SRI LANKA WHALES
March 26 to April 03, 2023
Unique experience with Insider Divers
This trip is one of our top whale trips. Traveling in a small group to an undisclosed location you will be swimming with the largest animal that has ever lived – the Blue Whale and with the biggest predator on the planet – the mighty Sperm Whale.
SRI LANKA
The island of Sri Lanka is blessed with glorious geography & landscapes, captivating wildlife and a fascinating, although sometimes difficult, history. Geographically, Sri Lanka was once part of the Eurasian land mass and its emergence as an island came about after the last Ice Age when sea levels rose, separating what is now Sri Lanka from India. Its former connection to the Asian continent explains the presence of large mammals, such as elephants & leopards … as well as large reptiles, such as crocodiles..
Blue Whales migrate here for around two months each year and some are even resident. There are only two places in the world where you can swim with Blue Whales (the other being Timor Leste) and here you can get also get Sperm Whales and tons of different dolphin species.
The Blues are Pygmy Blue Whales but they reach a decent 24m. They are the only ones coming into the tropical waters. Therefore the only ones you can swim with. Blue Whales will be continuously swimming and we will approach them when they come up to breathe. Sperm whales come up to rest and socialize at times giving us a chance to interact longer if approached carefully and quietly. It’s also worth mentioning that our operator is the only one that has whale swimming permits from the government. They like to keep this area low key. so it does not develop into a circus like Mirissa in the South.
WHALE SWIMMING
This is a snorkel and free dive only trip. It isn’t necessary to be able to freedive but you will need to be ready to fin and swim. Preferably without splashing on the surface. If this is your first trip in such a form, don’t worry, your host will practice with you. Each day we will spend about 6-7 hrs out at sea starting in the morning around 7am. There are many miles to cover but we have the best boats in the region so it is relatively comfortable with only 3-4 guests per speed boat. The on board naturalist will be scanning the horizon for signs of any whales or dolphins and patience will be necessary.
Water is a warm 28-30 C and the sun is shining so you can zen out and just let the blue bliss around you take your worries away. lt can be a physically demanding trip. lf the action is good, you will be doing numerous “jumps” per day, getting in and out of the boat. Boat rides can get very bumpy as we race across the water. If you suffer from serious back problems or have concerns, please do let us know.
lf the day proves to be very very good, we also have the option to extend hours out at sea for approximately $150/hr/boat (to be divided by the guests on board). We are usually back at the resort by 2.30-3pm each day.
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LAND ACTIVITIES
In case of bad weather or mean ocean we can organize activities such as elephant safaris. leopard safaris. wildlife hikes. etc that can also be booked in addition to your stay.
YOUR TRIP LEADER
Photographer & Documentary Journalist Winner Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Aaron Gekoski is an award-winning environmental photojournalist, film maker and TV presenter fronting environmental film series across a number of networks.
For those interested there will be presentations on the whales. Bertie will provide photographic trips for above and below. At the end of the trip Bertie will share his stellar photographs for your social media.
PROBABILITIES
The most common question for a trip like this is “How likely will we see the whales?”. It is a fair enough question but there is no straight forward answer. It is impossible to guarantee sightings with elusive animals like whales, we can only work hard to improve our chances by going to the right place at the optimal time to achieve success. The blue whales season on our spot is March and April, so you can see we have picked the best dates.
Conditions vary, that’s sad fact of ocean activities. Winds can pick up, it can rain or storm. swell can create big waves. animals can just not feel like showing up. There are many aspects that affect our ability to spot whales – for example with white caps on the waves a whale spout is so much harder to spot.
March and April are the calmest months on the Eastern coast of Sri Lanka, so the chances are good for great conditions. On our previous three trips we did not have rain once and never had to cancel a day of activities.
Choosing the right operator is key. Results vary dramatically depending on who you work with. Our operator pioneered whale swimming in Sri Lanka and is the only operator to hold true government permits. They have eight boats allowing us to create a mesh search pattern over the ocean and widen our search.
THE HOTEL
Our hotel is a Sri Lankan deluxe resort right on the beach – the focus here is Sri Lankan. the standards here for not compare with say the Maldives. You will enjoy it’s relaxed barefoot style right by the beach. We usually book you into the beach front suites which are large and spacious and have their own terrace right onto the beach. The restaurant offers international and Sri Lankan buffet three times per day that keeps your eyes shining and your belly full. Just don’t overeat on the curries and egg hoppers at breakfast before a lang day on the boat.
There is a large 25m pool which is perfect for practicing freediving and relaxing.
The hotel is right on and endless beach that you can enjoy any time during the day or for sunset drinks. All rooms are spacious and comfortable. You see the ocean at all times. and it is only 10m to the launch of our speed boats.
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EXTENSION: BIG CATS OF YALA
Yala National Park in the far south of Sri Lanka has the best chances to see the Sri Lankan Apex predator in the wild, the mighty Leopard. This park is known to have the highest density of leopards in the world!
While the furry hunter is the star here. there are also over 200 species of birds and over 44 mammals such as elephants. buffalos and bears.
Our package will include four private jeep safaris – two morning and two evening rides – giving you the best chances to see the leopard various times. hopefully you can observe different behaviors as well.
GETTING THERE, WHAT’S INCLUDED, RATES & ITINERARY
{slider How to get there? Fly into Colombo (CMB) Sri Lanka and we will pick you up on arrival… See trip details …|dest|closed}
March 26 to April 3, 2023
9D/8N with 6 activity days stay will cost you only USD 5,800 based on double share.
max. 3-4 guests per boat!
Included:
- All snorkeling
- Full board
- Presentations
- Transfers
- Freedive training
- Government permit per person, incl photography
Excluded:
- Flights
- Rental equipment
- Single room 800 USD
- Tips
Extension “Leopard”
Price per person 1,500 USD based on double shared accommodation
Included:
- Four game drives
- Full board
- Free professional photos by Simon
Excluded:
- Tips
- Personal expenses
We highly recommend DiveAssure insurance which also covers force majeure and single missed days of diving due to sickness. Feel free to ask us about it..
Further extensions in Bali or around Indonesia are always possible and we’re happy to assist! {/sliders}
FIND AVAILABILITY … BOOK SPACES