Sperm Whales in Dominica 2027
Freediving Family Expedition (5 spots)
What Are Freediving Family Expeditions?
Our expeditions are a chance to explore some of the most incredible underwater destinations on the planet alongside a community of adventurous, ocean-loving humans who are just as obsessed with freediving as you are. Think breathtaking dive sites, inquisitive marine life, local food, spontaneous adventures, and the kind of memories that somehow only happen when you throw a bunch of freedivers together in a beautiful part of the world.
While our mailing list and past students get first access to registrations, many of our expeditions are also open to the wider freediving community — so whether you’ve trained with us before or are joining us for the first time, you’re invited to come dive, explore, and experience it all with us.
Each trip is a close knit and a unique experience for those that join. Space is very limited at these events which opens us up to one of a kind opportunities to explore the world with new friends.
The Adventure Island of the Caribbean
Dominica is unlike anywhere else in the Caribbean. Known as the region's adventure island, it's a place of towering volcanic peaks, lush rainforest, hidden waterfalls, natural hot springs, and endless opportunities for exploration.
Just minutes from Soufrière lies the world-famous Champagne Reef, where volcanic geothermal activity sends streams of bubbles rising from the seafloor, creating one of the most unique diving experiences on Earth. Combined with crystal-clear water, vibrant reefs, and dramatic underwater landscapes, it's a destination that feels almost otherworldly.
And as spectacular as Dominica is, it's all the backdrop for what brings us here: the chance to spend a week freediving alongside the island's resident sperm whales.
Meeting The Ocean’s Gentle Giants
During mating season, the waters off Dominica come alive as sperm whales engage in captivating displays of courtship and social interaction. Witness thrilling behaviors unique to this time of year, as male sperm whales, distinguished by their immense size and iconic heads, showcase their strength and agility in their competition for females.
From powerful clicking sounds echoing through the depths to graceful movements and spectacular breaches, you’ll experience the incredible performances unfolding beneath the surface.
Our experienced guide fill the time between adrenaline fueled drops with insights and knowledge bombs! They also ensure your safety and respect for the marine environment, allowing you to confidently explore the depths alongside these gentle giants.
Last year, we had some of the most amazing interactions including babies playing with us, mating behavior with many females chasing a single male, and even a group of 5 sleeping at 10m. We can’t guarantee we will see this behavior but we can tell you its happened before and it could happen again!
The Schedule
Our 8 day itinerary features 5 days of on-water whale activities and 1 land excursion day with shore diving options available every day!
🇩🇲 Day 1 - Arrival day
🐳 Day 2 - Water day
Water days will start with self-catered brekkie at the guest house before heading out on the boat around 9am! You expect to return around 2-3pm.
🐳 Day 3 - Water day
🐳 Day 4 - Water day
🌴 Day 5 - Dry day
We will take a day out of the water to go out and explore some more that Dominica has to offer - hitting up Trafalgar Waterfall and Tituo Gorge (entry fees included) to give our water logged little selves a chance to rest a bit!
🐳 Day 6 - Water day
🐳 Day 7 - Water day
✈️ Day 8 - Departure day
Dominica offers incredible options for out of water activities. Hiking, hot springs mountain adventures, jungle exploration, delicious food and beautiful beach views are all options for us after our dive sessions during the week!
If you can, we do recommend that you spend a bit more time on the island exploring. We will BARELY scratch the surface of the incredible things that are available to us on the island.
Meet Your Hosts
Join the Freediving Family’s static fanatic, Deep Daddy and Direct of Education - Brandon Reed - as he takes you on an adventure to do one of his favorite things in the world: dive with large marine animals in the best diving conditions in the world!
Meet Your Hosts
Joining Brandon is Allie Reilly - our certified guide and professional photographer for this trip! Allie has been guiding trips for over a decade and has unparalleled knowledge about these whales as a Dominican resident!
So, can we dive with the whales?
Around the world, we're seeing a growing emphasis on responsible wildlife tourism, with many governments introducing new regulations to better protect marine mammals.
Dominica is one of them. Since December, regulations no longer permit divers to leave the surface and descend on sperm whales.
As a company committed to supporting ethical and sustainable wildlife encounters, we fully support these measures. Protecting these incredible animals and ensuring responsible interactions is essential to preserving these experiences for future generations.
