Dates: September 16 – 23, 2027

Duration: 8 days / 7 nights

Number of participants: 6 – 7

Cost per person:
– 5 890 EUR for 7 participants, or
– 5 990 EUR for 6 participants, based on double accommodation.

10% early booking discount (for bookings made before February 16, 2027)

Everything is included (including domestic flight and three meals a day), except for:
– international flight to Tonga and back,
– medical insurance,
– visa (not required for Russian citizens. Conditions may change)

Estimated cost of the flight from Moscow – Nukulaofa –  Moscow: from 1400 EUR.
Estimated cost of the flight from Hong Kong – Nukulaofa – Hong Kong: from 1000 EUR.
Estimated cost of the flight from Auckland – Nukulaofa – Auckland: from 260 EUR.

Single supplement cost: upon request (single accommodation cannot be guaranteed and is provided only in exceptional cases, if there are available rooms at the accommodation facility right before the period of accommodation).




TRAVEL PROGRAM: tour to Tonga

Day 1. September 16, 2027 (Thursday). ARRIVAL IN TONGA AND FLIGHT TO UOLEVA ISLAND

“Mālo e lelei!” — in Tongan language, “welcome to the Kingdom of Tonga!”
Tonga is not a mainstream beach resort (it’s too far to fly for that), but rather a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We come here to observe the lives of humpback whales, who choose these waters for breeding and happy motherhood. September is exactly the peak season for the breeding and nurturing here.

At the airport of Nukualofa, we are met by our wonderful guide – a true whale enthusiast and ambassador of the wildlife.

It is important to arrive at least one day early, given the logistics of our trip.
After the international flight, we have a short domestic flight to the remote Ha‘apai Archipelago, and from there — a boat transfer, and roughly 30 minutes later, we’ve arrived!

The Ha‘apai Archipelago holds a special place in Tongan culture and history: according to legend, Tongan civilization was born here, and from here, the great Polynesian voyagers set out to conquer the vast Pacific Ocean aboard their double-hulled canoes called vaka. The Tongans were among the finest navigators of the ancient world — they oriented themselves by the stars, ocean currents, and bird behavior, covering thousands of kilometers of open ocean long before Europeans dared to sail beyond the horizon.

‘Uleva (Uoleva) itself is a barely inhabited island that would make even the island from “The Beach” movie jealous. No villages, no roads, no urban noise. But there is endless white sand, reefs with incredible marine life, and that pristine silence that is becoming harder and harder to find in the modern world. Ha‘apai is, overall, one of the least commercialized archipelagos in the entire Pacific — and trust us, that is a rare thing.

We check into our glamping situated right in the jungle: spacious tented houses on wooden platforms, private bathrooms with hot water from solar panels, mosquito nets… and the scent of the sea everywhere. Civilization in just the right dose — you’re welcome.

Briefing, dinner, and deep sleep before our whale-filled week.

Meals included: lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: comfortable tented glamping, double occupancy
 
Recommended flights to Nukualofa (Tonga):
– Fiji Airways, departing Nadi at 22:00 on September 15, arriving in Nukualofa at 1:05 AM on September 16.
– any flight arriving in Nukualofa no later than at 0:05 AM on September 16.
 
! IMPORTANT! The flight to Tonga is long and depends on the weather conditions along the route. In turn, the domestic flight from Nukualofa to Ha‘apai Airport may be scheduled extremely early in the morning of Day 1. Therefore, it is strongly advised to arrange your arrival one day earlier, on the day before the program starts.


Days 2 – 3. September 17 – 18, 2027 (Friday – Saturday). DAYS AT SEA WITH WHALES

Two amazing days and our first encounters with whales await us!

After an early rise, we head out to sea to catch the soft midday light, as this is when whales and dolphins are most active.

‘Uleva in this sense is a true stroke of luck. The Ha‘apai Archipelago is one of the few places in the world where humpback whales feel at home in the shallow lagoons. It is here that females come to give birth and raise their calves, knowing the open ocean with its currents and predators is far away. And around ‘Uleva, there are almost no boats: Ha‘apai welcomes only a handful of tourists each season, creating a uniquely meditative atmosphere in the water.

We are still getting used to the sea, the boat, and the whales, so it’s perfectly fine if someone doesn’t feel like diving right away — there will be plenty more opportunities!

