EMPEROR ASMAA

This tour has been designed as a live-aboard to give us the best possible access to the swimming spots in the Red Sea. Your home for the week will be the Marine Yacht Emperor Asmaa. This vessel will be our ‘hotel’ for the week, and in addition we will be accompanied by a wet boat and a safety RIB. Emperor Asmaa is a 30m custom built liveaboard. All rooms are equipped with ensuite bathrooms, mini bars and towels. Upper deck cabins have large windows with views over the ocean. Decorated in contemporary style, the boat has an air conditioned salon and bar area, and a sundeck with loungers for sun bathing, kicking back or sunrise yoga.

LOWER DECK TWIN

Lower deck twin cabins measure between approx. 7 to 9sqm with port holes, two single beds and individually controlled air con. Ensuite bathroom with shower and 2 cabin towels per guest. Hairdryers available, on request.

UPPER DECK TWIN

Upper deck twin cabins are approx. 9sqm with large windows, two single beds and individually controlled air con. Ensuite bathroom with shower and 2 cabin towels per guest. Hairdryers available, on request.

PRICES

May 2024 Trip Prices

• Lower Deck Twin Share (£2420)
• Lower Deck Sole Use (£2870)
• Upper Deck Twin Share (£2520)
• Upper Deck Sole Use (£2970)

ITINERARY

 N.B. There are two planned swims per day based on how you progress during the week. Please realise that what we have detailed below is only a rough guide to the week and that we will adapt the week carefully for each individual and the weather conditions. All swim activities are planned with safety as the paramount concern. Open water swimming is always governed by tides and weather; so planned swims may need to be changed, depending on the conditions at the time. Swim guides will advise you each day on what is best for you, but in all cases guides will encourage you to achieve your personal goals in safe conditions.  

day 1 (trip starts at 6pm)

On landing in Hurghada, you will be transferred to Hurghada jetty where Emperor Asmaa will be waiting for you to board.  A transfer from the airport to the boat will run at 18:00 on the first day, and is free of charge. Once everyone is on board and settled in, we will assemble in the ship’s lounge for the safety briefing.

day 2

Enjoy a 1.5-2km swim around the coastline and the lagoon of Ras Abu Soma, with beautiful sandy bottoms and lots of little reefs and colourful fish. After a delicious lunch on board, the afternoon swim offers a chance to look out for blue spotted rays and enjoy a kaleidoscope of marine life on this stunning stretch of reef (1km) - slow down and snorkel afterwards.

DAY 3

In the early hours, the ship’s anchor will be lifted and we will cruise towards our first swim spot of the day: Abu Mongar - a beautifully shallow swim  (approx. 1km – 1.5km). After lunch the afternoon swim offers a stunning shallow swim along the coastline of Gobal Island, and also a great chance for the guides to film you swimming underwater and provide some feedback on your swim technique if you wish (2km).

DAY 4

Start the day with a sunrise swim to remember - head over to the drop off and follow the coast under the hotel cliffs as you watch the sun come up. After breakfast, a chance to stretch out with a clear blue sheltered swim along Tiran Lagoon (2-3km). Over lunch look out for the imposing Russian shipwreck Louilla as we arrive at Gordon Reef - the largest reef in diameter in the Straits of Tiran, with masses of sea-life to look out for. Enjoy a relaxed ‘snorkel swim’ or a PADI Discover Scuba Dive (small extra charge) with an instructor.

DAY 5

Stretch out and enjoy a longer swim this morning around this horseshoe bay in the Marsa Breka nature reserve, following the edge of the reef with a stunning backdrop beyond the shore and rich sea life (3km). In the afternoon, we will moor off the Sinai Desert at Shaab Mahmoud, where we will complete a short swim to a sandbar - a beautiful place to take pictures and watch the sunset.

day 6

Shaab El Erg is a famous horseshoe shaped reef and a beautiful hard coral garden. If we keep our fingers and toes crossed - we may even be lucky enough to spot some dolphins. We will complete a stunning 1.5-2km swim here in the morning before moving over to 'Paradise Island' for a 2-3km coastal swim along the sandy beaches.

day 7 

In the morning we will have a fabulous morning swim along the southern sloping side of Um Gamar. Keep an eye out for turtles, soft corals and eye catching batfish. (1.5km). After lunch, enjoy a final swim along the sandy shores of Giftan Island - one last chance to view the marine life and enjoy the sun on your back before returning to Hurghada.

DAY 8 (check out 9am)

One final breakfast on board before saying goodbye to the crew, and a short boat ride back to the port for your transfer back to the airport. Please note, check out is at 9am on the final day to allow the boat staff to turn the boat over ready for the next week. There will be a group transfer back to Hurghada airport at 9.30am. 

getting there

Guest are advised to fly to Hurghada airport. You may wish to check flight prices and timings via www.skyscanner.net before booking.

