South Africa Unlimited – Diving with sharks!
Experience an unforgettable diving vacation to South Africa, Umkomaas. Dive indefinitely at Aliwal Shoal, where you will come face to face with sharks. Includes 3 “baited” dives for the ultimate adventure in the enchanting underwater world. Adventure and excitement guaranteed!
Travel period
Features
Starting at
Diving in South Africa at Aliwal Shoal
Go on a diving vacation to South Africa, specifically Umkomaas, where you will dive with sharks every day at the world-famous Aliwal Shoal. This vacation offers unlimited diving opportunities and includes as many as three “baited” dives for the ultimate shark dive.
Diving at Aliwal Shoal
During this dive vacation you will make a minimum of two dives per day, including three “baited” dives. Weather conditions determine how many additional dives you can make, thanks to the unlimited dive package. From diving with oceanic blacktip sharks and tiger sharks to exploring wrecks such as the MV Produce and Nebo, this trip offers new underwater adventures every day. Therefore, the reefs of Aliwal Shoal and the southern reefs of Rocky Bay make for varied diving.
Staying at the Blue Ocean Dive Resort
You will stay at the Blue Ocean Dive Resort, your home away from home. This resort offers excellent service and is the only dive operator with hotel accommodations, a fully licensed restaurant, sea view bar and dive center. With spacious rooms and no surcharge for solo travelers, enjoy comfort and convenience. The resort also offers various land activities such as safaris and horseback riding.
Best travel time for a diving vacation to South Africa
Aliwal Shoal is a great year-round diving destination thanks to the constant presence of sharks.
May to November: During these months, you can enjoy the sight of humpback whales. Moreover, this is the time when the Ragged Tooth Sharks use Aliwal Shoal as their mating ground.
June to November: This is the best time to see Ragged Tooth Sharks, as Aliwal Shoal is their favorite place to mate.
October to March: Hammerhead Sharks are often seen during this period.
December to May: These months are ideal for spotting White Tip Reef Sharks, Manta Rays, Tiger Sharks and Bull (Zambezi) Sharks.
Year-round: Oceanic (Pelagic) Black Tip Sharks, dolphins and turtles are present year-round, ensuring there is always something special to see.
Want to combine this trip with the Sardine Run? This is only possible in June and July.
Nb. The diving conditions are challenging on Aliwal Shoal, ideal for advanced divers with at least 30 dives and an Advanced Open Water certification. Nitrox and Marine Park Fee are included.
Average Temperatures
Wetsuit advice for diving in South Africa
Between November and May, 5mm is sufficient for most divers. For the other months, a 7mm can even be considered.
What will you experience on this diving vacation?
View itinerary here
Day 1 & 2 - Arrival in Durban
This diving vacation begins with a flight from Europe to Durban. The flight likely includes a short layover at Johannesburg, in the Middle East or Turkey. Total travel time will be between approximately 13 & 17 hours. On day 2, you land at Durban International Airport. At Durban airport you will be picked up and taken to the Blue Ocean Dive Resort in Umkomaas, about 80 kilometers south of the airport and close to the coast.
Upon arrival at the resort, you will be checked into your room. The rest of the day is devoted to relaxation. You can take a walk on the beach or relax by the pool. In the late afternoon you will receive a comprehensive briefing on shark diving at Aliwal Shoal, a preview for tomorrow.
Day 3 - 10 | Unlimited diving with sharks
The next eight days are all about diving as much as you can! During the Unlimited Aliwal Shoal Diving Adventure, you will have the chance to explore all the best dive sites on the Aliwal Shoal Reef System. This includes the southern reefs, depending on conditions, which are deeper and more advanced for added challenge. These reefs are rarely visited and are therefore rich in life. The two amazing wreck dives on Aliwal Shoal, the MV Produce (sunk in 1974) at 32 meters depth and the Nebo (sunk in 1884) at 24 meters depth, also make for impressive dives. Last but not least, you get the chance to do several “baited” dives with sharks.
