Diving Holidays to Sudan, Red Sea

The profuse and perfectly preserved reefs in Sudan bear witness to the Red Sea at its best. Almost every dive will offer a myriad of schooling fish and a dazzling display of coral gardens. Dense forests of soft corals and some of the world's best hard coral formations act as a Mecca to several species of sharks, barracuda, mantas and a huge variety of reef dwellers.

Wrecks, drop-offs and spectacular caves are just some of the attractions for the serious diver and underwater photographer. Sharks and mantas in unbelievable numbers are encountered in a technicolour marine environment, made all the more dazzling thanks to unsurpassed visibility.

Experienced divers with a keen sense of adventure can embark on our challenging Sudan expeditions. Diving World operates out of Port Sudan on board the MV Sherazade, MSY Elegante and new luxury vessels MV Andromeda and MV Cassiopeia.

Most of the diving in the Sudanese Red Sea is on coral pinnacle formations rising from great depths. These attract fish life in vast numbers, including large pelagic species. The microclimate created by the mountainous range on either side of the African and Asian continents and the deep active volcanic rift which creates hot currents all year round, makes the Sudanese Red Sea richer in sub aquatic life than any other in the region. The average water temperature is around 27 to 28 degrees centigrade with a winter low of 24 degrees and summer high of 28 degrees.

Accommodation / Liveaboards in Sudan, Red Sea

Our Liveaboards in Sudan:

Introducing MV ANDROMEDA. Sister ship to the Cassiopeia.

MV Cassiopeia, MV Sherazade, MV Don Questo, and MSY Elegante

New in Sudan MY CASSIOPEIA    Client Feedback

MV Cassiopeia & MV Andromeda

MV Andromeda

MV Cassiopeia & MV Andromeda

Andromeda & Cassiopeia are the most comfortable, well equipped and spacious Liveaboards in the Sudan. With a total living area of 450 square metres, these sate of the art Liveaboards offer a standard not seen before in the Sudan. The spacious lounge areas are air-conditioned and well equipped with LCD TV / VCR, DVD and CD player and furnished in a European style. Another lounge on the same deck offers an Arabian cafe atmosphere with low lying sunken divans where you sip glorious middle-eastern teas, Turkish coffee with oriental music background music. Unlike the other vessels in Sudan Andromeda & Cassiopeia  offer spacious accommodation and living areas each with a 100-square-metre sun deck providing plenty of space for sun seekers, as well as shaded areas in the comfort of deck chairs and cushioned seats. Both vessels have a smaller sun deck in front of the Captain’s bridge and another in front of the salon ideal lookouts for resting and chatting between dives and in the evenings. The accommodation is what makes these Liveaboards standout from the others, with spacious twin berths cabins and  double bed cabins, all en suite and thermostatically controlled environments. A huge Honeymoon suite has become popular especially with repeat guests. Both the Andromeda and Cassiopeia offer all the facilities of a floating diving base with both Nitrox and Air fills and 3 Divemasters always on hand. Safety is paramount on board and during dives, with each guest equipped with a diver search and locate system. The spacious dive deck and dive platform areas ensure more-than-adequate space for divers preparing for their next plunge onto the awesome Sudanese reefs. 2 hand-held showers on the platform allow for a rinse after diving or snorkelling. A bathroom with shower and marine head leads directly off the dive deck. Equipment Rental of diving equipment can be arranged but should be booked well in advance. Tanks: 20x 12lt and 10x15lt aluminium tanks, K valves, DIN with international adaptors. Weights are provided at no charge on the boat. Zodiacs: 2, each equipped with a 40HP engine. Crew: 8.

Cassioppeia Specifications

Class: Germanischer Lloyd
Category: Luxury
Maximum Capacity:  26 Guests
Length: 40 mt ( 130 ft)
Width:  8 mt (26.30 ft)
Draft:    2,90 mt (9,50 ft)
Cruise speed: 14 knots
Fuel capacity: 30.000 lt
Engines: 2 x Man Diesel 1150 hp
Water capacity: 18.000 lt
Desalination: 2000 lt / day
Generators: 2 x 80 kw Mercedes silent
Instruments: GPS, Radar, VHF, Echo Sounder, radio SSB, EPIRB
Safety Equipment: oxygen 100 lt tanks , fire alarm and fire protection, fire extinguishers, First aid kits. 2 Liferafts, 40 Life jackets. SAT Phone.

