Red Sea Safaris

We see several species of dolphin in the Al Lith area while on our trips, quite often. And when they are up for it, we do our best so our guests can see them underwater. Here's some sweet footage by @noura__zee that she took with her GoPro while on a weekend Safari with us. Just another magical experience to be had out in the blue with Red Sea Safaris! 😁#dolphin #dolphins #cetacean #marinemammal #pod #saudiarabia #arabia #ksa #allith #redsea #redseanature #redseawonders #nature #wildlife #wildarabia #wildandfree #animals #sea #ocean #water #marinescience #marinebiology #oceanscience #travel #ecotourism #tourism #explore #adventure #naturevideo #wildlifevideo #optoutside #snorkel #snorkeling #diving #weekendsatsea #gopro #redseasafaris #dolphinsofinstagram #unforgettable

'What happens when you leave your GoPro unattended with crabs on the beach?' Video taken on a Red Sea Safari weekend a few weeks ago. Creative camera technique and clip by @noura__zee !! 🦀📽🏝 #crab #crabs #island #gopro #nature #redsea #saudiarabia #allith #sea #ocean #marinebiology #marinescience #naturevideo #gopro #wildlife #animals #invertebrates #exoskeleton #claws #crustacean #decapod #optoutside #travel #adventure #crabsofinstagram #crabpeople #noflashphotography!

Our whale shark friends continue to remain quite elusive during this unpredictable 2017 season. On the bright side, however, we are seeing plenty of mantas, dolphins, sea turtles, reef sharks, and more lovely creatures on a regular basis! It's a reminder that our trips truly are Red Sea safaris - Nature is Nature: wild, dynamic, and oftentimes ephemeral. But, as always, we do all that we can for our guests to experience a variety of wildlife in Al Lith and have memorable experiences. Here's some cool footage by Red Sea Safaris intern Jennie Korus of a manta ray encountered on Saturday during last weekend's trip! Other images to come. #manta #mantaray #ray #RedSea #RedSeaSafaris #SaudiArabia #wildArabia #nature #adventure #travel #snorkeling #scuba #marinelife #marinescience #marinebiology #optoutside #getwet #seaflapflap #whalesharkwithwings #majestic

Playful and acrobatic spinner dolphins encountered Saturday afternoon near Abulat Island in Al Lith. #dolphin #dolphins #spinnerdolphins #jump #swim #play #redsea #redseasafaris #safari #allith #saudiarabia #ksa #saudinature #marinescience #marinebiology #snorkeling #diving #cetaceans #marinemammals #adventure #travel #explore #boating #optoutside #getoutside #youngandwildandfree

The best #dive sites in Al Lith (and elsewhere in the Red Sea) feature some sort of 'plateau' that breaks up what is otherwise a continuous wall dive. These plateaus are the #hotspots - hubs where #sharks, loads of #fish, and other #creatures like to hang out. This is a video of Divemaster Willy expertly sketching the dive site for Long Reef ahead of a dive briefing. #divemap #reefmap #plateau #dive #scuba #diving #sketch #redsea #art #artist #planning #knowyourdivesite #divesmart

Massive pod of dolphins encountered during our recent 4-day liveaboard experience in the Farasan Banks / Al Lith!

Red Sea Safaris back on dry land after kicking off the 2017 season with 4 days #diving offshore #reefs of the #FarasanBanks. We're pretty sure everyone had good time 😉#redsea #scuba #coralreef #sharks #silkyshark #hammerheadshark #greyreefshark #whitetipreefshark #dolphins #seaturtles #KSA #adventure #travel #newfriends #divedivedive

WS605 on May 7, 2016 by Makoto Hasegawa

Great footage of our whale shark by Makoto Hasegawa from last weekend's trip! It's not easy staying calm, holding the camera still, and getting the angle right in the heat of the moment - well done!

Whale Shark Numero Uno

Our first Whale Shark Weekend of the year was a HUGE success! Our guests swam with 5 whale sharks over the past 2 days, and we spotted several more from the boat! Here's a video of our (hungry) first whale shark of the season :) This male was last sighted in 2014. It was also manta mania this weekend, with at least 8 individuals mantas encountered in the water! Eagle rays, dolphins, and sea turtles also made the list for sightings :D Some tickets for several of our weekends remain available, so register on our website for a chance to get in on this kind of Red Sea action!

We're called Red Sea "Safaris" because we tend to see more than just whale sharks. Another big and beautiful creature we sometimes are lucky to encounter is the reef manta ray (Manta alfredi). These mantas, closely related to sharks, are also plankton-feeders. They use their wing-like fins to "fly" through the water, doing so with acrobatic grace. They really are a treat to see! In October 2015 KAUST scientists and their international collaborators published a study about the movements of the mantas seen in the Al Lith area. In the study, 9 individual mantas were fitted with acoustic and satellite tags between 2011 and 2012. With the data collected the scientists showed that the mantas exhibited relatively limited movements, showing a preference for shallow, coastal reef habitats (close to shore). The rather limited movements of these mantas, as opposed to our whale sharks, suggests local management will be crucial to ensure their long-term survival. When conditions are right, Red Sea Safaris guests may get a chance to see these truly amazing animals :) Here's a (somewhat shaky) clip of a manta in the Al Lith bay, captured by Alex in 2014.

This was the moment when Alex (one of the whale shark team members) saw his first-ever whale shark, right here in the Red Sea! Well, 2 whale sharks :P Have YOU seen your first whale shark yet? If not, don't miss out on the 2016 season!