The Whale Sharks of Qatar Season 2025 is now live! Early booking is now available for cruise trips between 20 June and 19 September 2025.
Time: 06:00 – 14:00
Frequency: Thursday, Friday & Saturday | Duration: 8 hours
Child pricing: Children under the age of 12 receive a 50% discount
Deep within the Arabian Gulf, far removed from the everyday, lies a rare opportunity for an extraordinary encounter. Discover the Whale Sharks of Qatar, a truly magnificent spectacle of the natural world.
Journey out to a thriving marine environment where Qatar hosts one of the largest gatherings of whale sharks on the planet, and prepare to witness an incredible sight - up to 300 of these gentle giants rising to the surface to feed, all at once!
The tour’s departure point is Al Ruwais Port, located in Northern Qatar. Once you have embarked the catamaran, the captain will formally welcome you and introduce you to the on-board facilities.
The journey to reach the whale shark viewing area will take approximately two and a half hours. During that time, you will have the opportunity to learn more about these majestic creatures as the expert guide on board will give a presentation about their habits and feeding patterns, as well as an overview of the whale shark research being carried out in Qatar.
Once you reach the whale shark viewing area, you will be at the heart of one of the largest congregations of whale sharks in the world. You will have two and a half hours to take in the incredible experience as hundreds of whale sharks will continuously breach the water surface to feed, creating a breath-taking scene.
After a morning well spent with these gentle giants, you will return to the disembarking point, located in Northern Qatar - Al Ruwais Port.
Please note:
06:00 - Meeting at Al Ruwais Port to prepare for boarding
08:15 - Expert presentation followed by whale shark viewing
11:30 - Return to the disembarkation point
14:30 - Guest disembarkation at Al Ruwais Port
Times are approximate and subject to change
57 ft in length and 23 ft in width, the catamaran is capable of hosting and accommodating up to 40 passengers in absolute comfort. All seating for the boat is indoors in a comfortable air-conditioned area. There is a bathroom on board as well as all basic amenities that you may require. There are two viewing areas at the front of the boat and a sizeable deck at the back. The interior windows are large, offering fantastic panoramic visibility of the whale sharks.
If Discover Qatar cancels your trip for any reason e.g. adverse weather conditions, we will offer you a choice of the following: