Sudan

SUDAN – Extreme South Route (10 or 11 night excursion)Do you like the type of 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 Sudan.We will 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 colourful soft corals, huge fan corals and giant schools of pelagic fish, turtles, and much more!SUDAN - "Extreme South" RouteMain diving areasBelow, we describe a brief selection of some of the usual areas that is possible to visit on the cruises of this route.Wreck "Umbria": One of the best wrecks in the world that scuttled by her captain at the beginning of the Second World War.  It Still preserves almost intact its military cargo and hosts a large number of marine life. The wreck is easy to dive, with a depth ranging between 5 to 33 meters and a virtual absence of currents. The exploration of the wreck represents a real adventure for divers as so much of the cargo and structure of the ship remains intact.  Its length is 150 metres and is covered with soft and hard corals, sponges and anemones. Around the wreck an abundance of exceptional marine life of crustaceans, crinoids, Spanish dancers, clown fish, snappers, sweet lips, butterflies and barracudas. For lovers of photography, special attention to the backlight through the eyes of ox and to the starboard propeller that just 18 meters depth offers great opportunities for good images. 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 Gider, Protector and Preserver Reef.Sha'ab Jumna: Is the reef located more to the north of Suakin. It has a length of more than 5 miles and offers some openings to an interior lagoon that offer an excellent refuge to the ships. It is easy to find hammerhead sharks, grey reef and white tip and occasionally, silver tip.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: 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 platformat 25 meters, ideal to enjoy encounters with hammerhead sharks, grey sharks. Pinnacle: Located 9 miles south of Sha'ab Jumna, this reef takes the form of a pinnacle that rises from the depths.  It offers a rich and varied concentration of reef fish in the areas most influenced by the currents. are frequent encounters with hammerhead sharks, grey, silver, silky and threshers.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 parrot fish. Occasionally there can also be found mantas. The east and west sides of the reef are home to a wide variety of corals and gorgonians.Seil'Ada: 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.Reefs in the extreme south, the following points for diving:Island of Masamirit: 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, carangids and tunaDahrat 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, silver tip, hammers and occasionally you can see tiger shark.Qab Miyum: 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.Dahrat Abid: is the southernmost island of the Sudanese waters. In 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.Cruise program - SUDAN Route "EXTREM SOUTH" (10 nights)Day 1: Port Sudan. Upon arrival, immigration and baggage claim. Transfer to the port of Port Sudan. Boarding, welcome cocktail and presentation of the RED SEA BLUE FORCE 3 and the crew. Distribution of cabins. At the beginning of the cruise.Intermediate Days (according to duration of the cruise): diving cruise route to "Extreme South"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: Landing in Port Sudan and transfer to the airport.

SUDAN – Extreme South Route (10 or 11 night excursion)Do you like the type of 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 Sudan.We will 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 colourful soft corals, huge fan corals and giant schools of pelagic fish, turtles, and much more!SUDAN - "Extreme South" RouteMain diving areasBelow, we describe a brief selection of some of the usual areas that is possible to visit on the cruises of this route.Wreck "Umbria": One of the best wrecks in the world that scuttled by her captain at the beginning of the Second World War.  It Still preserves almost intact its military cargo and hosts a large number of marine life. The wreck is easy to dive, with a depth ranging between 5 to 33 meters and a virtual absence of currents. The exploration of the wreck represents a real adventure for divers as so much of the cargo and structure of the ship remains intact.  Its length is 150 metres and is covered with soft and hard corals, sponges and anemones. Around the wreck an abundance of exceptional marine life of crustaceans, crinoids, Spanish dancers, clown fish, snappers, sweet lips, butterflies and barracudas. For lovers of photography, special attention to the backlight through the eyes of ox and to the starboard propeller that just 18 meters depth offers great opportunities for good images. 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 Gider, Protector and Preserver Reef.Sha'ab Jumna: Is the reef located more to the north of Suakin. It has a length of more than 5 miles and offers some openings to an interior lagoon that offer an excellent refuge to the ships. It is easy to find hammerhead sharks, grey reef and white tip and occasionally, silver tip.