Humpback Whale Adventure Tour
An unforgettable experience awaits you out on the Ningaloo Reef with our experienced dive crew! We will endeavour to show you the best of the Ningaloo Reef, watch the incredible migration of the humpback whales through the area and get the opportunity to swim with them!
Our day begins by meeting at 7:15am in the Coastal Adventure Tours shop where we check you in and give you your equipment. We then use our courtesy bus to make our way down to the jetty to board our large, comfortable vessel and go exploring the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Ningaloo Reef. All our Humpback Swimmers and Snorkellers will get in the water for a guided snorkel on the reef where we may see sharks, stingrays, turtles and hundreds of fish! From here we head to the outer reef in search of humpbacks and with the help of our spotter plane we locate the whales and observe them in their natural environment. They may breach, slap their pectoral fins or any other number of different surface behaviours.
If the pilot and skipper deem the whales to be exhibiting the right behaviour, an in-water interaction is possible! At this point those who have signed up for a humpback whale swimming spot will be gathered on the back deck and with the help of our pilot and skipper the crew with waterproof radios and guests enter the water and swim as quickly but quietly as possible to see the whales. We stay in constant communication with the pilot through our radios to help direct the group to get the best chance at an interaction. Please note that humpback whales are highly intelligent creatures and we do not decide to swim with them, they decide to swim with us. Humpbacks can be very curious creatures and they may swim right up to us or they may swim past.
While out on the outer reef we may spot other wildlife including whale sharks or manta rays, which we may have the opportunity to swim with! You never know what the Ningaloo Reef will have in store for you!
In the event that we come across a whale shark, we may attempt an in-water interaction with it/them as well as or instead of with humpback whales.
Once we have had our in-water interaction attempts, we come back on the boat and a full lunch buffet is provided. Once we have all filled our bellies and time permitting we head back over to a beautiful spot on the reef for our second snorkel of the day. After we have seen all that we can of the beautiful reef and all the wildlife out there, we come back to land at approximately 4:00pm.
An in-water interaction attempt is defined as entering the water with the intent of swimming/snorkelling with humpback whale(s) or whale shark(s). If we cannot attempt an in-water interaction with either a humpback whale or whale shark a refund of the difference between “Humpback Whale swimmer” and “Snorkeller” will be issued. For example: “Adult Humpback Swimmer” price is $500 but we cannot attempt in-water interaction with either a humpback whale or whale shark we would refund $150 which would bring the price paid down to the price of an “Adult Snorkeller” $350. We do not offer any repeat vouchers, full refunds, credits, or gift cards.
Humpback Whale Swimmers: Partake in all snorkelling activities including an in-water interaction with humpback whale(s) when possible.
Snorkellers: Partake in all snorkelling activities with the exception of the in-water interaction with humpback whales.
Child under 6 years old: Partake in all snorkelling activities with the exception of the in-water interaction with humpback whales.
Observers: Remain on the vessel for the entirety of the tour, no swimming or snorkelling.
Cameras and GoPro’s and similar are more than welcome on our tours and in the water, however, due to the nature of the humpback whale interactions the use of cameras, GoPro’s or similar is NOT permitted during the humpback interaction(s). The onboard professional photographer is permitted to take photos during the humpback whale interactions, enjoy the experience and let them worry about taking photos.
IMPORTANT, Please note: This tour is recommended for experienced snorkellers only. If your snorkelling ability is not at a satisfactory standard during the morning snorkel you may not be permitted to partake in in-water humpback whale interactions. Any/All children attending this tour must be supervised by a parent or guardian at all times, both in water and onboard the vessel. Please advise us of any relevant medical conditions, or dietary requirements.
What is included
- Mask, snorkel, fins and full-length wetsuits are provided at no extra cost
- Large undercover seating area offers a comfortable boat ride
- Direct radio communication between our spotter pilot and your swim leader ensures we get you into the best possible location to see the whales!
- Two additional snorkels on the reef gives you the opportunity to see as much marine life as possible
- Your knowledgeable and passionate crew is composed of rescue – trained dive masters and/or instructors