WHAT’S NEED TO KNOW
- Diving season:
- From February until May. The weather is still cooler and windy until February, and by the end of May both air and water temperatures become too hot for man and animal, and most of the large fish migrate to the south.
- Marine life:
- Hammerhead sharks, reef sharks, schools of barracuda, turtles, countless soft and hard corals, large schools of fish in the form of colorful giant balls, mantas, dolphins, and the list just goes on…
- Wrecks: Umbria, Precontinent II (Conshelf, scooter hangar, multi-level cylinder-shaped station, a deep cabin at 30m, and at 10m, a starfish-shaped house.
- Routes:
- North
- Ultimate Sudan
- South. 1-week Deep South
- Deep South.2-weeks
- Most famous
- dive sites: Shaab Rumi, Shaab Rumi south plateau, the wreck of Umbria, Sanganeb, Shaab Jibna, Shaab Ambar.
- Traveling
- there: From your country of residence to Port Sudan via various cities, such as Dubai, Cairo, Jedda, Khartoum, Istanbul.
- Sudanese visa:
- May be arranged at the Sudanese Embassy or Consulate in your country of residence, or through our office in Port Sudan.
- CRUISE PROGRAM
- Day 1:
- Port Sudan: Upon arrival immigration and baggage claim. Transfer to the port of Port Sudan. Boarding, the crew. Distribution of cabins. At the beginning of the cruise.
- Intermediate Days
- according to the duration of the cruise): diving cruise route to “Central & North Central & South, or “Extreme South” route. Diving Cruise with full board and daily plan of 3- 4 dives per day Diving areas according to the itinerary chosen Last day: PORT SUDAN: Disembarkation in Port Sudan and transfer to the airport
Retail Prices
| ITINERARIES | Retail Boat Price |
|---|---|
North lall the way to Abington, including Umbria, Shaab Rumi, Precontinent II, Sanganeb, Shaab Suedi, Gota el Bana, Angarosh, Abington | EUR 1400 |
| Ultimate – Best of Sudan (including Umbria, Shaab Rumi, Precontinent II, Shaab Ambar, Sanganeb, Pinnacle Reef, Keary Reef, Jibna Reef) | EUR 1500 |
| Deep South – 1 week (including Jibna Reef, Dahrat Qab, Darraka, Karam Masamirit, Loka Island, Miyum, Shaab Ambar, Dahrat Abid | EUR 1600 |
| Deep South – 2 weeks (including Umbria, Bara Musa, Dahrat Abid, Dahrat Qab, Karam Masamirit, Shaab Ambar, Sanganeb, Shaab Tawil, Shaab Jibna, Shaab Loka, Miyum, Pinnacle Reef, Protector Reef, Keary Reef, Ed Domesh Shesh Island | EUR 2700 |
Boat rates include
| 7/14 nights full-board accommodations onboard in double cabins |
| Buffet-style meals 3 times a day, fruits and snacks |
| Mineral water, tea, coffee (Nescafe), unlimited |
| One 121 aluminum tank / person (DIN connection recommended |
| weights • Boat permissions |
| linens and towel use |
| WiFi where coverage is available |
Additional and/or optional expenses
| Airplane tickets | |
| Hotel stays | |
| Transfers (other than between Port Sudan airport and boat | |
| Visas and airport/tourism/government taxes | |
| Fuel Surcharge/person/week | EUR50 |
| Upper (sea-view) cabin surcharge:/person/week (limited availability, first-come-first-serve basis | EUR50 |
| Single-cabin surcharge: 75% of the per-person boat rate (limited availability, first-come-first-serve basis | |
| Alcoholic beverages (limited supply) | |
| Equipment rental (not available | |
| 15L steel tank rental ber week. upon request | EUR100 |
| Nitrox ber week. upon request | EUR150 |
| Satellite phone use: | EUR3/M |
| Travel and diving insurance | |
| diving insurance ber week | EUR60 |
| Service Tax for 1 week | EUR70 |
| tip to the guides and crew ber day | EUR10 |
SHARK DIVE EXPEDITION
Sudan is a country where it feels as though time stands still. It is as though nothing has changed for centuries, howling out against the ever-encroaching demands of the modern world. This has helped to maintain a strip of the coastline of 500 km in length that offers an excellent underwater environment. Here the warmest waters of the Red Sea boast spectacular coral reefs and pinnacles. There are some possibilities for encounters with different and diverse kinds of marine life. Therefore, it is becoming one of the most exciting destinations for an outstanding and unforgettable dive vacation.
