The Marine Park Islands:

The Brothers:

Translated from Arabic, EL Akhawein means "The Two Brothers". On a similar latitude to Quoseir on the Egyptian mainland, two small islands rise from an abyss over 300m deep in the middle of the Red Sea. Exposure to strong currents has left the islands, particularly the smaller of the two, with an abundance of soft corals and giant gorgonians which are considered by many to be some of the best in the world. The Brothers are highly exposed with no safe morning, and therefore can only be reached in calm seas. Our trips run from May through to September/October, depending on weather.

Little Brother:

This island offers some spectacular coral diving, with the most colourful soft corals and delicate gorgonian forests at around 30m. As you turn your head away from the drop-off, you are bound to see sharks gliding into the deep. The Brothers attract several species of sharks, including hammerheads, silver tips, oceanic white tips and even tiger sharks.

Daedalus Reef

Heading southfrom the Brothers, you encounter a submerged reef table which, like Sanganeb in Sudan, is identified by a lighthouse with a long causeway. Daedalus boasts some exceptional coral growth, and its location in the middle of the sea, surrounded by depths up to 500m, makes it home to several big pelagic species.

Zabargad Island:

Now uninhabited, this island was once exploited by the ancient Egyptians and Romans for its precious green olivine mineral, and its still an area of considerable interest for geologists. The dazzling crown of corals that surrounds the island lies in striking contrast to the barren expanse of land at the surface.

To the east there are several coral towers and grottoes that are easily accessible to the diver, and several sites ideal for night dives.

Rocky Island:

The sea to the east of Rocky plummets to over 1000m, where large pelagic fish and sharks abound. Hammerheads lurk at around 60m, sometimes shooting for the surface to give divers a mental jolt before disappearing into the deep. Diving here is about finding a good position, then lying in wait. Oceanic white tips are a common sight as they cruise the waters of this exposed corner along with large shoals, of barracuda, tuna and jacks. Deep canyons chiseled into the drop-offs are covered in some of the most beautiful gorgonians and soft corals seen anywhere in the Red Sea.

Itineraries:

Hurghada- Ras Abu Soma- Sha'ab Shaer- The Brothers- Sukhur Quei- Middle Reef-Panorama Reef-1 week quoseir-Brothers- Daedalus-Elphinstone 1 week Hurghada- Brothers-Daedalus- Zabaragad-Rocky-St John's Reef- Qulan islands- Elphinstone- 2 weeks. This brochure gives a brief description of our itineraries and the diving sites we visit.

These may be subject to change according to weather, group preference and government regulation. On 28 May, 1998, the Red Sea Governorate of Egypt issued a decree reopening the islands, declared off limits since November 1995. Law 102/1983 decreed the islands as'natural protectorates' granting them marine park status; the Government further imposed strict guidelines regarding the details of passage and type of vessel to be used by setting up a system of trips management and control. In view of possible changes to government regulation and the ongoing discussions between dive operators and the authorities, our itineraries may be subject to change.