Beginning at 09h30
Returning about 14h00

You can't go to Africa and not do a safari. But if you're a little savanna-ed out, how about an ocean safari?

The Big Five of the seas are whale shark, dolphins, whale,manta ray and turtles and you can see them all in southern Mozambique.

Whale sharks are the main draw, the planet's biggest fish and one of its rarest: only 1,000 remain, 300 of them off Mozambique. These 12-m beasts look like sharks, eat like whales and go as fast as an underwater bus. They are spotted swimming slowly near the surface along the break line at midmorning. We can often move the boat near where you can get in and have a snorkel with the gentle giants. These leviathans evolved more than 60 million years ago, and snorkeling with one is the marine equivalent of walking with a dinosaur.

Dolphins are common in the areas:

Spinner dolphin: these are the acrobats of the sea and get their name from the jumping, spinning and flips they do. They tend to be spotted when they are on the move and will often come to play at the bow of the boat. But as soon as the boat drops speed, they lose interest and move off.

Bottlenose dolphin: these are more engaging and will at times interact with people snorkeling. Look for fins breaking the surface and riding the surf.

Humpback dolphin: these are the shyest of the species we see and can be found mixed in with bottlenose or seen as solitary individuals. The most common sighting of these dolphins are in the bay on the journey out to the reefs.

Humpback whales: also abound in season (August to November) and are seen travelling in small groups and will often have a playful calf in the tow.

Graceful mantas can be spotted by their white undersides as they turn back flips under the surface and at times are even spotted leaping from the surface. Other rays are sighted lying on the sandy bottom or cruising along in small groups.

Turtles abound in the area and you may sight any of the four species in the area on a given day: Hawksbill, Green, Loggerhead and Leatherback.