Swim with Humpbacks in the Cook Islands
Swim with humpback whales and other relaxed marine life in the crystal waters of Aitutaki, in the Cook Islands.
From 8500 per personWhale Safaris
Encounters with the Ocean’s Giants
An encounter with a whale is one of the most memorable experiences out there, catching eye-contact always brings a sense of understanding between the two species, creating a connection and memory that will last long after your encounter ends.
Whether you would prefer to watch from a dry boat as they show off their breaching skills in South Africa, would like to swim with blue whales in Sri Lanka, snorkel with killer whales, or even join some narwhal in the icy waters of the Arctic; there are whale watching opportunities across the globe.
Click on each whale below to find out more about them and the safaris we have to offer.
Why book your whale safari with NWS?
To ensure a truly exclusive experience, the location we use is kept secret, working closely with marine specialists on non-intrusive ‘in-water’ encounters with full permits. Working closely with conservationists, we can offer the change to join habituation safaris and more. Our exclusive network on the ground links us to all the best lodges in the region and we are often able to add that little NWS twist to your trip, transforming it into something really special.
Toothed Whales
Unlike baleen whales, toothed whales have only the one blowhole and, of course, teeth. There are 65 species of toothed whale including all dolphins and porpoises and they are smaller than their baleen cousins.
- Orcas are the largest of the dolphins and one of the world's most powerful predators. They are immediately recognizable by their distinctive black-and-white coloring and are the intelligent, trainable stars of many aquarium shows. They hunt in deadly pods, family groups of up to 40 individuals and they feast on marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, and even whales, employing teeth that can be four inches (ten centimeters) long. They are known to grab seals right off the ice. They also eat fish, squid, and seabirds. Though they often frequent cold, coastal waters, orcas can be found from the polar regions to the Equator.
- Southern Bottlenose Whales are large beaked whales that reach 6-9 m in length. They have a stocky body shape and large, bulbous forehead that overhangs a short, dolphin-like beak. They live in groups of 1-25 and feed primarily on squid, but are also known to eat fish. When hunting at the surface near shore, it may consume pelicans and other birds, hitting the prey with its fluke before devouring it. They are able to dive for over an hour. They inhabit the South Atlantic, Indian and South Pacific Ocean and are found in open water beyond the continental shelf in water deeper than 1,000 m.
- Sperm Whales are easily recognized by their massive heads and prominent rounded foreheads. They have the largest brain of any creature known to have lived on Earth. They are known to dive as deep as 3,280 feet in search of squid to eat and must hold their breath for up to 90 minutes on such dives. They eat thousands of pounds of fish and squid—about one ton per day. Sperm whales are often spotted in pods of some 15 to 20 animals which include females and their young, while males may roam solo or move from group to group.
Swimming with Whale Safaris
St Helena Whale Sharks Safari
A pioneering safari to the remote South Atlantic island of St Helena, swimming with whale sharks and other marine wildlife and discovering the unique volcanic landscapes and history of the island.
From 7000 per person
Swimming with Sperm Whales in Dominica
A unique opportunity to swim with some of the most relaxed marine mammals in the world as they traverse the coastline of rugged Dominica.
From 8500 per personBaleen Whales
Some of the largest animals on earth, Baleen whales have baleen plates which filter their food, rather than teeth.
- The Humpback Whale is one of the most easily recognized whale species. Reaching between 40 and 50 feet in length, a humpback whale can weigh up to 48 tons. They are identified from other whales due to their large flippers, the hump on their backs and the white markings on their underside. These whales, like others, regularly leap from the water, landing with a tremendous splash and are found near coastlines, feeding on tiny shrimp-like krill, plankton, and small fish. They migrate annually from summer feeding grounds near the poles to warmer winter breeding waters closer to the Equator.
- Minke Whales can reach up to 35 feet in length but by whale standards they're still small, being no more than 10m long and weighing nine tonnes. Minkes are active swimmers and their sleek profiles allow for fast swimming. Three things that set the Antarctic minke apart are its larger size, a dorsal fin that is set farther back on the body, and asymmetrical coloration of its baleen. The presence of the majority of the Antarctic minke population in the Southern Ocean in the austral summer is linked to the profusion of krill in the surface waters. They lunge through the bioluminescent schools of the shrimp-like crustaceans and gulp large quantities as do other rorqual whales.
- Blue Whales are the largest animals on Earth. They rule the oceans at up to 100 feet long and upwards of 200 tons. Their tongues alone can weigh as much as an elephant. They look true blue underwater. The blue whale has a broad, flat head and a long, tapered body that ends in wide, triangular flukes. Their diet is composed nearly exclusively of tiny shrimp-like animals called krill.
- Southern Right Whales got their name for being considered the "right" whale to hunt. They are easy to identify as the enormous head is covered in white-coloured outgrowths of tough skin forming a unique pattern on each whale, like fingerprints in humans. They are also commonly seen breeching—turning in mid-air and falling into the water with the side or back of the body. Using their long and numerous baleen plates, they feed on small plankton, including pelagic larval crustaceans and copepods. They are only found in the oceans of the southern hemisphere, inhabiting waters close to Antarctica during the summer and migrating northwards to coastal areas in winter.
- Sei Whales are slender cetaceans, although they are more robust than fin whales, and they can be identified by their inverted "V" shaped water spout which reaches 6-8 feet into the air. Although they are fast swimmers, possibly the fastest of all cetaceans, they tend to swim in pods of 3-5 animals, and rarely dive deeper than 300 m. They will take whatever is in abundance locally, whether it be fish, squid or plankton, as long as it is shoaling. An average sei whale can eat about 900 kgs of krill and small fish a day.They inhabit all oceans and adjoining seas except in tropical and polar regions, feeding in cold water during the summer before migrating to warmer waters to breed and give birth to their calves.
- Fin Whales are the second largest animals in the world after the blue whales and the fastest swimming of all the large whales. They are very streamlined in shape and generally free of external markings, scarring and parasites. They are more sociable than the other rorquals often being found in small pods of 2-7 individuals and feed mainly on krill and schooling fish. They have been observed circling schools of fish at high speed, rolling the fish into compact balls then turning on their right side to engulf the fish. Like other large whales, the Fin's feed in the spring and summer at high latitudes in the Arctic or Antarctic and migrate towards warmer waters in the winter months.