Diving Umm Gamar (Egypt)

I dove Umm Gamar in May 2026 with All Star Liveaboards, by boat out of Hurghada, Egypt.

Umm Gamar translates to "Mother of the Moon" in Arabic, as the island has a large crescent shape.

The reef sits roughly 10 miles (16 km) offshore from Hurghada in the northern Egyptian Red Sea and is a standard stop on most liveaboard itineraries running the northern circuit.

It is a horseshoe-shaped reef with a wall on the outer edge dropping to over 100 ft (30 m) and a shallow coral plateau on top that averages 20 to 30 ft (6.1 to 9.1 m).

My dive averaged 38 ft (12 m) over 44 minutes with a max of 85 ft (26 m).

I dropped down the wall for the deeper section early, and spent the rest of the dive working up the coral plateau.

What Marine Life I Saw

Hard coral across the top with clownfish in their anemones, goatfish and parrotfish moving over it, and a titan triggerfish that came straight at me.

Conditions

Visibility on my dive was 100 ft (30 m).

This is one of the clearest reefs I have dived.

Water temperature ranged from 75.2 to 78.8°F (24 to 26°C).

Current was little to none, making it a relaxed, drift-free dive. A 5mm wetsuit is comfortable in May.

Getting Here

Umm Gamar is a boat-only site.

I dove it through All Star Liveaboards out of Hurghada, which includes it on their northern Red Sea itinerary.

Day trip operators in Hurghada also run it regularly if you are not on a liveaboard.