Thistlegorm

Top choice in Sharm El Sheikh

One of the top five wreck dives in the world, the Thistlegorm is a 129m-long cargo ship built in Sunderland, England, which was sunk during World War II. The ship had been on its way to Alexandria carrying supplies to restock the British army there; its cargo of armaments and vehicles including Bren gun carriers, motorbikes, Bedford trucks and jeeps can all be seen on dives within the wreck. Depth: 17m to 30m. Rating: intermediate to advanced. Access: boat.

The Thistlegorm can be dived on a long day trip from Sharm El Sheikh (the journey time is three hours) or as part of a longer live-aboard trip.

Contact

Address

Sha'ab Ali

Suggest an edit to this attraction

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Ras Mohammed National Park

22.04 MILES

The waters surrounding this peninsula, 20km west of Sharm El Sheikh, are home to spectacular coral reefs, including the world-famous Shark and Jolanda…
Dunraven

22.01 MILES

The Dunraven sank in 1876 on its way from Bombay to Newcastle. Today the wreck, found at the southeast tip of Sha’ab Mahmud, is encrusted in coral and…
Shark & Jolanda Reefs

28.04 MILES

This two-for-one special off the southern tip of Ras Mohammed is among the most famous dives in the Red Sea and rated one of the top five dives in the…
Sha'ab Abu Nuhas

24.91 MILES

More than a few ships have come a-cropper on this reef, just north of Shedwan Island, so if you're a wreck diving fan, this reef should be high on your…
Kingston

11.55 MILES

In 1881 the Kingston (a British iron screw steamer) was on its way to Aden when it struck the reef at Shag Rock and sank. The wreck is now a fascinating…
Al Sahaba Mosque

28.96 MILES

Designed by Fouad Tawfik, Sharm El Sheikh's new mosque fuses Fatimid, Mamluk and Ottoman style elements into its architecture and interior design. Whether…
Mangrove Channel

28.72 MILES

Green arrows lead to Ras Mohammed's Mangrove Channel, one of the most northerly mangrove forests in the world. Nearby, you can see huge cracks (one of the…
Main Beach

29.15 MILES

Aptly named Main Beach gets crowded with day trippers from Sharm El Sheikh, but with its vertical coral walls just offshore, it remains one of the best…

View more attractions

Nearby Sharm El Sheikh attractions

1. Kingston

11.55 MILES

In 1881 the Kingston (a British iron screw steamer) was on its way to Aden when it struck the reef at Shag Rock and sank. The wreck is now a fascinating…

2. Shag Rock

11.57 MILES

This sloping reef of hard and soft corals is home to plentiful flitting fishlife. Depth: 15m to 25m. Rating: beginner to advanced. Access: boat.

3. Ashrafi Islands

11.99 MILES

The Ashrafi Islands, north of Hurghada, are less-visited than many other dive sites in the area, but have several wrecks in relatively shallow water (8m…

4. Bluff Point

15.44 MILES

This steep wall dive with the small wreck onsite known as the Gubal Barge, is a popular add-on to Thistlegorm dive trips. Around the reef you'll easily…

5. Small Crack

18.45 MILES

Turtles, leopard sharks and reef sharks are sometimes spotted zipping about the long outer reef wall here, which is encrusted with gorgonian corals. This…

6. Dunraven

22.01 MILES

The Dunraven sank in 1876 on its way from Bombay to Newcastle. Today the wreck, found at the southeast tip of Sha’ab Mahmud, is encrusted in coral and…

7. Ras Mohammed National Park

22.04 MILES

The waters surrounding this peninsula, 20km west of Sharm El Sheikh, are home to spectacular coral reefs, including the world-famous Shark and Jolanda…

8. Alternatives

24.2 MILES

Flat-topped reefs called 'ergs' harbour plentiful fish. Rough waters or southerly currents can reduce visibility here to nada. Depth: 10m to 15m. Rating:…

View more attractions