ST HELENA ISLAND ESCORTED WHALE SHARK SCUBA SPECIAL 2019 & 2020
2019
January 11th to 20th – budget option, self-catering
January 18th to 27th – deluxe option, 4-star hotel
2020
February 21st to 1st March – budget option, self-catering
February 28th to 8th March – deluxe option, 4-star hotel
Price, excluding flights, in GBP
Budget:
11 to 20 January 2019
February 21st to 1st March 2020
Two sharing a double room £810 (approx. $1155)
Single occupancy £935 (approx. $1355)
Deluxe:
18 to 27 January 2019
February 28th to 8th March 2020
Two sharing a double room £1595 (approx. $2280)
Single occupancy. £2095 (approx. $2995)
Interactive itinerary here
Flights
Johannesburg – St Helena – Johannesburg from £860 ($1260)
Escorted by pro-UW photographer Christopher Bartlett, owner of Indigo Safaris, and yoga teacher Ines Moosmann, who is also Indigo Safaris’ Product and Sales Manager.
Christopher has been involved in whale shark conservation since 2009. He has led trips to the Galapagos and the Maldives with Dr Simon Pierce, founder of the Marine Megafauna Foundation, adviser to the IUCN on whale shark conservation status, and regarded by his peers as the leading whale shark researcher in the world. Christopher brings a decade of fascination with these gentle giants to the show.Big spottyfish (and their friends the big flappyfish) are very close to our hearts, and the MMF is one of the key conservation organisations that we sponsor each year.
Each trip includes 1 night in Johannesburg, 7 nights on St Helena, the final night in Johannesburg, 10 dives over 5 days, 2 whale shark snorkelling trips, a full day 4x4 land tour, 6 days vehicle hire, and transfers. The deluxe version includes 7 breakfasts on St Helena and 4 dinners.
Itinerary:
Day 1: After clearing immigration in Johannesburg, transfer to accommodation. The budget tour uses MoAfrika guesthouse, conveniently 10 minutes from the airport. The deluxe version uses the Premier Hotel, also 10 minutes from the airport. Dinner at your cost.
Day 2: Return to the airport for the 0900 flight to St Helena, arriving 1330 local time. After clearing immigration, you will be transferred to your accommodation. On the deluxe version, dinner is included. After-dinner drinks at the Standard pub recommended for a bit of local colour and music.
Day 3: Today we will do two dives, targeting sites frequented by whale sharks. Afternoon visit of Jamestown.
Day 4: Full day island 4x4 tour to visit the key historic sites and viewpoints of the island.
Day 5: Two reef or wreck dives in the morning, whale shark snorkelling in the afternoon.
Day 6: Two dives, targeting sites frequented by whale sharks.
Day 7: Two dives, targeting sites frequented by whale sharks.
Day 8: Two reef or wreck dives in the morning, whale shark snorkelling in the afternoon.
Day 9: Morning free, transfer to the airport at midday for the 1430 flight to Johannesburg. Transfer to Johannesburg accommodation. Dinner at your cost.
Day 10: Transfer to the airport.
Christopher has been involved in whale shark conservation since 2009. He has led trips to the Galapagos and the Maldives with Dr Simon Pierce, founder of the Marine Megafauna Foundation, adviser to the IUCN on whale shark conservation status, and regarded by his peers as the leading whale shark researcher in the world. Christopher brings a decade of fascination with these gentle giants to the show.Big spottyfish (and their friends the big flappyfish) are very close to our hearts, and the MMF is one of the key conservation organisations that we sponsor each year.
Each trip includes 1 night in Johannesburg, 7 nights on St Helena, the final night in Johannesburg, 10 dives over 5 days, 2 whale shark snorkelling trips, a full day 4x4 land tour, 6 days vehicle hire, and transfers. The deluxe version includes 7 breakfasts on St Helena and 4 dinners.
Itinerary:
Day 1: After clearing immigration in Johannesburg, transfer to accommodation. The budget tour uses MoAfrika guesthouse, conveniently 10 minutes from the airport. The deluxe version uses the Premier Hotel, also 10 minutes from the airport. Dinner at your cost.
Day 2: Return to the airport for the 0900 flight to St Helena, arriving 1330 local time. After clearing immigration, you will be transferred to your accommodation. On the deluxe version, dinner is included. After-dinner drinks at the Standard pub recommended for a bit of local colour and music.
Day 3: Today we will do two dives, targeting sites frequented by whale sharks. Afternoon visit of Jamestown.
Day 4: Full day island 4x4 tour to visit the key historic sites and viewpoints of the island.
Day 5: Two reef or wreck dives in the morning, whale shark snorkelling in the afternoon.
Day 6: Two dives, targeting sites frequented by whale sharks.
Day 7: Two dives, targeting sites frequented by whale sharks.
Day 8: Two reef or wreck dives in the morning, whale shark snorkelling in the afternoon.
Day 9: Morning free, transfer to the airport at midday for the 1430 flight to Johannesburg. Transfer to Johannesburg accommodation. Dinner at your cost.
Day 10: Transfer to the airport.
Budget accommodation
We will be staying in two and three-bedroom cottages in Half-Tree Hollow, built in 2014, located above Jamestown with a magnificent view of the coast and the ocean. Each cottage has a small lounge, kitchen and a bathroom. Single occupancy guests will share a three-bedroom cottage. There is a small supermarket in Half-tree Hollow and other food shops in Jamestown. Fresh fish can be purchased in Jamestown, a five-minute drive away.
Deluxe accommodation
The 4-star Mantis Hotel is a combination of restored historic buildings dating from 1774 and a new contemporary building situated in the heart of Jamestown, a few minutes’ walk from the sea front, swimming pool, museum, Jacob’s Ladder, public library, archives, shops, and bars.
The buildings originally served as an officer’s barracks for the East India Company, who administered the island at the time. They served as military accommodation up until the last garrison left the island in the 1900’s. The original buildings were constructed from stone, bonded together with mud and mortar, pointed and rendered with lime which also formed the whitewash, with teak and iroko joinery and flooring. This 30-room boutique hotel has a large restaurant, the best on the island, bar and guest lounge and two outdoor terraces.
We will be staying in two and three-bedroom cottages in Half-Tree Hollow, built in 2014, located above Jamestown with a magnificent view of the coast and the ocean. Each cottage has a small lounge, kitchen and a bathroom. Single occupancy guests will share a three-bedroom cottage. There is a small supermarket in Half-tree Hollow and other food shops in Jamestown. Fresh fish can be purchased in Jamestown, a five-minute drive away.
Deluxe accommodation
The 4-star Mantis Hotel is a combination of restored historic buildings dating from 1774 and a new contemporary building situated in the heart of Jamestown, a few minutes’ walk from the sea front, swimming pool, museum, Jacob’s Ladder, public library, archives, shops, and bars.
The buildings originally served as an officer’s barracks for the East India Company, who administered the island at the time. They served as military accommodation up until the last garrison left the island in the 1900’s. The original buildings were constructed from stone, bonded together with mud and mortar, pointed and rendered with lime which also formed the whitewash, with teak and iroko joinery and flooring. This 30-room boutique hotel has a large restaurant, the best on the island, bar and guest lounge and two outdoor terraces.