M3-1 - Whale watching
Sperm Whales: These impressive giants of the oceans can reach lengths of 16 to 20 meters and weigh between 40,000 and 55,000 kg. These majestic animals consume about 900 kg of food daily. To find their preferred prey—mainly giant squids—they dive to depths of 300 to 1,200 meters, and in exceptional cases, even down to 2,000 or 3,000 meters. An average dive lasts about an hour. Sperm whales produce the loudest sounds in the animal kingdom—a series of clicks—and use this echolocation to precisely locate their prey. Outside of the mating season, male sperm whales live alone, while females and their young live in groups of up to 20 individuals. Young males leave these groups at about 4 years old to form their own groups until they become solitary as they age. Only older males migrate to the colder waters around the South and North Poles, while groups with females and young remain in the tropics. Most of their time is spent hunting, but sometimes they can be seen socializing, calling to each other, and seeking physical contact. The average speed of a sperm whale is between 5 and 15 km/h, but they can accelerate to 35 to 45 km/h for about an hour. Sperm whales have a lifespan similar to humans and can live up to about 70 years. Orcas are the greatest natural threat to sperm whales, although pilot whales and false killer whales are also known to hunt them.
Humpback Whales: Humpback whales can reach lengths of 12 to 19 meters and weigh about 36,000 kg. These majestic creatures belong to the baleen whales, which have baleen plates instead of teeth in their mouths. As they move through clouds of krill or schools of small fish, they take in large amounts of water and filter their food. Although humpback whales are usually solitary, they come together in groups during feeding and mating seasons. They appear to be friendly to other marine mammals and have been seen socializing with other whales and dolphins. When moving, humpback whales usually travel at speeds of 5 to 15 km/h. While feeding, they slow down to 2 to 5.5 km/h. They can reach a maximum speed of 25 km/h in short sprints. Humpback whales dive up to 200 meters deep and can stay underwater for up to 30 minutes, although their average dives last about 15 minutes. During the mating season, males gather in groups and compete for dominance. These fights include charging at each other, breaching, spy-hopping, and lobtailing. Mating occurs after a long migration from the whales' colder feeding grounds to the tropics. A pregnancy lasts about 11 months, and at birth, a humpback whale calf weighs about 900 kg and is 3 to 4.5 meters long. The calves drink 45 liters of milk daily and are weaned after about 6 months. Humpback whales have an average lifespan of 50 years, although there is evidence they can live significantly longer. Humpback whales and other whale species sing by pushing air through their nasal cavity. While both females and males produce these sounds, only the males sing songs lasting up to 20 minutes, possibly love songs composed of a mix of various low tones.
We will observe humpback whales or sperm whales in their natural environment depending on the season on the day of your booking.
Click to view the image galleryAccording to the regulations of the Dolphin and Whale Watching, it is forbidden to swim with whales in Mauritius. This tour is only a sightseeing experience, according to the law in Mauritius.
Online booking
You can use this link to make your online booking and reserve a boat.
Duration of the tour: about 3.0h
Private boat up to 4 persons for the price of 390 Euro
(each additional person 30 euros)
Equipment / catering on board:
- Water / juice
- Fruit / cake
Please let us know:
- if a guest is pregnant (The sea can be quite rough on this tour)
- if a guest has allergies
- if a guest has a medical condition
- when a guest is disabled
Start times of the tour
We start at La Balise Yachtcenter at the following times:January | 05:30 am / 09:00 am |
February | 05:30 am / 09:00 am |
March | 05:30 am / 09:00 am |
April | 06:00 am / 09:00 am |
May | 06:00 am / 09:00 am |
June | 06:00 am / 09:00 am |
July | 06:00 am / 09:00 am |
August | 06:00 am / 09:00 am |
September | 06:00 am / 09:00 am |
October | 05:30 am / 09:00 am |
November | 05:30 am / 09:00 am |
December | 05:30 am / 09:00 am |
General conditions (by booking online you confirm that you have read and accepted the following):
Only go into the water after the Ok, or Go, of the skipper/ boat driver, because only from this point the standstill of the screws on the engine is guaranteed. Make sure that you do not bump or injure yourself on hangers and other protruding parts in/on the boat.
By registering, I/We confirm that we have read and understood the information provided. I/We confirm that the activities listed there may entail risks that can cause injuries from accidents and diseases. I/we agree to take responsibility for accidents and injuries caused by these risks. Timeonsea is at no time responsible for personal injury, damage to property.
Timeonsea is not responsible for the loss of customer property.
I/We also release Timeonsea from any liability for damages for costs incurred by the help of other participants or the use of third parties (deployment, rescue) and loss or damage to equipment, Property of others if these are caused by my actions or omissions.
Jurisdiction and Governing Law
The Mauritian courts have the sole and exclusive jurisdiction in all cases listed here and the prevailing jurisdiction takes place exclusively under Mauritian law.
General information about cancellation, refund and security