Photographic safari on luxury catamaran yacht from Nungwi, Kendwa or Mkokotoni

Minimum age: 13

Highlights

• Luxury catamaran yacht cruise
• Encounter with dolphins and majestic humpback whales
• Capture magical moments on your camera thanks to the slow and steady movement of the boat

All about the trip

Birds, fish, dolphins and whale watching from a catamaran on one of our Zanzibar photographic safaris is particularly good! The slow, steady movement of the boat is conducive to taking great photographs. A photo captures a single moment in time, and this specialized excursion is designed to capture the magical moment when you encounter wild dolphins and majestic humpback whales in and around the Bay of Nungwi and the Zanzibar Channel. As a matter of fact, the essence of our photographic safari is to find the wildlife and enjoy those precious moments when you can sit peacefully and watch the whales and dolphins play, breach, or just hang out.

Embark on the photographic safari on a luxury catamaran yacht!

Tanzania’s Indian Ocean is home to one of the least known populations of humpback whales in the world. For this reason, our photographic safari is the perfect way to see these beautiful animals in their natural environment! Herds of migrating humpback whales and their calves arrive in these warm tropical waters of Zanzibar in late July. Significantly, August is now becoming the most popular month for sightings. Humpback whales pass through these waters on their migration route between July and the end of October each year.

At close range, humpback whales are easily distinguished from any other large whale by their remarkably long flippers. Amazingly, their flippers are approximately one-third of the length of their body! In recent years, many different humpback whales around Zanzibar have often approached boats for “friendly” encounters. Furthermore, this phenomenon has been increasing over the years. It is probably related to a new generation of whales curious about boats. Whales that occur in Zanzibar's waters are humpback whale, sperm whale, Blainville’s beaked whale, short-finned pilot whale, false killer whale, and the most commonly found species of dolphins in our waters here in Zanzibar are: spinner dolphins, Rizzo’s dolphins, Indo-Pacific Bottlenose dolphins, and common bottlenose dolphin and other dolphin species not so commonly seen include: Indian Ocean humpback dolphins, Frazer’s dolphins, and pantropical spotted dolphin.

There is no such thing as a “typical day” on this adventure tour because often it is the “wild ones” (the whales and dolphins) who are in charge of the daily itinerary. We can’t always predict where they are, so we will let them guide us along their preferred route of the day.

Season

Humpback whales: July, August, and September

Dolphins: All year round

Fish: October - mid-December and again late February - April

Sea birds: October - mid-December and again late February - April

Please Note: We sail whenever possible, but depending on weather conditions or whale activity we may need to use our engines for the safety of the animals, in accordance with our “Be Whale Aware” policies for safe and sustainable humpback whale viewing and our policy here is to adhere to a code of conduct that minimizes the disturbances and negative impact on the whales and dolphins we encounter. Furthermore, we also try to record as much data as possible during these encounters so as to help contribute to the conservation of these beautiful animals. You are very welcome onboard and please feel free to assist when it comes to gathering information whilst we are out there!

What is included in the price

• Pick-up and drop-off from your hotel in a private car to and from the yacht
• Marine park fees
• Freshly prepared snacks
• Freshly prepared seafood lunch
• Fruits and soft drinks
• Yacht charter
• Mineral water
• Beer and wine
• Marine conservation fees
• Diving (certified divers only)
• Snorkeling gears
• Transport waiting charge
• All taxes, fuel surcharges, and service fees

What is not included in the price

• Domestic and international flights
• Gratuities for safari guide and safari chef (please tip separately)
• Visa fee (50 USD /100 USD for American or Irish Passport holders – to be paid upon arrival)
• Airport taxes
• Personal expenses

Instructions

This activity is organised by Safanta Tours and Travel comp., Chukwani street, P.O.BOX 3651, Urban/West Region, Zanzibar, Tanzania, +255 778 856 362, info@safantatours.co.tz.