08 Nov 2026 - 19 Nov 2026 (12 days)
From USD4,990
SPACES AVAILABLE
(**Prices can vary depending upon the cabin of choice and time of booking**)
Tour Leader: Expedition Leader
Tour Price (Per person): USD4,990 (GBP3,751 * EUR4,309 * AUD7,359)
Pricing notes : Does not include: government green tax (US$12 pp per night, payable on board) or use of Wifi on board (currently US$3 per day). Upper deck surcharge: US$400 per cabin Itinerary is subject to change.
21 Oct 2027 - 03 Nov 2027 (14 days)
From USD5,390
SPACES AVAILABLE
(**Prices can vary depending upon the cabin of choice and time of booking**)
Tour Leader: Expedition Leader
Tour Price (Per person): USD5,390 (GBP4,052 * EUR4,654 * AUD7,949)
Single Supplement: USD2,690 (GBP2,022 * EUR2,323 * AUD3,967)
Pricing notes : Does not include: government green tax (US$12 pp per night, payable on board) or use of Wifi on board (currently US$3 per day). Upper deck surcharge: US$400 per cabin Itinerary is subject to change.
19 Oct 2028 - 01 Nov 2028 (14 days)
From USD5,700
SPACES AVAILABLE
(**Prices can vary depending upon the cabin of choice and time of booking**)
Tour Leader: Expedition Leader
Tour Price (Per person): USD5,700 (GBP4,285 * EUR4,922 * AUD8,406)
Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated, and dates may change* Does not include: government green tax (US$12 pp per night, payable on board) or use of Wifi on board (currently US$3 per day). Upper deck surcharge: US$400 per cabin Itinerary is subject to change.
Our 11-day birding and wildlife tour in the fabulous Maldives will be spent on a comfortable, live-aboard safari cruise vessel. She has a full-time crew of 6 Maldivians, including an experienced captain and a dedicated cook. All cabins are en suite and air-conditioned and although not luxurious, are perfect for our requirements on this birding and wildlife cruise. On your days with us you can expect some of the finest cetacean viewing on the planet; in the last two seasons our lead guide, Dr Charles Anderson, a long time Maldivian resident and well-known authority on cetaceans, has seen an astounding 18 different species! While tropicbirds sail overhead we will scan the waters for such delights as Spinner and Risso’s Dolphins, Sperm Whale, Indo-pacific Beaked Whale and the gargantuan Blue Whale, the largest animal ever to have lived on our planet! On most trips, 10 to 12 species are observed and more often than not these aren’t just distant glimpses; many species bowride and can be seen in their entirety at close range! We expect 50 and 90 separate cetacean sightings on our trip, totalling a staggering 2-3000 animals!
This wealth of cetaceans is well complimented by tropical pelagic birds and we will spend our days on the deck scanning for Black-naped Tern, Bulwer’s and Jouanin’s Petrel, Flesh-footed Shearwater and White-bellied Storm Petrel to name just a few. Only 180 species have been recorded from the islands and, as the area is under-birded, many more species (particularly migrants) undoubtedly await discovery. As this tour takes place during the northern spring, Palaearctic migrants are still around so there is a real possibility of getting a first record for the islands!
These prices are subject to foreign exchange fluctuations.
2022 Prices are an estimate, dates are not confirmed and may change.
Black-naped, White-cheeked, Roseate, Bridled, Saunders's & Sooty Tern, Streaked & Tropical Shearwater, Lesser Frigatebird, Lesser & Brown Noddy, White-breasted Waterhen
Dolphins: Spinner, Bottlenose, Indo-pacific Bottlenose, Risso’s, Spotted, Striped, Fraser's, Rough-toothed Whales: Blue, Bryde's, Sperm, False Killer, Pygmy Killer, Killer, Melon-headed, Shortfin Pilot, Dense-beaked, Longman's beaked, Dwarf Sperm, Cuvier’s Beaked.
tropical oceanic waters, lagoons, sandy beaches and shorelines, forest
warm to hot
10 with 1 Expedition leader
very relaxed pace, little walking, optional snorkeling
comfortable, live-aboard safari vessel
easy
paradise islands, incredible coral reef snorkeling, Manta Rays, star-gazing
excellent
While the birding was more difficult, the guides knowledge on where to search for some of the key species. Helped the group find a number of very interesting species of birds.
Bobby, our guide, was a solid & knowledgeable leader. His demeanor tends to be quiet & reserved, which worked for this group but may not work with all group dynamics. The lodging for this trip was a bit more rustic than I expected. The local guides used on this trip were excellent & offered additional intel into sightings or hot spots to explore. The group got all endemics possible & overall was a very good trip.
Note that some of the comments I made regarding the Thailand extension apply to the main Thailand tour. I liked the sequence of sites visited; it ensured the Spoonbill Sandpiper was seen early on and then designed to minimize travel. Staying multiple nights at one site is always appreciated and seemed to be done as much as possible. The guides made special efforts to see bird species sought by the group; we saw more bird species than I expected. The drivers were excellent and also one of them, Jaime, was a good birder who helped the guides track down some species; it was an asset to have internet while in the vehicles. The drivers also produced an excellent video of the trip - a nice touch; they also did an excellent job with mid-morning breaks. I especially enjoyed visiting a hide all morning early on in the trip - it gave us a chance to see some elusive species but also several species very well. One morning was spent looking for a rare duck; I would have rather spent the time looking for a variety of Thai species. Quite a bit of birding was done along roads - it might have been better to bird trails etc. if they are available and afford good views of birds pointed out. Food was excellent (Uthai selected great dishes for the group) and accomodations were good. It was an enjoyable trip with rewarding looks at many of the bird species seen.
We saw all 19 endemics as well as all of those where splits may be likely in the future. Dušan is a tireless guide. Never gives up for the best view. Our local guide, Alcides, has astonishing eyes and ears and knows every inch of his island! Cannot imagine a better local guide. Also, wish to put in a good word for our driver to and from the airport, Carlos. Please keep Carlos on board. Great trip. My shortest birding trip and, I learned, too short for me—could have stayed longer.
Stu is a personable, helpful, and organized guide and was a pleasure to travel with. He was ready to help not only with finding and identifying birds, but also with little problems that popped up during our trip, as they so often do. Our local guide was likewise consistently friendly and helpful. My main concern is that on this trip, as on past Rockjumper trips, there doesn't seem to be any effort to vet the physical ability of potential group members, and as a result those of us who are prepared for the experience are held back by those who are physically not ready for it. I know that trips are rated on the website in regards to the level of exertion required, but this does not seem to help -- I have been on multiple tours with people who are not physically capable of maintaining a steady level of exertion while birding. This is not fair to those of us who are.
No Record Found
Sign up now and get the best deals straight in your inbox!
1-888-990-5552
info@rockjumper.com
