Sharkweek South Africa
Sharkweek South Africa
Photo: Image by ScubaAddicts
Photo: Image by Simon Rogerson
Photo: Image by ScubaAddicts
Diving Itinerary
Embark on a big adventure in South Africa on this guided diving itinerary along the reefs of the Aliwal Shoal. This itinerary can be extended to explore Ponta do Ouro in Mozambique as well.
On this holiday, you’ll be able to observe sharks, learn how to identify different species, understand the sharks' behaviour and find out how sharks interpret your behaviour in return. You have the chance to dive with oceanic blacktip sharks, ragged tooth sharks, dusky sharks, guitar sharks, bull sharks, tiger sharks, hammerhead sharks & more. You can also see a huge variety of other marine life including whales, dolphin, turtles, manta rays, devil rays, eagle rays, ribbontail rays, eels, game fish, reef fish.
The itinerary includes 1o dives in total, combining reef dives, baited shark dives and even wreck dives.
This itinerary is recommended for more adventurous divers only with a little experience. Diving conditions can be dynamic, with launches are from RIBs. The itinerary also covers a large stretch of coastline, so expect to spend long periods travelling. The rewards, however, for those seeking adventure are plentiful.
This itinerary can also be extended to take in some of South Africa’s terrestrial wildlife, or to dive Ponta do Ouro, just over the border in Mozambique.
December to March is best for tiger and hammerhead shark, June to October for ragged tooth sharks and humpback whales.
10 days from £2,095
Send Enquiry Speak to an expert. Call 01353 659999
- Holiday type Trip Idea
- Recommended Dive Experience Advanced Open Water with 30+ dives
- When to Go Jan-Dec
Itinerary Highlights
- Come face to face with ragged tooth sharks
- Search the blue for oceanic black-tip sharks
- Seek out tiger and hammerhead sharks
- Enjoy a mix of reef, wreck and big fish diving
What’s included?
- Flights from the UK
- 7 nights dive resort
- Full board
- 10 dive package
- Afternoon dives if conditions allow
- Tanks, weights & Nitrox
- Dive permits and reef tax
- All local transfers
Day-to-day itinerary
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Day 1
Depart the UK for South Africa
Depending on your flight schedule, your routing may take you via Johannesburg, Dubai or Doha.
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Day 2
Arrive and transfer to your resort
On arrival to Durban, you’ll be met from your flight and transferred south to the small town of Umkomaas, a journey of around 50 minutes. This unassuming town lies due east of the famous Aliwal Shoal reef, where you’ll be diving for the next few days.
Begin a five night stay at the Blue Ocean Dive Resort. This lively and friendly dive resort is the ideal base for exploring the diving of this region. The colonial style property features 20 rooms, a small swimming pool, a restaurant & bar and dive centre on-site.
Well placed to access some of the most well-known dive sites of South Africa's east coast, the lodge at Umkomaas is run by a highly experienced South African dive staff, operating their own RIBs launched from the nearby beach and estuary.
Your stay is on a bed and breakfast basis.
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Days 3-8
Shark & reef diving in Aliwal Shoal
Over the next five days, you’ll make a total of 10 dives exploring the region. Your dive package comprises 6 reef or wreck dives on Aliwal Shoal, and 2 baited shark dives.
Aliwal Shoal offers fantastic shark, wreck and reef diving. Exciting launches can be expected through rolling surf, with most dive sites within 20 minutes of the beach or river launch. Dives are typically at 20-30 metres in depth, following the buoy line, drift diving along the reef or in the blue.
The Aliwal Shoal is situated about 5 kiloometres offshore from Umkomaas and is home to many shark species including ragged tooth sharks, oceanic blacktip sharks, dusky sharks, hammerhead sharks, tiger sharks, whitetip reef sharks, giant guitar sharks and sometimes other species.
While the main focus is to dive with the many shark species found in South Africa, the Aliwal Shoal Reef is home to a huge variety of other marine life including whales, dolphin, turtles, a variety of rays, eels, pelagic fish, reef fish and more.There are two wrecks that can also be dived, the MV Produce (1974) and the Nebo (1884). These are also great dive sites for marine life including ragged tooth sharks, huge brindle bass (a highlight), ragged scorpion fish, lesser guitar sharks, turtles, butterfly rays, ribbontail rays, moray eels, game fish and many species of reef fish. Wreck diving at the Aliwal Shoal is dependent on the current and conditions.
During the South African winter, between dives you can spot whales and dolphin during the surface interval. The humpback whale migration passes Aliwal Shoal between June and October. The whales are typically seen breaching and divers will often hear them underwater. Divers have occasionally seen them whilst on a dive, providing a once-in-a-lifetime scuba experience.
On day eight, you're free to relax before your flight home the following day.
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Day 9
Depart South Africa, or continue your adventure
Transfer by road in time for a late afternoon or early evening flight out of Durban.
Your itinerary does not have to end here though! There are possibilities to extend to explore South Africa’s topside wildlife in and around Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve, or continue your diving in Mozambique.
Optional Mozambique Extension
The diving in Mozambique takes place on the reefs between Ponta do Ouro, Ponta Malongane and Ponta Mamoli, which offer some of the best shark diving with bull sharks, hammerhead sharks and many other species of shark.
