The official beginning of the trip is in the evening of Monday. Should everyone arrive in time for dinner the trip will start with a welcome dinner, if not introductions will be on the next day after a good night of rest. 

The trip will end with a breakfast onboard the SY Roaga sailboat at the Hamata Port. Depending on the flights of the group we will decide at what time the boat will arrive at the port (potentially even on Sunday evening) ideally you should look at a flight in the afternoon of Monday or later.

If you have a long travel back home we recommend an extra night in a nearby resort to relax after the sailboat days.

You only have to worry about purchasing an international flight from your country to Marsa Alam International Airport on the coast of Egypt. Once you have arrived there you will be greeted by a member of our team. Depending on arrival times of all the guests we will organise the transfers by minivan to the village. Hurgada international airport is also an arrival option if the international flights are more convenient but a surcharge on the transfer will be applied due to the longer route. We personally don’t recommend it but you are free to choose depending on your situation.

Extra Scuba Diving opportunities will be available for certified divers. For example, you might not want to miss an excursion to Elphinstone for a chance to dive an amazing reef with oceanic white tip sharks.

Yes it does, you need to purchase it online before departure. It will cost around 25USD and we will assist you with the process if needed.

You will be traveling to the furthest point in Egypt and our accommodations are all aimed at keeping you immersed in nature. Wifi will be decent in common areas in the village and signal available on land. We recommend getting a local SIM card if being online is important for you. While on the boat we might lose it completely. Trust us, the only connection you will need will be the one with the dolphins 🙂

You might want to, if you want to have alcohol, look for small souvenirs and gifts to take home or even for some snacks or extra activities (card is often fine too but just to be sure). Make sure you either have American Dollars $ or Euro €.  

This is a great opportunity then! The majority of our guests are young (<40 years old) solo travellers looking to make awesome ocean friends. We also get couples who are up to have some fun with other like-minded people. All in all, we’ve always had AMAZING groups and EVERYONE has made incredible friendships during our group trips.

The full board plan includes 3 meals per day, water and soft drinks. Alcohol will be at an extra cost.

Yes absolutely! As explained here, we only ask for the deposit right away, then the total by August 1st if you are traveling in 2026 or by January 15th if you are traveling in 2027. You can split this in how many payments fits you best.

If you need further assistance on this you can add a note on your application or reach out directly to us at retreats@bonnyandgava.com.

For the past four years, we (Miki & Carlo) have been personally leading this Egypt expedition, tweaking every detail until it felt exactly like the trip we wished existed when we first came here: long, unhurried time with dolphins, ethical encounters, and a small group that feels like friends by the final dinner.

Today we decided to not lead them anymore, we’ve handed the helm in Egypt to Anna, our UFO (Underwater Fun Officer). Together, we design the itinerary, safety standards, and group moments that make this a B&G expedition – then Anna brings it to life on the ground with our amazing local crew.

That’s the promise: even when we’re not on the boat, you’re not booking “a random dolphin tour.” You’re joining a Bonny&Gava week, delivered by someone we trust, using the same playbook we built in the water over the last four seasons.

In general, the average level of our Egypt groups is Level 1.
Every now and then we have someone more experienced, sometimes a beginner, and most people fall somewhere in between. That said, the good news is that experience level is never an issue on this trip. We’ll always be two guides in the water with a small group of just eight people, which allows us to really take care of everyone — whether someone is very experienced or just starting out.
And if you happen to make big progress before the trip and feel very confident by then, you definitely won’t be held back by the rest of the group.
From our experience, this Egypt week is always incredibly fun for advanced freedivers, intermediates, and beginners alike.
When exploring reefs and corals, those who want to go deeper absolutely can. At the same time, it’s just as enjoyable for anyone who prefers to stay shallower or focus on snorkeling.
Even in the (very unlikely and obviously not something we wish for) case that someone couldn’t freedive for any reason during the week, it would still be a fantastic experience. Dolphins surface to breathe, the lagoon isn’t very deep, and we’ve seen many participants have an amazing time even just snorkeling. Quite often, those same people then feel inspired to challenge themselves and start diving — with great results.
Honestly, it’s the perfect training ground for all levels. And a big part of that is the group energy: people genuinely cheer each other on, celebrate every small win, and help one another throughout the week. That kind of support makes a huge difference.