INTERIOR:
Cabins: There are 6 cabins with twin berths and 6 cabins with double beds located below deck and on the second deck. A matrimonial suite is situated on the top deck. All cabin are accessible from two stairways in the lounge and outside deck. All cabins have individually controlled air conditioning and are en suite with shower, sink and toilet. The crew quarters are in the bow section of the vessel and the Captain's cabin behind the bridge.
Decks: 3 decks protected from the sun, furnished with teak wood, sofas, tables and solarium.

DIVING EQUIPMENT:
Compressors: 1 Bauer 15,6 cubic meters and 1 Bauer 26,4 cubic meters
Tanks: 10 x 15 lt steel, 20 x 20 lt aluminium, with double valves DIN/INT
Tender: 1 Asso 8 mt with Yamaha outboard 40 HP, 2 petrol tanks of 160 lt, VHF, Echo Sounder, GPS Garmin 45 -  1 Zodiac with Yamaha 40 HP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MV Andromeda - Specifications

Andromeda Specifications

Class: Germanischer Lloyd                 
Category: Luxury
Maximum Capacity:  26 Guests
Length: 40 mt ( 130 ft)
Width:  8 mt (26.30 ft)
Draft:    3,50 mt (11,00 ft)
Cruise speed: 14 knots
Fuel capacity: 70.000 lt
Engines: 2 x Man Diesel 1150 hp
Water capacity: 15.000 lt
Desalination: 2000 lt / day
Generators: 2 x 138 kw Mercedes silent. 220V in each cabin.
Instruments: GPS, Radar, VHF, Echo Sounder, radio SSB, EPIRB
Safety Equipment: oxygen 100 lt tanks , fire alarm and fire protection, fire extinguishers, First aid kits, 2 Liferafts, 40 Life jackets. SAT Phone.

INTERIOR:
Cabins: There are 10 cabins with twin berths and 2 cabins with double beds located below deck and on the second deck. A matrimonial suite is situated on the top deck. All cabin are accessible from two stairways in the lounge and outside deck. All cabins have individually controlled air conditioning and are en suite with shower, sink and toilet. The crew quarters are in the bow section of the vessel and the Captain's cabin behind the bridge.
Decks: 3 decks protected from the sun, furnished with teak wood, sofas, tables and solarium.

DIVING EQUIPMENT:
Compressors: 1 Bauer 15,6 cubic meters and 1 Bauer 26,4 cubic meters
Tanks: 10 x 15 lt and 20 x 12 lt aluminium tanks, K valves,  DIN/INT with international adaptors
Tender: 1 Asso 8 mt with Yamaha outboard 40 HP, 2 petrol tanks of 160 lt, VHF, Echo Sounder, GPS Garmin 45 -  1 Zodiac with Yamaha 40 HP.

MV Sherazade

In the early 1980’s when border restrictions between Egypt and the Sudan were more relaxed, Diving World Red Sea would embark divers on board sailing yachts from Hamata and travel down to Port Sudan.

When politics caught up (as is always the case), operations subsequently were confined to departures from Port Sudan on 1 and 2 week trips. The experience which was acquired from their long standing and unwavering presence from diving the Sudan has now evolved in the design and construction of a state of the art steel hulled vessel built to International ocean going specifications (Bureau Veritas), offering modern navigation and comfort.

