AN INCREDIBLE WESTERN AUSTRALIA WHALE SHARK ADVENTURE
Trip Length: 12 days

Apr 29- May 10, 2009 (Full)

May 12- 24, 2009 (Full) Contact us for waiting list information.

Complete Itinerary and Pricing

Whale Sharks are the world's largest pelagic fish. To swim next to one is an experience like few others on earth.

Swimming with a whaleshark, and the Dive Boat

While not as well known as Humpback Whales, Whale Sharks are just as gentle and far more tolerant of swimmers. These docile, intelligent creatures can be found consistently in only two locations on earth. Remote Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia is the best place to get to know these amazing creatures. Up to 18M (60ft) in length Whale Sharks have no teeth as we know them and feed on tiny shrimp called krill in the 2-3 meters just beneath the surface.

SPEND TIME IN THE WATER WITH THESE PEACEFUL CREATURES

We voyage on board the MV Takashi II, a 53ft dual hulled dive boat, set up primarily for Whale Sharking. Captain Peter O'Halloran, a native of Exmouth, Australia, heads our local whale shark guides.

Pete has captained Whale Shark and Dive boats along Ningaloo Reef for over sixteen years. Using dedicated spotter planes to help us locate fishy friends, we attempt to maximize our time in the water with these magnificent creatures.

NATURE'S UNPARALLELED UNDERWATER EXPERIENCE

Home to manta rays, a variety of sting rays, sea turtles, eels, and hundreds of species of tropical fish in addition to Whale Sharks Ningaloo Reef offers an unparalleled underwater experience.

Pinnacles Desert and Humpback Whale photos

Due to the shallow nature of the reef most of Ningaloo can be experienced by snorkelers, of course there are some excellent sites available to divers as well. Protected by Cape Ranges National Park, and Ningaloo Marine Park, Ningaloo remains one of the worlds leading undeveloped reefs.

We can’t spend all out time in the water and the Cape Range abutting Ningaloo Reef is a beautiful counterpoint to the underwater splendors. Rock wallabies, red kangaroo, euros, eighty species of reptiles including goannas, and over one hundred species of birds all make their homes in the National Park. This is truly a little visited gem on Australia’s west coast.

PERTH: THE ADVENTURE STARTS

Even though the Range and Reef make up the heart of our trip getting there really will be half the fun. We will begin our adventure in Perth, the go-ahead capital of Western Australia gives a feeling of space and light - set on the banks of the sparkling Swan River, a few miles from the magnificent beaches of the Indian Ocean. A short way downstream is the vibrant, historic port city of Fremantle.

EXPLORE THE EERIE PINNACLES DESERT

From here we will travel north along the coast, stopping to visit the eerie and amazing Pinnacles Desert. We will take in Kalbarri, an Aussie fishing port that sports its own flock of pelicans, and some amazing coastal gorges.

Experience a stay on a working sheep station, and explore Coral Bay, our first experience with Ningaloo Reef.

EXMOUTH: SWIMMING WITH FASCINATING MARINE LIFE!

Finally we come to Exmouth, and our fun really begins.

Settled as a U.S. Navy relay station, Exmouth has come into its own as a gateway to Cape Ranges National Park and Ningaloo's Whale Sharks. Offshore, the Ningaloo Reef stretches from north to south for 260km and protects a lagoon rich in marine life.

In case you needed more to tempt you back in the water; fantastic coral formations, rare starfish, Dugongs, Whale Sharks, playful Dolphins and giant Hump-Backed Whales are some of the fascinating marine life that inhabit the waters. In season, sheltered sand beaches serve as nesting rookeries for sea turtles.

The next few days will be spent exploring land and sea of this amazing place.

Finally we fly back to Perth, and make connections home.

AN INCREDIBLE WESTERN AUSTRALIA WHALE SHARK ADVENTURE Trip Length: 12 days