The Brother Islands are the pinnacles of two undersea mountains rising from the depths of the abyss and are located about 60 miles offshore. Part of the Marine Park Islands National Park, these islands offer stunning wall diving, with the walls covered in soft corals and forests of gorgonians, creating a kaleidoscope of ever-changing colours. They attract a diverse array of marine species and large pelagics. Large tuna, jacks and snappers cruise in the blue, accompanied by occasional hammerheads, silvertips, silky and oceanic white tip sharks and mantas. Even the rare thresher shark can be found here. Sightings of the grey reef shark are almost guaranteed on the North and South Plateaux of Small Brother.

For the wreck diver, the Aida II, an Egyptian supply vessel, and the Numidia, a cargo ship, lie on the walls of the Big Brother. Both are covered in a rich growth of soft and hard corals. Marine life includes a family of Napoleon wrasse and grey reef sharks.

Daedalus Reef, also part of the Marine Park, is a large, oval reef with a lighthouse and is the furthest offshore reef in the Egyptian Red Sea. Its deep walls and drop-offs offer some of the most spectacular diving to be found. Daedalus has mountainous, pristine, hard coral formations. There is also a strong chance of spotting schooling hammerheads and grey reef sharks.

Elphinstone is approximately 30km from Port Ghalib; Elphinstone reef is 300 metres long with sheer walls richly covered in colourful pink and red soft corals and elegant red gorgonians descending to around 40 metres. Other areas of the reef have near vertical cliffs, overhangs, small caves and drop offs of up to 100 metres. Elphinstone is known to experience some strong currents attracting many diverse species such as barracuda, angel fish, groupers, Napoleons, morays, reef sharks and great shoals of dogtooth tuna and jacks. Occasional sightings include dolphins, turtles, oceanic white tip and hammerhead sharks.

Simply the Best Itinerary Highlights:
Best Top 3 sites in the southern Red Sea: Big and Little Brothers, Daedalus Reef and Elphinstone
Sheer walls draped in colourful soft corals and gorgonian forests.
Wrecks of Aida II and Numidia richly covered with soft and hard corals.
Strong currents nourish offshore reefs with a diverse range of marine life such as tuna, barracudas, jacks, groupers, Napoleon, snappers and reef sharks. Occasional hammerheads, silky and oceanic white tips, dolphins and mantas. Rare chance to spot threshers.

Twin Lower Deck

2 cabins (4 spots) available

$1,262

Twin Upper Deck

3 cabins (5 spots) available

$1,356