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KwaZulu Natal Holidays Tours South Africa Zulu Battlefields Durban Safari

Shark Diving Holiday, South Africa: Aliwal Shoal + Protea Banks + Sodwana Bay

South Africa Diving: Sodwana Bay + Safari + Aliwal Shoal
Shark Diving Holiday South Africa Aliwal Shoal Protea Banks Sodwana Bay
12 NIGHTS FROM:
$2,627
Per person sharing
Scheduled flights quoted separately
SRV12R
• KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
• Durban
• Sodwana Bay
• Mozambique Reef
• Hluhluwe Safari
• Open Top Game Drives
• Aliwal Shoal
• Ragged Tooth Sharks
• Protea Banks
• Shark Diving Holiday South Africa

If you are an experienced diver, this thrilling shark diving holiday in South Africa will give you the opportunity to free dive off Aliwal Shoal & Protea Banks on the warm Durban South Coast - one of the top shark dive sites in the world. Also dive the Mozambique Reef off Sodwana Bay & enjoy a Big Five safari. From June to Nov you can see the ragged tooth shark migration. All transfers, diving & game drives included.

Day 1
You will be met at Durban Airport and transferred to your hotel on the warm North Coast, renowned for its wonderful beaches and warm holiday weather.
  
Check in and relax on the shores of the warm Indian Ocean.
Day 2
Today transfer 4.5-hours through rural Zululand to remote Sodwana Bay Marine National Park in the St Lucia Wetlands, recognised for its importance in marine conservation as a World Heritage site.
 
Sodwana Bay is South Africa’s premier scuba diving location, with easy access to the warm Mozambique Reef which can be dived all year round, although the best conditions are during the warm summer months (November to May).
 
Check in to your dive lodge, comprising simple but comfortable log cabins situated in indigenous coastal forest near the beach, and relax in your remote surroundings, where monkeys and antelope roam free.
 
Note: Divers must produce qualification and check in at Dive shop on arrival to confirm your dive times and sort out gear hire. All dive packages priced to 2-mile reef and include free air fills.
Days 3 To 5
Rise early each morning, to be on the beach at Sodwana Bay by 06h30 when underwater viewing conditions are at their best. From the wide beach, expect an exhilarating surf entry into the clear warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Water temperatures average 20-25°C and visibility is excellent at 30-50 ft, as no major rivers flow into the sea at this point.
  
Depending upon prevailing weather conditions, you have a choice of over 20 different dive sites, with the reefs named after their distance from the beach. The hard and soft corals, canyons and caves are teeming with a huge variety of sea life, including over 1,200 species of fish, turtles, bottle-nosed dolphins, moray eels, ribbon tail rays, mantas, butterfly fish, angelfish, sharks, migrating whales (April to July), whale sharks (January to February) and much more. After breakfast there is time for a second dive, but as the North-Easter tends to blow after 10h00, all dives should be completed by midday.
 
Note: Hire of air cylinders, weights & regulator included. Other gear can be hired if required.
 
Non Divers: Relax by the swimming pool or on the beach, surrounded by the highest naturally vegetated sand dunes in the world. Alternatively enjoy one of the optional lodge activities such as an Ocean Safari to search for dolphins, bird watching, guided walking trail, horse riding, quad biking or deep sea fishing. From November to January there is also the option of an evening Marine Trail along the beach to see the remarkable spectacle of egg laying and hatching of loggerhead and leatherback turtles.
Day 6
Today there is time for a final early morning dive at Sodwana Bay, before your 2-hour transfer to Hluhluwe National Park, renowned for its outstanding wildlife.
 
Check into your lodge situated near the park and in the afternoon enjoy a thrilling shared open top game drive into this famous wildlife sanctuary.
Day 7
Today enjoy shared open-top game drives into Hluhluwe National Park, accompanied by a lodge ranger.
 
One of South Africa’s most beautiful game parks, Hluhluwe is home to all the Big 5 - lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhino - as well as the subcontinent’s largest population of endangered black rhino, which this park saved from extinction. You can also hope to see many other interesting species including giraffe, hippo, kudu, crocodile, waterbuck, warthog and baboon. With over 300 different bird species, outstanding bird watching is also guaranteed.
 
After returning to your lodge in the late morning, set out again in the afternoon for another game drive. After a beautiful African sunset, enjoy the balmy evening and pristine stars of the southern hemisphere.
 
Note: Game drive packages vary by lodge (see hotel details). Vehicles are not allowed to drive off-road in any national park in South Africa. Children < 6 are not allowed on open top game drives.
Day 8
After an early morning game drive, leave Hluhluwe and transfer 4-hours to the warm Durban South Coast, renowned for its wonderful beaches and holiday weather.
 
Check into your hotel within reach of the famous Aliwal Shoal and relax in your lush tropical surroundings.
Day 9
Today divers have the wonderful opportunity of diving the Aliwal Shoal, one of the top shark dive sites of the world suitable only for experienced divers. Situated on the inner edge of the warm Mozambique current, Aliwal Shoal offers diverse reef life, including the annual migration of ragged tooth sharks from June to November.
 
No cages are used and this is a unique opportunity to view these ferocious looking but docile mammals in their natural environment. You will also see schools of pelagic and game fish, manta rays, eels, huge brindle bass, hermit crabs, sponges, starfish, corals, cowries, colourful tropical marine fish and much more. Dolphins and whales can also be spotted in season (July to November) on the boat ride out to the reef, which is situated 3-miles out to sea. There are also two wrecks to dive – the “Produce” and the “Nebo”.
 
Each day starts early (around 7 am) with a beach safety briefing, followed by the boat launch from the beach and first dive, an awe-inspiring and surprisingly safe experience! Return to the beach for breakfast, followed by a second dive around 11am - with all dives done in the morning, when underwater conditions are their best. Water temperatures average +24°C in summer and rarely drops below 20 °C in winter. Visibility varies from 15 to 120 ft and depths vary from 20 to 60 ft, with some 100 ft dives for suitable qualified divers.
 
Hire of air cylinders, weights & regulator included. Other gear can be hired if required.
Day 10
Today you have the opportunity of shark diving at Protea Banks, an advanced 4-knot mid-water drift dive at depths varying from 100 to 130 ft - suitable only for experienced divers who have done at least 20 dives.
 
Protea Banks is situated 1-mile offshore and is one of the best shark dive sites in the world. It is home to hammerhead sharks, tiger sharks, zambesi sharks, ragged tooth sharks, threshers, bronze whalers, white tips, coppers, duskies, sand sharks and the occasional great white shark. Also spotted eagle rays, manta rays and large schools of pelagic fish. Water temperatures and visibility are similar to Aliwal Shoal.
 
Hire of air cylinders, weights & regulator included. Other gear can be hired if required.
Days 11 To 12
Today is free to relax on the warm golden beaches of the KwaZulu Natal South Coast.
 
This is a region where there are many optional activities to enjoy, including a visit to Oribi Gorge Nature where there is an exciting zipline. You can play championship golf on many nearby golf courses, horse ride along the beach, enjoy bird watching, ride quad bikes or participate in deep sea game fishing.
 
You can take a marine cruise to search for dolphins, turtles, sharks, whales (in season) and other fascinating sea life, or dive Aliwal Shoal and Protea Banks - two of the most famous shark diving reefs in the world. You can also enjoy a day excursion to Durban (pay all entrance fees locally).
Day 13
Transfer 2-hours to Durban Airport for your flight home.