The MV Sherazade is operated by a veteran team of crew and Captain, who have made the Sudan their home for over 20 years. At long last we will be can offer one and two week trips diving the remote and spectacular dive sites of the deep south Sudanese Waters, such as shab Ambar, Masamarit, Kazam Mazamarit and Dahret Gharb in the Suakin Archipelago, along with the extended Northern itinerary which takes the better known but no less unique sites such as Wingate Reef (home of the Umbria), Shaab Rumi and Sanganeb, and up to Angarosh including manta point Ma Suadi and more. This is as a result of the vessel design able to withstand ocean going conditions as well as being licensed to International marine safety standards; such as the all important twin exit points from cabins to decks.

Renato and Christina Marchesan have unparalleled knowledge of the dive sites, marine species, their seasonality and divers satisfaction.

Class: International Bureau Veritas
Category: Luxury
Maximum Capacity:  18 Guests
Length: 33 mt ( 108 ft)
Width:  7,80 mt (26 ft)
Draft:    2,50 mt (8,20 ft)
Cruise speed: 12 knots
Fuel capacity: 45.000 lt
Engines: 2 engines Caterpillar 550 hp
Water capacity: 25.000 lt
Desalinators: 300 lt/hr
Generators: 2 x 50 kw each one
Instruments: GPS, Radar, VHF, Echo Sounder, radio SSB
Safety Equipment: oxygen 50 lt tanks , fire alarm and fire protection, fire extinguishers, First aid kits.

INTERIOR:
Cabins: There are 8 cabins below deck. Each cabin has two twin beds, and is accessible from two stairs in the lounge. There are 3 cabins at the front for crew with separate bathroom and entrances. All cabins have individually controlled air conditioning. On the top deck there are two cabins with bathroom for guests, a crew cabin and one for the captain.
Decks: 3 decks protected from the sun, furnished with teak wood, sofas, tables and solarium.

DIVING EQUIPMENT:
Compressors: 1 Bauer 15,6 cubic meters and 1 Bauer 26,4 cubic meters
Tanks: 30 x 15 lt steel, with double valves DIN/INT
Tender: 1 Asso 7,5 mt with Yamaha outboard 225 HP and 25 HP, 2 petrol tanks of 160 lt, WHF,Echo Sounder, GPS Garmin 45 -  1 Zodiac with Yamaha 25 HP.

**The MS Sherazade accommodates up to 18 guests in spacious luxury cabins.

MSY Elegante
To discover “Elegante”, means letting yourself conquered by nature, living closely in touch with the Sudanese Red sea . Wide comfortable surroundings and modern equipment will make your holiday unique and exclusive. We have onboard three electric generators and two air compressors to refill cylinders, with electric and petrol engine, these double systems avoid any possible failure for a good result of cruises. Elegante can accommodate 14 persons.

Please visit the MSY Elegante information page for more information by clicking here

The reputation of Sudan as a no-go area for tourists is somewhat unfair.  Although a trip to Khartoum is ill-advised, Port Sudan is perfectly safe for tourists, and the diving is so spectacular that it is well worth a visit.

The diving in Sudan is simply stunning.  The visibility is incredible, the coral completely unspoilt, and marine life so abundant that every dive was truly amazing; I quickly ran out of superlatives to write in my logbook.  A real highlight is the schools of curious hammerheads that come within a few metres of divers.  For those interested in diving history, a day and night dive on Precontinent II - the underwater living experiment set up by Jacques Cousteau – is a treat.

The diving is challenging, and the guides on Cassiopeia were very knowledgeable, professional, and friendly, as were all the guys working on the boat.  The boat itself is great – probably the best one in Sudan.  There’s plenty of space to relax, a huge sun deck, and a spacious dive deck.  The food was fantastic, & the cabins comfortable and well appointed. 

The trip itself was very well organised: we booked at the last minute, but the company still managed to get our visas etc. sorted in time.  A day in Cairo is a necessity rather than a pleasure as the flights to Port Sudan only leave once a week, but it gave us time to see the Egypt Museum (where Tutankhamen’s treasure is housed) and the Pyramids, where my husband certainly perked up as he was offered the opportunity to swap me for some camels.  At the end of the week’s diving, we were also allowed to wander round Port Sudan, and to visit Suakin, the old port that was built entirely from coral.  Suakin is very dilapidated, but our guide reassured us by insisting that the buildings “only fall down during the night”.  

