The ultimate whale encounter – swim with humpback whales on the Silver Bank, in the Dominican Republic’s Sanctuary for Marine Mammals.
Each year between January and April, the largest gathering of North Atlantic humpback whales on the planet occurs at the Silver Bank, in the Caribbean Sea north of the Dominican Republic. Over this period as many as 3,000 whales gather to court, mate and give birth. Live your dream by spending a week on a comfortable 45-metre yacht in the company of these amazing creatures, and be thrilled by spectacular displays of breaching, pectoral fin slapping, lobtailing and spy hopping.
The highlight of this unforgettable trip is swimming in warm tropical waters to encounter humpbacks, sometimes eye-to-eye, in their natural environment, on their terms. Accompanied by experienced guides you’ll see mothers and playful calves, swim in bone-rattling whale song, witness courtship dances and more. And through this utterly remarkable experience, you’ll develop a profound understanding of humpback whales and sense the power and grace of these intelligent mammals.
Typical Itinerary
Day1: Puerto Plata, en route to Silver Bank
Board your vessel at the Ocean World Marina in Puerto Plata. You have time to settle in and meet your fellow-travellers before an introductory safety briefing. Dinner will be served, then at around midnight you set sail, bound for the Silver Bank.
All meals are included while on board, except for the final dinner, when you are back in harbour and can eat at the restaurant of your choice.
Accommodation: Turks & Caicos Explorer II, 7-nights
Days2-6: Silver Bank: snorkelling with humpbacks
Early morning, you arrive at the Silver Bank, where the vessel anchors at a designated site. The rest of the morning is dedicated to detailed briefings on snorkelling in general, and humpback whales, while the crew prepare the tenders for whale watching. After a midday lunch, you set off in the two tenders for an afternoon of whale watching.
A typical day on the Silver Bank is as follows: after breakfast, you get your gear ready and board the tenders for the morning excursion, ready to see and swim with humpback whales. The objective is to spend as much time in the water with the whales as they are comfortable with. Depending on what happens in the water, you return to the mother ship at around midday. After lunch and a short break, you head back out onto the water for the afternoon.
Back aboard, the late afternoon cocktail hour is a time-honoured tradition, when over drinks and canapés you can exchange tales of the day’s sightings as the sun goes down. Dinner is served in the main salon at a fixed time – you dine as a group, served by the attentive crew. On most evenings after dinner, there is an informative short presentation relating to whales, and/or a discussion. You can then enjoy stargazing from the top deck or retire to the comfort of your cabin to relax before more whale adventures the next day.
Day7: Silver Bank to Puerto Plata
After a final morning whale watching outing, the tenders are secured ready for departure. Lunch is served on board during the crossing from the Silver Bank. The vessel typically reaches port early afternoon on Friday, and on arrival at the Ocean World Marina, you are free to relax on board or head off to dine in one of the local restaurants in Puerto Plata.
Day8: Disembarkation
This morning, you disembark after a light breakfast.
Please note: Prices shown as for Lower Deck Staterooms. Main and Upper Deck staterooms are also available for a supplement, subject to availability at the time of booking - please contact us for details.
This tour is extremely popular and can get booked up years in advance - we urge you to book early!
A Whale & Cruising Fee of USD$450 applies as does a Port & Surcharge Fee of USD$450 (the latter must be paid in cash only once onboard please).
Key info
Duration and price excluding international flights: 8 daysfrom £3,695 pp
Single supplement:
On request – please contact us.
The Silver Bank lies approximately 110 kilometres north of the coast of the Dominican Republic, and almost the same distance southeast of the Turks and Caicos Islands, in the Antilles. In October 1986 the Dominican Republic recognized its vital importance by establishing the Silver Bank Sanctuary.
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