Diving in Djibouti
Gulf of Tadjoura — whale sharks from October to February, the Seven Brothers islands
Djibouti — whale sharks in the Gulf of Tadjoura from October to February, the Seven Brothers islands. Liveaboard schedules and prices.
Why divers come here
- Whale sharks in the Gulf of Tadjoura — October to February
- Snorkelling with juveniles of 3–6 metres
- Seven Brothers archipelago (Sept Frères) — heavy fish life and soft corals
- Drift diving at the Bab-el-Mandeb strait
- Lake Assal — the lowest point in Africa (−155 m)
- Short 7–8 day itineraries departing from Djibouti City
What you'll meet underwater
Whale sharks (juveniles, 3–6 m, October–February)
Grey reef sharks (Seven Brothers)
Eagle rays
Manta rays (occasional in the Gulf of Tadjoura)
Schools of barracuda
Giant trevally
Groupers
Green sea turtles
Photos: credits and licences
- Whale sharks (juveniles, 3–6 m, October–February) — Abe Khao Lak, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Grey reef sharks (Seven Brothers) — NOAA Photo Library, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Eagle rays — the manta ray had a family, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Manta rays (occasional in the Gulf of Tadjoura) — Shiyam ElkCloner, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Schools of barracuda — Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Giant trevally — Dr. Dwayne Meadows, NOAA/NMFS/OPR, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Groupers — Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Green sea turtles — Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Practical information
- Best season
October–February (whale sharks, comfortable weather)
June–August is brutally hot and most boats do not sail
- Water temperature
- 24–30 °C
- Visibility
- 8–25 m
- Wetsuit
3 mm; many divers use a shorty or rashguard during whale shark season
- Experience level
From beginner (snorkelling with whale sharks) to Advanced (currents at the Seven Brothers)
- Getting there
Connecting flights via Istanbul, Dubai, Doha or Addis Ababa to Djibouti–Ambouli airport (JIB)
15 minutes from the airport to the port.
- Airports
- Djibouti–Ambouli (JIB)
- Visa
Most visitors need a visa
an e-visa is applied for online before departure (typically 14 or 31 days).
Passport valid for at least 6 months
- Climate
Hot desert, 25–32°C in winter, up to 45°C in summer, almost no rainfall
- Currency
- Djiboutian franc (DJF), US dollars widely accepted
- Language
French and Arabic (official), Somali and Afar widely spoken
- Time zone
- UTC+3
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