• Amazing life changing expereince is to swim with the Dwarf Minke whales during the months of June & July
• The opportunity to spend time in the water with an inquisitive Dwarf Minke Whale
• Scuba diving the World Heritage Great Barrier Reef
• Sleeping on the Great Barrier Reef and experiencing the sunrises and sunsets  

Cairns Dwarf Minke Whale liveaboard dive tours, unique only to the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. There is nowhere else on the planet that you can swim and dive with these highly inquisitive Dwarf Minke Whales. Book now to enjoy amazing whale encounters.

Don’t miss out on one of the most amazing marine animal encounter experiences and one of Mother Nature’s spectacles when visiting Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef in Tropical Far North Queensland.

Book now for your spot on our 4 day liveaboard dive and snorkel trip to the world famous Cod Hole and Ribbon Reefs where you have the best chance to swim with Dwarf Minke Whales. 

Prime time for whale watching in the tropics is June-July when these mysterious ocean giants travel to the warm tropical waters of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

Your 4 day liveaboard swim with Dwarf Minke Whale tour includes up to 16 scuba dives. 

If you intend to scuba dive you must hold an Open Water dive certification to dive on this trip; make sure you bring your C-card and log book with you.

Please note most interaction with Dwarf Minke Whales happen whilst snorkelling, so if you are not a certified diver go ahead and book your berth on this swim with whales tour as you will get as many chances to ‘play’ with the Dwarf Minke whales as divers would.

For some reason the Minke Whales prefer to keep their distance from scuba divers and they prefer to approach the snorkelers.

When the whales have been spotted we lower ropes into the water and snorkellers quietly slide into the water and wait for the whales to approach.

This is also your chance to get your Advanced Diving certification whilst on this liveaboard dive tour.

Ask our Tour Specialists dive team about booking your dive certificate upgrades.

Your Great Barrier Reef diving accommodation is in twin share cabins or double rooms only for maximum of 36 people - making it a truly private and personalised dive expedition.

During these same months we also come across the giant Humpback Whales that normally put on a spectacular show above and below the water’s surface also.

Swim with Dwarf Minke Whales

These cute little Minke Whales would make good spies if given a chance because after decades of research there is still not much known about these very private mammals.

It is not clear why they migrate to tropical waters during winter months, where they actually come from or where exactly they go after visiting the Great Barrier Reef for a few months.

One thing is clear- they are playful and curious creatures who seem to enjoy human interaction as much as humans enjoy theirs.

From past experiences the Dwarf Minke Whales love to take a look at humans up nice and close and are known to spend about 2 hours swimming near boats and coming quite close to people, spy hopping around them, coming up really close and looking at you eye to eye.

We and all the scientists of the world would just love to know what they are thinking at that time of engagement.

Although rare, even 10h long encounters with humans have been reported! Normally they are quite solitary creatures, usually travelling by themselves.

Two to three Minke Whales in a pod is not uncommon but as many as 28 at the time have been seen swimming together.

Diving note: you’ll enjoy one more afternoon dive and one night dive before we steam to the Ribbon Reefs overnight.

Great Barrier Reef Diving Trip | 4 Day Liveaboard

• Day 1 (Friday)

Your swim with a Dwarf Minke Whale adventure starts on Friday with a check-in at our office at 8:00am to board our comfortable reef transfer boat.

We will cruise out to the Outer Barrier Reef where you will have the chance to enjoy 2 dives at Norman Reef, before we transfer you to your liveaboard dive boat at approximately 2:30pm where you will meet and greet all the crew and other liveaboard passengers who are joining your dive adventure.

You’ll enjoy one more afternoon dive and one night dive before we steam to the Ribbon Reefs overnight.

After a great meal you will enjoy some much needed sleep whilst the skipper cruises overnight to the magnificent Ribbon Reefs north of Cape Tribulation.

• Day 2 (Saturday)

Welcome the new day with an amazing sunrise over the truly amazing Great Barrier Reef on the east coast of Australia, this is the Pacific Ocean and it’s all yours to enjoy from here on in at the Light House Bommie!

This is where we find we have most of our interactions with the Minke Whales. 

Today you will be enjoying 4 dives at various locations around the upper Ribbon Reefs.

On this dive expedition not only do you have the chance to see the gorgeous Dwarf Minke Whales but also see the family of large and we mean really large Potato Cod who have been eagerly awaiting your boats arrival.

You will be coveted and totally surrounded by these large and very friendly fish in no time.

They just love to photo bomb and need to know everything you are doing, they are just like puppy dogs.

You will get to enjoy 4 dives, including 1 amazing night dive with these guys. At night the ocean comes alive with the critters that have been in hiding and everyone is going out to dinner so it really is an amazing spectacle in the waters darkness.

