About Us
About Al Thuraya
We are an Egyptian company since 2019 that combines the blue wonders with exploring ourselves. It consists of a Swedish-Egyptian trio, two dive instructors, and a yoga teacher, who found each other through their passion for giving people a genuine experience and a huge love for the sea. We met at a diving center in Port Ghalib, a Marina near Marsa Alam, and became good friends. Between dives, there was a lot of talk about dreams and life goals, and we found our dreams were aligned. We felt an amazing connection and a common feeling of trust in each other and started planning for the future.
It is not only for you to have the best experience and understanding, but it isToday, many retreats later, we feel stronger than ever that swimming with dolphins can be truly life-changing. Caring for the dolphins is our most important value. We don't chase them; we always provide a solid briefing to ensure we don't disturb the animals. This is why seminars and workshops are important for us. Not only for you to have the best experience and understanding, its also to show you how amazing it can be when the dolphins reward you. And your encounter will be even more magical. We also
Our values and hearts lie in sustainability, and we strive to let this nature experience also help foster the conservation of this unique place. We are guests of Mother Nature, and having as little impact as possible is central to how we want to operate. Whether it is reducing our carbon footprint or our use of plastic, we try to improve, to do more, and to do better.
We are trying to eliminate disposable plastic and offer all our customers refill bottles for water.
We strive to use boats that share our interest in sustainability and have as little impact on the environment as possible. We still have a long way to go.
We want to give back to the sea, among other things, by offering to participate in a clean-up day on one of the islands near Sataya.
Marie Pleione
I'm a Hatha/Yin yoga teacher, a Reiki healer, a life coach, and a divemaster. For the last 5 years, I have dedicated myself to helping people find their true calling and overcoming self-doubts.
I took a huge leap of faith and gave up a secure life in Sweden to pursue a calling from the dolphins. After 20 years of marriage, I realized I had become completely comfortable and unfilled. I needed to find myself, and I had a huge hunger to create a different life. I missed a purpose, a community of like-minded people. I wanted to wake up in the morning and feel that I was connected to nature and made a positive impact on the world.
When I first came to Sataya, it felt like this was meant to be.
Meeting the dolphins changed me—my frequency, thoughts, and approach to life. Before, I was completely driven by fear of everything in my life, and for the first time, I felt I could do anything I set my mind to.
My love for the sea goes beyond passion. It's a calling. Scuba diving, free diving, and yoga have such a common feeling. It's about being present, in the moment.
My yoga teaching is about self-healing, restoring, accepting, and not running away from your feelings. We store a lot of emotions in our bodies, and we can reprogram ourselves by learning about the communication between body and mind.
Many say that dolphins can heal you. I can't tell you if this is true, but I feel their calming energy when in the water with them. It is the same presence that I feel when I go into my breathing exercises in my yoga practice. It’s all about calming down your nervous system to be able to navigate through everything that is happening inside you. Finding some clearness and self-reflection.
You can read more about my journey and also our story here
Meet the yacht
We will spend the week on a beautiful 30 m-long yacht with all the conveniences you would wish for to make your holiday fun and relaxing.
She has a big restaurant and salon with air-conditioning on the main deck—two recreation decks. One is shaded, with sofas, tables (and space for yoga and retreat activities). A big top sundeck that is perfect for yoga classes in the early morning and evening.
10 cabins for 20 people, four twin cabins on a higher deck with a sea view, and six twin cabins on a lower deck. All have individual air conditioning and private bathrooms with hot water showers and toilets.
All of the cabins have individual air-conditioning and plenty of space to stow your belongings for the week. Cabins are pre-allocated when booking, so please remember to check if you have a specific request.
GOOD MORNING SATAYA
If the dolphins have arrived, we will start our morning with a snorkeling tour. At 9:00 a.m., we have breakfast, and then we go back to the dolphins or just swim along the reef. When we come up from the water, we have time for some relaxation.
Lunch is served around 1:00 pm, followed by some relaxation. During the day, we let the dolphins rest and focus on other activities.
In the afternoon, we return to the blue for more dolphin encounters. They are getting ready to go out for a hunt. Now, they are usually slower, and this is a beautiful chance to swim side by side with them.
Dinner is usually served around 8:00 p.m., and the evening is free for each of us to rest, read, listen to music, or just enjoy being together.
During the day
When the dolphins are resting, we will have time for some retreat activities, depending on the program, and also some fun adventures like trying scuba diving or joining a guided scuba adventure. Some of our retreats are packed with workshops and lectures, and some have more time for scuba or snorkeling if you prefer. Remember, it's always your choice to participate in what you want. However, for a stress-free week, we have a maximum of one guided dive daily. If you have at least 50 dives and a buddy, you can go diving yourself.
When the sun sets...
and the dolphins leave the lagoon; we sneak up to the high deck to finish the day with a beautiful yin & restorative session.
Yin Yoga and Ceremonies
Some evenings, we have different happenings, like cacao ceremonies, lotus and water ceremonies, or mantra singing together. We come together and open our hearts to each other, ourselves, and Mother Nature.