In the morning — yoga on an open platform under the trees, and in the evening – dinner prepared by our chef, and, if we’re lucky with the sky, the densest Milky Way of our lives right above us.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: comfortable tented glamping, double occupancy


Day 4. September 19, 2027 (Sunday). DAY OFF IN TONGA

Sunday in Tonga is a day of rest, traditionally spent attending church. We’ll embrace the local vibe and join a service: the choral singing and atmosphere of the local churches are deeply moving and allow us to feel the spirit of island culture. Although Tongans, like other Polynesians, are devout Christians, the traditional Polynesian religion — based on a belief in nature spirits — is still alive in the islands, and Christianity is closely intertwined with these local animistic beliefs.

After lunch — we explore ‘Uleva “on land.” The island is small; a full walk around the coast takes about 3–4 hours and covers roughly 10 km — best done at low tide, when wide strips of white sand are exposed. Along the way, you can spot seabirds, hermit crabs, and examine marine life in tidal pools.

Toward evening, our guide, with all his love and enthusiasm, will give a lecture on cetaceans.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: comfortable tented glamping, double occupancy


Days 5 – 7. September 20 – 22, 2027 (Monday – Wednesday). DAYS AT SEA WITH WHALES

Over the next three days, numerous encounters with whales await us! Each day, we will rise early and head out to sea for our excursions.

Humpback whales come to the shores of Tonga every year for simple but beautiful reasons: here, in calm and protected bays, females give birth and nurse their calves, while males perform their famous songs and engage in courtship “dances.” Warm water, the absence of predators, and natural silence make the archipelago an ideal sanctuary. Interestingly, female whales often move at the surface with particular gentleness and fluidity, helping their calves learn to breathe and stay afloat calmly. An amazing sight! We have every chance to observe this.

Ha‘apai is a special place even by Tongan standards. The waters here are shallower than around Vava‘u, and the tourist flow is much smaller. This means our encounters with whales will be long, unhurried, and very close — no rush, no competing boats on the horizon. According to past seasons’ data, mother whales with calves especially love these lagoons, so intimate encounters with the little ones are guaranteed. The calves are curious and will come extremely close to us.

Humpback whales communicate through deep, long-drawn-out sounds that can travel for many kilometers underwater. These vibrations help them find each other and navigate the ocean. To us, these sounds feel truly mysterious and mesmerizing, like an echo from another world. You may have heard that humpback whale songs were included in NASA’s Voyager Golden Record as one of Humanity’s treasures and sent into space. We hope we’ll be lucky enough to hear these amazing creatures communicate.

Although our primary focus is humpback whales, other large marine animals can sometimes be encountered in Tongan waters — sharks, sea turtles, and pods of dolphins. Let’s hope we get lucky!

Evenings will be spent discussing the day’s wonders under the high starry sky.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation included: comfortable tented glamping, double occupancy


Day 8. September 23, 2027 (Thursday). RETURNING TO NUKUALOFA AND FLIGHT BACK HOME

Early rise and breakfast.
We say goodbye to the ocean, our local team, and then a boat takes us to Ha‘apai Airport, from where we take a domestic flight to the main island — Tongatapu.

Upon arrival on Tongatapu, we act according to circumstances: some will head to the airport, while others may stay overnight and continue their holiday. To avoid possible delays due to weather and the risk of missing your international flight, we strongly recommend booking your return flight for the following day.

A short excursion on the main island can be added to the program, or you can attend a kava ceremony. This is an ancient Tongan tradition, where we sit in a circle and observe the preparation of a traditional drink made from the root of the kava plant, used by the peoples of Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia. The drink is then poured into coconut cups, and we try it together while chatting about our encounters with the whales.

Meals included: breakfast
Accommodation included: none
 
Recommended flights from Nukualofa:
– Fiji Airways, departing Nukualofa at 5:40 AM on September 24, arriving in Nadi (Fiji) at 6:15 AM on September 24, or
– Fiji Airways, departing Nukualofa at 11:20 AM on September 24, arriving in Nadi (Fiji) at 12:40 PM on September 24 (an extra night in the hotel in Nukualofa will be required),
– any flight departing Nukualofa no earlier than at 23:55 on September 23.
 
! IMPORTANT! Tonga is a country with a less developed tourism infrastructure. Domestic flights may be delayed due to weather or even postponed until the next day (this is not the norm, but such a risk exists). Therefore, it is strongly recommended to arrange your departure from Nukualofa for the day after the program ends.
 
 
* Please note that the order of the program may change due to weather or other external conditions while ensuring all major activities are preserved. If certain visits and/or activities cannot be carried out due to external conditions, they will be replaced whenever possible.