Scuba diving in Inhambane is amongst the best in the world, with reefs close to every beach, including the world famous Manta Reef and Galleria. Regular sightings of giant manta rays, whale sharks, turtles and other teeming marine life make this one of the best gap year diving destinations in the world. This is an intensive diving trip in the best place in the world to dive with whale sharks. Cheaper and a lot more dives than the conservation project too.
“The best thing about this trip was overcoming fears, meeting new friends, getting to know a new skill, seeing amazing places. Diving is a skill for life which is fantastic.”Sam Pizer
“The diving was fantastic, plus I got to go on a few Snorkel trips with whale sharks too ;))”Katie L.
Whale Shark Diving Mozambique
If you love diving, amazing beaches and want to dive with whale sharks, manta rays and experience one of the best diving locations in the world (according to the Lonely Planet) then this is the trip for you! We run this Amazing Value for Money programme in conjunction with some of the worlds experts with great records of success for locating and diving with whale sharks. You will stay close to the stunning beach of Tofo and dive every day. Besides diving there is plenty to keep you occupied, from snorkelling excellent coral reefs, to surfing, kitesurfing and horse riding.
Whale Shark Diving Mozambique Highlights Include:
- Diving with whale sharks every day!
- Ideal spot for watching humpback whales.
- Located in Tofo the best place in the world to watch whale sharks.
- Unlimited ocean safaris to snorkel with whale sharks.
- Accommodation, breakfasts and all diving gear included.
- Diving at registered PADI Dive Centre.
- Accommodation with restaurant and bar and lounge areas.
- Option to do courses from Discover Scuba up to Dive Master.
Photos
Itinerary
There is no set itinerary with this programme, but a typical day might be as follows.
Get up nice and early to enjoy the continental breakfast at your resort close by the Indian Ocean, if you are really early you will see an impressive sun rise over the ocean, but knowing the night life in Tofo that pleasure might be a one off!
Then head to the dive centre to grab your equipment before heading out on an ocean safari.
The ocean safari takes place every day at 10.30, and is your best bet for interacting with a whale shark any where in the world! All snorkelling gear, including rash vests are included.
Part of this briefing is devoted to educating our swimmers on the importance of correct interaction between us and the whale shark. Remember, no touching the whale sharks ever (their skin is sensitive to human bacteria).
Then its out on to the beach for the launch, there is usually a buzz of excited nervous anticipation with the group, wondering how many you will see today, and whether manta rays will make an appearance. You can very often swim with manta rays and dolphins on the safari.
The guides are highly skilled at tracking the whale sharks, and before long you will be able to enter the water with them (video of a whale shark swim – not set in Tofo).
After the safari, it is back to the dive centre, and lunch, fresh barbecued fish to satisfy your appetite after a morning of chasing an 18 metre fish in the deep blue.
Then dive time!
You have 27 dives available to you on the 4 week trip (or 20 on the 2 week option), you decide when you want to go locally, but you should always consider that you should dive after the ocean safari not before (because you still have nitrogen in your bloodstream), so afternoons are better for diving, unless you are skipping the ocean safari for the day.
There are up to 16 scuba dive sites that can be explored, and new sites are being discovered regularly. Depths vary between 10 to 40 meters; and every scuba diver will be able to dive in Tofo, even though deeper dives are for advanced scuba divers only. So quite often, people upgrade to do their advanced open water course before they go or locally (you can pre-book this before you travel).
Visibility does vary underwater, but sometimes it is 30 metres! It all depends on plankton, currents, wind and tides, but is usually between 5 and 30 meters. The water temperature varies from 23 to 29 degrees Celsius depending on the time of the year.
The underwater world around Tofo Beach carries large amounts of nutritious plankton, attracting many different species of marine life. Leopard sharks, sea turtles, devil rays, honeycomb morays, potato groupers, sea moths, frog fish, Spanish dancers, scorpion fish, barracudas, crocodile fish, nudi branches, and harlequin shrimps, it is consider to be one of the best dive locations in Africa.
The Small Eye Stingray is the worlds largest stingray, and was recently identified in Tofo by marine biologist Dr. Simon Pierce. The species is a common sight off Tofo, one of the only places it has ever been sighted alive.
If you are not a qualified diver yet we can upgrade your booking with an Open Water Dive course for £350.
After your dives
Then it is beach time! Or surf time, or kitesurf time, or just good old fashioned, book in a hammock with a cold beer. A little chill out to regain some energy (snorkelling and diving is tiring but feels so good!) and then a show before dinner with your new backpacker mates. There is always something happening in Tofo, and there are always temptations to party in the evening. Whether you join in the fun or not is up to you, because when that sun comes up tomorrow, you can do it all over again. Still, diving is probably the worlds greatest hangover cure anyway…
Trip Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I go to Mozambique to dive with whale sharks?
Where on Mozambique will I be located?
How often can I get to see whale sharks?
Are the dives specifically for tracking whale sharks?
Tell me more about the ocean safari?
What are the facilities of the dive centre?
- Registered PADI Dive Centre.
- Courses from Discover Scuba up to Dive Master.
- 3.5 metre training pool.
- Classroom.
- Gear service facilities.
- Full range of rental diving gear.
- Nice bar and restaurant facilities.
- Cosy accommodation very close to the beach
What is the difference between our whale shark diving and conservation project?
Which meals are included?
Do I go in scuba gear on the ocean safaris?
On the ocean safaris, you do not need to go in scuba gear, you snorkel or freedive. If you have never been in the water with a whale shark, here is the reason why you do not do this in scuba gear. Whale sharks are surface feeders and descend to 25 metres and back up to the surface regularly, they are also reasonably fast in the water as well (they swim around the same speed as someone doing a leisurely front crawl). In scuba gear it is really hard to keep up with them from the drag on the equipment, and the fact that they ascend and descend so much would make it dangerous if you attempted to follow them up and down (you might get the bends). While most divers are aware of this, you would be surprised how many experienced divers just lose it when they see one, and start maintaining erratic profiles to keep up with the whale sharks. If you are snorkelling, not only is it easier to keep up with them, but you are free to duck and dive with them and ascend at any rate.
As you do this in the morning, you are free of residual nitrogen and can do this as much as you want, in the afternoon you can go diving, surfing or chilling on the beach.
Are whale sharks dangerous?
I am not a qualified diver yet..can I still join?
Can I do anything else there?
What about malaria?
If Africa is so cheap how come this is so expensive?
How do I know if this trip is for me?
Price
2 weeks | £1,452 |
3 weeks | £1,749 |
4 weeks | £1,991 |
6 weeks | £2,558 |
8 weeks | £2,910 |
12 weeks | £3,943 |
Extra 4 Weeks | £1,053 |
Included
- Total of 27 dives in 4 weeks (or 20 in 2 weeks) with dive leaders trained to track whale sharks
- All dive equipment
- Unlimited ocean safaris with guides
- Snorkel equipment
- Accommodation based on a private African hut (very basic)
- Breakfasts
- Detailed pre-departure pack
- Locally based co-ordinators on hand to give assistance
- 24 hour emergency number
Excluded
- Evening meals
- Flights
- Visas
- Sleeping bags (bring a pillow case to stuff)
- Scuba Dive Training Course (Available on request approx £350 per course)
- Transfers to and from airport.
Dates
You can start this trip any time please contact us for startdates