TRIP START TIME - 6PM

meet a represENtative

Guests arriving on check-in day will be met by a representative, who will then transfer you to the port where Asmaa will be waiting.

transfers to your liveaboard

A transfer from the airport to the boat will be at 18:00 on the first day, and is included in your trip price - this takes approximately 20 minutes by car.  If you need a transfer after this time, this is possible and is paid locally.  The cost of this depends on the number of passengers, but as an idea, a transfer for 1 or 2 people will cost 12 Euros.  If there are more passengers, a larger vehicle will be required and so the price will change slightly.

Please note that should separate flights arrive within a short time of each other, you may be requested to wait until all the guests have arrived before departure. This prevents unnecessary journeys to and from the airport.  If you are already in Egypt you should contact us for transfer details.

The boat moors near Hurghada and departs early on the morning following the check-in day.

check out

Check out is at 9am on the last day of the cruise, with a transfer back to the airport for the whole group at 9:30am.  For guests continuing their holiday in the Red Sea at a resort, hotel or another liveaboard, your on-going transfers need to be arranged by you from the airport. We will not be able to arrange direct transfers from the liveaboard to resorts.

What do I pack?

• At least 2 x swimming costumes
• Lightweight skin suit or rash vest for sun protection - we also recommend shorts to protect the back of your legs
• 2 x pairs of swim goggles – one clear and one tinted
• Tow float (required) - if you haven’t got one yet, you can purchase from our online shop here
• Rash vest (optional) - available from our online shop here
• Small daypack/rucksack to use for your personal equipment/clothing during the day (although you will receive a 10 litre SwimQuest dry bag)
• Flip flops or similar, suitable for getting wet + for island visits
• Insect repellent (lemon based non-deet repellents are good)
• Fleece or warm jumper
• Waterproof jacket
• Sun hat, sun cream (SPF 50 recommended) and glasses
• Ear plugs
• Snorkel, mask + fins (optional - boat can provide these)
• USB stick for photos / videos (optional)
• Insurance details (you will need to show these to your guides at the safety briefing)
• Emperor Asmaa is a no shoe boat, so shoes/flip flops are only required on arrival and for island visits
• Shower and swim/beach towels will be provided by the boatN.B. Evenings – there is no formal dress order on board, but we would appreciate smart casual clothing for dinner

READY TO BOOK?

We’re excited about meeting you on tour. To book your trip, simply click 'BOOK NOW' for your chosen trip below. A deposit of 30% is required to secure your place, and the final payment is due 10 weeks prior to departure. Payments can be made by debit/credit card or by bank transfer. If you are not yet ready to book and require more information, please click 'ENQUIRE'. Once you have complete the form, Sarah (our bookings co-ordinator) will be in touch to help you with any additional requirements.

EGYPT  |  ENQUIRE

---

In booking with us, you accept our terms and conditions, which can be found here. If at any point you have any questions, feel free to contact us:

• Sarah Broadley | +44 7917 033670 | sarah@swimquest.uk.com
• Charlie Beere | +44 7563 389238 | charlotte@swimquest.uk.com
• Alice Todd | +44 7825 301443 | alice@swimquest.uk.com

Travel Insurance

As a SwimQuest guest, you are required to have in place travel insurance that covers you for all activities you will be taking part in during your trip. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are fully covered for these activities. Whatever travel policy you decide on, you will need to bring a copy of your current Certificate of Insurance to the safety briefing at the start of your SwimQuest holiday. Your swim Guides will need to take a note of your insurer, policy number and the number to call in case of an emergency claim. Please note, if you are a UK resident and eligible for free health cover via the NHS, you do not need to take our a travel insurance policy for our UK based trips. You may still wish to take out insurance to cover you for events such as trip cancellation, luggage and personal liability. If you are travelling from the US or another country, we suggest you use a travel insurance comparison site based in your own country in order to decide on a suitable policy. You can find more information on our Insurance page. Columbus Direct offers three levels of cover Bronze, Silver and Gold, with differing levels of emergency medical, cancellation and baggage so you can choose the cover to suit your needs. All levels of cover include over 150 sports and activities covered as standard including open water swimming within 12 miles of shore (you will not be swimming more than 12 miles away from the shore on SwimQuest Holidays). You will also benefit from free airport lounge access if your flight is delayed for 1hr or more*. Optional cover is available including Gadget, Winter Sports and Cruise, along with cover for many pre-existing medical conditions subject to online screening.  Columbus Direct offer single trip cover up to 85 years old and annual multi trip cover up to 74 years old. *The policyholder can register both themselves and up to four additional travelling companions for Columbus Direct’s Airport Delay service. They will then be eligible to receive free airport lounge access in the event a delay of one or more hours is announced for their flight. View terms and conditions here