Swimming with Whale Sharks in Djibouti
LAST UPDATED: 29th February 2024
My first thought when I woke up in our hotel in Djibouti City was ‘OMG I’m going to swim with whale sharks today and then the panic set in ‘What if we don’t see the whale sharks?
Armed with snorkel masks, we drove ten minutes to the port by the Gulf of Tadjoura where the local fishermen were selling their catch from the morning, it was a hive of activity with lots of real characters. I was ready to go swimming with whale sharks!
About whale sharks
They are the largest fish in the world with sizes of 5-10 metres long. With mouths up to 5 metres wide, they filter their favourite grub, plankton, through its gills making it safe to dive or snorkel with these graceful kings of the ocean.
Scouting for whale sharks in Djibouti
We spent a few hours scouting for whale sharks in the Gulf of Tadjoura and we had to be ready to jump in the water as soon as a sighting was made. When we visited in February, there were fewer whale sharks in the warm sea. However, we were lucky to have a few encounters and the sheer joy of seeing these beautiful fish up close is unexplainable!
On one occasion, I was right above the whale shark, only a metre away… obviously, my GoPro decided to fail me and would not turn on but the memory is stored firmly in my mind.
Don’t forget to snorkel around the reefs along the coastline too, you’ll see much bright fish darting in and out of the healthy corals.
Swimming with whale sharks and exploring the chimneys by Lake Abbe are just two of the reasons Lonely Planet highlighted Djibouti as one of the Best In Travel countries for 2018. I would recommend adding this to your bucket list now!
TIPS: You will need 4 hours in the boat as the ride out of the port and scanning the ocean for sightings of the whale sharks can take time, depending on how lucky you are. I think next time I will go in the middle of high season (November to January) in the hope of seeing more whale sharks.
Swimming with whale Sharks in Djibouti: The Essentials
Best time to see the whale sharks
Whale sharks are drawn to the clear waters of Djibouti between October to February.
Tours in Djibouti
My trip was fully organised by Trekkup from Dubai but there are many tours seeing the crazy landscapes of Djibouti which includes visiting whale shark areas. Book your Djibouti tour here.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance should be a priority. Here are some recommended options for travel insurance in Djibouti;
Get 5% off your travel insurance with HeyMondo. Benefit from 24-hour medical assistance, 365 days a year with single, multi-trip, and long-stay insurance (up to 3 months), cover for Covid-19, and non-refundable expenses. The handy app makes this a simple process! They give a little back too by contributing to ‘Doctors Without Borders’.
SafetyWing for Digital Nomads. Benefit from 24/7 assistance, comprehensive and medical cover including Covid-19. Buy insurance whilst you are travelling, with the option of global health insurance.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission if you click a link and purchase something that I’ve recommended. It comes at no cost to you. Thank you for your support.
I absolutely love that you did this! I’ve joined trekkup since I read your first Djibouti post and I’m trying to make something happen! Thanks for the recommendation!
That’s awesome, I hope to see you on a Trekkup trip some day soon! 🙂
This is the kind of experience that we’d love to have! Being all time animal lovers and ocean lovers, would be so amazing if we could do something so cool like being near to those beautiful creatures 😀 Thanks for sharing, the photos are amazing!
Have a wonderful week,
xx
I have always wanted to snorkel or dive with whale sharks! What an incredible adventure. I hadn’t considered Djbouti as a whale shark hot spot, but I’ll definitely add it to my dive list!