TRAVEL GUIDE

Peaceful Red Sea dive lodge set where desert meets sea, offering stylish coral-stone rooms, stunning sea views and a serene, adults-focused holiday vibe
Choose from Standard, Superior, Premium and Jr Suites - all unique, with ensuite bathrooms and private sea-view terraces or balconies
Tamarisk restaurant & bar serves daily menus of fresh, locally inspired dishes with ocean and desert views; relax on the Medemia pool deck café
An eco-minded retreat built from fossilised coral limestone, blending sustainable design with desert-sea tranquillity and unforgettable marine adventures
Dive with onsite Emperor Divers, exploring reefs right off the beach or daily boat trips to iconic Red Sea sites like Elphinstone and Abu Dabbab
Unwind by the infinity pool, stroll 400m of natural beach, explore the desert botanical gardens, relax with yoga/meditation or enjoy eco-presentations

Emperor Divers and Wadi Sabarah

More than just a lodge, Wadi Sabarah welcomes you into a serene coastal haven - this is a place to feel at home, reconnect with nature, and unwind completely. With Emperor Divers located on site, you can look forward to peace, tranquillity, relaxation, wonderful accommodation, delicious food, and, of course, spectacular underwater adventures in Marsa Alam.

With just 57 rooms, including four suites, Wadi Sabarah offers an intimate and personalised stay. Each room features a beautiful, spacious interior, an ensuite bathroom equipped with eco-toiletries, and a private sea-view terrace or balcony. Please note: every room is unique, built individually by local masons using repurposed coral limestone. As a result, the room you receive on arrival may differ from the photos, part of the charm of this one-of-a-kind lodge. Rooms are available in Standard, Superior, Premium, and Junior Suite categories.

The lodge has a quiet policy (no constant loud music and other distractions)

The Medemia pool deck sits at the very edge of the lodge, offering uninterrupted sea views and a relaxing cafe bar, an ideal spot to unwind between dives or simply enjoy the coastal scenery. At Tamarisk, the lodge's restaurant and bar, you enjoy a fresh gastronomic journey each day, accompanied by a tranquil backdrop of sea and desert. Choose from B&B, half board, or full board to tailor your stay to your perfect holiday rhythm.

Take time to explore the lodge's thoughtfully curated gardens and collections. Karena's Living Room, the lodge library, offers historical and cultural insights into the region with books, resources, and artefacts lovingly gathered over many years. Wander along 400 metres of natural beach, or enjoy a fascinating walk through Dr. Irina's Desert Garden, which surrounds the hotel and overlooks the sea. Showcasing desert flora, including trees, shrubs, and medicinal plants sourced and cultivated from across the region, it is the first garden of its kind in Egypt.

Standard rooms

The standard rooms are more compact, but have everything you will need. Each room features a beautiful, spacious interior, an ensuite bathroom equipped with eco-toiletries, and a private sea-view terrace or balcony.

Superior Rooms

A slightly arger upgrade to the standard rooms, but still with a beautiful, spacious interior, an ensuite bathroom equipped with eco-toiletries, and a private sea-view terrace or balcony.

Premium rooms

Premium rooms are spacious and well worth upgrading to if you want that extra space to relax in

Junior suites

The 4 suites are the largest rooms on site and have a beautiful living area alongside the bathroom and bedroom, with comfy seating

Every room is unique in design and the room a guest is allocated on arrival may differ from the one they saw in a photograph. Rooms are categorised as Standard, Superior, Premium, and Junior Suite and these definitions are determined based on any or all of the following: size, view, and access to features (pool, restaurant, beach) plus the year of construction. Upon arrival, if you would like to see a different room to the one allocated in the same category, simply let reception know immediately and the lodge will do its best to accommodate your wishes.

Call us on 01483 411590 or email dive@scubatravel.com to book

Location

The Red Sea is between 4-5 hours flying time direct from the UK. Scuba Travel have over 20 year's experience in the Red Sea and have carefully selected a fleet of luxury liveaboards and superb hotels that meet our exacting standards. Explore the sheer beauty of the Red Sea on a Red Sea liveaboard from North to South. Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada and El Gouna are popular resort locations, whilst Marsa Alam, El Quesir and Hamata are perfect for those looking for quiet escapism.

Covid Travel Information

View entry requirements here

Updated DEC 2024

Weather and Climate

Fine weather is the order of the day pretty much throughout the year, with rainfall quite rare and short lived. The hottest time of the year is July to August with air temperatures over 30°C. Even in Egypt's so called 'winter' the average rarely falls below 20°C. Water temperature varies from 20°C in February to 29°C in September. Please choose your exposure suit accordingly, depending on your personal preferences.

