Getting to Dahab

[Blue Straggler]

Hello all.
I am in the proces of signing up for Lotta's course in early October - probably the 2* AIDA but perhaps I will be ambitious and go for the 2* and 3*...

Anyway, for now I'm just wondering if those of you that are more experienced with travel to Dahab, can give us a few pointers. Most importantly - who does good reliable charter flights from UK to Sharm? I did a few searches on the forums, nothing too conclusive though. Am I right to think that we'll be paying about £200-£250 at best?

I will no doubt come up with a few more questions, they may appear in other forums though!

Thanks.

 

[Stephan Whelan]

Kenny,

From the UK there are two operators who fly Scheduled flights to Sharm:

- BA
- Astreaus

Both can be booked from www.redseaflights.com

 

[SpeerO]

I really want to take this course too... where can i get the info and register for it? I clicked here on courses and it still says "coming soon". I sen them many email but no response. I would hate to miss this opportunity.

Any info is greatly appreciated.

Thanx
Zane...

 

[littlefreediver]

Hi there!

I live in Dahab - although I normally fly to Sharm, I've heard there are some good deals to Taba. It's slightly further to Dahab (about 1 hr 45 rather than 1 hr) but can be quite a lot cheaper.

Good luck, and see you there!

xxx
Sara

 

[GirlOfWater]

I'm also going to Dahab on the 1.-8. december and joining Lotta and Linda for some training Here's the info I've got from Linda so far:

Hi freedivers,

Freedivedahab would like to gather a group of freedivers and organize an event in such a way it will meet their different needs.

Therefore we put together a program with a few different options, where you can choose a combination of courses and/or training.

This event will take place in Dahab from the 3rd to the 8th of October 2006.

You can choose between the following:

Option 1: AIDA** + 3 training days, 325 euro
Option 2: 3 training days + AIDA***, 325 euro
Option 3: AIDA** + AIDA***, 390 euro
Option 4: 6 training days, 250 euro

The price is inclusive of 7 nights accomodation in Bedouin Moon Hotel (www.reef2000.com) in shared rooms. There will be max 4 people per room.
All rooms have private bathroom.
Breakfast is included.
The hotel has a very beautiful pool area where we can train Static, and have a beer in the evening.

The price also includes:
- AIDA certification card for the courses.
- Transportation to and from the Blue Hole.
- Buoys, ropes and weights.
- Full freediving equipment for options 1, 2, 3
-Lotta and Linda as instructors and training coaches!

For any info contact us at:
lotta@freedivedahab.com
linda@freedivedahab.com

Hope to see you soon!

So I'll probably see you there Kenny!

And Sara, I'm comming back!!! Can't wait:inlove
Sending you a big hug,
Elisabeth

 

[Blue Straggler]

Thanks for the replies so far! Stephan - using only the Internet form, redseaflights returned flighs at over £300 on the same dates that I have quotes at £254 and £231. I guess redseaflights returns the "real" airline fare whereas I've been quoted discounted fare from block-booking agents.

SpeerO - I guess you just have to keep emailing Lotta! She may not reply INSTANTLY but she has replied to me within a few days each time I've been in touch. I imagine that she receives a lot of enquiries. I dont know which email address you have but perhaps it is worth trying either
lotta<<<<<<@<<<<<freedivedahab.com
or

linda<<<<<<@<<<<<freedivedahab.com

(take out the "<", I put them in so that "spambots" won't flood Lotta and Linda's inboxes!)
Elisabeth has posted all that I know so far anyway!

Sara - thank you for the tip about Taba, I will look into this. Though I imagine that any real saving might be offset by the doubling of the taxi fare each way? (Forgive me if I'm wrong - I have no experience of travelling in Egypt; I've just read "150-200 Egyptian $ for Sharm to Dahab, 1 hour journey" and am merely extrapolating!)

Elisabeth - thank you (and as an aside, I've backtracked and seen your achievements - amazing! I'll be truly honoured if I can meet you in Dahab!).

I am very much looking forward to coming out for the course, I've been wanting to do this sort of thing for over 10 years now (really!) but am only now getting around to it!

