Elegante Liveaboard, Djibouti
7.9 Good - Naturalist Guide
- En-Suite bathrooms
- Family Cabins
“Very pleasant trip with a friendly crew and on an old boat but which gives a unique experience You have to get used to the access …”
Highlights
The beautiful Elegante is a traditional wooden schooner offering diving trips in Djibouti from November - January each year. During this special time of the year, the seas are full of plankton-rich nutrients, and whale sharks stop off in Djibouti as part of their annual migration to feed in these waters. Besides whale sharks, divers may also encounter manta rays and diving spectacular reefs and wrecks far from the Red Sea crowds.
Topside, the Elegante caters to just 14 guests in 7 cabins. Each cabin features double or twin beds, private bathrooms, and AC. Communal areas include the indoor lounge with an entertainment area, and a covered outdoor lounge and dining area, a great place to relax and enjoy the sea breeze and amazing views.
Join the Elegante liveaboard for a fantastic diving trip in Djibouti. Book online today to reserve your space.
Choose your departure date
Included: VAT, Airport Transfer, Drinking Water, Tea & Coffee, Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals), Snacks, Diving Package, Beach Towels, Cabin Towels.
Required Extras: Fuel Surcharge (€60 / trip), Port Fees (€130).
Optional Extras: Gratuities (€60), Alcoholic Beverages, Soft drinks, Rental Gear, Scuba Diving Courses, Snorkel Gear, WiFi internet (€20 / week).
Book now, pay later: You can easily place your booking online. We will then hold the spaces for you and you can confirm with a payment later.
* Extra fees are shown per person.
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Drawings & Vessel Layouts
Cabin Types
Elegante Reviews
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- 7.9 Good
- 28 Verified Reviews Only people who have booked through LiveAboard.com and joined the trip can write a review.
- Vessel 6.6
- Crew 8.7
- Food 8.6
- Diving 7.7
- Value 8.0
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- 10 Exceptional
- Simon H
-
France
A unique experience
We spent an incredible week on the Elegante. The crew was adorable and we really had fun with them. The food was delicious (quality and quantity) with various menus. Dives were various as well and the underwater life there is rich (many pods, big fishes, turtles, rays, dolphins...). We had the chance to swim with whale sharks while snorkelling AND diving which will remain quite a great memory. We also really appreciated the vintage style of the boat which contrasts with the now usual big white yachts. We definitely want to come back to discover sudanese waters ! Thanks for these precious moments. Marine & Simon
- Recommended for
- Dives, Kindness of the crew and whale sharks
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- 8.8 Fabulous
- Werner B
-
Austria
I fulfilled several dreams at once. A 2nd tour to other places in this area is of great interest
WHALE SHARKS, GITTAREN SHARKS, MOBULAS, GREAT UNDERWATER LANDSCAPES
- Recommended for
- The diving sites. The team. Harmonious participants.
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- 8.0 Very good
- Uwe S
-
Germany
Experienced and seen a lot with moderate comfort.
I would definitely do the safari again, but not immediately. There are other beautiful diving destinations. The encounter with the whale sharks was already very moving under water as well as for hours in the evening around the boat. Up to 6 whale sharks swam around the boat at the same time. I was also impressed by the number and size of the other fish species found in the Red Sea. To linger with more than 50 oversized batfish on the anchor line, just great. I have not seen this in Egypt by far. Visibility was ok, where there is a lot of plankton for whale sharks in the water it can't be 25m.To the boat: for a week, if the focus is on diving, ok. I have never booked "luxury boats" for safaris (5), but this was the easiest liveaboard ;-). Small cabins, very warm and not quiet. Since I slept outside, it was ok. Everyone was very friendly on board and the food was plentiful and tasty. I was not the only one who missed a proper boot and safety briefing. No central collection point for passports, etc. It would certainly be easy to convey a little more structure and a sense of security here. I didn't feel unsafe, the crew already knew what they were doing and we were always close to land. For my taste, it could have been at least three dives a day. I think 50EUR for a bottle of air for an additional Tg is more than exaggerated. The two shore excursions on the last day to the market of Djibouti and the trip to the salt lake were also very nice. Here the country and culture gave the safari a nice end.
- Recommended for
- Whale shark, whale shark, whale shark and many fish that I have not seen in Egypt in this way and in this size. the open and friendly interaction on board, the two shore excursions on the last evening and day. the peace and quiet without masses of other boats and liveaboards ;-).
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- 8.4 Very good
- Caroline L
-
United States
Incredible diving, a few rough edges — worth every bit of it
Elegante offers something genuinely rare: access to world-class diving in one of the least-visited corners of the planet. The boat is comfortable, the crew is friendly, and the food is solid. There are some operational rough edges — the dive guide situation was a bit more chaotic than I'm used to on liveaboards, and the rental gear showed significant wear from sun exposure (I had an O-ring blow on my tank underwater, which was handled but never really acknowledged by the crew). That said, the diving itself more than compensated for all of it, and the value for what you're getting is excellent. If you're a serious diver and Djibouti is on your list, Elegante is the way to do it — just bring your own gear if you can.