Travel

Flight options

Our holiday packages are inclusive of flights from London Gatwick for a fully ATOL bonded holiday. A supplement may apply for regional departures if possible. Times and any applicable supplements will be confirmed by your travel consultant before you finalise your holiday. Unfortunately, not all regional flight routings are compatible with liveaboard schedules. Our advertised liveaboard packages with Emperor and Aggressor fleets exclude flights. Please ask for a quote to add these to your booking. If you wish to make your own flight arrangements to Egypt, let us know and we can arrange transfers as required. Please do not confirm any flight arrangements yourself before your boat space is confirmed by us.

Stopovers

As flights are direct between the UK and Egypt, there are no stop over options available.

Arrange before you go

Regular Entry Requirements

All UK visitors to Egypt need an entry visa (valid for a 30 days.Do ensure your passport has 6 months validity from your return date to prevent any issues with immigration. This can be obtained on arrival with cash payment. Or you can now apply online by clicking here Save time and prebook your visa with Scuba Travel's prepaid visa service. It is your responsibility to ensure your passport is valid and you fulfil entry requirements. Regulations can change: please review current FCO advice: click here to review

Insurance

Scuba Travel requires all of our customers to have diving insurance. Please make sure that you have appropriate cover for your diving activities. We also strongly recommend you have travel insurance. It's worth taking out travel insurance once you have paid your deposit to ensure you are covered for unforeseen events and cancellation.

Immunisations

Please speak to your local GP or check out the latest NHS advice for the required travel immunisations for your destination: click here to go to the NHS

Preparing to fly

Seating

Flights to Egypt are charter flights with TUI or EasyJet. TUI seating is allocated at check in and you cannot check in online. For EasyJet flights you will be able to manage your booking online with the airline directly and select any payable seating/baggage extras.

Check in

Egypt does not permit digital boarding passes. You must print your boarding passes/flight coupons for both flights. TUI do not enable online check EasyJet allow online check in via their website

Lounge

An airport lounge is a great way to start your holiday or to while away flight connections in comfort. Scuba Travel works with Lounge Pass to offer a huge range of affordable airport lounges around the world. click here for more info on Lounge Pass

Parking

Prebook your airport parking to save money! If you have a long way to travel, why not also look at booking an airport hotel. These aren't as expensive as you might think. click here for holiday extras

What happens when I arrive?

On arrival in Egypt, you will need to clear immigration and collect your baggage. Our representative will be waiting either airside around the baggage carousel or in the arrivals hall. They will be holding a board with either Scuba Travel, your destination or your name on it. If you have prepaid for our visa service, you will be given your visa on arrival. If you have any issues at all locating your rep, please contact us. We have an emergency contact, manned by a member of the team here in the UK. Call 0044 7747 488 002. We will be able to help your rep locate you in the airport.

Transfers

Airport transfers are always included in your liveaboard or resort holiday package when using our flights. Our representatives will advise where to find your transfer outside of the airport. We try to keep transfer times as short as possible, with most being no more than 30mins travel time from the airport to the boat/hotel. If you have made your own flight arrangements to land in Egypt, please confirm at the time of booking if airport transfers are included or available at an additional cost

Departures

At the end of your holiday, your return transfer details will be advised locally. There is currently no departure tax leaving Egypt.

Info

Tipping

Tipping is entirely at your discretion. We do not make recommendations as to how much to tip. Should you wish to leave a tip for the staff and crew, it should reflect the level of service you have enjoyed.

Currency

Euro, USD and sterling cash (notes) are all widely accepted. It can be handy to have small denominations of Egyptian pounds for use outside of the hotel/tipping. Credit and debit cards are accepted in most hotels and larger restaurants, but will be processed in Egyptian pounds and subject to a transactions surcharge,

Phone coverage

Mobile phone coverage will depend on your carrier - please confirm any overseas charges before travel.

Plugs and electricity

European 2 pin plugs

Extras

Hire equipment

Kit hire can be arranged in resort and is paid for locally

Extras

Special trips, boat dives and night dives plus any extras are arranged and paid for locally

Souvenirs

The dive centre has a small, limited shop on site

Nitrox/Gas

Nitrox is free of charge for certified divers

Payments

Deposits and Balances

A typical deposit for this holiday is 30% of your holiday package cost, although this will depend on your exact flight option - larger deposits may be required for some flight options/dates

Ways to pay

We accept mastercard and visa debit or credit cards. If you would like a pay by link to complete check out via email please let us know and it can be set up for you. We do not take AMEX. All non sterling card payments and UK business debit cards will be subject to the 3% surcharge. Alternatively, you are welcome to pay via bank transfer. Overseas bank transfers must add £8 to the sterling total to cover international handling fees. We are not able to accept PayPal transactions or personal cheques.