The reefs between Ponta do Ouro, Ponta Malongane and Ponta Mamoli are also home to a huge variety of other marine life including whales (June to end of October), dolphin, turtles, manta rays, devil rays, eagle rays, ribbontail rays, moray eels, pelagic fish, many species of reef fish and much more.
The diving is focused on getting up-close and personal with the many species of shark. Before each dive, the guides give a briefing to help you understand the behaviour of the sharks, ensuring you have a safe and knowledgeable dive with the sharks. -
Day 10
Arrive home
Umkomaas - South Africa
Well placed to access some of the most well-known dive sites of South Africa's east coast, the lodge at Umkomaas is run by a highly experienced South African dive staff, operating their own RIBs launched from the nearby beach and estuary.
Aliwal Shoal offers fantastic shark, wreck and reef diving. Exciting launches can be expected through rolling surf, with most dive sites within 20 minutes of the beach or river launch. Dives are typically at 20-30m in depth, following the buoy line, drift diving along the reef or in the blue.
Diving in Aliwal Shoal - South Africa
The Aliwal Shoal is rated as one of the top-10 dive sites in the world, and shark diving is offered most of the year. The Aliwal Shoal is situated about 5km offshore from Umkomaas and is home to many shark species including:
- Ragged Tooth Sharks
- Oceanic Blacktip Sharks
- Dusky Sharks
- Hammerhead Sharks
- Tiger Sharks
- Whitetip Reef Sharks
- Giant Guitar Sharks & sometimes other species
While the main focus is to dive with the many shark species found in South Africa, the Aliwal Shoal Reef is home to a huge variety of other marine life including Whales, Dolphin, Turtles, a variety of rays, Eels, Pelagic Fish, Reef fish & more.
Wreck Diving at the Aliwal Shoal is dependent on the current and conditions. There are two wrecks that we can dive, the MV Produce (1974) & the Nebo (1884) which are also great dive sites with loads of marine life including Ragged Tooth Sharks, Huge Brindle Bass [a highlight], Ragged Scorpion Fish, Lesser Guitar Sharks, Turtles, Butterfly Rays, Ribbontail Rays, Moray Eels, Game Fish, many species of reef fish.
During winter, between dives we also try to spot Whales & Dolphin during the surface interval. The Humpback Whale migration passes Aliwal Shoal between June and October. The whales are typically seen breaching and divers will often hear them underwater. Divers have occasionally seen them whilst on a dive providing a once in a lifetime scuba experience.
Diving in Ponta Do Ouro - Mozambique
Sharks Galore are waiting to be experienced in Ponta Do Ouro:-
- Bull Sharks
- Hammerheads
- Oceanic Black Tips
- Tiger Sharks
- Silver Tip sharks
- Java sharks
- Dusky sharks
- Grey Reef Sharks
- White tip reef sharks
- Spinner sharks
- Leopard sharks
- Guitar sharks
The diving in Mozambique takes place on the reefs between Ponta Do Ouro, Ponta Malongane & Ponta Mamoli which offer some of the best shark diving with Bull Sharks, Hammerhead Sharks and many other species of shark.
The reefs between Ponta Do Ouro, Ponta Malongane & Ponta Mamoli are also home to a huge variety of other marine life including Whales (June to end of October), Dolphin, Turtles, Manta Rays, Devil Rays, Eagle Rays, Ribbontail Rays, Moray Eels, Pelagic Fish, many species of reef fish & much more.
The diving is focussed on getting up up-close and personal with the many species of shark. Before each dive, the guides give a briefing to help you to understand the behaviour of the sharks, ensuring you have a safe and knowledgeable dive with the sharks.
Observe the sharks, learn how to identify the different species, understand the sharks behaviour and how sharks interpret your behaviour.
The diving is done from 8 metre RIBs which are launched from the beach at Ponta Do Ouro and dive sites are between 5 and 25 minutes away.
Dive Centre
Blue Ocean Dive Resort
Offering exceptional service to scuba divers, this family-owned and operated Blue Ocean Dive Resort offers daily diving excursions to the Aliwal Shoal, along with diving trips to Protea Banks.
The dive resort is well regarded for friendly and knowledgeable diving professionals, superior boats and equipment, boasting an outstanding safety record in an area of dynamic and occasionally challenging conditions.
Two morning dives are generally offered to benefit from the best local conditions. The resort has three RIBs each taking eight divers transporting divers out to the Aliwal Shoal, around 7 kilometres away, in just 10 to 15 minutes.
Extended twin centre adventures can also be arranged, combining Aliwal Shoal with Ponta do Ouro in Mozambique.
Please discuss your requirements with the Regaldive team, who will prepare a quotation suited to your needs.
Diving requirements
Divers are recommended a minimum of PADI Advanced Open Water or equivalent qualification and a recommended logged 40 dives prior to arrival. The dive sites only suit experienced divers with experience in deep water, carrying out safety stops in the blue with no visual reference and changeable surface conditions. Competent use of your own Delayed SMB is highly recommended and most dives are around 20-30m depth.
Related Resorts/Hotels
South Africa / Aliwal Shoal
Blue Ocean Dive Resort
Blue Ocean Dive Resort has just 20 rooms and is the perfect base for diving with sharks at Aliwal Shoal. With no single…
7 days from £2,465
Enquire about Sharkweek South Africa
Speak to an expert. Call 01353 659999 Send Enquiry