Egypt to Sudan Expedition | Red Sea Diving Holiday

Egypt to Sudan Expedition - Red Sea

  • Water temp 23 - 30 C
  • Air Temp 23 - 35C
  • Visibility 15 - 30m
  • Good for... Sharks, Reefs, Walls
  • Suitable for beginners No
  • Highlights From the popular southern Red Sea sites of Fury Shoal to Sanganeb and Abington there are some outstanding reefs, combine this with wrecks of the Umbria, Blue Belt and Cousteaus Con Shelf - this itinerary is best suited to advanced divers

About Egypt to Sudan Expedition

Royal Evolution Statement 2nd August 2023

Given the current political situation in Sudan, we deeply regret to inform you that we are forced to cancel all of our Sudan trips for 2024. We are hopeful that the current situation will be resolved in due course allowing us to resume our signature itinerary in 2025





Departing from Port Galeb, Marsa Alam, this 13 night itinerary check dives in Fury Shoal, a stunning harden coral garden. As the boat sails south into Sudan, there is the obligatory stop at Port Sudan to organise final paperwork. Sanganeb, Shaab Rumi, Shaab Saudi and Angarosh are just some of the dive sites visited. Abington and Merlo complete the reef portions of the tour, together with wreck stops at the Umbria and Cousteau's Con Shelf. Returning to Egyptian waters and Port Galeb, no reef is left unturned on what can only be described as an exhilarating tour of the region.


Sudan is most famous for the big fish encounters. Here amid the backdrop of deep water plateaus and lavish coral gardens, sharks are regularly spotted. Grey reef sharks abound and are the most commonly seen, languidly skirting the edges of each plateau. In blue water, hammerheads school and are joined by barracuda, snapper, surgeons and even sometime in the shallows, humphead parrotfish. THawksbill turtles are often found in Fury Shoal and Abington. With cave systems in Fury Shoal, St Johns and Sanganeb there is plenty of scope to experience something new on this itinerary.


The Sudanese potion of the itinerary means this tour is best suited for experienced divers. You will visit remote and isolated locations that can be subject to some strong currents. Angarosh and Mesharifa are excellent spots for manta, particularly in October when the warmer water typically sees the hammerheads in deeper water. We suggest divers bring safety items such as a Dive Alert, Safety Sausage, Nautilus Lifeline (Nautilus Lifelines available onboard) and any other safety items you feel necessary. Dive computers are mandatory


As of April 2019, it is mandatory for all travellers between Egypt and Sudan to carry with them an international certificate of vaccination for yellow fever. Failure to bring this will result in your not being allowed to travel.


Updated Feb 23

In 2023 there is currently a fuel surcharge of €660/person for all Sudan trips & €760/person for all Deep south Sudan trips.
Please note that entry visas are required by all nationalities for Egypt and Sudan. Costs may change.

A supplement of €505/trip will be charged for all Sudan trips for Sudan local taxes, port fees, Marine parks & return Egypt entry visa. Sudan entry visa US$260/person for all Nationalities & US$310/person for American Nationalities.
The current Sudanese visas and taxes are paid per person paid locally - please note these costs are subject to change by the Sudanese authorities.

Please note you must have a minimum of 6 months validity from the cruise date - you must also have 4 empty pages for the visas and no Israeli stamps

It is strictly forbidden to take alcohol into Sudan



Royal Evolution

Royal Evolution Statement 2nd August 2023
Given the current political situation in Sudan, we deeply regret to inform you that we are forced to cancel all of our Sudan trips for 2024. We are hopeful that the current situation ... MORE

The following sample itinerary is a sample of how a typical itinerary will run. The exact order and dive sites visited however will be at the captain's discretion and will take into account diver experience, weather conditions and any applicable local permissions.


Day 1 : Port Ghalb – Embarkation – Sailing at night to Fury Shoal


Day 2 : Check out dive at Fury Shoal. Diving the 2nd dive and night dive at Fury Shoal. Sailing after night dive to Shalalat


Day 3 : Early morning dive at Shalalat. Sailing to Port Sudan


Day 4 : Arriving early morning to Port Sudan for visa and clearance/local tax (2 - 3 hours), sailing to Umbria Wreck for two dives, one night dive and overnight in Umbria


Day 5 : Diving the whole day at Sanganeb Reef (North & South plateau) and light house visit


Day 6 : Early morning dive at North plateau of Sanganeb Reef, then sailing to Shaab Rumi for second dive and third dive at “Cousteau Conshelf” and night dive


Day 7 : Diving the whole day Shaab Rumi and overnight


Day 8 : Early morning dive and second dive at Shab Rumi, then sailing to Shab Suedi for third dive and night dive north Suedi


