting the hang of this season nicely, it is getting warmer and warmer every week and the visibility underwater is increasing. Again, it was Qita El Banna and Sanganeb that hid the biggest attractions of the past week. We dived with a manta at the former and a 20-member school of hammerheads drew a smile on our faces at the latter. And we were lucky to experience another rare attraction – whales!

Although we all expect miracles from the Sudanese Red Sea, these cannot be only megalomaniacal expectations. Not only tons of hammerheads, grey reef sharks and mantas swim in the area but the reefs with the thousand faces are almost worth a prayer! Attention photographers and divers! You can take the photo of your life in Sudan!

Diving reef in SudanTip of the week:

Attention! Your passport must
– be valid for at least 6 months after the departure date from Sudan
– not contain stamps or visas from Israel
– have 2 empty pages side by side for the Sudanese visa

This is where we were this week:
Shaab Suedi – Gota Shambaia; Angarosh – Angarosh – Merlo – Gota Shambaia; Qita el Banna – Qita el Banna – Shaab Suedi (Blue Belt) – Shaab Suedi; Shaab Rumi – Shaab Rumi – Precontinent II – Precontinent II; Shaab Rumi – Sanganeb – Sanganeb – Umbria; Umbria – Umbria

Cousteau's Precontinent in the Sudanese Red SeaOur LAST-MINUTE offer:

March 31-April 7, 2014 *** Andromeda *** Sudan-North tour
Book by March 26, 2014
Only 7 available places left
Book via e-mail!

A new week, good hopes, we will be back next week to tell you what we have seen.
If you would like to know more about diving in Sudan, click here!
English: www.sudan-diving.com
In Hungarian: www.redseaboats.hu/szudan/
По-русски: www.sudan-diving.ru

Our first big announcement in 2014!

Posted on by Livia (Volgyesi) Hertelendy

We have been anxious to share with you the news since we had been getting ready for it for months! We have made the final decision! Due to popular and big demand, both our boats (M/Y Andromeda and M/Y Cassiopeia) will be in Sudan in the first half of 2014!

Something new for our advanced guests!

No need to travel to the other side of the world to discover something new underwater.
Sudan is still fresh and UNTOUCHED!

What is GUARANTEED in the spring?
Hammerhead, reef and grey reef sharks, hump-head parrotfish, dolphins, not to mention gigantic schools of barracuda and the ever-pulsing reef life.

The world’s best dive sites in one place!

We think the most ADVENTUROUS dive sites can be found in Sudan. If you feel differently, feel free to comment here. And you can experience all this still at reasonable rates.

Scuba diving in Sudan

  • Legends come to life: Hans Hass’s dives with sharks, Cousteau’s underwater world
  • Reefs swarming with sharks: Shaab Rumi, Angarosh
  • World-famous wreck: Umbria, lying in her watery grave
  • Sea of soft corals in thousands of magnificent colours

Our actual accomplishments:

  • We have provided diving services to 2,500 satisfied customers
  • from 23 different countries
  • from 4 continents
  • in the past 7 seasons in Sudan
  • during a total of 112 tours and …
  • … 99.5% of the customers would kindly recommend our services to their friends and would return any time.

Shark in Sudan

We arrange everything for you!

We take care of your Sudanese visa, permissions and taxes. If you fly to Port Sudan via Cairo, we arrange your Port Sudan flights, hotel accommodations and transfers, and provide airport assistance for you. In Port Sudan we provide you airport assistance and transfers between the airport and the boat.
You may also fly to Port Sudan via Dubai and you may also add a couple of days of sightseeing in Dubai to your holidays.

You are safe!

Port Sudan is a safe area within Sudan. You are only a 20-minute bus ride from the airport to the boat in the Port Sudan marina. The areas with hot spots are more than 3,000km from Port Sudan. Our captains’, guides’ and crew’s constant presence, and high level of experience and professionalism is always guaranteed. And your safety is further ensured during diving by the diver search and locate security system onboard both our boats.

Our strengths in Sudan:

  • All tours departing directly from the Port Sudan marina
  • 7 different itineraries
  • No extra charge for any dive sites
  • At least 4 night dives per week (except for the last day)
  • Safe diving services
  • Multi-lingual dive guides
  • Membrane Nitrox onboard, 15l tank and scooter rental
  • Competitive price/value ratio

Scooter on Andromeda in the Red Sea

Our satisfied customers:

Cousteau

 

“We have had a pleasant trip and a wonderful cruise on your Andromeda Boat in Sudan.

Thanks a lot for high level services and flexibility demonstrated to assure us a special vacation. Thanks.”

(Italy – Paolo)

 

Shaab-rumi

 

 

“Just a quick note to thank you for organising the Sudan trip.

It was unbelievably well run – from the moment that we arrived until we left. … it was the friendliest and most helpful crew we had ever had.”

(South Africa – Fiona)

Umbria

“One of the best. …the whole of the trip was PERFECT, and in particular I want to emphasis the efficiency of your agent in Cairo. Also your agent in Port Sudan was very efficient. … the crew was very nice and they were very helpful, the food was good, and is important to remark the person of the Dive Master, excellent professional.

…this has been an excellent Diving Aboard Safari and all together with the excellent service it has been one of the best that I have done.”

(Spain – Jose)

If you feel you need to know more about diving in Sudan, read on here

Any questions? Please comment or send us an e-mail.