The remoteness of the best dive sites makes liveaboard diving safaris the only way to explore the Sudanese Red Sea.
The incorporation of the Fly Dubai airline, in connection with Emirates, flying from Dubai, has facilitated the arrival directly to the departure port, Port Sudan. If we add an excellent ship and own equipment, such as the which to offer a guarantee of high quality service in Sudan, it has allowed us to plan, what we call the SUDAN SHARK DIVE EXPEDITION, one of our favorite dive destinations with the best routes during the best season (February to May).
Itineraries
North Trip
This special route is offered by only a handful of liveaboards, so it is a favourite among divers who prefer to dive away from the crowds. This peaceful “neighbourhood” is also home to most of the sharks in these parts. This itinerary covers a large area and includes excellent dive sites all the way as far north as Angarosh or Abington. Hundreds of barracuda swarm amongst the brilliant cherry- and purple-coloured gorgonians (sea whip corals) alongside a colourful array of fish, and of course, hammerheads. One of the sites on this route is Umbria, the wreck of an Italian cargo ship that lies at 25 metres on the seafloor, still laden with close to 18 tons of ammunition and explosives. She is home to schools of barracuda, spiny fish species, butterflyfish, and myriads of red tropical coral fish. Possible dive sites: Shaab Jibna, Shaab Ambar, Pinnacle, Keary Reef, Logan Reef, Pender Reef, Protector, Preserver Reef, Burkut Island, Hidi Gidir, the wreck of Umbria
South Trip
This itinerary is for advanced divers who are up for a challenge. We visit the best of the southern sites, promising an unforgettable experience. Most islands and reefs are actually peaks of deep underwater structures that provide a perfect location for various species of sharks, tuna, and barracuda. Shaab Jibna, Shaab Ambar, Keary Reef, and Protector Reef entice with spectacular dives. Shaab Jibna (sometimes spelled Jumna) is a quaint dive site with caves and reef walls where fish dart through the crevices with hammerhead sharks cruising nearby. Possible dive sites: Shaab Jibna, Shaab Ambar, Pinnacle, Keary Reef, Logan Reef, Pender Reef, Protector, Preserver Reef, Burkut Island, Hidi Gidir, the wreck of Umbria
Ultimate Trip
This itinerary is the exciting combination of dive sites from the northern and southern parts. This is the perfect route for those who have not dived in Sudan before because they can sample the best of both regions. Sanganeb, Sudan’s first national park, boasts an abundant marine life that includes over 120 coral species. Shaab Jibna (sometimes spelled Jumna) is a quaint dive site with caves and reef walls where fish dart through the crevices with hammerhead sharks cruising nearby. Cousteau conducted his underwater experiments at Shaab Rumi which is a shallow reef with steep walls. Shaab Rumi is especially famous for its various shark species, and this is the best place to meet up with hammerhead sharks during the spring season. The wreck of Umbria is protected by Wingate Reef. The Italian cargo ship is over 150m long and she is still harboring her military cargo (bombs, ammunition, detonators) from WWII. Possible dive sites: Sanganeb, Shaab Jibna, Shaab Ambar, Shaab Rumi, Shaab Rumi south plateau, the wreck of Umbria
DEEP SOUTH TRIP
We recommend this route to divers who have been to Sudan before and would like to see even more of her, as well as to those advanced and experienced divers who would like to be part of a true adventure. During this very unique tour, we sail southward all the way to Dahrait Abid, close to the Eritrean border, and visit sites like Masamirit, Barra Mussa, the reefs of Keary, Pender, Logan and Protector, Shaab Ambar, and Umbria, among the many. The pristine waters and the mostly undiscovered sites hide a wondrous marine life and astounding shark sightings. Only a couple of liveaboards dare to attempt to sail this route, making this a truly one-of-a-kind diving trip. We only recommend it to advanced divers. Possible dive sites: Shaab Jibna, Shaab Ambar, Keary Reef, Logan Reef, Protector Reef, Preserver Reef, Barra Musa Saghir, Karam Masamirit, Ghab Abi Island, Dahrat Qab Island, Qab Miyum, Dahrat Abid, Dahrat Ed Dak Hilat, Ed Domesh Shesh Island, Shaab Loka, Barra Musa Kebir, Shaab Tawil, Nakhalat Pinnacle, Pender Reef, the wreck of Umbria
Famous dive sites of Sudan
Anyone who has ever dived in Sudan never left disappointed. This is an awesome dive spot in the lesser-known areas of the Red Sea. The marine life beneath the Sudanese Red Sea blows away even the most traveled and experienced divers! These waters amaze even hammerhead, reef shark, barracuda, and wreck lovers. The magnificent and untouched coral reefs also include the world-famous Shaab Rumi where Cousteau conducted his experiments on how the man could live under the water. And don’t forget, Sudan is ultimately famous for its sharks.
