Alphonse and Southern Amirantes Expedition (6 nights on board)
Possible de February to May and October to December!
THIS EXPEDITION FROM MAHÉ IS AIMED AT EXPERIENCED DIVERS WITH A LEVEL ALLOWING CERTAIN DIVES TO 42 METRES (ADVANCE LEVEL OR MINIMUM EQUIVALENT REQUIRED).
Geographically isolated from mass tourism & with just a handful of residents, the Southern Amirantes offer pristine waters populated by a full range of Indian Ocean flora and fauna.
On board the Explorer 2 – Basilisk, This expedition will allow you to visit the groups of islands around Alphonse: Bijoutier, St François, Marie-Louise, Desnoeufs… No less than 6 shipwrecks adorn the reef of Saint-François, reminding in silence the power of the ocean. Diving on the Alphonse Wall is one of the best sites in the Indian Ocean, where the gorgonian forest is a “must” for spotting the longnose hawkfish.
We sail at night to maximise the number of dives during the day.
The dive sites are remote and unspoilt as this part of the Indian Ocean only sees a handful of divers each year. This is because it is a highly protected and strictly regulated area seen as one of the last sanctuaries in the world. The access is to these sites are limited by the government. In fact, some of the sites are UNESCO World Heritage sites. This means that each dive site offers an incredible diversity of marine life.
Dives are made at the bottom of the coral reefs, drifting, at depths between 12 and 30 meters but also in the lagoons.
The last dive of the day is usually carried out on a coral reef or in a channel at depths if possible of not more than 12 metres to help decompression.
The night moorings are selected for their comfort (calm waters) and the beauty of atolls allowing swimming and snorkeling, with corals and fishes, or even a night dive.
Change of scenery garanteed!
7 days – 6 nights on board – 18 dives
Day 1
Mahé - Alphonse
Boarding between 8am and 11am, installation in your cabins, security briefing and presentation of the program. After a control dive, we sail directly to Alphonse, a day trip of about 24 hours
Day 2
Alphonse
Arrived after breakfast, we expect 3-4 dives per day, starting with Alphonse
Day 3
Bijoutier
Giant groupers and jacks frequent this area with silver tip sharks, bull and grey sharks, nurse sharks, platoons of rays eagles and large solitary stingrays.
Jour 4
Saint-François
Swarms of humpbacks and snappers, sprinkled with oriental sweet-lips in pairs or solitary, of humpback parrot fish, of bat fish and fusilier fish abound, with an occasional troop of barracudas of passage : what a program!
Day 5
Marie-Louise
Today, turtles, moray eels, lobsters, octopuses, cleaning prawns and a multitude of exotic nudibranches are all present.
Jour 6
Desnoeufs - Mahé
You'll have to avoid the stonefish disguised as a rock and square off against a giant potato bass, out to defend his territory. Night navigation because it’s already time to return...
Day 7
Mahé
After a night navigation, you will wake up not far from Mahé to enjoy your last breakfast. Disembarkation at 11:00.
Indicative program, subject to changes depending on weather conditions.
Prices and conditions
Alphonse and Southern Amirantes Expedition (7 days / 6 nights on board – 18 dives)
8650 € / Person
(Departure with minimum 4 people )
That's included
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- 18 dives
- Full board dive cruise based on a shared double cabin
- Mahe transfers Airport/boat/airport
- Government taxes, access permits and marine park
- Wi-Fi on board except when navigation is around remote islands (Amirantes, Denis and Bird)
- Non-alcoholic beverages (water, juice, coffee, tea)
- One cocktail (with or without alcohol) per day
- All diving equipment (BCD, regulator, fins, mask, weights, tank, torch, dive computer)
- Fins/mask/snorkel for snorkeling
- 1 dive guide (max 6 divers per guide)
- The number of dives may be increased or decreased for specific reasons (e.g. weather conditions, surface intervals, no deco limits, etc.).
- In any cases the price will not be changed, no discount if less dives, no extra charges if more dives.
That's not included
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- International and domestic flights
- Local transfers
- Single cabin: +250€/night
- Personal expenses, tips and drinks (alcohol, soda, coffee) not included
- Landing on coral islands: 25€/each
- Nitrox : 150€/person for all the dives (you need to be certified)
- Diving certifications N1, N2, Deep, Nitrox 250€ per course
- Access and use of the decompression chamber or oxygen therapy station
- Cancellation, rapatriation and diving insurances
Payment
-
- 50% of the total amount payable at registration
- The balance is due 1 month before departure
Cancellation
-
- More than 60 days before departure: Cancellation/refund fee of 80€
- Between 60 and 45 days before departure: 30% of the total amount will be charged
- Between 44 and 30 days before departure: 50% of the total amount will be charged
- Between 29 and departure day: 100% of the total total amount will be charged