Day 9 : Sailing early morning Qita Elbanna, diving 2 dives, sailing to South Merlo for third dive and night dive at Shemabaya. Overnight Shembaya


Day 10 : Sailing to Angarosh reef, diving two dives then sailing to Abington for third dive, night dive Shembaya and overnight


Day11 : Sailing to Merlo Reef, diving North Merlo, and 2nd Dive Abington and third dive Habili Ras Shagara, night dive Qumera or Ras Shagara and overnight


Day12 : Sailing early morning to Habili Ghadban for 1st dive, then sailing to Pfeiffer reef or Abu Sayif for second and third dive, then sailing to St. John


Day13 : Depending on weather conditions and arrival time (one or two dives) at St.John reef , sailing to White Rock for afternoon and last dive, sailing to Port Ghalib.


Day14 : Port Ghaleb – Disembarkation.



Dive Site Descriptions
Abington - Marked by a lighthouse, this reef only just breaks the surface and is rectangular in shape and currents are common. If you like turtles then Abington reef is the place where you are likely to see these inquisitive creatures. They are truly delightful and seem to always enjoy having their photographs taken! The reef is also well known for schooling hammerhead sharks


Angarosh - Angarosh means 'Mother of Sharks' and is appropriately named because of the number of sharks that are found in this area.
Angarosh has two plateaus, the shallower plateau at 25m (80ft) and the other plateau at a depth of 45m (150ft).
Angarosh is a superb dive site to encounter sharks as they swim effortlessly all around the site. There are also schooling barracuda, other reef fish but the site is most famous for its Manta Rays.


Merlo - South of Angarosh there’s Merlo reef. The depth on the east plateau varies from 23m (75ft) to 45m (150ft). For the morning dives you will be on the lookout for sharks, then swim around the Habilli, where you will encounter a plethora of coral fish among the beautiful soft coral formations. During the afternoon, divers will swim along the south-west wall, along amazing canyons and overhangs. Notable during the month of March is the mating season for groupers.


Qita El Banaa - This site is an underwater mountain in the middle of the ocean and attracts big sea creatures such as Manta Rays and a variety of sharks. We start in the big blue to lookout for the pelagics such as Hammerhead sharks and Manta Rays and you will finish the dive along the shallower part along the reef.
The hard and soft corals with their amazing fish life makes the drop off an underwater paradise for all divers, especially photographers.


Shaab Rumi - Some 25 miles North East from Port Sudan this reef has a plateau at 9m (30ft) and continues with a steep drop-off.
This is where Jacques Cousteau and his team mounted an underwater base in order to study the effects of long term underwater stays of a diver. The underwater expedition was named 'Pre-Continent II' and was set up in 1963.

The incredible outcome of this expedition was that once fully saturated, the diver could conceivably stay down forever, given enough air to breathe and most astonishing was that this experiment took place in 1963, by scientists who obviously had knowledge well beyond their years.

The remains of his expedition are still at the site and it is well worth a dive to take a look at the equipment which was left behind. South of Sha'ab Rumi is a plateau at a depth of 23m (75ft). Here you will find numerous sharks, barracudas, jack fish, bump head parrot fish and almost anything else that you can imagine! Sha'ab Rumi is a 'must' for all visitors!


Sanganeb Atol - Sanganeb is located about one and a half hour north of the "Umbria". This reef rises from a depth of 800m (2600ft) all the way to the surface.

The Sanganeb coral reef is truly a beautiful place to dive or snorkel. The reef itself has one of the richest soft and hard coral displays in the Red Sea. The British built a lighthouse on the reef and nearby there are caves and gullies for the avid diver to visit. There are two Sudanese men who take turns to live in the lighthouse (they rotate every 4/5 weeks) and love to welcome visitors. You can climb to the top of the lighthouse and look out over the coral reef in crystal clear water.

Every person who has climbed the lighthouse comes back with a different number of stairs that they have climbed - they never seem to agree on the number of stairs. Due to the fact that the reef extends all the way up to the surface, Sanganeb is great for snorkeling.

The South plateau along Sanganeb is a fabulous dive site with soft and hard corals, schooling Jacks, Barracuda, Tuna and Snappers are abundant. Grey reef sharks cruise close by with an occasional White Tip reef shark swimming past. Occasional Hammerheads, Silky and Oceanic White Tips are encountered here as well as Manta rays.

The North plateau is an outstanding dive. This is a deeper dive with the deepest part at 45m (150ft). Here schooling Hammerheads are common. It is also normal to see Grey Reef Sharks, Silvertips and White tips. The yacht anchors inside the lagoon where there often is a huge pod of dolphins and we usually get in the water to snorkel with them.