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: 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 platformat 25 meters, ideal to enjoy encounters with hammerhead sharks, grey sharks. Pinnacle: Located 9 miles south of Sha'ab Jumna, this reef takes the form of a pinnacle that rises from the depths.  It offers a rich and varied concentration of reef fish in the areas most influenced by the currents. are frequent encounters with hammerhead sharks, grey, silver, silky and threshers.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 parrot fish. Occasionally there can also be found mantas. The east and west sides of the reef are home to a wide variety of corals and gorgonians.Seil'Ada: 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.Reefs in the extreme south, the following points for diving:Island of Masamirit: 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, carangids and tunaDahrat 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, silver tip, hammers and occasionally you can see tiger shark.Qab Miyum: 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.Dahrat Abid: is the southernmost island of the Sudanese waters. In 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.Cruise program - SUDAN Route "EXTREM SOUTH" (10 nights)Day 1: Port Sudan. Upon arrival, immigration and baggage claim. Transfer to the port of Port Sudan. Boarding, welcome cocktail and presentation of the RED SEA BLUE FORCE 3 and the crew. Distribution of cabins. At the beginning of the cruise.Intermediate Days (according to duration of the cruise): diving cruise route to "Extreme South"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: Landing in Port Sudan and transfer to the airport.

SUDAN - "CENTRAL & SOUTH" ROUTEMain areas of divingBelow, we describe a brief selection of some of the usual areas (not always the same dive sites) that we visit on this route.Wreck "Umbria": One of the best wrecks in the world. It was scuttled by her captain at the beginning of the Second World War. Still preserves almost intact its military cargo and hosts a large number of marine life. The wreck is easy to dive due to the depth (between 5 and 33 meters) and the virtual absence of currents. The exploration of the wreck represents a real adventure for divers.The wreck is 150 m long and is covered with corals, boasting a huge amount of marine life like snappers, sweet lips, butterflies, barracudas… 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. The north side is exposed to prevailing winds and currents and can be dived only with calm seas and preferably in the early hours of the morning. Mantas can be seen here and if you are lucky, you might find small groups of hammerhead sharks patrolling the blue.The south side offers a plateau with some coral blocks and a lot of barracudas, schools of unicorn fish, sweet lips and much more. There is a small sand area on the south western tip., where we will find white tip sharks.In the north part of the plateau, we will find a steep drop off where grey reef sharks, hammerheads and even silver tips cruise by.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. 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 II, the underwater “village” built by the team of Jacques Cousteau in 1963. The southern area of the reef 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 spot groups of large Bumphead Parrotfish.North Suakin archipelago is located in the southern area of Port Sudan. It is composed of hundreds of small islands and coral reefs.  Some of the most famous dive sites of this archipelago are: Sha'ab Amber, Sha'ab Jumna, Pinnacle, Logan, Seil'Ada, Hindi Gider, Protector and Preserver Reef.Sha'ab Jumna: Is the most northern reef of Suakin. It has a length of more than 5 miles and offers some openings to an interior lagoon that offer an excellent refuge to the ships. It is easy to find hammerhead, grey reef and white tip sharks and occasionally, silver tip. 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: 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. Its 2 miles long around a large lagoon. Its southern side offers dives to depths of 20 meters full of corals and abundant coral reef life. In the deep waters of the outer wall of the southern tip, it is easy to find hammerhead sharks, silky sharks and manta Rays.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 groups of bumphead parrot fish. The east and west sides of the reef are home to a wide variety of corals and gorgonians.Cruise program - SUDAN Route "CENTRAL & SOUTH" (7 nights)Day 1: Port Sudan. Upon arrival, immigration and baggage claim. Transfer to Port Sudan. Boarding, welcome cocktail and presentation of the RED SEA BLUE FORCE 3 and crew. Day 2 to the 7th: DIVING CRUISE ROUTE "CENTRAL & SOUTH" Diving cruise with full board and daily plan of 3 - 4 dives per day in the areas of the Wreck of the Umbria, Sha'ab Rumi, Sanganeb Reef, and archipelago of Suakin.Day 8º: PORT SUDAN: Disembarking in Port Sudan and transfer to the airport.