Wreck of Umbria
Since Port Sudan used to be one of the most important ports in the world, there are numerous exciting wrecks waiting to be discovered. One of them is Umbria, a large Italian vessel that lies on the sea bottom about 1½km from Port Sudan. She lies at 25m at about a 45-degree angle and in low tide the tips of her two masts even peek out of the water for an easy dive. About 18 tons of ammunition and explosives lie still in her cargo holdings along with half a million of Maria Teresa coins. Originally she was on her way to Eritrea with her cargo but she happened to set anchor in Sudan when Italy declared war on the country. So the Sudanese occupied the boat and they were about to order the Italians off Umbria when they got the news that she was sinking.
Sanganeb Atoll
Sanganeb Atoll is the only atoll in the Red Sea. An atoll sometimes called a coral atoll, is a ring-shaped coral reef including a coral rim that encircles a lagoon partially or completely. Sanganeb Atoll was the first marine national park to be gazetted in Sudan in 1990. The only atoll in the Red Sea, Sanganeb has one of the most unique reef structures in the whole Red Sea whose steep slopes rise from a seafloor more than 800m deep. Sangeneb is renowned among divers as one of the best diving spots in the world. The park is known for its richness of marine life and breathtaking underwater vistas, hosting at least 300 fish species including numerous endemic and rare species of sharks, dolphins, marine turtles, and a good representation of other invertebrates such as molluscs.
Shaab Rumi
This reef lies 48km from Port Sudan and surrounds a gorgeous lagoon which can be accessed through a narrow strait having been blasted by Cousteau himself. Outside of the lagoon, just 100m from its entrance is where in 1963, Cousteau built Precontinent II, his futuristic world. Here he conducted his underwater experiments and today the site provides an insight into the lives of those who had lived under the water in futuristic-looking buildings and conducted research on marine life. The cages used for shark feedings still lie where they used to in Cousteau’s time. Sharks still come here as they did decades ago
SUDAN NORTH ROUTE
DIVE SITES
CENTRAL & NORTH sudan
This is the classical and best-known route in Sudan. This includes the “Umbria” wreck and renowned reefs like Sanganeb or Sha’ab Rumi. There we will dive with schools of barracudas, jackfish, sharks, among spectacular coral gardens and the famous and nostalgic remnants of the Pre-continent II of Jacques Cousteau. We will dive in far North reefs like Angarosh, Merlo, and the rests of Blue Belt wreck, visiting pristine coral reefs, with enormous whip coral gardens, huge amounts of marine life and will look for the big game out there, white tip reef sharks, grey reef sharks, and hammerheads
WRECK“UMBRIA
One of the best wrecks from WWII, with a huge array of cargo still intact in its holds. Sanganeb Reef: Barracudas, jackfish, grey reef sharks, bumphead parrotfish, and even encounters with hammerheads. Sha’ab Rumi: Very long reef with a famous lagoon where
Sanganeb ReeF
Located 15 miles NE of Port Sudan, this reef is marked with a beacon of the Victorian era at its southern tip. We can find different dive sites here
Sha’ab Rumi
This huge barrier reef is located about 20 miles NE of Port Sudan. It forms a true coral garden and cleaning station for some pelagic species.