Each day you can enjoy a variety of dives, from Baited Shark Dives with Oceanic blacktip sharks and sand tiger sharks to spotting manta rays, eagle rays, devil rays, dolphins and humpback whales. Diving conditions are challenging on Aliwal Shoal, ideal for advanced divers with at least 30 dives and an Advanced Open Water certification. Nitrox and Marine Park Fee are included.
Good to know!
During baited dives in Aliwal Shoal , the sharks are not fed.
During a baited dive, they lower a drum, a barrel with holes, into the water to about 5m deep.
Inside this barrel are remains of fish, usually sardines.
The smell of these fish remains smells super good to the sharks, and that’s what attracts them.
There are no cages or the like, during these dives you are in the water as usual.
For every day except Day 6, it is possible to make more dives(unlimited!) if weather and launch conditions are favorable.
Day 11 & 12 - On safari, to Mozambique or home?
Today, unfortunately, is already the end of this beautiful trip in South Africa. After a final breakfast at the Blue Ocean Resort, depart for Durban International Airport. But here you face a choice: do you return home, or extend your adventure?
At EWDR, we can offer a variety of customized safaris. Perhaps you choose to stay in South Africa and search for the Big 5 on a safari. Or maybe you feel more like a peaceful conclusion to your diving trip by traveling on to Tofo in Mozambique, where you can still make your most beautiful dives!
The accommodation
The stay and surroundings
Blue Ocean Dive Lodge
You will stay 9 nights this trip at the Blue Ocean Dive Lodge. The resort is beautifully situated overlooking the Indian Ocean and the Umkomaas Golf Course, and features a fully licensed ocean-view restaurant and bar, and of course a dive center. The historic 1934 building combines comfort and convenience.
With space for large groups of up to 24 (expandable to 32 with an additional boat) and a dive lodge that can accommodate up to 54 guests, they are perfectly equipped for any diver or dive association.
Travel costs
What is included
This diving vacation to South Africa is available from US$ 1.685 per person based on two people in one room. The diving trip can be expanded as desired. A number of things are included by default in this travel package.
Prices are subject to price changes, increases or changing exchange rates. Flights are always based on the cheapest possible booking class.
Want to know more about this diving vacation to South Africa? Get in touch with us!
Included in this diving trip, from US$ 1.685 p.p.
- 9 nights at the Blue Ocean Dive Lodge
- Accommodation on full board basis
- Return airport transfers Durban
- Dive package consisting of 8 days of unlimited diving*
- VZR, Calamity Fund & Administration fee
* For every day except Day 6, it is possible to make more dives (unlimited!) if weather and launch conditions are favorable.
Excluding
- Durban flight from US$ 1.010 p.p.
✈︎ The quoted (international) flight prices are indicative prices and based on departures from Europe.
However, we can arrange flights from any location worldwide.
Booking your own flights is of course also possible.
Optional
- BCD & Breathalyzer US$ 149 p.p.
- Full diving equipment US$ 223 p.p.
Email this diving vacation
Want to save or share the details of this diving trip with someone? You can do so by sending the trip by email.
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Frequently asked questions about diving at the Blue Ocean Dive Lodge
Diving in the Galapagos Islands general information
Boat diving, especially with sharks. In addition, you will also dive on 2 wrecks during this trip.
You must be at least Advanced Open Water certified and Nitrox is recommended.
Most dive sites are up to 30 minutes away by boat.
This is an unlimited package with a minimum of 2 dives per day, and in good weather conditions this can be extended.
Not directly at the resort, but nearby is the “house reef” of Aliwal Shoal. Accessible only by boat.
Yes, on-site
Diving equipment
The tanks are DIN tanks, but there are inserts to make them INT.
Yes, by request.
Yes, this is free for certified Nitrox divers.
BCD & Respirator are US$ 149 p.p. for this trip and you can extend this with mask, snorkel and fins for a total of US$ 223 p.p.
Activities, Excursions and Wellness
Safaris and horseback riding.
Accommodation / Resort
Yes, this is free
Yes, on-site
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