Join leader, Amanda Cotton, to encounter the Southern Right Whales. On our expedition, a thousand of these slow-moving whales gather. Researchers documented 1,605 whales, including 1,365 mothers and calves, 17 white calves and 185 male or juvenile whales.

These expedition groups are especially small, to limit the pressure on the habitat and the wildlife. It’s also better for guests. Each person will have better encounters with the animals, and longer, more rewarding experiences and photo opportunities.

What’s Included:

8 days of travel

6 days snorkeling with whales

Exclusive use of vessel with just 3 guests

Accommodation

Breakfast

Lunch

Required permitting

Local taxes

Group transportation to and from airport

Expedition leader

Nile crocodiles like to bask in the sun along riverbanks in the Okavango Delta. During June and July (Botswana’s winter), the water is a chilly 55-62° F, and underwater visibility is about twenty feet. These huge reptiles spend many hours every day soaking up the heat from the sun’s rays, but the moment a crocodile spots our boat, they dive seeking security in the water.

Cold water makes them lethargic and slow, and their poor underwater vision provides us with a great opportunity to photograph these heavily armored crocodilians with most powerful jaws bite, greater of the Great White shark. Taking advantage of the crocodile’s habits, our days on the delta begin between 9-10 am so we can view basking crocodiles.

The moment the croc seeks refuge under water, we stop our boat approximately 100 yards away. Quickly donning scuba tanks over the 5 to 7mm wetsuits, we enter the water. Our descent is direct; we do not want to remain on the water’s surface, known as the croc’s “kill zone.” The reptile is attracted to subjects on the water’s surface, especially those that are silhouetted against the sun, so it is imperative that we descend quickly and spend as little time on the surface as possible so as not to look like a potential meal.

Amos was able to secure a very reliable and experienced local operator to take us out at peak season for Blue whale and Sperm Whale migration – and with only four guests we are looking forward to a phenomenal time.  Crystal clear blue water that’s 86 degrees f (bathing suit only) with 100 feet visibility is where we’ll be swimming with blue whales, sperm whales and many other marine mammals.

The expedition adventure to Timor Leste is focused on a particular spot — the Strait of Ombai, which is located in East Timor between Dili (the capital) and the island of Atauro. The Strait is some 17mi (30km) wide and right in the path of the famous Indonesian throughflow current as it streams between the main islands of Alor and Wetar, carrying a rich cargo of nutrients from the deep basins of the Banda Sea to the north. This is essentially an ocean superhighway were 170 million cubic feet (5 million cubic meters ) of sea water per second pass between the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean. With so much water, current and nutrients moving through this area, it is a magnet to many pelagic and cetacean animal species.

THE TRIP!

Introduction

From JFK Airport for your evening flight. The Safari Pioneers gather in a private lounge put on by Kenya Airways. There is a buzz of excitement. The Pioneers have their safari all ahead of them. Customs, temperature checks, immigration have all gone well, easily even.

Seated in the front of a completely cleaned and aired new Boeing 787, allows the Pioneers to experience first-class type service on the direct flight to Nairobi, but with the safari having already begun. Our master chef emerges to serve a first-class dinner on board, taking care of the sensitiveness of social distancing, with trained service protocols Pioneers will become accustomed to over the next two-week safari.

Cut to
Exit Nairobi (Jomo Kenyatta International Airport) around Mid-Morning: Official hosts meet the plane and the Pioneers disembark first and go straight to the new Kenya Airways private lounge, and over refreshing drinks made to order by your Great Plains butler, Kenyan health, immigration and customs suitably attired quickly confirm and connect the Pioneers to passports, Stamp Stamp, and you are cleared.Within minutes, the line-up of Executive Caravans is waiting on the tarmac, and the adventurers are seated in executive configuration, seats freshly swabbed down, ready to take in the thrill of the approaching crossing of the Rift Valley, and far too soon, the descent into a grass runway at one of the 4 chosen camps, each pre-cleared by Kenya’s Department of Health, with each staff member checked and confirmed for the important, and national effort to welcome the Pioneers back to Africa. It is hard not to weep, the welcome, the joy, the deep thanks from the communities delivered by the Great Plains Conservation guides with heartfelt gratitude.

Safari vehicles, adjusted to take just 4 Pioneers now (sensitive to that distancing that has become second nature), head off into an Africa that has seen other crises like this 2020 moment which has stopped the world, come and go since before Man first walked upright right here over 3.5 million years ago.

Zebras and wildebeest compete for the road and dart off, with watching warthogs and gazelle in case the lions, that you will soon see, catch them off guard. Each Pioneers camp is bespoke, with natural settings and fresh air flowing through – the healthiest environments on the planet. Each room/tent thoroughly cleaned and aired before your arrival using medical-grade disinfectants.