Shaab Suedi
Shaab Suedi: This huge reef system, 18 miles North of Shaab Rumi, holds the remains of the “Blue Belt”, also known as t”Toyota wreck”, due to the number of cars and trucks that were inside. Nowadays, the top of the wreck sleeps at 56 meters of depth and we can only visit some of the cars and trucks that fell off the wreck and now rest on the reef. The entrance to the lagoon holds an amazing coral garden and when the current is favorable, is a great spot to practice a “black water night dive under the boat, where we will be able to spot thousands of little deep-sea creatures coming close to the surface to feed close to the lights.
Angarosh
Located about 20 miles NE of Port Sudan. It forms a true coral garden and cleaning station for some pelagic species. On the west side there are two openings that allows entrance to the interior lagoon. Just outside the entrance of the lagoon we will find the remains of the Pre-continent I, the underwater “village” built by the team of Jacques Cousteau in 1963. he southern area of the reer is more dynamic as two different currents bring nutrients from the deep. This attracts large schools of fish as well as different species of sharks that patrol the boundaries of the reef. With some luck, we will also spor groups of large Bumphead Parrotfish
Shaab Merl
Shaab Merlo: An amazing reef with a huge pinnacle of coral that sinks into the depth, completely covered by soft corals and where we can sometimes find oceanic mantas.
SUDAN
CENTRAL & SOUTH” ROUTE
DIVE SITES
CENTRAL & SOUTH” ROUTE
explore the pristine coral reefs with its abundant and varied marine life.
We will search for sharks in these waters, grey reef shark, white tip, hammerhead, and with luck tiger shark and whale shark. Also, we will enjoy in the shallower waters with its colorful soft corals, huge fan corals and giant schools of pelagic fish, turtles, and much more!
WRECK“UMBRIA
One of the best wrecks from WWII, with a huge array of cargo still intact in its holds. Sanganeb Reef: Barracudas, jackfish, grey reef sharks, bumphead parrotfish, and even encounters with hammerheads. Sha’ab Rumi: Very long reef with a famous lagoon where
Sanganeb ReeF
Located 15 miles NE of Port Sudan, this reef is marked with a beacon of the Victorian era at its southern tip. We can find different dive sites here
Sha’ab Rumi
This huge barrier reef is located about 20 miles NE of Port Sudan. It forms a true coral garden and cleaning station for some pelagic species.
SUAKIN NORTH
Suakin archipelago is located in the southern area of Port Sudan. It is composed of hundreds of islets and coral reefs. Among the various points of this archipelago: Sha’ab Amber, Sha’ab Jumna, Pinnacle, Logan, Seil’Ada, Hindi Cider, Protector, and Preserver Reef.
Sha’ab Jumna
Sha’ab Jumna: is the most hortherneeforSuakin. It has a length Of more than 5 miles and offers the same openings to an interior lagoon that one and ózhachios It is easy to find and hammerhead sharks, grey reef and white tip, and occasionally, silvertip.
At its outer wall, to a depth of 30 meters, there is a large cavity that offers excellent views of the outer wall with resident sharks, tuna, and carangids.
SHA’AB AMBER
Sha’ab Amber: It’s a long Reef located 8 miles south of Sha’ab Jumna. Also offers an interior lagoon that gives shelter to the ships. In the southern area of the reef is a sandy platform at 25 meters of depth ideal to enjoy encounters with hammerheads, grey reef sharks, and huge groups of jackfish
pinnacle
Pinnacle: Located 9 miles south of Sha’ab Jumna, this reef with a pinnacle shape rises from the depths and offers a rich and varied concentration of reef fish in the areas most influenced by the currents Frequent sightings of hammerhead grey, silver, silky, and thresher sharks.
PROTECTOR
Reef located 18 miles east of Sha’ab Amber. It is two miles long, encircling a large lagoon. Its southern end offers dives to depths of 20 meters full of corals and abundant life. In the deep waters of the outer wall of the southern tip, it is easy to find hammerhead sharks, silky and mantas.
LOGAN
Reef located 7 miles east of Sha’ab Amber. The north face is the one that offers the greatest chance of encounters with hammerhead sharks, silky, white tip and grey reef, and large concentrations of hump head parrotfish. Occasionally there can also be found mantas. The east and west sides of the reef are home to a wide variety of corals and sea fans.
