9-day 'Sardine Run South Africa'
Port St Johns, South Africa

Join us in Port St. Johns during June & July for the Sardine Run in South Africa. During the Sardine Run, we move our dive centre to Cremorne Estate in Port St. Johns, rated one of the best locations for the annual Sardine Run in South Africa.

Join us and become part of this epic sardine migration, experience the noise of the diving gannets, the speed of the dolphin, the sharks, whales, game fish & more all enjoying the feast the BBC called 'the greatest shoal on earth'.


Package Summary - 9-days / 8-nights

Day 1 : Arrive Durban Airport -- Transfer to & Overnight ScubaAddicts Lodge, South Africa
Day 2 : Transfer to Port St. Johns -- Sardine Run Diving -- Overnight Port St. Johns
Day 3 : Full-day unlimited Sardine Run Diving -- Overnight Port St. Johns, South Africa
Day 4 : Full-day unlimited Sardine Run Diving -- Overnight Port St. Johns, South Africa
Day 5 : Full-day unlimited Sardine Run Diving -- Overnight Port St. Johns, South Africa
Day 6 : Full-day unlimited Sardine Run Diving -- Overnight Port St. Johns, South Africa
Day 7 : Full-day unlimited Sardine Run Diving -- Overnight Port St. Johns, South Africa
Day 8 : Full-day Sardine Run Diving -- Transfer & Overnight ScubaAddicts Lodge, South Africa
Day-9 : Airport Transfer to Durban International Airport

Package Itinerary & Costs


Day 1 : Arrive Durban & Transfer to ScubaAddicts Lodge -- Overnight ScubaAddicts Dive Lodge, South Africa

We will meet you at Durban International Airport or other pick-up points as required. You can arrive at anytime during the day. You will be transferred [+/- 50mins] to ScubaAddicts Lodge, where you will meet the team. In the evening you enjoy dinner at the lodge. Overnight ScubaAddicts Lodge.


Day 2 : Transfer to Port St. John -- Sardine Run diving -- Overnight Port St Johns, South Africa

An early start and we transfer south to Port St. Johns [about 4-hours]. On the way down we receive updates about the Sardine Run movements. When we arrive we launch and spend the rest of the day out at sea enjoying the action getting up close and personal with many species of marine animal including birds, dolphin, game fish, whales and sharks.

In the late afternoon we return to shore to check in to our accommodation, situated on the river banks at Port St. Johns. The upmarket lodge overlooks the river and has en-suite facilities. There is a fantastic restaurant and bar to enjoy a meal and some drinks. Overnight Cremorne Estate, Port St. Johns.

             

Day 3 : Full Day Sardine Run diving -- Overnight Port St Johns, South Africa

Each morning while we have breakfast, we receive updates about the Sardine Run movements. We launch and we spend the day out at sea diving the Sardine Run, getting up close & personal with almost every species of marine animal including birds, dolphin, game fish, whales & sharks and millions of sardines.

In the late afternoon we return to shore where you can enjoy a local excursion or relax and enjoy the bar. There are fantastic views and walks. In the evening enjoy a meal at the restaurant. Overnight Cremorne Estate, Port St. Johns.


Day 4 : Full Day Sardine Run diving -- Overnight Port St Johns, South Africa

Each morning while we have breakfast, we receive updates about the Sardine Run movements. We launch and we spend the day out at sea diving the Sardine Run, getting up close & personal with almost every species of marine animal including birds, dolphin, game fish, whales & sharks and millions of sardines.

In the late afternoon we return to shore where you can enjoy a local excursion or relax and enjoy the bar. There are fantastic views and walks. In the evening enjoy a meal at the restaurant. Overnight Cremorne Estate, Port St. Johns.

             

Day 5 : Full Day Sardine Run diving -- Overnight Port St Johns, South Africa

Each morning while we have breakfast, we receive updates about the Sardine Run movements. We launch and we spend the day out at sea diving the Sardine Run, getting up close & personal with almost every species of marine animal including birds, dolphin, game fish, whales & sharks and millions of sardines.

In the late afternoon we return to shore where you can enjoy a local excursion or relax and enjoy the bar. There are fantastic views and walks. In the evening enjoy a meal at the restaurant. Overnight Cremorne Estate, Port St. Johns.


Day 6 : Full Day Sardine Run diving -- Overnight Port St Johns, South Africa

Each morning while we have breakfast, we receive updates about the Sardine Run movements. We launch and we spend the day out at sea diving the Sardine Run, getting up close & personal with almost every species of marine animal including birds, dolphin, game fish, whales & sharks and millions of sardines.

In the late afternoon we return to shore where you can enjoy a local excursion or relax and enjoy the bar. There are fantastic views and walks. In the evening enjoy a meal at the restaurant. Overnight Cremorne Estate, Port St. Johns.

