Marine Research & Whale Shark Conservation in Mozambique

I had an excellent time when I volunteered for a month with AllOut Africa in Mozambique. It provided me an incredible cultural, ecological, and educational experience. I was able to kickstart my research career and begin my path towards becoming a marine scientist thanks to this opportunity. The director and staff at the marine research center were top-tier. I recommend this program to anyone interested in marine conservation, ecology, tourism, and local culture of Mozambique!

When I decided to do a career break I was travelling to Southern Africa for a couple of months. As already being a certified scuba diver, I was keen on discovering Tofo's well-known marine life with its big fish. One of my friends who joined this project a few years earlier recommended it to me. And it didn't take me long to sign up. It was highly interesting for me to be part of a marine conservation project, even though I was "only" joining for one month. Not only did I get to see the manta rays and whale sharks and lots of other marine life, but also received a lot of first-hand scientific background information about it. Moreover, it was really impressive to see how such a conservation projects works and what it needs to be successful. And it really needs a lot, especially very dedicated and passionate people. On the dives, our target was to record the appearance of certain species of fish. And for specific fish like manta rays, turtles and leopard sharks it was the aim to get an identification shot with our underwater camera. Same thing for the Whalesharks but only by snorkelling during so-called Ocean Safaris. Subsequently, these whale shark ID shots were uploaded and compared with other ID shots on a global database. In this way, it is possible to research their migration and behaviour. The days in the project are generally not fully packed so you will have enough leisure time especially in the later afternoon. This gives you time to enjoy the beach or to explore the surroundings for a bit. But be aware that Tofo is a very small village in a remote area. So don't expect a lot to be going on there, especially out of peak seasons. On the weekends I always went for scuba diving on my own with the project's partner dive center Peri-Peri Divers, great team! Our volunteer house was perfectly located just next to the dive center and just a few steps down to the beach. One thing to mention: It's not a joke about the mosquitos. So make sure you prevent yourself from bites and bring your medication. But even if you should get sick, the dive center has its own doctor which is comforting to know. Overall, I definitely had a fantastic time and can highly recommend joining this consveration project to anyone!

I took a career break and had the time of my life at this project. Spent two months and the duration felt right. My fellow volunteers ranged from ages 19 to 49, and we got along great. If you're looking to party a lot and do very little, sure you can do that, but you should do that at another project that's cheaper and at a more "happening" town. If you're looking to gain great scuba diving experience, learn lots about the local marine ecosystem, lots of relaxing, simple/comfortable living, and can be creative in keeping yourself busy, then this is for you. I didn't mind the occasional power outage or lack of warm water for showers. I love the many science presentations and discussions offered by MMF. The staff are awesome and will take good care of you. Being a city gal, the beach environment, rudimentary infrastructure, and friendly locals really charmed me. I can't wait to visit Tofo again!

My decision to volunteer with this project is the best I have made so far. It led to my ultimate love for diving and preserving the environment everywhere. I learned so much about the ocean and its inhabitants. Not only that, you get to know the locals and their language, their culture and their simple way of life.
Last but not least, the friends. The incredible bond you form with the other volunteers you eat, sleep and dive with. You have so much fun learning and working together.

All in all, the place is great, the diving is amazing and the experience, I promise you, you'll never forget or regret it!

I were a volunteer at all outs marine project dec 2013 to jan 2014 and I had the time of my life. The project is very good. Everything works well and if you should run in to any problems you have two wounderfull project coordinators how will help you! You can notice that they have been doing this for a time and really love it. They are so good!
The dives here are amazing and the divecenter, who takes you on dives, are so good.

I had such a great time here and i woulde recommend it to eveyone!

Waking up everyday knowing your'e going to see something that will stick with you forever is the most amazing feeling. On an average day a volunteer will walk down to the dive centre, get their gear ready for diving and launch the boat. A lot of laughs and smiles all round, the dive sites are not a far boat ride away. Once you descend onto the reef, your eyes explode as you see a flurry of colours and movement. A friendly potato bass will most likely great you as you reach the bottom, followed by turtles, an abundance of fish and corals and even a few manta rays if you're lucky! Exploring the reefs with the dive master you're sure to see eels, shrimps and some elusive frog fish. As we ascend back to the boat, you keep your eyes peeled for any whales swimming by! Back onto the boat you receive a tasty lollipop as you head back to shore. Next in your amazing day is an ocean safari! This is the best chance you get to see the most magnificent animal of all, a whale shark. As you spot the dark mass in the distance, you scurry to ram your mask on your head and rip your flippers on your feet. You jump into the water and are greeted by an enormous whale shark seven times your size, and you get the chance to swim by this amazing creature, taking identification shots and if you're quick enough, diving to see if its a male or female. After a long swim with the whale shark you once again clamber onto the boat and continue looking for dolphins, turtles and other large sea creatures. Going back home after a long day of adventure, you crash, get a home cooked meal by the best locals you've ever met and chat with all the volunteers. At night, if you've managed to save some energy, you experience the local night life, full of beers, pool and music. Make sure you let the leaders show you around, they're sure to have some unforgettable dance moves.
Volunteering in Mozambique was the most amazing experience of my life, i felt safe at all times and always had support and would recommend it to everyone.

I can honestly say the marine conservation project in Mozambique is one of the best thing I've ever done. The staff running the project (Ross and Katie) are amazing, inspiring and great fun. The dive staff were fantastic. The diving itself was absolutely spectacular. Every day was a new high. The first few days were spent learning to dive and learning about the local marine life. After that, each day involved diving, snorkelling, whale-watching, as well as free time to take a stroll along the beautiful beaches of Tofo. Your fellow volunteers quickly become your friends as you bond over your love of all things marine. Each day there would be someone running through the door after a dive with the biggest grin on their face, exclaiming "Guess what we saw today?". In the evenings we'd either have a group dinner at the house (possibly followed by a showing of Finding Nemo or a shark documentary..), head to the local bars or restaurants for a bit of partying, attend a marine conservation seminar or sit back and watch a movie at one of the local hostels. By the end of the trip I felt like I'd learnt a lot, not just about marine conservation, but also about the country itself, the people and, of course, diving. When I looked out the plane window on my flight home, I had already made a promise to myself to return again. And I will. 3 weeks was not enough.