SUDAN EXTREME SOUTH
ROUTE
EXTREME south of Sudan
Scuba diving adventure that takes you beyond the regular or “classic” style safari? Then we can offer you an intense expeditionary cruise to the far south of Sudan! Here we will explore the more remote reefs, reaching the very border with Eritrea. By extending the usual seven nights voyage up to ten or eleven nights, we allow you to visit the wreck of the Umbria, the Archipelago of Suakin and the more remote reefs in the Extreme South of Sudathy We will explore the pristine coral reefs with its abundant and varied marine life.
WRECK“UMBRIA
One of the best wrecks from WWII, with a huge array of cargo still intact in its holds. Sanganeb Reef: Barracudas, jackfish, grey reef sharks, bumphead parrotfish, and even encounters with hammerheads. Sha’ab Rumi: Very long reef with a famous lagoon where
SUAKIN NORTH
Suakin archipelago is located in the southern area of Port Sudan. It is composed of hundreds of islets and coral reefs. Among the various points of this archipelago: Sha’ab Amber, Sha’ab Jumna, Pinnacle, Logan, Seil’Ada, Hindi Cider, Protector, and Preserver Reef.
Sha’ab Jumna
Sha’ab Jumna: is the most hortherneeforSuakin. It has a length Of more than 5 miles and offers the same openings to an interior lagoon that one ano ózhachios It is easy to find hammerhead sharks, grey reef and white tip, and occasionally, silvertip.
At its outer wall, to a depth of 30 meters, there is a large cavity that offers excellent views of the outer wall with resident sharks, tuna, and carangids.
SHA’AB AMBER
Sha’ab Amber: It’s a long Reef located 8 miles south of Sha’ab Jumna. Also offers an interior lagoon that gives shelter to the ships. In the southern area of the reef is a sandy platform at 25 meters of depth ideal to enjoy encounters with hammerheads, grey reef sharks, and huge groups of jackfish
pinnacle
Pinnacle: Located 9 miles south of Sha’ab Jumna, this reef with a pinnacle shape rises from the depths and offers a rich and varied concentration of reef fish in the areas most influenced by the currents Frequent sightings of hammerhead grey, silver, silky, and thresher sharks.
PROTECTOR
Reef located 18 miles east of Sha’ab Amber. It is two miles long, encircling a large lagoon. Its southern end offers dives to depths of 20 meters full of corals and abundant life. In the deep waters of the outer wall of the southern tip, it is easy to find hammerhead sharks, silky and mantas.
LOGAN
Reef located 7 miles east of Sha’ab Amber. The north face is the one that offers the greatest chance of encounters with hammerhead sharks, silky, white tip and grey reef, and large concentrations of hump head parrotfish. Occasionally there can also be found mantas. The east and west sides of the reef are home to a wide variety of corals and sea fans.
seilada
Located 6 miles SE of Sha’ab Amber. Also known as the island of turtles.
At the northern tip of the island, the reef drops to 20 meters where you will find a sandy platform with a high concentration of fish and within the limits of the platform patrol grey sharks and white tip.
MASAMIRIT ISLAND
Has a vertical wall on its east side and a platform in its northern part to 25-30 meters with several blocks of reefs that serve as an observatory for pelagic species that surround its waters.
It is easy to find some groups of dolphins, schools of barracuda and hammerhead sharks. The SE side (Karam Masamirit) have deeper walls where we can find sharks, napoleons,
DAHRAT QAB
Located 14 miles south of Masamirit. Has a good reef with a great variety of soft corals and sea fans. The southern end of the reef is the most interesting point where you can observe grey sharks, silvertip, hammers, and occasionally you can see tiger shark.
QAPMIYUM
Located in the south of Masamirit, presents in its southern tip a stepped wall with platforms to 6, 25, and 45 meters that allow visitors to observe the large schools of carangids and barracudas that pass through them as the hammerhead sharks often patrol the boundaries of the wall.
DAHART ABID
Is the southernmost island of the Sudanese waters. At the top of the reef, there are the remains of a wreck abundant with life. The shallower waters of the reef are covered with soft corals and in deeper waters, the pelagic fishes and sharks are the main attractions.
