This 10 day package takes you to two prime diving destinations in Mozambique, Zavora and Tofo. Praia do Tofo has long been known as the hot-spot for swimming with Whale Sharks. Zavora is a newly discovered secret with untouched reefs, an abundance of marine life and the best Manta Rays and Hump Back signings on the Mozambique coast. Combining these two destinations makes for an unforgettable dive holiday. Tofo is the best year round destination in the world for Whale Shark sightings and Zavora has an abundance of Mantas and Hump Back Whales (June - September). What is unique about Zavora is that Mantas can be seen on the shallow reefs at 6-12m. This is not a "too good too be true" dive destination and is affordable and relatively accessible. Join the guys from Zavora and Tofo Dive Center on this incredible 10 day big animal adventure!
Tofo & Zavora Package Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrive Inhambane, Mozambique
Fly from Johannesburg Airport to Inhambane in Mozambique. You will be met at the airport by a local guide and transferred by road 90 minutes taking in the sights and the sounds on Inhambane as you venture to the remote resort of Zavora. On arrival at Zavora resort, you will check into a comfortable log style chalet. This one bedroomed on-suite chalet will be your home for the next 5 nights. Meals will be enjoyed at the Lodge restaurant which is only a few steps from your chalet. Here you can sit on the deck overlooking the beach and watch whales (in season).
Day 2 to 5 - Diving Zavora
Today is the first of 4 diving days at Zavora. Included in this package is 8 dives with full kit rental as well as far reef charges.
Most dives at Zavora result in manta sightings. The reefs in general are in excellent condition. They have an abundance of marine life such as 5 Species of Turtle, over 80 species of Nudibranchs with 4 species not even named yet, eels, a friendly Potato Bass and much more. The big things to see here of course include the Humpback Whales and Manta Rays. In season you will hear Humpback Whales on nearly every dive and always have a chance of seeing one when on scuba. Many times when surfacing after a dive you will notice that you are not too far from one of these amazing giants. They can be very curious and so we simply need to observe when the opportunity presents itself. On the way to the dive sites from June - September we will be seeing Whales all of the time and many times will have to manoeuvre around them.
Day 6 - Transfer to Praia do Tofo
Today you say goodbye to the Whales and mantas of Zavora as you head off to Tofo, the whale shark capital of the world. Here you are welcomed at Cafe no Mar guesthouse where you have your own spacious unit consisting of a patio area, bedroom and bathroom. The suite is luxurious yet rustic and it is a stones throw from the nearby beach. The guesthouse owner will take you to the dive center to introduce you to your DM for the rest of the week.
Day 7 and 8 - Diving Praia do Tofo
Whilst staying at Tofo you have 4 dives and 1 whale shark safari included. Spend two days diving and the last day you can focus on the whale shark snorkeling. During the interval of the double tank dives of day 1 and 2 in Tofo you will also be looking for whale sharks. On many occasions we have a bonus whale shark snorkel opportunity on the way to or after the dive site. The diving in Tofo is good in general. Manta Reef offers an estimated 80% success rate of seeing mantas whilst the marine life on this reef is still exceptional. You might also enjoy other reefs in this area which is famous for its green tree corals and more.
Day 9 - Whale Shark Safari
Today is your chance to focus on one thing; swimming with a giant whale shark. Enjoy 2 hours that is dedicated to locating and then swimming with the gentle giants. In season it only takes a few minutes before you get into the water with your first whale shark. You can expect to swim with several whale sharks per safari when visiting the right time of year. November to March is normally an excellent time to come although Whale Sharks are seen all year round in Tofo.
Day 10 - Depart Praia do Tofo
Today is your last day on your Mozambiqan dive adventure. After breakfast you set off to the airport at Inhambane. Remember to get that Peri-Peri sauce and cashew nuts on your way there...
Included
Flights from Johannesburg - Mozambique
Airport Transfers
Transfers from Tofo to Zavora
9 x nights Accommodation
Diving
Full Dive Gear
Far Reef Charges
Breakfast
Excluded
Lunches and Dinners
Visas
International flights to South Africa
Useful Information
Visibility
The waters of southern Mozambique have visibility ranging from 5-30 meters, with an average of 12-15 meters. Offshore reefs usually have better visibility than inshore reefs as wave action is not such a factor. Poor visibility can be the result of bad weather and big waves stirring up the bottom or can be caused by upwelling of cold nutrient rich water from the Mozambique Channel. This upwelling water usually causes a chain of events, starting with a bloom in Phytoplankton, tiny plants trapping the sun’s energy by photosynthesis. This tends to turn the water greener. This plant life then supports a bloom in Zooplankton, small animals and jelly fish, this then turns the water a slightly milky blue colour as they grow and eat the Phytoplankton. Then the animals that divers want to see, the Mantas and Whalesharks, get involved to complete the cycle by eating the Zooplankton. So, without some days of poorer visibility, Mozambique would not have the charismatic mega fauna that makes it such a fantastic place to dive.
Best time of year to come
It is difficult to recommend a ‘best time’ in Zavora and Tofo as all times of year have positive attributes. From 15th December to the 15th January and Easter are the busiest seasons due to South African school holidays. All other months are quieter and much more relaxing for the international diver. November to March have warmer water and usually better visibility with mating manta rays events. The temperature on land can get up to 40 degrees C in January and February, with December to March being Cyclone season, so if we are unlucky we can miss some days diving due to storms, however, this is seldom the case. June to September is colder but is also Humpback Whale season and we see these magnificent animals daily from the boat and even on SCUBA.
Water temperature
Water temperatures tend to be a couple of degrees cooler in Zavora than Tofo due to upwelling. The upwelling normally only lasts for a couple of days at most, usually under a Thermocline.
Technical Diving
This is the only resort along the Mozambvique coastline that has a diveable wreck. For those who are qualified technical divers or would like to train then this is an ideal place to stay and dive the Klipfontein is a big draw for the technically minded diver. A 10500 ton, 160 meter long ship, lying in 53 meters of water is more than your average wreck. Brindle Bass, Mantas and large schools of fish are often seen here and there is plenty of opportunity for penetration. At 6 km from the launch site she is on the doorstep and as no one else dives her, this is exclusive.
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