WHALESHARK TOURS
What sets us apart from the rest?
Clarification
About Whalesharks
Swimming with whale sharks is a once in a lifetime opportunity not to be missed. Ningaloo Whaleshark n Dive's passionate whale shark interaction tour team will show you a whale shark experience you’ll never forget. We have no age restrictions – if you can swim, you can swim with a whaleshark!
On your whaleshark tour, our experienced experts will help you to learn all about these elusive creatures, and assist and guide you at all times.
WHAT SETS US APART FROM THE REST!
- Qualified Marine Biologist on board everyevery swimming with whale sharks tour
- Professional Videographer onboard
- Experienced, passionate whaleshark guides
- High quality equipment
- Up-to-date scientific research and interpretive material provided
- Very YUMMY gourmet lunch and snacks
- All government fees included in tour price
- Most eco friendly vessel on the Ningaloo Reef!
CLARIFICATION
Please note that Ningaloo Whaleshark-n-Dive (NWD) chooses to share 'spotter aircraft' with other whale shark tour operators. This allows us to utilise multiple planes to search for whale sharks over greater distances and for longer periods of time. Operators who choose to participate in a 'sharing' system also 'share' any whale sharks located by the aircraft. This ensures that guests on each vessel have the best opportunity to interact with a whale shark, even on days when sightings may be lower than usual.
REQUIREMENTS
If you can swim, you can snorkel with whalesharks – they are gentle giants. No age restrictions!
WHALESHARK INTERACTION TOUR INCLUDES
- All transfers from your accommodation in Exmouth
- All DEC fees
- All meals, including gourmet buffet lunch. Special diets can be catered for (please notify us before)
- Tea/Coffee and refrigerated water complimentary
- Hire of high quality equipment
- Whale shark spotter planes
- Hot fresh water showers after in-water activities.
Time 7.30am Return approx 4.30pm
PRICE
Adults Snorkelling: $365.00
Children: $260.00
Observer: $250.00
Family (2+2): $1125.00
OVERNIGHT WHALESHARK AND DIVE ADVENTURE
Overnight expedition on the stunning Ningaloo Reef, includes Whaleshark interaction and 4 dives from only $1395 per person.
DEPARTS MONDAYS ONLY!
DAY 1
At 7am on day one the crew from Ningaloo Whaleshark n Dive will pick you up from your accommodation in Exmouth. From here you will be transferred to the west coast of the North West Cape where our superior dive vessel ‘Aliikai’ will be ready for boarding.
After a short safety briefing and introduction to the crew and other passengers, we will travel to our first dive site for the day, somewhere on the Ningaloo Reef. After the dive, enjoy morning tea and an in-depth Whaleshark Interaction briefing incorporating information on latest research involving Whale Sharks.
Our plane will then start searching for Whalesharks, once spotted we will start our interaction with these gentle giants. The time that we spend with the whalesharks will depend on the sightings for the day!
At some stage we will sit down to a lovely buffet style lunch, consisting of cold meats and array of fresh salads. After lunch and when our whale shark activities have come to a close, there will be time to snorkel in the calm waters of the lagoon, or just sun bathe and reflect on the day so far!
We will then travel to the outer reef for our next dive. When the diving activities are finished the crew will cook an ‘Australian’ style barbeque of fresh Exmouth seafood.
After dinner enjoy a beverage and a presentation of the day’s footage taken by our professional videographer.
DAY 2
Start the day with a cooked breakfast. We will then travel to Dive Site 1. When the dive is completed we will spend the surface interval searching for wildlife on the outer reef, (we often encounter manta rays and humpback whales in season)
After Dive 2, enjoy lunch with the crew, before travelling back to Tantabiddi Beach where your bus will be waiting to transfer you back to your accommodation in Exmouth.
ADVANTAGES OF THIS WHALESHARK TOUR!
SMALL GROUP NUMBERS
Usual Whaleshark tours can have up to a maximum of 20 passengers, this means you share the Whaleshark with a group of ten other people. On this tour, the maximum number of people on the boat is 10! Once we split into two groups, the maximum number of people with the shark at any time is five. This makes a huge difference!
DIVE THE TRUE NINGALOO REEF
Most dive tours departing Exmouth dive either Light House Bay or Muiron Islands. On this tour we dive the TRUE Ningaloo Reef and dive sites that are not frequented by other dive companies.
INCLUSIONS
- Transfers
- All meals, special dietary requirements can be catered for with prior notice
- Marine park fees
- Spotter plane
- All equipment including dive computers
- Camp bed and bedding
- DVD of the entire tour.
EXCLUSIONS
- Alcoholic Beverages – please BYO or available for purchase.
RATES
|
CABIN |
PRICE |
|
SOLE |
$1995.00 |
|
TWIN / DOUBLE |
$1495.00 |
|
QUAD SHARE |
$1395.00 |
ABOUT WHALESHARKS
- Despite their size, whale sharks are not whales – they are sharks and the largest fish in the sea
- Whale sharks grow up to 18 meters in length
- Whale sharks have a flat broad head and mouth which can up to be a metre wide•
- Their skin is a mottled grey colour covered in hundreds of dots. Some people think that they resemble an an Aboriginal dot painting
- A whaleshark’s skin is rough like sandpaper and very thick to protect them from cuts and wounds
- They are completely harmless and feed only on plankton
- Planktonic matter lives in the seawater and becomes concentrated around Ningaloo Reef following the coral spawning in March and April
- To feed, whalesharks open their mouths wide and allow the water to be channelled through their gills.
- Whale shark’s gills are lined with hundreds of tiny teeth called gill rakers, which collect up the plankton and allow the water to pass back out
- Sharks in general, whale sharks included, have very slow growth rates, are late to mature and have a low fecundity (birth rate), which makes them very susceptible to overfishing.
- Mature whalesharks have few natural predators – their biggest threat is HUMANS!
NO SIGHTINGS POLICY
In the unlikely event that we do not spot a whaleshark on your tour, Ningaloo Whaleshark n Dive will offer you a second trip at no charge on the next available whale shark tour. If for any reason you are unable to make this tour, unfortunately we cannot refund any monies under any circumstance. We will, however, offer a non- transferable voucher that is valid until the end of the season