             

Day 7 : Full Day Sardine Run diving -- Overnight Port St Johns, South Africa

Each morning while we have breakfast, we receive updates about the Sardine Run movements. We launch and we spend the day out at sea diving the Sardine Run, getting up close & personal with almost every species of marine animal including birds, dolphin, game fish, whales & sharks and millions of sardines.

In the late afternoon we return to shore where you can enjoy a local excursion or relax and enjoy the bar. There are fantastic views and walks. In the evening enjoy a meal at the restaurant. Overnight Cremorne Estate, Port St. Johns.


Day 8 : Full Day Sardine Run diving -- Transfer to ScubaAddicts Lodge -- Overnight ScubaAddicts Dive Lodge, South Africa

Each morning while we have breakfast, we receive updates about the Sardine Run movements. We launch and we spend a final day out at sea diving the Sardine Run, getting up close & personal with almost every species of marine animal including birds, dolphin, game fish, whales & sharks and millions of sardines.

In the late afternoon we transfer north back to ScubaAddicts Lodge. In the evening you can enjoy dinner at the lodge or at a local restaurants. Overnight ScubaAddicts Lodge.


Day 9 : Airport Transfers or Extend your stay

Enjoy breakfast at the lodge & spend the day relaxing before being transferred to Durban Airport where we will bid you farewell [until the next time.]

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Extend your stay? - we offer the following packages. Packages can be customized to suit your requirements.

Extension 1 : 4-day 'Great White Cage Diving' - Dyer Island

Extend your stay and fly south to Cape Town before transferring to Gansbaai to experience Great White Cage Diving at Dyer Island and get up-close and personal with the oceans ultimate predator, the Great White Shark! >> more info

Extension 2 : 4-day 'Big-5 Game Safari' - Hluhluwe-Imfolozi

Extend your stay and transfer north [about 3.5 hours] to get up-close and personal with Africa's wildlife including the Big-5 [Lion, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino & Buffalo] and more on safari at the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve in South Africa >> more info

Diving the Sardine Run

The Sardine Run takes place along South Africa's Wild Coast. Each morning we receive updates about the Sardine Run action and movements before deciding where to dive. We launch from Port St. Johns and operate north and south depending on where the sardine run action is.

Our days are ruled by nature, we spend most of the day at sea, following the action as the dolphin work together to separate the sardines into bait balls. The birds, dolphin, sharks, whales all enjoying a huge feast. The noise of the diving gannets, the speed of the dolphin, the sharks and the whales coming in to join in on the feast is amazing.

Experience the action from the boat and in the water. We enter the water as many times as possible during the day, sometimes just on snorkel and other times on scuba, depending on how fast the action is moving and how comfortable the animals are as sometimes the bubbles from scuba diving chases the action away. Whilst all this is going on, the humpback whale migration passes the same area, we are treated to awesome breaches as hundereds of Humpback Whales travel north.

The action is amazing and you are often surrounded by hundreds of dolphin, sharks, diving birds, whales and of course millions of sardines!

Join us and experience the ultimate Sardine Run diving adventure!

               

Why Port St. Johns?

We operate from Port St. Johns, South Africa. Many operators offer Sardine Run packages at the Aliwal Shoal & Protea Banks in South Africa with the offer of regular diving when the Sardine Run doesn't arrive.

Whilst this is an easy option, it's not fair, it's not reliable and is the main reason that people think the Sardine Run doesn't happen each year.

We operate from Cremorne Estate in Port St Johns to ensure we are in the best location for the annual Sardine Run in South Africa.

Typical day on the Sardine Run


Breakfast, Kit-up & Dive Briefing

At around 7am we meet for breakfast and we receive updates about the sardine run action and the days conditions so we can decide where the best diving will be.

Once breakfast is finished, we kit up for the days action. The ScubaAddicts dive team are there to help you with all your diving needs and to brief you on your days diving and the action you are likely to see.


Dive dive dive.

We launch from the Umzimvubu River in Port St. Johns and operate north and south depending on where the sardine run action is. We spend most of the day at sea, launching at about 8am and generally we are back by about 3pm. We take lunch with us on the boat

The day is ruled by the Sardine Run action, we follow the dolphin as they work together to separate the bait balls and then the action begins, the dolphin, birds, sharks, whales all enjoying a huge feast.The noise of the diving gannets is amazing as they surround the boat, diving for the sardines.

We enter the water many times during the day, sometimes just on snorkel and other times on scuba, it really depends on how fast the action is moving. The action is amazing and you are often surrounded by hundreds of dolphin, sharks, diving birds, whales and more. We also have many opportunities to watch the humpback whales on their annual migration.


Rest of the day.

In the late afternoon we return to the lodge, where you can choose to relax, download photos & video footage or you can opt to go sightseeing in the afternoon. We are always available to take you on local excursions to show you more of the area.


The evening.

In the evening we enjoy dinner at the restaurant. The evening finishes at the lodge, if you are not completely tired by your days diving and sight seeing, then you can have a drink at the bar, watch TV [Satellite]. After all this you retire to your bedroom with en-suite facilities to enjoy a relaxing nights sleep, ready for the next days diving.

