Whale Watching in Mauritius: The 13 Best Trips

1.Dolphin Swim and Whale Watching by Speedboat

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 595 reviews · 5 hours · from $129Our pick

Set out from Grande Riviere Noire on a speedboat with up to 14 passengers and two skippers. Swim with spinner and bottlenose dolphins, watch whales from the boat only, then snorkel over a tropical reef. Guides explain safe, low-impact wildlife practices. Expect spray, bumpy water, and no guarantee of whale sightings.

“Alan made us feel extremely safe and well looked after. He explained how you should not go too close to the whales as it distresses them, and he obeyed all the correct procedures. We were able to see amazing whales without emotionally harming the animals, unlike other companies we saw. As for the dolphins, again they made sure it was safe for us to enter the water and the experience was utterly magical.”

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2.Lydia Boat Mauritius :Private boat tour:Whales&Dolphins encounter

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 409 reviews · from $225Top rated

Meet the Lydia Boat crew at Restaurant Emba Filao in Le Morne for an early private speedboat trip. You may see wild dolphins and whales, snorkel near Crystal Rock, taste oysters and sea urchin, and enjoy a seafood barbecue with drinks. Guides such as Miguel, Navy, Theo, and Owen are praised for attentive safety support.

“Amazing trip! Highlight of our holidays. They took great care of us the whole day, taking lots of time to find and swim with dolphins. The lobster lunch was absolutely amazing! On the way back we stopped to swim with a giant sea turtle, which was mesmerizing. Absolutely recommend to book with them!”

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3.Whale Dream ltd – Whales watching and swim with dolphins

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 308 reviews

Leave Rivière Noire at 6am on a private boat for whale watching, dolphin encounters, and snorkeling. The crew uses a hydrophone to locate sperm whales and follows Mauritius rules: you may swim with dolphins, but not whales. Boats, gear, soft drinks, and snacks are included for up to four people.

“Had the most amazing once in a lifetime experience with Whale Dream. We were lucky to spot an entire family of whales. The best part was that the crew was very respectful of the whales and kept a distance from them. While there are other Read more”

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4.Whale watching

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 166 reviews · from $69Best value

Meet at La Jetée Road in Grande Riviere Noire for a 2.5-hour whale search along Mauritius’s west coast. A small group of up to eight rides out by speedboat while the crew uses a hydrophone and whale blows to locate sperm whales year-round and humpbacks from June to October. Clovis, Yobis, Julian, and Fletcher are among the guides praised for safe, respectful wildlife viewing.

“A experience to remember , a family of sperm whales surrounding the boat, dolswim were a great company that respected the whales until the other boats arrived and people started jumping in and the whales disappeared”

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5.Dolphins Encounter and Whale Watching

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 153 reviews · from $116

Meet at 6:45 a.m. in Black River for a small-group speedboat trip with a skipper and crew. Watch wild dolphins, swim with them two at a time when conditions allow, snorkel a coral reef, then search for whales with an onboard hydrophone. Sperm whales appear year-round, while humpbacks are seasonal.

“The whole trip was amazing, seeing and swimming with dolphins then seeing 3 pods of whales. This was an amazing experience for our wedding anniversary. We felt so privileged to view these beautiful creatures.”

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6.Mauritius Eco Whales Quest, 3-4 hours Expedition

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 23 reviews · 3 hours · from $223

Set out early from a meeting point confirmed with your booking for a three-hour whale-watching trip in Mauritius. English- and French-speaking boat guides lead private or small groups toward sperm and humpback whales, with drinks listed on board and masks and fins available. Whale sightings are never guaranteed, and dolphin stops may add crowds.

“The guides/sailors of the boat did not give any introduction of themselves the /tour /guide we were in silence the whole trip. They did not explain the type of whales we were seeing or even the location of where we were. The was not as advertised as per what was stated as inclusive. We did not receive any drinks, masks or fins to swim. The pictures implied we would be swimming with whales , hence instructing us to bring snorkelling equipment however we were informed once we sighted the whales, we would not be swimming with them. We were not offered an alternative place to swim either, swimming was indicated…”

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7.Dolphins & Whales, Private Tour Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 21 reviews · 4 hours

Set out by private speedboat for four hours of dolphin snorkeling, whale watching, Crystal Rock, and a swim in Mauritius’s natural aquarium. Your French- or English-speaking skipper leads the trip, with Ali and assistant Bebe among the crew named in recent departures. Light drinks are included, but wildlife sightings and swimming conditions can vary.