Sudan is famous for its sharks
Tiger shark
The tiger shark grows to a length of about 3 – 6 m but can be as large as 9 m. It weighs around 1 tonne. It is a solitary and nomadic animal, spending most of its life roaming from place to place. It is quite inquisitive and as such, it likes to “taste” everything, just like the great white. It’s massively built and the unique patterns on its skin make it easy to identify. It is considered to be the second most dangerous animal to humans after the great white. In Egypt, it can be found cruising near Safaga and Elphinston
White-tip reef shark
It is one of the most often sighted sharks by divers. You can meet up with them pretty much at any coral reef. It rests in the caves and larger crevices near the reefs during the day, often in groups. It comes out of hiding during the night to go on a hunt for reef fish, octopus, crayfish, and crabs hiding among the corals. The white-tip reef shark often hunts in large groups. It sniffs out its prey, approaches it, and if necessary, breaks away the corals to get to it. It got its name from the white spots on the edges of its fins
Oceanic white-tip shark
It is a good friend of divers. It is not aggressive at all and tends to approach divers up close. It prefers the open waters and can be seen at Elphinstone, Daedalus, the Brothers in Egypt, and by the southern reefs in the Red Sea. It is about 1.5 m long, or even larger than 2 m, and weighs close to 20 kg. The white-tip shark can be easily identified by its white-tipped round fins.
Grey reef shark
Tropical waters are the usual home for this shark but you may very well run into it in the Red Sea as well, especially around Sanganeb and Shaab Rumi in Sudan. Its habitat is close to the coral reefs, and this is where it hunts for its prey. It tends to live near the drop-offs of outer-edge reefs and prefers moderately deep waters, usually between 20 – 60 m, though they have been found as deep
hammerhead shark
This shark’s unique feature is its hammer-shaped head. The width of the head, depending on the species, is about 20 – 30% of the animal’s entire length. The eyes are placed at the far ends of the head and provide a 360-degree vision and excellent depth perception. A transparent membrane or eyelid protects the eyes during hunting and feeding. It usually cruises in deeper waters and in large schools, often counting up to 100 individuals. Its main food supplies are smaller sharks (even small hammerheads at times), manta rays, bony fish, and cephalopods. Females give birth to live young ones, and fertilization happens internally. There are usually 15 – 30
Gallery
Your Liveaboard in Sudan
Vip Marselia
What we offer is the best boat, M/Y VIP Marselia We are the fastest boat in the region, enabling us to reach even the most remote dive sites. M/Y VIP Marselia the 5-star diving safari liveaboard was built based on a unique design, meeting divers’ and guests’ every need. Spacious, tastefully decorated cabins with en-suite bathrooms, a roomy dining room, salon, and sun deck make the diving safaris comfortable for everyone. , A well-traveled, cohesive crew, speaking various languages, awaits all the guests who wish to dive and relax.
| Year of construction | May 2018 |
| Length | 42.5 m |
| Width | 9 m |
| Motors: | 2x MAN 1200HP |
| Generators | 2×120 Jundir 1x 80Jundir |
| Diving bottles | 12l aluminum, 15l with advance notification for an extra charge |
| Nitromembrane | yes |
| Nitrox | yes |
| Nitro courses | possible with advance booking |
| Navigation | radar system, depth sounder, GPS, satellite phone, VHF radio, satellite, EPIRB, compass |
| Safety | equipment: 2x life rafts for 25 people each, life jackets, fire extinguishers, first aid, equipment, oxygen |
| ENOS | yes, inclusive |
| Upper deck cabins | cabins : 2x TWIN, 1x suite |
| main deck cabins | 6x TWIN, 1x single cabin (can be used as a DBL) |
| Number of guests | 25 – 26 |
Vip Marselia Gallery
| from | to | route | price | Book Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19.02.2021 | 26.02.2021 | deep south | EUR 1600 | open |
| 26.02.2021 | 05.03.2021 | deep south | EUR 1500 | open |
| 05.03.2021 | 12.03.2021 | deep south | EUR 1500 | open |
| 12.03.2021 | 19.03.2021 | deep south | EUR 1500 | open |
| 19.03.2021 | 26.03.2021 | deep south | EUR 1700 | open |
| 26.03.2021 | 02.04.2021 | deep south | EUR 1500 | open |
| 02.04.2021 | 09.04.2021 | deep south | EUR 1500 | open |
| 09.04.2021 | 23.04.2021 | deep south | EUR 2600 | booked |
| 23.04.2021 | 03.05.2021 | deep south | EUR 2200 | open |
| 03.05.2021 | 17.05.2021 | north &south | EUR 2600 | open |