We have dived in the Egyptian bit of the Red Sea, Spain, Australia, and New Zealand: we can honestly say that the diving in Sudan is the best that we have encountered, and we cannot recommend it highly enough.

Harriet & John (On board Cassiopeia 5 to 12 April 2009)

Diving holiday programme, Sudan, Egypt (Red Sea)

7 Nights Itinerary

1st day: UMBRIA – Check dive + 2 dives

2d day: SANGANEB - South west point and south reef

3rd day: SANGANEB - South west point . SHA'AB RUMI - Cousteau Houses

4th day: SHA'AB RUMI - South point. SHA'AB SUEDI (According to weather conditions) - Reef

5th day: SHA'AB SUEDI& Ma Sharifa- Toyota wreck. SHA'AB RUMI - North point

6th day: SHA'AB RUMI - South point. WINGATE REEF - Reef

14 Nights Itinerary:

1st day: UMBRIA
2d day: SANGANEB
3rd day: SHA'AB RUMI
4th day: TOYOTA REEF
5th day: QITA EL BANNA
6th day: MERLO REEF
7th day: ANGAROSH
8th day: ABINGTON REEF
9th day: MESHARIFA
10th day: SHA'AB SUEDI
11th day: SHA'AB RUMI
12th day: SANGANEB
13th day: WINGATE REEF

For Southern Sudan click here

Guests joining our trips from other destinations pick up our service from Cairo , unless Diving World organizes their flights.

FRIDAY
Fly from London Heathrow Terminal 3 on Egypt Air (Airbus 340 or Boeing 777)
Check in 2 hours prior to take off. Land in Cairo Airport at 0105 hrs
Met and assisted on arrival by our ground agents. Transfer to
Novotel 4* BB, within the airport perimeter.

SATURDAY
Breakfast and check out before 10:00 hrs. Half day Excursion in
Cairo to the Pyramids or Bazaar (optional). Transfer to Cairo Airport for early
Evening flight to Port Sudan on Sudan Airways. Met and assisted on arrival at Port Sudan airport. Transfer to your Liveaboard at the Port (20 minutes from airport).

SUNDAY - SATURDAY
7 Nights Full board on Liveaboard with 6 days & diving (3 dives per day with 2 night dives. Only 2 dives on 6 th day). Diving is as per dive plan with dive guide.
13 days diving on two week trips.

SATURDAY
Breakfast on board followed by morning transfer to Port Sudan Airport
Assited check in for your Sudan Airways flight to Cairo.
Meeting and transfer to Novotel BB. Evening at your leisure.

ELEGANTE ITINERARY

From August  to  November The Elegante 7 nights itinerary includes the reefs of Ras abu Shagara  (Angarosh, Merlo and Abingdon) and Mesharifa (Manta point) where you can encounter many mantas due to water plankton.

Itinerary in detail:

- Saturday arrival, boarding, papers permission and boarding taxes.

- Sunday departure to Sha’ab Rumi ( about 3,30 hours of navigation)  : the legendary Cousteau’s precontinent and the wonderful south plateau.

-Monday departure to Shab Suadi (about 3 hours) where you can see the wreck of Blue Belt (Toyota’s cargo); departure to Gurna’ reef to spend the night.

-Tuesday departure to Quita el banna’s reef (about 2,30 hours); departure to Abu Shagara reefs where  you can dive on Merlo reef. Departure to Shambaya to spend the night.

-Wednesday diving in Abingdon and Angarosh and departure (about 2,30 hours of navigation)  to Mesharifa island (Manta point) overnight stay.

-Thursday dive on Angarosh or Quita el Banna and then return to Port Sudan to repeat the best dive on the outward journe.

-Friday : Dive in the Sha ab Suadi South plateau and Sha’b Rumi.

-Saturday  morning return to Port Sudan.

Pictures: Our guests Estelle Bentall-Lynch & Jose Soria. 2009.

Diving holiday departures , Sudan, Red Sea