I'm pretty sure the Dolphin "swimming" in Sharm is quite unethical, and people are encouraged not to sign up.

Best way to do it is in the natural environment if you are lucky enough.

Hi Steve

There's some info about this here...

http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=19733

Personally I wouldn't want to see dolphins kept in these conditions

stevepn regarding swimming with the dolphins. i have just read a review on the hotel i am going to, the person said he swam with the dolphins. it was at the dolphinaria which is based somewhere around hadaba. it cost him 50 english pounds per person. he loved it unfortunatly its one of those things you either do for the experience or dont do on principal.

I have heard that you are able to take trips from taba inot eilat to swim with dolphins. Can anyone adviseif this is possible and if they have done it is it worth it!

many thanks

hi mojo1
it is possible to go to Dolphin Reef from taba. we went in 2003 did it ourselves. we were staying at the hyatt regency and had a taxi to the border crossing walked across and there are taxi's as you come out in Israel and just tell them you want to go to Dolphin Reef its not that far, I did telephone and book before we went just to make sure we had our swim with the dolphins sorted. I cant remember how much it was but it was a lot cheaper booking yourself I had the number from reception, and at least when you get there its only you and not a bus full, we had a lovely morning but had to rush back as we were leaving that evening but it is well worth a visit and the dolphins can jump over the net into the sea if they want, while we were there wild dolphins were swimming on the other side of the net it was great. elaine

I did write to the Dolphin Reef to query ( complain ) them about this. They sent me back a nice detailed email which I appreciate though personally I would not prefer to go there myself ( partly though admitedly because I don t want any hassle at the Israeli border ).

The dolphins are originally from the Black Sea and not from the local waters, and they are breeding there at present. They are closed in and thus are kept captive ( though this was enforced by the Israeli authorities since 2002 ). Two dolphins have been returned to the black sea to be relaesed in the open water. But there is a question on what has happened to other males that have been born at the Dolphin Reef... they seem to have disappeared ( and as other parties claim mixed with the local dolphins disturbing the natural emvironment as they are more dominant than the local males ).

They do have a very good website at http://www.dolphinreef.co.il/Default.aspx?tabid=1

You can even marry them..???!!!

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1664667.html

Hi there, been a member for a few weeks so decided to post this question,
My partner and I are returning to Egypt in 4 weeks and cant wait to go back too the Hotel Baron, amazing, anyway we are taking one of our friends with us and she is desperate too swim with dolphins. I would never go to the likes of Dolphinellia (excuse spelling) but I have searched the net and not having much luck finding anything!

Can ayone please help it would make my friends holiday if we could find somewhere for her to do this near to Sharm, I have talked about egypt so much she decided to come with us and cant wait for her to experience the country as its amazing.

So any help with finding somewhere to swim with dolphins would be amazing!

Sorry for the rambling!

Cheers Darryl

Cheers Briar, I thought that might have been the case as the only one i could find is the one you are talking about, I shall need to investigate it a bit further and the issues of border crossing etc and how practical it all is!

Thanks for taking the time too reply.

Cheers Darryl

Does anyone roughly how much the tour companies or reps charge for the trip to dolphine reef from Taba??

would be very nice to know as I was thinking about booking mtself but thought it might be easier through the rep or a from the hotel.

Thanks

Ola

When we did it last year, it worked out about £80-85 each through Longwood, which included snorkelling with the dolphins.

But we were staying in Nuweiba, and the trip also included the underwater observatory and Eilat town.

Thanks everest

Did that include the border fees? and do you think it will be cheaper to do it ourselves? i know it is about £30 to go in the reef and scuba with the dolphines but you have to work out how much the taxi to the border will cost return trip and the border fees and a taxi the other side. mind you see did say that it isn't very far once you get across the border. I shouldn't imagine that all of that would come to £250 as there are 5 of us and it only comes to £150 for the reef thing. I can also get 10% discount if I book on line through Dolphine reef.

I wish i knew what was the best thing to do. and how much the taxi will cost.

A girl who works for a company that we deal with said about the underwater place. she said that if you are going to go to Dolphine reef you should do that too.

Ola

Check out the Longwoods prices...

http://www.longwoodholidays.co.uk/sinai/tours.htm

The Eilat excursion is at the bottom of the page... looks pretty good to me

hi all im going away to sharm el sheikh in june (30th) i went the same time last year and tryed to swim with dophines, but i tryed booking to late and it was full i was wondering if anybody could suggest where to go? and if you could book it online prior to going??

thanks
billy

*Merged to existing topic Briar

If it is not possible (and unethical) to swim with dolphins in Sharm, is it at least possible to do a boat trip to actually see them? I'd like to know for myself, as we are off to Sharm in July and I'm not a keen swimmer anyway! This may sound like a silly question, but would the heat be so fierce as to actually avoid boat trips and do the boats tend to be covered? Thanks!

Lardy, there are lots of reports from people on dive boats of dolphin sightings around Sharm. They are not, however as prolific in that part of the Red Sea as say in the Indian Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico so nobody can guarantee to take you out and be sure you will see them.
There are a multitude of boat trips on offer in Sharm, most of which offer some shade from the sun. You MUST however keep yourself liberally applied with a high factor protection and wear a hat, when taking any trip on the water, especially if you are fair skinned and not used to the extremes of heat that Egypt does produce.
I do agree that even the idea of swimming with those poor captive dolphins at Dolphinella in Sharm is extremely unethical and to be avoided at all costs! Those animals are unhappy and certainly not kept or treated properly.

thanks very much for answering my question, carrot - that's really helpful.

I was totally cheesed off with Thomson on my Thomsonfly flight home from Sharm on Thursday.

During the flight they did a big speel about how they are massive supporters of the charity "Born Free" and explained that we should all give up any leftover LE to them plus sterling if we wanted as they were working to free a lone tiger cub in a zoo somewhere and send it to a reserve in South Africa which I know is commendable but........

I just thought you hypocrites you are giving us all this on your flights as it is such good PR for you, caring company etc etc etc and then one of the first trips they try to flog you in Sharm is Dolphinnella.