The
Egyptian Red Sea cannot be beaten for value for money -
within a five hour flight you have access to some of the
best diving in the world with a selection of excellent hotels
and liveaboards.
We specialise in Egypt, not just in the dive resorts but we also have extensive knowledge of the interior of the country. Many of us have lived and worked in the area for many years so please do call for some first hand advice and recommendations.
Egypt is a marvellous destination for the UK holiday maker as nowhere else can you have access to such a combination of world class diving, beautiful beaches, fantastic value hotels and historical sites to wonder at - all accessible on just a five hour flight. As with all of our programmes you can be assured that we offer totally impartial advice and genuinely endeavour to make each and every holiday unique for the individuals requirements.
There are two way to visit
Egypt as a diver; either by liveaboard or land based. For
the more experienced divers (minimum Advanced Open Water
with 50 dives) the liveaboard holiday will give you access
to the very best dive sites. These trips are also great
value as they are fully inclusive of all diving and full
board. They are also great for single travellers as there
is no single supplement as with the hotels.
But liveaboards are not for
everyone. Those of you new to diving, recently qualified
or with non diving friends, family or partners, we recommend
a hotel based holiday. Depending on the type of resorts
(quiet & secluded, busy & sociable, wreck diving
or reefs etc..) and your budget we can recommend the most
suitable option. When it comes to hotel choice in Egypt
it is worth noting that for a relatively small amount of
money you can get a big jump in standard, the 5 star hotel
often offer the best value!
GETTING TO EGYPT
There are several direct charter services to main airports in Egypt with schedules changing between winter and summer seasons:
-
Sharm El Sheikh:
ex Gatwick every Thursday and Sunday / Ex Manchester
on Sundays
-
Hurghada: ex Gatwick
on Fridays - New Manchester & Glasgow flight available
from October 2004!
-
Marsa Alam:
Ex Gatwick on Thursdays - summer only
-
Luxor:
Ex Manchester and Gatwick on Mondays and Thursdays
-
Aswan:
Egypt Air via Cairo Only
-
Cairo:
Egypt direct from Heathrow daily
-
Taba: Ex Gatwick on Mondays,
Thrusdays and Saturdays
ENTRY REQUIRMENTS
UK passport holders may obtain a tourist visa on arrival (£12 or $17). Passports should be valid for at least six months from the date of entry. Visitors are advised to carry their passports at all times. There is no departure tax until October 2004 when a new tax of approximately £10 will apply.
CURRENCY
The local currency is the LE
or Egyptian pound that is divided into 100 piastres. Exchange
rates are generally better in resort so we recommend taking
US Dollars or sterling. Travellers cheques are accepted
by banks and hotels and credit cards can also be used at
most hotels with a few ATM machines now in operation.
CLIMATE
Egypt enjoys a mild climate. However, temperatures increase as you travel due south. Cairo can be chilly between December and February, and very hot between June and September. But the heat in Egypt is made bearable by the northerly breeze that leads to a drop in temperature at night. Peak temperatures in Upper Egypt occur between May and October, and are accompanied by extremely low humidity.
DRESS
The best way to deal with Egypt's
summers is to dress light. Cotton garments are ideal. Woollens
are advisable for the winters in the Northern areas. Egypt
does tend to get chilly in the evenings, so a light sweater
may be needed. But for all seasons, light walking shoes
and a hat are absolute necessities. Avoid scanty dresses
in inland towns, as the norm is conservative attire.
LANGUAGE
Arabic is the language of Egypt. However, tourists will rarely face a communication problem, as Egyptians speak a number of languages, including English, French, German and Italian