Whales, Sharks, Dolphin, Seals, Birds, Game Fish, Sardines & more

Humpback Whales
Sardine Run, South Africa

Brides Whales
Sardine Run, South Africa

Common Dolphin
Sardine Run, South Africa

Bottlenose Dolphin
Sardine Run, South Africa

Bronze Whaler Sharks
Sardine Run, South Africa

Oceanic Blacktip Sharks
Sardine Run, South Africa

Dusky Sharks
Sardine Run, South Africa

Game Fish
Sardine Run, South Africa

Seals
Sardine Run, South Africa

Sardines
Sardine Run, South Africa

Cape Gannetts
Sardine Run, South Africa

Cape Gannetts
Sardine Run, South Africa

Dive Gear

Wetsuits : Most divers seem to favour 5-mm wetsuits year-round, if you feel the cold then gloves and a hoodie are a good idea. We do have shortie wetsuits that you can add to your wetsuit if you are cold.

Cylinders : We use 12-liter steel cylinders which are available as A-clamp [international] or DIN so will suit all divers.

Gear Hire : Dive gear is available for rent so you don't need to bring your own gear. Once we have your booking, you can just let us know what dive gear you will need.

General Weather

June & July : The Sardine Run takes place during winter in South Africa.

The mornings and late afternoons can be cold so it is best to bring a water-proof jacket for the boat.

The weather is generally calm but we can have some winter storms which can make the sea rough.

Sardine Run Tempertures

Winter : June & July

Daytime Temperature : 10- 25°C

Nightime Temperature : 6- 12°C

Water Temperature : 18- 21°C

Accommodation

The first night & last night of your Sardine Run package is spent at ScubaAddicts Dive Lodge.

This is to ensure we are close to the airport and that we can transfer to & from Cremorne in Port St. Johns during daylight as the roads are not that good and the animals moving on the roads at night makes it unsafe to drive in the dark.

On the morning of day two we transfer south to Cremorne Estate in Port St. Johns where your boat will be waiting to get you out to the Sardine Run action. The next six nights are spent at Cremorne Estate. The accommodation is on a bed & breakfast basis, lunch and dinner is available at the lodge which has a fantastic bar area and restaurant, ideal for chilling-out after the days diving.

ScubaAddicts Dive Lodge, South Africa

Our beach-front lodge is situated in the small diving town of Umkomaas, 50km south of Durban and 80kms south of Durban's International Airport. Every room at ScubaAddicts Dive Lodge has 100% ocean views over-looking the Indian Ocean, miles of sandy beaches and the Aliwal Shoal, rated as one of the top shark diving sites in the world!

Our on-site dive centre means no daily transfers between your accommodation and dive centre! Just wake-up, roll out of bed, enjoy breakfast over-looking the ocean and go shark diving on the reefs of the Aliwal Shoal - awesome!

Rooms are available as single [king size bed], twin [2 x single beds] or double [king size bed]. All rooms have en-suite bathroom [with showers], balconies and are serviced daily.

Cremorne Estate, Port St. Johns, South Africa

We operate from Cremorne Estate in Port St. Johns, South Africa during the Sardine Run.

Situated on the Umzimvubu River the accommodation has fantastic views with direct access to the river. Each day we launch the boats in-front of the accommodation from our dive centre so there is no daily travelling to the launch site - roll out of bed, kit-up and dive the sardine run.

All rooms overlook the river and are available as single rooms, twin rooms or double rooms which all have en-suite bathroom [with showers] & private balconies. Each morning breakfast is served on a deck over-looking the river. After the diving enjoy some fantastic walks, visit some local attrations or relax in the awesome bar area.

The resort has a swimming pool, B.B.Q. Area, Restaurant, Bar Area, Television, Laundry Service & Internet Access [limited]. Rooms are serviced daily.

9-day 'Sardine Run South Africa'
Port St Johns, South Africa


Package Summary - 9-days / 8-nights
Day 1 : Arrive Durban Airport -- Transfer to & Overnight ScubaAddicts Lodge, South Africa
Day 2 : Transfer to Port St. Johns -- Sardine Run Diving -- Overnight Port St. Johns
Day 3 : Full-day unlimited Sardine Run Diving -- Overnight Port St. Johns, South Africa
Day 4 : Full-day unlimited Sardine Run Diving -- Overnight Port St. Johns, South Africa
Day 5 : Full-day unlimited Sardine Run Diving -- Overnight Port St. Johns, South Africa
Day 6 : Full-day unlimited Sardine Run Diving -- Overnight Port St. Johns, South Africa
Day 7 : Full-day unlimited Sardine Run Diving -- Overnight Port St. Johns, South Africa
Day 8 : Full-day Sardine Run Diving -- Transfer & Overnight ScubaAddicts Lodge, South Africa
Day-9 : Airport Transfer to Durban International Airport