Hoping to do a bit of rock-climbing during my trip too, if anyone is up for it

Keep the tips coming. I'll have more questions about "what wetsuit" etc. and will prob keep everything on this thread...

Thanks

 

[trullalla]

Hi Kenny,
check you PM.

linda

 

[trullalla]

Sorry Kenny,
What i meant was:

SpeerO,
check you PM.

linda
p.s. the website should be out and running (and updated) in few days, finally!

 

[Blue Straggler]

Cheers everyone, well I have at least booked my flight now, arriving in Sharm on Sat 30th Sept at about 4pm. Just have to decide what to do for a couple of days before the course Might have a look around Sharm for a day, it can't be as bad as some people say!

 

[SpeerO]

I went to book my ticket today but wasnt sure where to book it to... where do i book it to? Cairo then take a cab/train/horse/camel to dahab? or how does it work?

I want to arrive on the 2nd of Oct.. i would get there at 1pm.. would that be enough time before we start diving? its only a three hour flight for me.

Thanx
Zane...

 

[Blue Straggler]

If you can fly to Taba or Sharm al-Sheikh it might be easy - i think Dahab is a 9 hour journey from Cairo but only 1 hour from Sharm and 2hr from Taba

 

[trullalla]

Speero
Is much better looking for a flight to sharm, there's dozens flights a day, it will be the easiest.
actually i never met anybody that flew in from taba...
i can arrange your transfer from the airport to the hotel if you like. (or you can catch a bus for 1.5 euro).

linda

 

[SpeerO]

Yaaay ill be in Dahab tomorrow:friday :martial

 

[octopus]

If I remeber correctly I went with these guys, from B'ham to Sharm:
http://www.ittio.co.uk/ITTIO/home.aspx
It cost me £180 , but I think you can get better deals if you book in advance.
It would be also very usefull if someone can arrange and send taxi for you from Dahab. That should cost you £15-£20. Airport taxi can charge you as twice as much (subject to your negotiating skills).

 

[Blue Straggler]

Hi all and thanks for all the info on this thread. I had a great time in Dahab, been very busy since I got back and haven't had time to look on Deeperblue.
I shall certainly return to Dahab sometime. Hopefully with working ears so I can equalise
Will write a little more another time.
Hi to all the lovely people I met there (too numerous to mention!)

 

[Blue Straggler]

Ok a bit of time to write a little more.

Unfortunately my course didn't quite go to plan because of (initially) my unexpected clumsy ineptitude in duck-diving and in getting myself vertical in the water....then once I'd just about sorted that out, I started having real difficulties equalising. I'm guessing it was just a minor infection causing a block; it got worse and worse until I was struggling even at 4m (usually I'm not even having to pinch my nose at 4m). So no AIDA 2* for me. Never mind.
It was a real joy to be out in Dahab, what a peaceful little resort, and populated by a large branch of the freedive "mafia" whilst I was out there
A great pleasure to meet (deep breath ):
Lotta, Linda, two Freds, Nathan, Hanli, Annelie, Natalie, Sophas, Andrea, Michelle, Roland, Stefan, two Peters, Soya, Elisabeth, Helen, Hank, Olga, Kosta and Jana, and of course my slightly more successful "classmates" Maurits and Waseem.

Every other aspect of my course went - wait for it - "swimmingly", I even get to feel all gnarly now cos I've already experienced a samba, er, oops. Hmm. Maybe not something to AIM for eh
And I did at least discover that I could equalise going feet first, so used a couple of training days to do some feet-first free immersion, which was very pleasurable. Obviously I didn't hit any great depths as I wasn't "pushing it" and had never really been in deep water before, but I am itching to come back for some more.....maybe in the Spring.

Hope to see some of you guys there again!

Kenny

 

[SpeerO]

Hey good to meet u too Kenny.. sorry u didnt get to finish what u wanted to do but hey at least u had fun doing it!

Im gonna be back there in couple days to do Umberto Pelizzaris course in sharm el sheikh... Cant wait!

Peace
Zane...