Marine Big 5 Safari full day trip from Cape Town

Cape Town, South Africa

9 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Enjoy a 2-hour boat trip from Gansbaai to see great white sharks, whales, Cape fur seals, penguins and more. Visit the ominously-named Shark Alley to see if there are any great whites feeding on seals. Head to other parts of the ocean to look for whales and African penguins, as well as seabirds on Geyser Rock and Dyer Island. With experts on hand, you won’t miss any of the majestic marine wildlife on display.

8-hour tour to Gansbaai for whale- and shark-watching boat cruise, from Cape Town
Cruise around Seal Island where Africa’s largest island-bound seal colony lives
Ride on a custom-built boat with two decks and a spacious interior for excellent viewing
Learn from experienced marine biologist guides who share their in-depth knowledge of the whales, sharks, seals and seabirds
Look for great white sharks in Shark Alley between Dyer Island and Geyser Rock
Munch on a light lunch after your boat cruise at the Great White House
Hotel pickup and drop-off from Gansbaai included

What's Included

Hotel pickup and drop off (Cape Town city centre hotels)
Boat cruise
Light lunch
Professional guide

Gratuities
Food and drinks, unless specified

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

Should your Hotel not be listed, please contact us 48 hours so we can confirm if we would be able to pick up and drop off from your hotel.

Operating hours
.6:00 am

Itinerary

Dyer Island

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
A waterproof jacket, Beanie/Cap, and closed shoes are recommended
Children under the age off 11 must be accompanied by an adult.
If you suffer from seasickness, it is recommended that you take medication the night before the tour and again one hour before departure
Weather & sea conditions permitting

A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
Please note: Whale season is from July – November
tour is subject to sea and weather conditions
tour collection time may be early morning.
we offer maximum 8 guests per booking, the boat can accommodate 50 guests
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers

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Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

3.9

based on 14 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Don’t waste your time!

John_S, Nov 2023

Boat was too crowded. Could not get on top deck. Too crowded to get to good places for photos. Two plus hours drive each way from Cape Town for a one and a half hour boat ride made this trip a disappointing waste of time.

Response from Host, Nov 2023

Good Afternoon Thank you for your feedback received. We are so sorry that you were disappointed with your Marine Big 5 Safari. We will share your feedback with the management.

Great viewing. High seas that day...

beefhawk, Oct 2017

Great viewing. High seas that day. If you're thinking of going make sure to take something to help if you get sick. A couple of passengers did and you just have to ride it out until we're all done. They can only help replace the bags you're using but can't administer anything so bring your own remedy. Also make sure to use the handrails. I forgot and was scolded over a loud speaker which is always a delight being called out publicly and then told we told you this at the beginning.

It's definitely worth it! We saw the...

Eugene H, Jul 2017

It's definitely worth it! We saw the cape dolphin which are rare, the penguins, thousands of seals and giant flights of Comorant birds and even 2 whales. There had just been an orca attack on a great white shark, so we weren't able to see any great whites, but you can't contro naturel. On the way the driver asked us what we wanted to see if we said we were especially interested in penguins. He stopped by the penguin sanctuary so we could see them playing as they were healing and talk to very knowledgeable rescue/manager. The tour started off started as promised with light snacks and coffee, early start so you need it, and we headed out to the water. There were two very knowledgeable tour guides on the boat with a background in marine biology, everyone was very interested in giving information on the animals and the weather and whatever else biological you might be interested in. Overall it was perfect last day in Cape Town and have no trouble highly recommending this tour to anyone who's in Cape Town for a few days!

A long way to go from Capetown. The...

Angeline H, Dec 2016

A long way to go from Capetown. The boat ride was great fun but didn't see a lot of marine animals. But it was a beautiful day.

We where looking forward to spending...

Peter H, Aug 2016

We where looking forward to spending some time whale watching however, once we saw a whale then the crew seemed more interested in getting back to shore - they said they were worried about the weather however, this was fine. They tour guide was not informative but spent most of her time texting unprofessional. It could have been fantastic but the poor hospitality and rushed approach meant it was a complete disappointment.

Excellent experience and lived up to...

Martin G, Apr 2016

Excellent experience and lived up to our expectations The staff could not have been more helpful and informative

The trip was very good. We saw...

Jaime F, Nov 2014

The trip was very good. We saw whales, dolphins, seals, and penguins. However, we did not see any sharks. The arrangements to pick up and drop were comfortable. The time of the trip was changed to full day. I.e. 9 am to 6 pm. And lunch was not included.