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1/2  of the spots already sold

We have already sold 1/2 of the spots for this trip

Dont miss out!  Reserve your spot today!

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Red Sea Liveaboard & Ancient Egypt Nile Cruise
Diving Brothers Islands, Daedalus, & Elphinstone Reefs

5 Day / 4 Night Cruise Down the Nile River

October 6-17, 2025

My friends, there is so much about this trip that makes it truly special. First off, I have a special place in my heart for the Middle East. There is something about that part of the world that draws me in. To me…it’s just a fascinating place. Between its history, people and culture…there is so much to experience. And I love the diving in the Red Sea! Absolutely beautiful. Between the crystal-clear blue waters, the abundant & diverse marine life and the healthy corals…there is no doubt in my mind this is some of the best diving in the world.
 

For this adventure, we have partnered with our friends at All-Star Liveaboards (the operator of the Aqua Cat). We will be diving on their brand-new luxury liveaboard dive yacht in the ultra-blue waters of the Red Sea. Specifically, we will be diving the remote Brothers Islands, Daedalus & Elfinstone reefs. This is the same dive itinerary I did during my Oct 2022 trip and it is sure to blow you away!
 

Their new liveaboard is also a slight to see. Basically…it’s like a miniature cruise ship in a lot of ways. 5 passenger decks total! Trust me…even with our group of 26 people…you will not feel crowded. The staterooms as some of the largest I have ever seen on a liveaboard. And each stateroom has big windows overlooking the beautiful Red Sea. There is even a swimming pool and a hot tub to enjoy. And the crew is sure to take excellent care of us. Ahmed & Elka, our cruise directors/dive leads, will make sure we have the best experience possible both below and above the water.
 

After our 7-day diving adventure, we will be doing a 5-day/4-night cruise down the Nile River visiting some of the wonders of Ancient Egypt. After an air-conditioned ride to Luxor via motor coach, we will board our river cruise ship and sail south to Aswan. Stopping along the way to experience the awe-inspiring sights of Ancient Egypt. What a great way to finish up this trip…sailing down the Nile while visiting iconic sites like The Valley of the Kings, Karnak, Luxor Temple, The Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Edfu & Kom Ombo Temple. 
 

So, join First Coast Divers for this action-packed adventure. As always, it is first-come-first serve in regards to availability. We have a total of 24 spots available. Call us or book online today to secure your spot.

-Dan

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Get ready for an adventure like no other!

Elphinstone Reef

Resting only a few miles from the coast of Marsa Alam, Elphinstone Reef is likely the most famous dive site in Egypt – and it’s no wonder why. From October to December, oceanic whitetip shark sightings are extremely common. Here, the corals are as pristine and colorful as any diver could imagine.
Steep walls drop off the east and west edges of the reef, which tower up to just a few feet below the surface. On the north end,
 two pillars mark the end of the plateau. At the southern tip, the sarcophagus archway is a beautiful piece of scenery sitting in deep water beyond recreational limits. Fortunately, shallower water along the reef walls is plentiful and waiting to be explored.

Due to Elphinstone’s exposed location, currents can be quite strong but this means it’s a popular place for pelagics. Along the wall, schooling barracudas, jacks, and trevallies hunt for smaller fish. Whale sharks even make their way through the area occasionally. From May to August, manta rays frequent the reef. And from time to time, dolphins, Napoleon wrasse, and tiger and hammerhead sharks are seen by lucky divers. The beauty of Elphinstone’s soft corals can’t be overstated; they truly are an underwater marvel.


Brothers Islands

The Brothers Islands are an exciting destination for divers visiting Egypt. More than 40 miles from shore, they’re quite difficult to access unless diving from a liveaboard. These two islands are well-known for their magnificient hard and soft corals and shark sightings. The exposed location results in some strong currents and surface conditions.

LITTLE BROTHER

Diving the walls at Little Brother is a real treat. Since the island is uninhabited, its corals are extremely pristine as evidenced by the vibrant colors. Schooling fish flourish along the full length of the wall, while sharks make frequent visits as they ascend from deep water. Grey reef sharks are most common at this island, but oceanic whitetips are visible from October to November.

BIG BROTHER

A working lighthouse, manned by four to five Egyptian soldiers (and not open to visitors), sits atop Big Brother; from a liveaboard, it’s an impressive sight. The diving is quite different compared to Little Brother because of the shipwrecks, sharks and a sizable fish population.

The Numidia wreck,  a colossal British cargo ship that sunk in 1901, rests steeply on the wall. Recreational divers can explore the bow section of the boat. However, the stern is submerged into the depths and only accessible to tec divers. Since 1957, the wreck of Aida II has sat about 100 feet (30m) down on the wall and features many photo-worthy opportunities.

Thresher sharks are periodically spotted at Big Brother, making it one of the rare places divers can encounter the elusive animals. Grey reef sharks are also common, along with oceanic whitetips and sometimes whale sharks.


