Picture courtesy of Tony White

» Requirements
Advanced or equivalent certificate required for diving - excessively nervous divers not allowed :-).
C-cards and Log Books must be presented.

» Duration (Sunday to Saturday)
7 Days/6 Nights

» Safari Dates - (Custom dates can be arranged only for groups larger than 8)
5 April to 11 April 2009
19 April to 25 April 2009
3 May to 9 May 2009
17 May to 23 May 2009
Note: (This is a annual safari and bookings can be made for one year in advance)

» Price
The price for this 7 Day/6 Night safari in 2009 is ZAR18,999.00 per person sharing

Day two:
The first two dives are on "Eelskin", where we stand the best chance of encountering Tiger Sharks at Aliwal Shoal. Don't worry; no scuba diver has ever been bitten by one - yet :-). The depth in this marine protected area varies between 14 and 20 meters; the water temperature is around 25 degrees C and the visibility anything between 8 and 20 meters. Most importantly the dives serve for you to get used to the launching and diving conditions, sort out buoyancy, and for me to be sure that we have the safety procedures drilled in (no attitude, just cautious). The dives are done early in the morning and that leaves the afternoons free for excursions including a trip to the Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve (horse riding, abseiling or gorge jumping), a game drive in the Elands Wildlife Reserve, a tour of Durban and it's markets and an afternoon at the uShaka Marine World.

Day three:
It is an early start for two dives at Protea Banks - rated as one of the world's best shark diving spots and certainly one of the most adventurous! An exiting launch through the surf takes us to the Southern Pinnacles where we search for the Tigers at a depth of 30 meters - that is of course if you are not distracted by the Hammerhead Sharks, Bull Sharks, Giant Guitar Sharks, several other shark species and rays (devil, manta, bull, eagle etc) that frequent the reef! Visibility varies from 8 to 40 meters, and the water temperature is 24+ degrees Celsius. We return to the Lodge via the spectacular Oribi Gorge where you have the option at your own cost, of abseiling, gorge swinging, horse riding or simply enjoying the awesome scenery.

Days four, five and six:
This is serious stuff and the highlight of the expedition - we move out after breakfast, anchor just south of Eelskin and set the bait for the Tiger Sharks. Only bait that forms part of the shark's natural diet is used and they are not fed at all - you will understand why when you are in the water every day with several 3-4 meter Tiger Sharks all around:-). Then we wait - anything from 10 minutes to the whole day. Although we have an average success rate of 90%, these are wild, unconditioned animals and there are no guarantees at all. When the sharks come we enter the water, cut the bait drum free from the boat, and drift at a depth of about 8 meters with the sharks and bait for as long as they stay - and then again and again until it is time to go home - we take lunch and extra cylinders along. The day is absolute adrenaline and offers the most spectacular photo/video opportunities imaginable.

Day seven:

» (Option A)
Call it a day and fly home, or

» (Option B) - Great White Shark viewing
Jump on a plane to Cape Town to cage dive with the Great White Sharks in Gansbaai- 3 nights bed and breakfast, land transfers, 2 sessions cage diving/viewing @ ZAR6,999.00 per person sharing, or

» (Option D) - Land Safari
Transfer to Hluhluwe and add a land safari to the trip and see lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, buffalo, zebra, giraffe and many more species before flying home - 2 nights bed and breakfast, land transfers, 4 game activities @ ZAR7,299.00 per person sharing