This is our dream. And we will help you fulfill yours.

My name is Marijke Krekels. I live with my beloved dog Bacho in the south of the Netherlands. I am a photographer. And I organize dolphin trips.

I didn't know I had a dream until this dream spontaneously came to me. My sister had booked a dolphin trip in 2018, and when she shared this with me, I knew: "This is my dream, I'm coming with you."

When we arrived at Sataya Reef and the tour guide said to me, "Welcome home, Marijke," I started to cry, because yes, this felt like home. A life-changing week followed, and I immediately wanted more. Six months later, I boarded the boat again, and that week brought me more life-changing insights, but above all, so much joy, love, and connection. And a seed was planted...

Snorkeling with dolphins in the wild Marsa Alam Egypt vacation trip safari

JUST BE YOU.

Due to the pandemic and personal circumstances, I was unable to go for a number of years. But I knew that as soon as my situation allowed, I would be back on that boat, heading home.

The first two trips were guided trips, which included meditation, chanting mantras, sharing circles, bodywork, etc. The two trips I took in 2023 were unguided, meaning there was no travel agency or spiritual guidance. I simply joined boats that still had room for a solo traveler. These trips were very different, but the encounters with the dolphins and the peace and serenity of the reef were still MAGICAL.

And the seed that had already been planted in my mind in 2019 was watered abundantly during those weeks and sprouted. It was time. For my own journey. A journey that is unguided, that has no spiritual program. A journey in which everything that comes along is allowed to happen. A journey in which EVERYONE can be themselves.

A group of people embracing each other on a boat with the ocean in the background, as the sun sets.

FOR EVERYONE.

So this trip is for EVERYONE. Whether you are interested in spirituality or not. Simply for EVERYONE who loves dolphins, who loves the underwater world, who loves the sun and the sea. For EVERYONE who has secretly been dreaming about this for a long time but didn't know it was within reach. For EVERYONE who is looking for depth, tranquility, and transformation, and also for EVERYONE who just wants to relax, enjoy, and play.

But this journey is not entirely without guidance. My bachelor's degree in Tourism & Recreation, which I obtained at the NHVT in 2003, is finally coming in handy. It seems as if all the pieces of the puzzle of my life are falling into place.

Fifteen years ago, I became a photographer because I wanted to make people happy. By giving them something lasting for the rest of their lives. And that is precisely one of the motivations for organizing this dolphin trip. Making people happy. Letting people experience love and connection. Giving people something they will remember for the rest of their lives. A dream that I can make come true for many. And that is an indescribably magical feeling.

But I don't do this alone. Below, I would like to introduce the rest of my team to you.

Love, Marijke

Meet Sayed.

Man with a smile on a ship, water and horizon in the background, wearing a light blue T-shirt and a silver necklace with a pendant.

Sayed does not like to be in the spotlight, but because of his role at Sataya Dolphin Safari, he deserves to be introduced properly.

Sayed worked as a snorkeling guide at Sataya Reef for 12 years. I got to know him as a snorkeling guide during my first trips in 2018 and 2019. However, during the pandemic, he stopped working as a snorkeling guide and decided to pursue what he had studied in his younger years, which was law in Cairo. Since the pandemic, he has been working as a lawyer in Quseir.

When we met again in Egypt in 2023 and I told him that I wanted to start organizing my own trips, he immediately said, "Then I'll take a break from being a lawyer and join you as a snorkeling guide on your trips, and I'll also arrange everything for you in Egypt."

So he is, among other things, my colleague, my right-hand man, a team leader of the crew and the guides, my translator and lawyer, and a good friend.

Sayed is a calm, cheerful man with a deep love for the Red Sea, Sataya, and the dolphins. When you see him swimming underwater and playing with dolphins, you can tell he is one of them. It is a joy to watch. Sataya is his home. Thanks to his years of experience, he can tell you a lot about the reef and its underwater inhabitants, and during the trip, he is the person to ask all your questions about the world below the horizon.

Safety and respect are of paramount importance to him. But above all, he does everything he can to ensure that participants want for nothing and can enjoy the trip of a lifetime.

Four people are standing on a boat, laughing and gesturing with their hands, with the ocean in the background.

Five people on a boat are looking out over the ocean, all wearing T-shirts with slogans and logos about the ocean and nature.

Five people are standing together on a boat with the ocean in the background, smiling and wearing casual summer clothes.

THE TEAM.

Sayed will not be the only guide during our trips. Two other guides will accompany him to ensure that the group enjoys the most beautiful underwater experiences, with the safety of every guest and respect for the dolphins always being paramount.

And Hassan and Yassen are these two other snorkeling guides.

Having a permanent team means that the atmosphere on the boat is always pleasant, we know each other through and through, and we are a team of friends. Each of us brings different qualities to the table.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of our guides, we are able to offer additional free activities, such as night snorkeling, gabana (Egyptian coffee ritual), dance evenings, campfires, shisha, etc.