WARNING:
This safari is dedicated to shark diving. Whether you join us for the 7 days on the South Coast or extend your trip to include two days at Sodwana Bay, all dives will be focused on sites with the highest chance of shark action.
MISSION:
To identify 7 Shark Species in just 7 days... are you up for the challenge!?
Upon your arrival at King Shaka International Airport (Durban) you'll be warmly welcomed by the Immerse Yourself Crew who will be your guides throughout your dive safari. From here we will make our way down to the little coastal town of Umkomaas (meaning the river/water of whales). Upon arrival at the beautiful 3star Guesthouse with full 180˚ sea view of the open Indian Ocean. You will be shown to your room where you will have some time to freshen-up before meeting us for welcome drinks on the deck.
After a small breakfast we will make our way to the kitting up area where we will get ready for our first two dives on the world renowned Aliwal Shoal. Here you might have the opportunity to get up close to the inquisitive Ragged Tooth Sharks, Guitar and Reef Sharks that hang around the shoal for most of the year. Hammerheads, Manta Rays and various pelagic species often pass by in mid water as well, so keep a look out. On our way back to shore we will scout around for the more elusive Whale Shark and with luck will have the chance to snorkel with the biggest fish in the ocean.
Brunch will enjoyed at the guesthouse after the dives and the rest of the afternoon will be yours to spend at your own leisure around the pool or on the beach. An additional afternoon dive can be arranged (weather permitting) or we can arrange a trip to the breathtaking Oribi Gorge with a chance to do the world’s highest gorge swing for those of you who are feeling brave.
An early rise the next morning, a small breakfast and you will be set for a day to remember! The next four days will be filled with exciting, once in a life time sightings of the notorious Tiger and Bull Sharks on our exclusive shark dives.
The Tiger Shark dives are launched from the Umkomaas River and a 20min boat ride takes you to the Southern Ledge of Aliwal Shoal. Here we will create an odour corridor to attract the sharks to our chosen site. While the sharks make their way there, we’ll head off for another reef dive on the shoal. We will enjoy refreshments following this dive whilst we make our way back to our shark site. Get ready to experience the pleasure of seeing some of the greatest ocean predators in their natural environment. Various other shark species such as Oceanic Black-tips and Duskys also make their way to the station.
The Bull Shark dives take us down to Shelly Beach for our surf launch, a 40min drive with a minibus from Umkomaas. The Bull Shark dive is done off Protea Banks and follows the same concept as the Tiger Shark dive. We will do a reef dive on Protea Banks before each of the shark dives, our main focus here will be on Hammerheads, Raggies as well as Reef Sharks.
The arrival of day 7 will sadly mark the end of your 7 Species Safari. With a list of shark sightings ticked off in your log book, new friends made and plenty of amazing stories to go home with this will be your last day in South Africa. You'll enjoy a late morning with breakfast and spend rest of the day relaxing and getting packed for your return flight. The Immerse Yourself Crew will transfer you to the airport and wish you a fond farewell with hopes of seeing you again soon!
Shark Species: |
Probability rating: |
|---|---|
| Tiger Shark | * * * * |
| Bull Shark | * * * * * |
| Hammerheads | * * * * |
| Ragged Tooth (Sand Tiger) | * * * * |
| Oceanic Black-tip | * * * * * * |
| Dusky Shark | * * * * |
| Copper Shark | * * * |
| Silver-tip | * * * |
| Whale Shark | * * * * |
| Thresher Shark | * * |
| Leopard Shark (Zebra) | * * * |
| White-tip Reef Shark | * * * * |
| Black-tip Reef Shark | * * * * |
| Guitar Shark | * * * |
| Great White | * |
Safari Includes:
- Registered and Experienced Shark Guide
- All Transfers
- 6 Nights’ Accommodation - Guesthouse (Dinner, Bed and Breakfast)
- 6 Reef dives
- 2 Tiger Shark dives
- 2 Bull Shark dives
- Soft drinks, Juices and Waters
- Tanks, Weights and Air Fills
- Afternoon Trips (e.g. Oribi Gorge, Lake Sibaya etc.)
Safari Excludes:
- Flights, Taxes and Entrance Visas
- Lunches and alcoholic drinks
- Personal Travel and Dive Insurance
- Dive Gear (available on request)
- Dive Gear (available on request)
- Any Additional Dives
| R23 800.00 p/p/s |
| R25 500.00 single sup. |
| R13 900.00 non-diver |
Please Note – The three day Sodwana Bay extension that you can add at the start of your 7Day Shark Safari means we will make our way up north on the east coast to Sodwana Bay upon your arrival at King Shaka Int.
*This is still a fully guided extension with your Immerse crew.
Exquisite scenery will surround you as we enter the Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park with its pristine lakes, winding river estuaries, dense coastal forest and the world’s highest natural sand dunes protecting miles of golden beaches. This beauty forms the backdrop for your four day stay in Sodwana Bay. The afternoon will be spent exploring area or relaxing before sundowners are served as the African sun sets.
Next morning after breakfast we will head down to the beach for your first 2 dives. Exciting beach launches in a RHIB takes you beyond the wave breaks into the open Indian Ocean for some excellent diving, and of course focussing on Sharks… various Reef Sharks, Silver-tips, Leopard and Whale Sharks are quite common to see cruising the tropical reefs of Sodwana Bay. Your surface interval will be spent on the beach and a small brunch will be provided before the fun begins again. Early afternoon will be yours to spend at your own leisure before we take you on an optional horseback outing through the nature-reserve followed by sundowners on the beach.
The following morning you will again do two morning dives leaving the afternoon open for group activities or your own leisure time. We can organize off-road quad biking, Micro-light flights around the bay, hippo and croc spotting at Lake Sibaya at dusk or just relaxing on the beach with a cooler box packed with refreshments. In the evenings relax around a campfire or on your terrace or join us for a cold beer at a local African Shebeen.
The arrival of day four marks the end of your stay in Sodwana Bay. You'll enjoy your last dive on Sodwana's pristine reefs before you'll have some time to freshen up, and from here we will make our way back down the coast to Umkomaas for the start of the 7Day Itinerary...
Flights: This safari starts in Durban. It is best to arrive sometime before lunch. International flights from the UK, Europe or America generally fly via Johannesburg or Cape Town, but there are some direct flights to King Shaka International. We are usually able to arrange internal flight connections from Johannesburg or Cape Town to Durban for you should you require this service.
Please do not hesitate to contact us dive@scubasafaris.co.za