- Recommended for
- Whale shark encounters in the Gulf of Tadjourah — one of the most reliable aggregation spots in the world, and we had multiple encounters. The Crack — an underwater dive along the tectonic separation of the African and Arabian plates; unlike anything I've done in 300+ dives. Healthy, uncrowded reefs — a reminder of what diving looked like before the crowds arrived.
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- 8.4 Very good
- Peggy M
-
Belgium
Unique experience
Very pleasant trip with a friendly crew and on an old boat but which gives a unique experience You have to get used to the access on the boat but you quickly get used to it We could see 5 different whale sharks despite the weather conditions (very big unusual showers), but also a large group of risso dolphins from the shore and impressive guitar rays But also corals of different and unique types I recommend doing the asal lake tour with amazing flotation The only downside was the visit of a cockroach and some missed information because it was mainly multilingual.Tip: take a windbreaker because it blows a lot, and something to snorkel
- Recommended for
- The wild side, no overtourism. Whale sharks and guitar ray. The crew.
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- 8.8 Fabulous
- Dieter V
- Belgium
World class whale shark experience
Great diving on unspoiled reefs. We've been lucky to find whale shark on every attempt, thanks to the amazing crew who were very experienced in finding them. Apart from the the whale sharks, we've seen turtles, rays (including manta ray), an much much more. Good food, relaxed atmosphere, and truly astonishing encounters with the whale sharks.
- Recommended for
- Whale sharks, Unspoiled coral reefs, great helpful crew
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- 10 Exceptional
- Tanja S
- Austria
An authentic, relaxed diving holiday with a great crew, excellent food and impressive underwater world - an all-round success.
We are completely thrilled with this diving holiday. The ship is very authentic and has everything you need: not a luxury ship, but clean, well-maintained and comfortable. Just the right balance for a relaxed Livaboard experience.The staff is great – from the chef, who conjures up something really incredible (honestly: one of the best meals we have ever had on a trip), to the always attentive service, to the dive guide. All of them are highly professional, extremely friendly, courteous and with palpable passion for what they do.The route is pleasant and relaxed, with two to three dives per day. The area is very varied and impresses with an intact underwater world: large schools of fish, colorful corals and many special moments. We saw a whale shark – but you don't just go here for the whale sharks. Rather, it is the overall package of authentic ship, relaxed atmosphere and great dive sites that makes this trip so special.Everything was very well organized, safe and at the same time pleasantly "laid back". A Livaboard without stress, but with a lot of heart and quality.Clear recommendation.
- Recommended for
- Great food. Very friendly staff on board. Authentic experience.
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- 9.6 Exceptional
- Rudolf H
- Germany
Encounter with whale sharks
There is a warm, familiar and cheerful atmosphere on board.We were spoiled with absolutely delicious and varied food.The captain is a master of his craft. His serenity and calmness is beneficial.Our dive guide Alice: Never before have we seen a dive guide with many years of professional experience who still goes diving several times a day with such great joy and enthusiasm. Their underwater singing will always be remembered.We came for the whale sharks and were surprised by the variety of large and small fish underwater.If you are looking for pure diving without mass tourism, this is the place for you!We would love to come back!
- Recommended for
- Diving. Food, friendliness and service. Dive guide Alice 🫶 .
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- 8.8 Fabulous
- Yuchen W
-
Canada
Great liveaboard for swimming with whale sharks
We had basically a private liveboard for just 3 people (myself solo and another couple). The crew was very friendly and catered to all our needs, especially with regards to the delicious food! Often for dinner we'd eat whatever fish we freshly caught during the day. The highlight of the trip was swimming with whale sharks. We didn't consistently find them everyday, but on one day we had two excursions where we encountered 10+ whale sharks feeding. The experience was incredible, especially during the week, when there weren't any day boats from Djibouti City and we were able to enjoy these magical animals alone. The diving itself was also good and its tranquility balanced out the tiring effort of swimming with whale sharks. There were lots of colourful fish and coral, but it did get a little repetitive after a while, although I suppose that's because the focus was staying at the best spots where whale sharks feed. Overall, highly recommended trip especially if you're looking for a good value-for-money liveboard for whale sharks.
- Recommended for
- whale sharks, food, crew friendliness
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- 8.0 Very good
- MARIO G
-
Italy
Recommended, great experience
swimming with whale sharks is a fantastic experience, the company and availability of the boat leader Alice was a plus of the week.
- Recommended for
- the cabin crew. the boat leader Alice. the kitchen.
