Our 6 Best Grande Riviere Noire Dolphin Watching Tours

1.Black River: Dolphin Swim and Whale Watching by Speedboat

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 595 reviews · 5 hours · from $129Our pick

From Grande Riviere Noire, you’ll ride a speedboat with up to 14 passengers and two skippers, looking for spinner and bottlenose dolphins, resident sperm whales, and humpbacks in season. Guides such as Globis, Conrad, and Alan have been praised for careful animal practices. Expect a wet, bumpy ride, dolphin swimming, whale watching from the boat, and reef snorkeling.

“Trip was good! Skippers friendly and happy to explain things, respectful of the animals too. We saw whales, dolphins and a turtle. Swam with dolphins (snorkel and fins provided). Then they took us to a reef for more snorkeling. Had a very good morning!! Refreshements on board - simple but gladd we had them. We had 8 people on our boat which was just enough that we didnt feel too crowded. Boat could do with some small repairs but nothing to detract from the overall experience. Only downside was that we couldnt book this trip including transfer from hotel in the north and it was an expensive trip to then…”

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2.La Preneuse: Dolphin Watching and Snorkeling Speedboat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 92 reviews · 2 hours · from $58Best value

Meet Feliciano, Andy, Miguel, or another bilingual skipper at La Tour Martello on La Preneuse beach. You’ll ride a speedboat toward wild dolphins, swim only if you are a confident swimmer, then snorkel in a lagoon with reef fish, possible octopus, and dramatic views toward Le Morne. Equipment is included.

“Amazing! Our guide was half dolphin himself, toon my GoPro with him and got some amazing shots too!!”

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3.Grande Riviere Noire: Boat Tour and Swimming with Dolphins

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 62 reviews · 2 hours · from $70Top rated

Set out from La Balise in Grande Riviere Noire with Izel and the Friendly Dodo team for a two-hour sunrise search for spinner and bottlenose dolphins. The small boat carries up to eight participants, with masks, fins, water, and fruit supplied. Conditions decide how close you get, and exact departure details arrive by WhatsApp.

“GENIAL ! Un grand merci à Izel et son skipper pour leur gentillesse et leur professionnalisme. Très respectueux des dauphins contrairement à d’autres bateaux que nous avons pu voir, ils ont tout fait pour que chaque personne puisse profiter et voir au mieux les dauphins. Je recommande vivement ! Encore un grand merci !”

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4.West: Swim wz dolphins, Crystal Rock, Lunch Benitiers island

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 41 reviews · from $72

Set out from a west-coast beach for a morning dolphin encounter, snorkeling, and a close look at Crystal Rock. You’ll then eat a Creole-style barbecue on Ile aux Bénitiers, with drinks and snorkeling gear included. The tour runs roughly 7:30 am to 2:00 pm. Hotel transfers cost extra.

“Une merveilleuse croisière, les guides ont bien pris le temps pour qu’on puisse profiter de chaque moment (nage avec les dauphins, nage à proximité du Cristal Rock et temps libre sur l’île).”

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5.Dolphins & Whales, Private Tour Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 21 reviews · 4 hours

Take a four-hour private speedboat trip off Mauritius with an English- or French-speaking skipper. You may see humpback whales and spinner dolphins, then stop at Crystal Rock and the natural aquarium for swimming and snorkeling. Skipper Ali and assistant Bebe have earned praise for calm, nature-minded guiding. Drinks, equipment, and a private boat are included.

“We saw both Dolphins and Whales, guide captain (Ali) was great.”

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6.Mauritius: Private Swim with Dolphins

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 14 reviews · 2h 30m

Meet at La Jetée Road in Grande Rivière Noire for a 150-minute private speedboat trip. After a safety briefing, you’ll watch and swim with dolphins in open water, then snorkel over a coral reef. English and French guides provide gear, water, soft drinks, and compulsory lifejackets.

“Our family had an amazing experience swimming with the dolphins. The captain on the boat was excellent, he took us to multiple locations to give us the best possible chance to get amongst the dolphins. His final spot was excellent, pod of dolphins numbering about 25 /30, he put the boat in the desired position and told us when to go for it. We got really close to the dolphins with everyone experiencing being surrounded by the dolphins. The captains local knowledge was superb and I thought the price was excellent for a party of 8 people. To actually get right in amongst the dolphins was an amazing experience for…”

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