• 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. Where else can you swim & dive with Dwarf Minke Whales. Book now to enjoy amazing whale encounters that will literally inspire your love of these playful whales.

Our Cairns Dwarf Minke Whale liveaboard dive and snorkel tours are only available in the months of June and July whilst the Dwarf Minke Whales are here in their peak numbers during their annual migration to the waters of the Great Barrier Reef.

Our swim with whales expeditions are in high demand due to the limited time that the Minke Whales spend in the Agincourt Ribbon Reef region on the outer edges of the Great Barrier Reef.

We only have the below departure dates still available for the 2024 season - please note the below is correct as of 31/08/23

• 14/06/24 - 16 spots left
• 21/06/24 - Sold Out
• 05/07/24 - 4 spots left
• 12/07/24 - 28 spots left

Annually our success rate of encountering, swimming and diving with Dwarf Minke Whales is over 90%, but of course as they are wild mammals we cannot offer 100% guarantees that we will see them.

However if you are a scuba diver or even just a snorkeller you will still be on one of the greatest liveaboard dive trips of your life as this is the World Heritage Great Barrier Reef in Australia!

Over the next four days and four nights you will be diving and snorkelling in the beautifully clear waters of the Northern Agincourt Ribbon Reefs which are famous for the huge variety of marine life in this region.  

See Giant Potato Cod that are as friendly as playful puppies, all sorts of sharks, Humphead Maori Wrasse who, like the Potato Cod, just love spending time with the divers underwater. 

The marine life here will tick all your scuba diving bucket lists over the next four days and four nights making you wish you could stay even longer.

Divers and snorkelers will be comfortably accommodated on our luxury liveaboard dive boat that is a floating hotel on the Great Barrier Reef.

Cabin Accommodation

We have 18 twin cabins and four double cabins.

All cabins are air conditioned with en suite bathrooms.

2024 Departure Dates

We only have the below departure dates still available for the 2024 season - please note the below is correct as of 25/08/23

• 14/06/23 - 16 spots left
• 21/06/24 - Sold Out
• 05/07/24 - 4 spots left
• 12/07/24 - 28 spots left

Diving

Each day, scuba divers will have up to 16 opportunities (*) to dive over the course of our 4 day 4 night liveaboard from early morning to late in the afternoon. 

(*) subject to change

Cairns Dwarf Minke Whale Dive Itinerary

​Departs Fridays returns Tuesdays during Whale Season.

• Day 1 (Friday)

Our coach can collect you from your Cairns accommodation or we can meet you at our shop in Draper Street Cairns at 7:30am to board one of our transfer boats.

We make our way to the Outer Barrier Reef where we will enjoy your first two scuba dives on Norman Reef, before transferring to your luxury liveaboard floating hotel at approximately 14:30 and steaming overnight to the Agincourt Ribbon Reefs in the northern section of the Great Barrier Reef where the Dwarf Minke Whales gather.

You will be introduced to all your fellow divers and snorkelers and your boat crew will advise you on the adventures you are about to encounter over the next 4 days and 4 nights with the Dwarf Minke Whales and other creatures on the Great Barrier Reef.

After a nice meal together everyone tucks into their luxury cabin berths early to ensure they are up nice and early for the next day in anticipation of their whale encounters. 

• Day 2 (Saturday)

Wake up to the sun rising over the Great Barrier Reef at Steve’s Bommie, one of the best dive sites on the reef thanks to its huge array of marine life including schools of fish, sharks, rays, nemos, octopus and more. You will enjoy four dives today, two at Steve’s Bommie and two others (including one night dive) at various other sites on the upper Ribbon Reefs. 

• Day 3 (Sunday)

We kick the weekend off with more diving and snorkelling opportunities throughout the Ribbon Reefs, giving you the opportunity to explore some of the Great Barrier Reef’s most untouched areas. Four dives are included in today’s itinerary. Your two morning dives will be at Lighthouse Bommie, where most of our interactions with Minke whales take place. You’ll also have an an afternoon dive and another night dive.

• Day 4 (Monday)

Explore more of the Great Barrier Reef at various dive sites along the Ribbon Reefs over four incredible dives – two in the morning, one in the afternoon and one night dive. The reef locations that we visit are less frequented by any other boats, and are home to many tropical fish species and bright mesmerising coral. After your night dive (finishing around 8pm) we will steam south towards Cairns.

• Day 5 (Tuesday)

 After breakfast, all guests are transferred back to their Cairns city accommodation at approximately 9.00am.

Please note: Our liveaboard dive itinerary may vary slightly depending on weather conditions. During the swim with Dwarf Minke Whale season, the dive schedule may be altered to enable as much in-water interaction with the whales as possible.

Snorkelers are welcome on our Minke Whale dive trips and receive a discount on their tour.

Book very early for our Dwarf Minke Whale dive trips as departures and space are very limited over a short period of time whilst the mammals are here with us on the Great Barrier Reef.

See more swim with Dwarf Minke Whale tours and whale watching tours

Play with Sharks in the Dark

Are you scared of sharks?

On our night dives, scuba divers will be coming face to face with harmless Australian reef sharks who will swim about you as they hunt in the darkness for their nightly meals.

Snorkellers can stay on the boat and observe these mighty predators from above, or if game, can put on a face mask and peer into the waters below to watch the action down below the surface. 

Sharks and other marine life are attracted to the underwater lights on our boat and the torches in the hands of the scuba divers.

Don’t worry this is a safe, calm reef experience that is enjoyed by both the sharks and all of our guest on board the boat.

If you are really keen on diving and swimming with sharks take a look at some of our specialised shark tours

Read about swimming with whales on the Great Barrier Reef.

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 & 21st June and 5th & 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.