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Hotels, dive operators, gear, and how to get here are on the Brothers Islands location page.
Overview
Egypt's southernmost reef system, straddling the Tropic of Cancer in Foul Bay near the Sudanese border and reached only by deep-south liveaboard. The name covers a cluster of reefs: the shallow cave-and-tunnel maze of Umm Kararim (St John's Caves), where coral-walled passages and chambers open to shafts of sunlight, and the larger Gota Kebir with its fissures and swim-throughs. Outer pinnacles such as Habili Ali rise from deep water and pull scalloped hammerheads, grey reef sharks and mantas in summer, while gorgonian-draped walls hold Napoleon wrasse, bumphead parrotfish and green turtles. Hard and soft coral cover here is among the densest in the Red Sea.
Briefing note
Remote deep-south reef with no shore access; diveable year-round but most liveaboards run May-October. Outer reefs (Habili Ali, Habili Gafaar) sit in open water with depth and strong, variable currents suited to experienced divers, while the inner reefs of Umm Kararim and Gota Kebir are shallow and gentler. The cave swim-throughs are open caverns with overhead access to the surface rather than true penetration, but a torch and good buoyancy are recommended.
What you'll see
6 species curated- seasonalScalloped hammerhead sharkPeak: Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep
- year-roundGrey reef sharkPeak: Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
- year-roundWhitetip reef sharkPeak: Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
- seasonalReef manta rayPeak: Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep
- year-roundGreen turtlePeak: Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
- year-roundNapoleon wrassePeak: Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
Conditions
| Month | Water | Visibility | Current |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24–25 °C | 20–30 m | moderate |
| Feb | 23–24 °C | 20–30 m | moderate |
| Mar | 23–24 °C | 25–35 m | moderate |
| Apr | 24–26 °C | 25–35 m | moderate |
| May | 26–27 °C | 25–35 m | moderate |
| Jun | 27–29 °C | 25–35 m | moderate |
| Jul | 28–29 °C | 25–35 m | moderate |
| Aug | 28–30 °C | 25–35 m | moderate |
| Sep | 28–29 °C | 25–35 m | moderate |
| Oct | 27–28 °C | 25–35 m | moderate |
| Nov | 26–27 °C | 20–30 m | moderate |
| Dec | 25–26 °C | 20–30 m | moderate |
Season calendar
Peak season highlighted · current month outlined
Next step
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