Magical names like ol Donyo Lodge – set in the ancient lava flows overlooking Kilimanjaro, where elephants are so closed that from the safety of the sunken ‘hide’ you can almost touch their toenails. Or Mara Plains Camp – designed for space and airflow, where a single tree miles away is the landmark of the camp boundary. Mara Nyika Camp – set up high on platforms under stylish canvas tents and typical East African flat-topped acacia trees. And Arijiju – designed as a Swahili fort ruin with the finest interiors and Borana’s famous lions calling beyond the camp.

Each Pioneer’s safari includes a 3-night stay at each camp, driving from Mara Plains to Mara Nyika and flying the short hop to Ol Donyo and Arijiju. This is personal service all the way.

Revel and relax over the 12-night safari as it grows from one experience to the other – from elephants to lions, cheetah, leopard, wildebeest, endless landscapes, great wine, rolling plains and Kilimanjaro herself, that delicately painted mountain shrouded in ‘lace’. Your cuisine is expertly prepared (naturally with safety and hygiene top of mind of course) but catered to every Pioneers personal taste or allergies. We are known for our personal touches.

After 12 nights on safari, you hit rewind and travel in reverse, with two major differences: it is, of course, seamless but now our Pioneers are loaded with memories, your lives are changed forever AND you know that in the hold of the 787 tons of donated PPE have been left in Africa, helping those in our communities, making life better and assured you played a starring role in bringing much-needed tourism back to Africa.

Epilogue
“We travel to make a difference. This Pioneers Safari is restarting that dream.”

The Sardine Run is an amazing experience — there is nothing quite like it. Most of the Sardine Run is done on snorkel; only when we find a static bait ball do we get in the water with scuba. Seeing an iconic sardine bait ball in crystal-clear conditions with dolphins, sharks, whales and sea birds in a feeding frenzy is, in fact, quite rare. Film crews spend weeks out at sea over the course of a few years in search of the perfect bait ball to get the footage regularly seen on television. Joining our experienced team ensures that you have the best chance of experiencing this remarkable phenomenon.

Vava'u, Tonga is considered to be the best place in the world to swim with humpback whales. Tongan waters are the birthing and mating grounds for a specific population of humpback whales, which means they are around for months each year (late July - early Nov). Even better, the islands that surround Vava'u provide protection from the winds, ensuring that our small groups can go out on the water almost every day.

The crystal-clear blue waters are another draw for many, as the water makes it much easier to get fantastic footage and photos of these gentle giants. Vava'u to be the very best place for up-close encounters with these magnificent marine mammals. These are snorkel trips, as it's nearly impossible to scuba dive with whales since they move so quickly. Participants should have snorkeling experience and understand that there is a lot of swimming involved on these tours.

We generally get in the water with whales almost everyday, it really comes down to the quality of those swims. We aim to get 1-2 quality swims on a 5 swim day trip, and 3-4 quality swims on a 8 swim day trip.  A high quality encounter to us is one that lasts over 10 minutes and is in close proximity to a set of whales. Besides the close encounters with whale, Tonga is an absolute paradise to discover - reefs, beaches and a rich and vibrant culture.

Please contact us for availability and rates of 5 and 8 day Tonga Whale Trips in Vava’u. Keep in mind that due to the limited season and small group size, trips sell out very quickly.

Hunting Sperm whales was very successful off the Azores during World War II through the mid 60’ until 1968, when the ban on whaling took place worldwide. Before the whaling stopped, the hunting teams built towers on the high peaks off Pico Island, from where the Observers could see 20 to 30 miles out to sea, providing real-time location information to whaling captains out at sea.

Today the whalers are gone, but there is still a man on watch for whales and his name is Antero. From his perch on the mountainside he knows the waters like no other. He was my observer earlier in the 90’s when I first arrived to dive in the Azores to swim with Sperm whale and he is still the best in the business. We are honored to be operating under the eagle-eyes of a local legend.

We have set up two departures during the peak season to meet a few of the world’s iconic ocean giants – blue whales, possibly false Killer whales hunting on shoals of Tuna. We also have a good chance to dive with and film pilot whales, pods of common dolphins, blue sharks, and mobula rays off Princess Alice Bank.

The Philippines are located in the hearth of the coral triangle and are home to iconic animals and dive spots. During our exploratory route, we will be diving Tubbataha, Malapescua, Ticao, Romblon and other less known areas. Join us on the Solitude One, the optimal way to explore this marine life intense region. We’ll also have plenty of time to enjoy the stunning scenery between dives as we sail along.

Embark on our 11-day itinerary exploratory route lead by legendary, Michel Labrecque of N2Pix. Michel has an intense passion for underwater photography and storytelling. His work as a photojournalist focuses on wildlife, conservation and ocean protection.

The package includes an estimated 29 dives. All meals, snacks, non-alcoholic drinks, airport transfers and guided dives.

Required level : Advanced Open Water
Water temperature : 84-86°F
Current : Light to moderate
Visibility : 60'-100'
Maximum depth : 130'