Trip to RSDS in October

[JustSurfaceInterval]

I just realised that @dflaher also had plans last year for Marsa Shagra.
At that time, i said

@dflaher So do i, and i have to convince my buddy/wife/ex-girlfriend that it will be better than The Breakers in Soma Bay.

And today... i have convinced her and booking is only a few hours away. According to plan, we will be there beginning of September. In sha'Allah...

 

[dflaher]

And today... i have convinced her and booking is only a few hours away. According to plan, we will be there beginning of September. In sha'Allah...

Good job! Would love to hear about your experience.

 

[dflaher]

If you go to Marsa Shagra, try to fly Cairo - Marsa Alam, this airport is much closer.

I'll look into that, thanks.

 

[dflaher]

If you go to Marsa Shagra, try to fly Cairo - Marsa Alam, this airport is much closer.

Do you have any recommended airlines? EgyptAir flies only to Marsa Alam twice per week.

 

[JustSurfaceInterval]

Air Cairo has direct flights on Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday.

 

[dflaher]

There's been some opinions about traveling through Cairo in another thread which I wanted to continue here. After diving at RSDS we wanted to do a cruise from Luxor to Aswan, then return to Cairo to see the pyramids and perhaps the museum. In order to avoid CAI I would need to either forgo the pyramids altogether, or somehow go back to HRG for the return to the US. Seems like a lot of workaround?

 

[JustSurfaceInterval]

Indeed. I did not had your other plans in mind while writing in the other thread.
If building up around RSDS - Luxor - Aswan - Cairo, what about USA - IST - HRG or RMF - RSDS as an incoming leg and leaving toward home from CAI. That would at least avoid the entry through CAI.

 

[dflaher]

Indeed. I did not had your other plans in mind while writing in the other thread.
If building up around RSDS - Luxor - Aswan - Cairo, what about USA - IST - HRG or RMF - RSDS as an incoming leg and leaving toward home from CAI. That would at least avoid the entry through CAI.

That may work. However many flights from IST =>HRG stop in CAI! Does connecting through Cairo also need to be avoided?

 

[JustSurfaceInterval]

Yes. Connecting means entering Egypt to proceed with a domestic flight, hence immigration and customs in CAI.
I just had a look at Skyscanner. IST - HRG is quite common, but it looks like you may need another stop over somewhere in the US if flying from PHX (my guess...)

 

[MB NZ]

Marsa Shagra was great, or at least it was in 2010 when I was last there. It's as easy as shore-based diving can be, so easy, I can't think of any tips to make it easier. The diving excursion to Dolphin Reef was worthwhile as I remember, not so much for dolphin encounters, but for a change of scene and nice reef diving. When I did it, there was only four divers on a big day boat, so that was pretty special. Abu Dabab is also worth visiting. Shallow beach diving over sea grass for macro life and turtle encounters.

As for your second week, Egypt is a bit of a nightmare as you have ascertained. You'll be nicely "dived-up", so personally, I'd book myself on a liveaboard. If you're determined to see the pyramids etc, I would book a tour. I suspect it's just not worth the hassle of doing it independently.