• Day 3 (Sunday)

Now that you are half way through your dive adventure, it is time to explore some of the least untouched and spectacular areas of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

There are 4 dives included in today’s itinerary including 1 exploration and night dive.

You will see a completely different side of the Great Barrier Reef during your night dive - with nocturnal creatures emerging from the depths of the sea to treat themselves with some food.

• Day 4 (Monday)

Our fourth day will be still spent on the outer Ribbon Reefs, including the visit to Steve’s Bommies which is one of the most pristine dive sites in the area.

Here you have the opportunity to see colourful untouched coral not seen by many other scuba divers at all.

There are 4 dives included in today’s itinerary including 1 night dive. Once you completed your last night dive it will be time to head back towards Cairns.

• Day 5 (Tuesday)

This is your last morning to experience a beautiful sunrise across the waters of the Great Barrier Reef.

After breakfast you will get a transfer back to your Cairns accommodation at approximately 9.00am.

***Please note: Itinerary might be altered slightly due to weather conditions and during Dwarf Minke whale season the dive schedule may be changed to allow as much in-water interaction with the whales as possible***

Book your swim with Minke Whales tour very early to secure your spot on this rare marine encounter! 

See more swim with whale tours on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

Departs From

Cairns

Departure Time

Check in is at 7:30am at the operator's office located in Cairns city - address will be confirmed at time of booking 

Destinations

• Great Barrier Reef
• The Great Barrier Reef Ribbon Reefs

Months of Operation

June - July

Days of Operation

Friday

2024 Departure Dates: 14th & 12th July

Duration

4 days & 4 nights

Available for Purchase / Hire

• Scuba equipment hire: $160
• Digital camera hire
• Nitrox fills   
• Soft drinks
• Alcoholic beverages
• Snacks (choc/chips)
• Quality souvenirs
• PADI Minke Whale Awareness Specialty: $105
• PADI Advanced Open Water course - $239
• PADI Enriched Air (Nitrox) Dive Course - must be a certified diver: $269

Fitness Level Required

Medium, Active

Restrictions

Scuba Diving – minimum age 12

IN-WATER RESTRICTIONS

Scuba Diving Restrictions

• Certain medical conditions and medications may preclude some people from scuba diving.
• Participation is subject to a medical questionnaire completed on board with the tour operator
• Minimum age for scuba diving is 12 years.
• Flying after scuba diving: a wait of 12 hours is recommended after one dive, 18 hour after 2 dives and at least 24 hours after multiple dives, before ascending to an altitude of 300 metres or greater.

Read more about Diving Safety on the Great Barrier Reef.

Additional Information

• All guests must be able to read and write English or travel with an interpreter
• Whales encounters are regular and initiated by the whales themselves. We don't find the whales, the Dwarf Minke whales find us. Our Great Barrier Reef tours have achieved a success rate of up to 90% with an average whale interaction of 2 hours.
• Currently the rules state that for a single no decompression dive, you should not fly/go to altitude for at least 12 hours, or 18 hours after multiple dives. Divers Den recommends waiting a minimum 24 hours whenever possible. These are guidelines only, there is no guarantee that these recommendations will prevent decompression sickness. There are no current guidelines regarding diving after flying. Altitude is defined as 300m/1000ft above sea level. This includes going to the Atherton Tablelands (a popular local scenic attraction), so be careful if booking tours to follow your dive trip. Under normal circumstances, you should be out of the water on your last dive at 8pm the night before you return to Cairns.
• We require all Certified Divers to present a valid Certification Card. Failure to show a Certification Card may result in the customer not being able to dive on the tour. This includes but is not limited to dive equipment that varies from standard and any specialty cards needed such as Full Face Mask Distinctive Specialty or Nitrox.

• Hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
• Swimsuit and towel
• Overnight bag with changes of clothing, including warm clothing and socks for overnight wear
• Toiletries
• Cert card and logbook (for certified divers)
• Bedding and bath towels are supplied on board. Excess baggage can be stored at our Draper Street office at check in.

• Children 4 to 18 are welcome, however MUST be accompanied/supervised by a parent or guardian at all time.
• Children travel at adult price.
• Certified divers age 10 & 11 must be with a parent, guardian or PRIVATE GUIDE.
• Certified divers age 12 to 14 must be with a parent, guardian or SHARED GUIDE.
• Please note children over 12 with open water diving certifications are restricted in regards to how deep they can dive therefore will not be able to partake in all dives.
• Open Water Courses: minimum age is 12 to participate in a PADI Open Water Course. Any person under the age of 18 must have the relevant liability forms signed by a parent or guardian.
• We are unable to supply dive gear in childrens sizes.