South Africa > Shark Diving South Africa

Aliwal Shoal, Sodwana & Rocktail Bay
Tiger, Blacktip, Ragged tooth & Whale Shark Diving

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'January - April'
Tiger Sharks, Blacktip Sharks, Spotted Ragged Tooth Sharks & Whale Sharks

DAY 1

  • Arrive Durban International airport, South Africa, where the Zulu Kingdom of KwaZulu-Natal awaits you
  • Meet your transfer to Fontana Farm, Aliwal Shoal, with it’s tranquil farm setting, complete with horses in the paddock and magnificent Indian Ocean and Umkomazi River views
  • Commence with the SharkLife / PADI Project Aware ocean conservation course (optional on this day) or spend the rest of the day at leisure, perhaps take a casual stroll around the 100 hectare farm
  • Dinner at a local restaurant

DAY 2

OPTION 1

  • 08h00     Breakfast
  • 09h00     Project Aware ocean conservation course
  • 11h00     Tiger shark specialty course
  • 13h00     Lunch
  • 14h00     Blacktip shark specialty course
  • 19h00     Dinner at a local restaurant

OPTION 2

Get yourself ready to dive Aliwal Shoal, one of the most diverse dive sites in the world, where the locals say “the dive is never over until you are back on the boat”

  • 06h30     Breakfast
  • 08h00     Dive 1 Aliwal Shoal, South Africa
  • 11h00     Light lunch
  • 12h30     Dive 2 Aliwal Shoal, South Africa
  • 15h00     Afternoon free
  • 18h00     Sundowners overlooking the Indian Ocean
  • 19h00     Dinner at a local restaurant

DAY 3

  • 06h00     Breakfast
  • 07h00     Depart for tiger shark & blacktip shark dive
  • 13h00     Lunch
  • 14h00     Afternoon free - horse riding an option
  • 17h00     Dinner at a Durban restaurant

DAY 4

  • 08h00     Breakfast
  • 09h00     Ragged tooth shark specialty course
  • 12h00     Light lunch
  • 14h00     Whale shark specialty course
  • 19h00     Traditional South African Braai/barbecue Al Fiume

DAY 5

  • 07h00     Breakfast
  • 08h30     Depart Fontana Farm – Aliwal Shoal

Transfer to Sodwana Bay – approximate travel time 5 hours.  Head up the North coast of KwaZulu-Natal with scenic views.  Stop and shop at Zamimpilo (time dependant) – a traditional Zulu cultural shopping experience.

  • 15h00     Arrive Sodwana Bay, South Africa

With its tropical diving, Sodwana Bay, rated alongside Aliwal Shoal as a top international dive site and certainly South Africa’s most popular dive destination.  The reefs are exquisite, with warm waters, great visibility and biodiversity said to rival that of the Great Barrier Reef.

  • 19h00     Dinner

DAY 6

  • 07h00        Breakfast
  • Launch 1    Look for whale sharks & whale shark interaction
  • Dive 1 Sodwana Bay
  • Lunch
  • Dive 2 Sodwana Bay
  • Afternoon free
  • Dinner

DAY 7

  • 06h00        Breakfast
  • Launch 3    Dive 3 interact with Spotted Ragged tooth shark
  • Lunch
  • Launch 4    2nd dive Spotted Ragged tooth shark or
  • Dive 4 Sodwana Bay
  • Afternoon free
  • Dinner

DAY 8

  • 07h00       Breakfast
  • Launch 5   Dive 5 Sodwana Bay
  • Lunch
  • 13h00       Depart for Rocktail Bay, South Africa
  • 14h30       Arrive Rocktail Bay - 1½ hours north of Sodwana Bay

Few places along the South African coastline are as unspoiled and secluded as this “secret spot” and during our time here you will be spoiled rotten with extraordinary diving, intimate service and pristine sandy beaches. 

These are some of the southernmost coral reefs in the world, sporting more hard coral species than the Caribbean and more than half the world’s soft coral species.

  • Afternoon free
  • 19h00     Dinner

DAY 9

  • Breakfast
  • Dive 1     Rocktail Bay – head out to Island Rock to dive with the pregnant Spotted Ragged tooth sharks
  • Dive 2     Rocktail Bay
  • Lunch
  • Afternoon or late afternoon free
  • Dinner

DAY 10

  • Dive 3     Rocktail Bay
  • After breakfast / dive, depart Rocktail Bay

An additional add-on can be to depart to Kwabhekithunga (Stewarts Farm) for a Zulu cultural visit or to continue with additional extensions to the itinerary.

NOTES:

The shark & ocean awareness courses are optional but are recommended prior to all shark diving taking place.  All courses are SharkLife & PADI accredited.

Rocktail Bay is a tide dependant launch and breakfast may take place prior to or after the 1st dive of the day.  Lunch may follow after the 2nd dive or it may take place in-between dives.

Turtle nesting & hatchling season at Rocktail Bay is from October to March each year and turtle drives are undertaken on the low tide.

This itinerary is a suggestion only and can be tailor made to suit client’s needs & weather changes and it can be designed to include a spectacular trip to one of the main South African game reserves in Hluhluwe or Umfolozi.

Rocktail Bay can be done as the 2nd destination after Aliwal Shoal, followed by Sodwana Bay and / or southern Mozambique and this can be mixed & matched to suit.