El Gouna Itineraries: Day Charters and Multi-Day Routes

El Gouna to Sha’ab El Erg and the Strait of Gubal

Board at Abu Tig Marina by mid-morning. Cruise east to Sha’ab El Erg for an early morning dolphin encounter – the resident bottlenose pod rests in the sandy shallows and frequently approaches curious swimmers. After coffee and pastries on the aft deck, continue north into the Strait of Gubal. Stop at the SS Thistlegorm wreck (roughly 35 nautical miles from El Gouna, two hours) for an afternoon dive or snorkel over this legendary British transport ship, her cargo holds still packed with wartime motorcycles, trucks and rifles. Certified divers explore the interior; snorkellers see the coral-encrusted superstructure from the surface on calm days. Your chef serves dinner on the aft deck as the sun sets over the Sinai mountains. Anchor overnight near Sha’ab Ali in the strait’s sheltered waters.

Tiran Island Reefs

Depart at first light and cruise north to Tiran Island (roughly 30 nautical miles from overnight anchorage, under two hours). The four named reefs – Jackson, Woodhouse, Thomas and Gordon – form a corridor of extraordinary biodiversity at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba. Drift-dive along the current channels where manta rays, eagle rays and barracuda patrol, and explore the spectacular coral walls festooned with gorgonian fans and soft corals in every shade of pink and purple. Lunch on the aft deck with Tiran’s desert island as your backdrop. In the afternoon, dive or snorkel a second reef – Jackson Reef’s shallow plateau is a kaleidoscope of hard coral, clownfish and the occasional whitetip reef shark. Cruise south towards Sharm el-Sheikh and anchor overnight in Naama Bay or near Ras Mohammed.

Ras Mohammed and Return to El Gouna

Spend the morning at Ras Mohammed National Park – Egypt’s crown jewel. Dive or snorkel Shark Reef, where a sheer wall drops from 5 metres to over 800, patrolled by grey reef sharks, giant trevally and enormous Napoleon wrasse. The shallow reef top is alive with clownfish, blue-spotted stingrays and hard coral in every colour. After a farewell gourmet lunch on the aft deck – grilled Red Sea prawns, koshary, fresh flatbread and Egyptian mezze – your captain sets course south for El Gouna (48 nautical miles from Sharm, roughly three hours at cruising speed). Arrive at Abu Tig Marina by late afternoon, bronzed, salt-kissed and thoroughly spoilt.

El Gouna to Giftun Islands

Board at Abu Tig Marina by mid-morning and cruise south-east to Giftun Islands National Park (12 nautical miles, 45 minutes). Anchor on the sheltered western shore of Big Giftun for a morning of snorkelling, swimming and paddleboarding over the protected reef. Your chef prepares a grilled lunch on the aft deck – freshly caught fish, Egyptian salads and warm flatbread – as you float in turquoise shallows with the desert mountains of the mainland visible across the channel. In the afternoon, move to the island’s deeper southern reef for a second dive or snorkel over coral walls populated by lionfish, grouper and blue-spotted stingrays. Anchor overnight in the calm lee of the island with a starlit sky overhead and no other vessel in sight.

Giftun to Umm Gamar and Safaga

Depart early and cruise south to Umm Gamar reef (8 nautical miles from Giftun). This crescent-shaped reef offers a dramatic wall dive on the outer edge, dropping steeply to 40+ metres with black coral, large gorgonian fans and regular sightings of reef sharks and barracuda. The inner reef flat is shallow and calm – ideal for snorkelling between dives. After a reef-side lunch, continue south to Safaga (roughly 30 nautical miles from Giftun, two hours). This quieter, more traditional port town is the gateway to some of the Red Sea’s least-crowded and most spectacular offshore reefs. Moor overnight and take the tender ashore for a simple harbourside dinner of fresh grilled fish and Egyptian mezze.

Panorama Reef and Middle Reef

Today is all about the deep blue. Cruise east from Safaga to Panorama Reef – a spectacular circular reef rising from the depths to within a few metres of the surface, roughly 12 nautical miles offshore. The walls are draped in soft coral in vivid reds, oranges and yellows, and the current attracts grey reef sharks, hammerhead sharks (seasonal, especially March–May), eagle rays and large schools of jacks. Drift along the wall at 15–25 metres depth, finishing with a safety stop over a plateau of pristine hard coral alive with clouds of anthias. After a chef-prepared lunch on the aft deck, reposition to Middle Reef for an afternoon dive. Return to Safaga for a candlelit dinner under the Milky Way – the Red Sea coast’s minimal light pollution makes the night sky extraordinary.

Sha’ab Sheer and Return to El Gouna

Cruise north from Safaga, stopping at Sha’ab Sheer – a long, narrow reef with a dramatic eastern wall dropping to 40+ metres, featuring overhangs, swim-throughs and large pelagic visitors including tuna, barracuda and the occasional reef shark. After a morning dive and a mid-reef snorkel, set course north for El Gouna (roughly 35 nautical miles, two hours). Your chef prepares a farewell lunch on the aft deck as El Gouna’s familiar lagoon skyline comes into view. Arrive at Abu Tig Marina by mid-afternoon with time for a sunset drink at The Smokery or a final stroll along the waterfront.

Guests looking for an extended voyage can combine the 3-day northern route (El Gouna to Tiran and Ras Mohammed) with the 4-day southern route (El Gouna to Safaga and the offshore reefs) for a comprehensive 7- or 8-day Red Sea charter. The two routes cover entirely different waters and dive sites, stitching together into a single voyage that spans the full breadth of the northern Egyptian Red Sea – from the Sinai’s legendary walls to the remote coral towers of Safaga – without repeating a single stop.