Daedalus Reef

Much like the Brothers Islands, Daedalus also sits in open water a good distance from the shore and has a manned lighthouse. However, the reef is much larger and because of its sheer size leaves divers with many options, depending on skill level and challenge desired.

With year-round viewings of hammerheads, Daedalus is a unique locale. While schooling hammerheads often appear from May to August, divers may also encounter oceanic whitetips, grey reef and thresher sharks. Tunas, trevallies and manta rays are seen here, too.

While sharks and pelagics are the main attraction for this area, Daedalus hosts an astounding array of visual experiences, too. Steep walls, covered with hard and soft corals, are stunningly beautiful and healthy. Many of the hard coral formations are massive creating dramatic scenes perfect for taking underwater photos or videos. Since the reef is situated in a marine park, it showcases some of the Red Sea’s healthiest corals. The vibrant colors, various textures and fascinating structures are world-class.

Learn More

ITINERARY & TRIP INFORMATION

Nile River Cruise
5 Days/4 Nights AFTER All Star Red Sea
(Sample Itinerary…subject to change)

 

Day 1 – Monday Oct 13th 
•    Disembark All Star Red Sea
•    Early transfer to Luxor
•    Luxor Temple tour
•    Karnak Temple tour
•    Nile Cruise check-in
•    Lunch & Dinner onboard

 

Day 2 – Tuesday Oct 14th
•    Breakfast onboard
•    Valley of the Kings tour
•    Temple of Queen Hatshepsut tour
•    Lunch onboard
•    Underway to Edfu
•    Dinner onboard

 

Day 3 – Wednesday Oct 15th
•    Breakfast onboard
•    Edfu Temple tour
•    Lunch onboard while underway to Kom Ombo
•    Kom Ombo Temple tour
•    Underway to Aswan
•    Dinner onboard

 

Day 4 – Thursday Oct 16th
•    Breakfast onboard
•    Philae Temple tour
•    Lunch onboard
•    Felucca sailing on the Nile
•    Dinner onboard

 

Day 5 – Friday Oct 17th
•    Breakfast onboard
•    Group transfer to Aswan Airport

 

Nile Cruise Inclusions

•    4-night Deluxe En-Suite stateroom accommodation
•    All meals
•    Admission to all referenced museums/monuments
•    All tours are conducted by a private English-speaking tour guide
•    Airport transfer
•    Gratuity/Service fee

Nile Cruise Exclusions

•    Drinks (not even water). We suggest everyone opt-in for the drink package offered onboard. This will include all beverages including beer, wine & spirits. Currently this is about $40 per day/per person. Payable onboard
•    Optional tour add-ons (like camel riding, entering a pyramid etc)

 

Liveaboard Inclusions

•    Accommodations in a Deluxe En-Suite Stateroom
•    3 dives per day plus night dives when possible (typically one to two night dives during the week. The local officials do not allow any night diving around the Brothers, Daedalus or Elphinestone Reefs)
•    Dive guides, air tanks & weights
•    All meals to include coffee, tea, juices & sodas
•    Airport transfers

Liveaboard Exclusions

•    All airfare. FCD will arrange a group air option as a convenience for our travelers.
•    Pre-liveaboard hotel stay in Hurghada (we suggest guests arrive 1 day prior to boarding the liveaboard)
•    Scuba gear but rentals ar
e available for a nominal fee
•    Nitrox. Available for the week for a $100 fee. 
•    Beer & Wine available for purchase on-board. You may BYOB.
•    $210 Tax & Port fees. Payable on-board
•    Gratuity for your crew. Payable on-board

Additional Diver Specific Information

•    Diver Supplemental Insurance is mandatory for all divers. We suggest either DAN or Dive Assure.
•    Every guest must bring with them a current medical form in order to dive.
•    All divers must hold an Advanced Open Water certification or greater.

 

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Pricing

•    $3899 per person/double occupancy for the standard Deluxe staterooms
•    $5499 per person/single occupancy for the single staterooms on the liveaboard (staterooms #7 & #8) and single occupancy on the Nile cruise ship

 

*Please note: These prices are based on current known pricing for the Nile River cruise. Unfortunately, we cannot lock in our price until 12 months out. With that stated, please be aware there could be the possibility of a minor price change once we finalize the Nile cruise arrangements.

Terms

•    $1000 non-refundable deposit / per person due at booking
•    $800 Payment due July 31, 2024
•    $800 Payment due January 31, 2025
•    Balance due May 31, 2025

 

*Note: Stateroom availability is first-come first-serve. If you have a stateroom preference on the liveaboard, then please let us know when you book your trip.

Additional Information
 

•    The deposit is non-refundable and will not be refunded for any reason. We are making a commitment to our travelers, so we expect our travelers to fulfill their commitment to us.
•    No additional funds will be returned if canceled within 10 months from the trip.
•    In the event someone needs to cancel, they can certainly transfer their secured booking to a replacement traveler and receive a full refund minus a 5% service fee.
•    As with all our trips, we highly recommend that our travelers purchase trip insurance. We recommend either D.A.N. or DiveAssure.

 

VESSEL/TRIP GALLERY

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