Djibouti Whale Shark Safari - Schedule Nov. 12 (Wednesday): Arrive to Djibouti City anytime. Airport pick up provided. Overnight at Kempinski in Djibouti City. Nov. 13 (Thurs): Depart in the morning by 4x4 to visit the amazing Lake Assal, the world’s saltiest lake not in Antarctica. There will be incredible photo opportunities of salt formations and crystallization along the coast. Travel by 4x4 to geothermal areas near Lake Abe on the Ethiopian border to view volcanic sites and the amazing landscape. Overnight at Lake Abe in basic accomodation.
out of Africa but could not be returned to the wild for various reasons. Depart from Djibouti City on a comfortable chartered boat to whale shark area and arrive at our private campsite on the beach with nice tents, shaded areas and cooking area along with basic showers and toilet. We will have a private chef to cook for us and our own boat for visiting the whale sharks (just offshore). Onshore walks and photo opportunities are also possible. Nov. 16 (Sun): Spend the day and evening with the whale sharks. Camp.
Nov. 14 (Fri): Spend the morning photographing the sunrise in the Lake Abe area as it rises over steaming volcanic chimneys. Return to Djibouti City. Overnight Kempinski. Nov. 15th (Sat): Private tour of the DECAN nature reserve to see cheetah, lions, impala and other animals up close, often with no fence. DECAN was formed when various animals were rescued from poachers trying to smuggle them
Nov. 17 (Mon): Spend the day and evening with the whale sharks. Camp. Nov. 18 (Tues): Spend the morning with whale sharks. Return to Djibouti City. Overnight Kempinski. Nov. 19 (Wednesday): Visit Djibouti City including the central market, beach, and port area practicing street photography. Depart anytime on this day.
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About the trip Djibouti is one of Africa’s smallest and most politically stable nations. With fewer than 900,000 inhabitants and 195 miles of beautiful coastline, Djibouti hosts an incredible number of adventure opportunities off of the beaten path.
The Whale Shark
The whale shark is a filter-feeding shark and the largest fish in the world. The biggest confirmed individual was measured at 12.65 meters (41.50 feet) with a weight of more than 21.5 tons (47,000 pounds). Called the “domino” in some parts of the world because of its striking spots, the whale shark is notoriously difficult to find in clear water. Most whale shark sightings, which are rare as a general matter, occur in areas with large amounts of plankton, making visibility very low and photography difficult. However, if the location, time of year and time of day are right, the whale sharks of Djibouti can be found near the surface in very clear water.
Accompanied on your journey by a professional underwater photographer, you are sure to capture the best possible images, and you will also have access to Picture Adventure’s professional underwater equipment and assistance in maximizing the capabilities of your personal gear. We visit the world’s saltiest lake — saltier even than the Dead Sea — and witness amazing volcanic landscapes in Africa’s Great Rift Valley. Four days will be spent using our private boat to access the area where the whale sharks frequent. In order to maximize our encounters with whale sharks, three nights will be spent comfortably camping on the beach in the area where the sharks frequent. We will have a camp cook and our own dive master.
Picture Adventure has many years of experience in swimming with and photographing whale sharks in Djibouti, as well as in other locations around the globe. The team ensures that you are in the best possible location at the right time to maximize the chances of great encounters and amazing photographs.
Picture Adventure Expeditions
Picture Adventure hosts a very small number of guests on bold “expeditions of a lifetime”. Each Picture Adventure expedition is highly customized and often requires working in close partnership with top researchers to ensure that we are on the vanguard of what the natural world has to offer. Patrick Dykstra, an accomplished photographer with clients including Emirates Airlines, Borderlands and other top global brands, designs and leads each journey to ensure that guests capture excellent photos and video, as well as advance their imaging skills. In addition, a goal of each expedition is to capture memorable photos and video of the guests enjoying their unique adventure.
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