Dolphin Encountours Research Center is a marine conservation and education organization based in Ponta do Ouro, Mozambique, within Maputo National Park. Established as the country’s original dolphin center and swim programme, it has offered encounters with wild bottlenose dolphins since 1996. Its approach, described as “conscious interaction,” prioritizes the dolphins’ choices, natural behavior, and well-being. Rather than pursuing or directing the animals, the team offers passive, open-ocean in-water encounters conducted under ethical guidelines and subject to sea conditions.

The center also welcomes volunteers, students, retreat participants, and film crews, and provides educational outreach and opportunities to take part in marine conservation. Its research began in 1997 and includes more than 7,500 recorded sightings and a catalogue of approximately 250 individual dolphins; lineages of resident females have been tracked across as many as seven generations. Alongside dolphin encounters, the organization promotes a code of conduct, dolphin care, and broader environmental responsibility. Tours generally operate daily from sunrise, depending on weather and minimum passenger requirements.