Group Payments

If you have booked as part of a group, you can still call and pay directly without needing to go via your group leader. Please have your trip reference number to hand to help us locate your holiday as quickly as possible. You will receive a transaction receipt - your group leader will forward your ATOL certificate and booking confirmation

Discounts

Repeat Guests

Included

Enjoy 7 nights accommodation in a standard room (2 people sharing) on a B&B basis

Excluded

Excluded from your package are any meals or drinks outside of your above package

Special trips/excursions, night dives, kit hire and courses are all paid for locally.
There is a 4euro compulsory environmental tax. For some dive sites an admission fee between 5 and 12 Euro is charged locally

Tipping is entirely at your discretion. We do not make recommendations as to how much to tip. Should you wish to leave a tip for the staff and crew, it should reflect the level of service you have enjoyed.

Talk to your consultant about adding international flights from the UK for a competitive price

Diving at Wadi Sabarah is shaped by the expertise of Sonia Goggel, one of the Red Sea's most respected guides. Each evening, free ecological presentations offer insight into the marine life and environments you will encounter, enriching every dive with deeper understanding and context.

On-Site Dive Centre: Emperor Divers Emperor Divers provides a full range of services for both experienced divers and complete beginners, all delivered with a focus on small groups and personalised attention. Their team will help you explore the spectacular dive sites of the South Red Sea, including:

Elphinstone Reef, famous for dramatic walls and frequent shark encounters Shaab Samadai (Dolphin House National Park), home to a resident pod of spinner dolphins Extensive fringing reefs and sheltered coral bays stretching along the Marsa Alam coastline

Shore Diving Programme Standard shore diving includes: Two guided shore dives per day Tanks and weights included Reduced 6:1 diver-to-guide ratio for a more personalised experience Minibus transfers to nearby bays and reefs A typical schedule of one morning dive, return to the lodge, followed by one afternoon dive Some sites allow for two morning dives instead

Optional Diving Upgrades Enhance your diving itinerary with bookable upgrades available directly at the resort: Day Boat Diving Full-day trips to the Port Ghalib area or Abu Dabab offshore reefs Elphinstone Reef Trips Speedboat: 30 minutes for a single dive Daily boat: 60 minutes for a two-tank dive

The house reef

Skill level: Novice | Ave Depth: 12 | Max Depth: 12

The Deck’ allows you access to the blue waters of the Red Sea. You can swim north and back with the tide to The Deck, or south 400 meters and exit from the pier of the sister hotel, ‘Oasis.’ Empero Divers are right on the beachfront

Marsa Egala

Skill level: Novice | Ave Depth: 20 | Max Depth: 30

A large sea grass bay 20 minutes south of Wadi Sabarah. The dive site hosts three dive sites completely different in both topography and fish life.

Halg el Shouni

Skill level: Novice | Ave Depth: 15 | Max Depth: 30

Enter via a swim-through in the reef before being greeted by stunning corals and varied marine life.

Gabal el Rosas

Skill level: Novice | Ave Depth: 20 | Max Depth: 30

A narrow bay with two different dives that offer steep drop-offs, tall corals and towering pinnacles.

Dolphinhouse (Shaab Samadai)

Skill level: Guided | Ave Depth: 15 | Max Depth: 30

Large horseshoe-shaped reef surrounded by an exceptionally well-preserved hard and soft coral garden. Shaab Samadai is the mating and breeding site for spinner dolphins and one of the most protected national parks of the Red Sea. To protect the animals, the interior of the reef has been divided into 3 zones. Zone A is only for the dolphins, Zone B is the snorkeling zone, Zone C is for divers. On the south-west side of the reef there is a chain of numerous outlying reefs that extend to below the surface and are therefore the starting point for a dive in the beautiful hard and soft coral garden. One of these reef blocks is streaked by a cave system which is reserved for experienced divers. Spinner dolphins, turtles, anemone fish, moray eels, seaweed ghost tatterfish and much more can be seen. Travel time: 80mins by boat

Elphinstone

Skill level: Advanced | Ave Depth: 15 | Max Depth: 30+

Elphinstone is a world famous offshore reef. Sheer walls and sometimes fast currents make this one for advanced divers only but it will be one you remember. Dive the east wall in the morning and the west in the afternoon to make the most of the sun, and light up the abundant soft corals. Anthias smother the walls and large gorgonian fans and black corals hide critters such as longnose hawkfish. Keep an eye out in the blue for schools of snapper, large barracuda and enormous Napoleon wrasse. The north and south plateaus can be a place for very special encounters - manta rays, grey reef and hammerhead sharks have all been seen here and cruising the shallows at the right time of year can be curious silky and oceanic whitetip sharks. This a special trip at an extra cost that can be arranged locally - either as a full day 2 dives or 1 dive by speedboat

Tamarisk restaurant

The daily menus are designed to provide you with culinary experiences that give you a window into the DNA of Egypt and its vast cuisine. Glorious views out over the terraces

Cafe bar

The cafe bar is on the Medemia pool deck. Lie back and relax with your favourite refreshment

Yoga

With the quiet policy (no constant loud music and other distractions) this is the a perfect destination for wellness seekers. The sister hotel, The Oasis, located 600 meters south on the same property has a large yoga room.