But in our experience, these regulations do not diminish the magic of the encounter. Some of our most meaningful and unforgettable moments with sperm whales have happened right at the surface. The connection, awe, and perspective these animals inspire remain every bit as profound.
Getting to Dominica
The easiest way to get to Dominica is to first arrive in the USA and fly into Charles Douglas (Melville Hall, DOM) International Airport but there are many connecting flight options from the many islands around the Carribbean. Here are some travel path suggestions for you but feel free to do your own research:
Miami, USA > DOM
Barbados > DOM
St. Lucia > DOM
There are daily connecting flights from San Juan, Puerto Rico (Silver Airways, InterCaribbean) Antigua, and Trinidad.
Taking a Ferry is also an option! There are weekly ferry boats from Martinique, St. Lucia and Guadalupe. The port of entry is Roseau, Dominica.
Taxi Transfers to/from airport or ferry port will be arranged in advance by our partners in Dominica and are included in your ticket cost for this event.
FAQs
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Included in the price of booking is the following:
Professional whale and event photographer/guide
Captain and crew (who absolutely bring the vibe!)
5 days on the water chasing whales
Breakfast items that are self catered (granola, oats, fruit, juice) and lunch on the boat
Ministry of Fisheries Permit to swim with sperm whales
7x nights of group accommodation at a local guesthouse
Airport pick up and drop off on the start day and end day of the trip
1 full land excursion day to Trafalgar Waterfall and Tituo Gorge
What is not included
Gear (limited rentals available, all participants should bring their own gear)
Airfare
Dinner food costs
Travel and medical insurance
Gratuities for local staff (optional)
Anything not explicitly mentioned as included
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Yes you can! All of our expeditions are first opened to prior event attendees before we open them up to the general public! But after that they are open to anyone who’s keen to come along for an adventure :)
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During our Family Reunions, we don’t offer certifications. You must be at least Wave 1 certified to be able to attend these events!
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Due to the unique nature of the events and how each one is individually planned, we are only able to transfer your deposit to a future Freediving Family event and only if you have requested the deposit to be moved no closer than 8 weeks before the event begins.
In the event that you need to cancel your spot within 8 weeks of the event starting, we do charge a fee equal to the event deposit. Any balance remaining can be applied to a future Family event.We cannot issue refunds.
For more info, check our terms of service.
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Unfortunately it’s not included. You can either bring your own gear from home or you will be able to rent gear from our local partner! Use the contact form below for assistance with gear rental.
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The water is quite warm! Its the Caribbean after all! We are talking anywhere from 28-30 celsius so bringing a 1.5mm or 3mm should be plenty! Brandon usually wears a 1.5mm top and leggings for sun protection!
Also please note that we will be doing a bunch of sitting on the boat searching for whales so you may get hot! We will take breaks to jump in and cool off but its hard to imagine anyone will be super cold on this adventure! -
You can pay an initial deposit to secure your spot and later on pay the remainder balance.
With no deposit, there is no booking confirmed.
As soon as you book in, you will receive an email with a button that says “Pay Remainder Balance”. You can click that button anytime you like.
Please see the payment schedule on this page to understand when your payment installments for this trip are due.
You can also choose to pay in full when checking out.
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Nothing during the retreat is compulsory.
If you feel like you need some time to chill and relax by skipping a dive session or want to go out for dinner close by with a group of friends you made separate from the group, then by all means do so!
If you decide that you do not want to join for a dive session, that is totally okay but we are unable to provide you a refund in the event you do not join.
Pricing
Trip dates: February 8-15, 2027
Payment Schedule:
a $2,300 AUD deposit is required to book your spot
a second installment of $2,800 AUD is due Oct 19th, 2026 (16 weeks before event)
and the remaining $2880 AUD AUD is due December 14th, 2026 (8 weeks before event).
$5,600 USD
($7980 AUD)
Please double check and acquaint yourself with what is and isn't included in the above cost. To ensure your booking is confirmed, please provide a non-refundable deposit at the above AUD rate. As we are an Australian company, prices are charged in AUD. Balances must be made in a timely manner based on the above payment schedule. Email reminders will be sent to remind you of this payment schedule. Please whitelist deepweek@freedivingfamily.com in your inbox to make sure you get all event updates. Your transaction is securely processed through Stripe. Terms of Service.