CENTRAL & NORTH SUDAN (7 nights): 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 hammerheadsThe best diving season is between the months of February and May. The climate of Sudan is influenced by the Indian Ocean, during the winter months (December to April) it is more cool, with outdoor temperatures ranging between 20º to 27º (February) and 24º to 35ºC (May) and water temperatures between 24ºC in the month of February and the 29ºC in the end of May. During the months of April and May, there may be some storms and outside temperatures reach 30/35ºC and the water temperature is between 26ºC/29ºC“CENTRAL & NORTH” ROUTE Main dive spots: Umbria wreck: 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 parrot fish and even encounters with hammerheads. Sha’ab Rumi: Very long reef with a famous lagoon where we can find the remains of Jacques Cousteau Precontinent II program as well as an amazing plateau with grey reef sharks cleaning stations and one of the best places to spot the shy hammerhead sharks.At the northern area of Sudan, we will dive Angarosh Reef: named after the amount of sharks in the old times and where we can usually spot groups of hammerhead sharks, barracudas and jackfish next to the incredible walls and whip coral gardens. Abington Reef: vertical walls covered with corals Qita El Banna: White tip reef sharks, big tunas and even grey reef sharks and hammerheads along a wonderful wall covered with soft corals.  Wreck "Umbria": One of the best wrecks in the world. It was scuttled by her captain at the beginning of the Second World War. Still preserves almost intact its military cargo and hosts a large number of marine life. The wreck is easy to dive due to the depth (between 5 and 33 meters) and the virtual absence of currents. The exploration of the wreck represents a real adventure for divers.The wreck is 150 mts long and is covered with corals, boasting a huge amount of marine life like snappers, sweet lips, butterflies, barracudas… 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. The north side is exposed to prevailing winds and currents and can be dived only with calm seas and preferably in the early hours of the morning. Mantas can be seen here and if you are lucky, you might find small groups of hammerhead sharks patrolling the blue.The south side offers a plateau with some coral blocks and a lot of barracudas, schools of unicorn fish, sweet lips and much more. There is a small sand area on the south western tip., where we will find white tip sharks.In the north part of the plateau, we will find a steep drop off where grey reef sharks, hammerheads and even silver tips cruise by.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. 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 II, the underwater “village” built by the team of Jacques Cousteau in 1963. The southern area of the reef 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 spot groups of large Bumphead Parrotfish.Shaab Suedi: This huge reef system, 18 miles North from Shaab Rumi, hold the remains of the “Blue Belt”, also known as t”Toyota wreck”, due to the amount of cars and trucks that where 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 favourable, 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: The name has derived from the arabic Umm el Ghoroush (Mother of the harks) and was first dived by Hans Hass, who was surprised by the amount of hammerheads and grey reef sharks he found here. A little sandy island marks this steep-walled reef. In the Eastern side, we find two plateaus, at 25 and 40 meters deep, covered with soft corals, whip corals and great seafans. Here we will be able to spot hammerheads, grey reef sharks, barracudas and groups of jackfish. On the shallower part of the reef we will also encounter small groups of bumbhead parrot fish.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.Cruise program - SUDAN Route "CENTRAL & NORTH" (7 nights)Day 1: Port Sudan. Upon arrival, immigration and baggage claim. Transfer to Port Sudan. Boarding, welcome cocktail and presentation of the RED SEA BLUE FORCE 3 and crew. Day 2 to the 7th: DIVING CRUISE ROUTE "CENTRAL & NORTH" Diving cruise with full board and daily plan of 3 - 4 dives per day in the areas of the Wreck of the Umbria, Sha'ab Rumi, Angarosh... Day 8º: PORT SUDAN: Disembarking in Port Sudan and transfer to the airport.