“My husband and I had the best morning ever!! We were sadly let down by another outfit the day before, but Ikbal was very responsive with our last minute booking when I contacted him last night and sent his wonderful skipper, Ali and his assistant Bebe to give us the best experience this morning! Ali has great respect for nature and animals. He made sure we had good views on the numerous humpback whale sightings we had, but always respected the animal’s space. 🐋🐳 We swam with large pods of Spinner Dolphins afterwards. 🐬🐬 We can not thank Ikbal and his team enough for the great morning! We will definitely…”

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8.Dolphins & whale watching

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 17 reviews · 3 hours · from $129

Meet the Friendly Dodo team at La Balise Yacht Center for a sunrise boat ride along Mauritius's west coast. You may swim near dolphins, watch sperm whales year-round, and see humpbacks from June to September. Roman is one guide named in the feedback. The boat carries up to eight people, with snacks, water, masks, fins, and an onboard toilet.

“It was a great experience, to go deep into the sea to watch dolphins and whale. They gave ample time around dolphins, moving around to go near them, and then took us to baby whales spot first, and then sperm whales next. It was amazing to watch them swim so close. Guide was jovial and spoke well. A bit expensive, but overall it was a great experience.”

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9.Whale Watching and Private Ocean Safari Experience in Mauritius

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews

Leave Black River Bay at 7:00 a.m. with oceanographer Vassen and skipper Paul for a private three-hour safari toward Le Morne and Albion. Watch whales from a stable 28-foot speedboat, learn about Mauritius marine life, then visit a dolphin area for snorkeling and swimming. Breakfast, snacks, water, gear, binoculars, and English or French guiding are included.

“My family of six had a fantastic day out with Vassen. Nothing was too much trouble for him and he was a very, interesting and friendly host. We learnt so much about sperm whales, dolphins and sea turtles and he even told us about the elusive Read more”

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10.Whale and Dolphin Watching Private Boat Tour from Mauritius

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 14 reviews

Leave Grande Riviere Noire at 7:00 am for a private four-and-a-half-hour trip with a captain and crew. Swim with wild dolphins if sea conditions allow, snorkel with provided equipment, then search deeper water for whales using a hydrophone. Sandwiches, drinks, and bottled water are included, but bring your own towel.

“Great experience. The skippers were knowledgeable but very hands off. Did not get in the water to assist anyone at all. Did not provide towels, bring your own. Be aware that there is no place to change into or out of your wet swim suit. There Read more”

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11.Private Dolphin Encounter and Whale Watching

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 7 reviews · 5 hours

Set out from La Jetée Road in Black River on a private speedboat for up to six people. Your English or French-speaking crew explains respectful dolphin rules, serves water and soft drinks, and takes you snorkeling before searching for whales. Dolphins may be swum with, but whale watching is from the boat only.

“Rigtig god tur. Guiderne var gode til at informere om turforløbet og vi syntes de tog meget hensyn til delfinerne/hvalerne når de sejlede efter/rundt om dem ift. mange af de andre både, hvor det virkede som om man nærmest jagtede dem og stressede dem.”

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12.Private :Whales and dolphins watching/Swimming with dolphins

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews

Meet your skipper at Le Morne Public Beach for a private half-day boat trip with wild dolphin watching and supervised swimming. Lydia Boat Mauritius provides the boat, snorkelling gear, water, and an in-water guide. Bring sunscreen, a towel, water shoes, and a wetsuit. Hotel transfers, photos, and breakfast cost extra.

“It was absolutely amazing! Our hosts were top! The boat was great! The variety of activities was perfect. The BBQ was very generous and tasted great, our table on the island was the neatest of all) and we were not hurried, really took our time to enjoy every moment. Recommend!! Recommend!! Recommend!!”

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13.Whale & Dolphins Swimming – Private Speedboat Exclusive Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 3 reviews · 4 hours

Spend four hours on a private speedboat off Mauritius, searching for dolphins and whales, swimming and snorkeling in their natural habitat, and cruising the lagoon. Breakfast is advertised onboard, with English, French, German, Italian, and Russian support. Hotel transfers are optional and extra.

“Esperienza magnifica!! Abbiamo visto le balene, nuotato con i delfini e fatto snorkeling sulla barriera corallina! Skipper e aiutante super bravi e disponibili, Consigliatissimo!!!”

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