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Great White Shark Diving Tour in Gansbaai

Tour Length3 days
Priced from pps $726 R13736 £575 673 A$1114 C$983 NZ$1215 Full pricing info
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Summary of this Great White Shark Diving

  • Starts & ends in Cape Town, South Africa
  • Accommodation Guesthouse / B&B
  • Transport Microbus / Shark Cage Diving Boat
  • Wildlife Whales & Sea Life, Shark Cage Diving & More
  •  See Departure Dates

Quick Itinerary Overview

Spend three days getting up close to the Great White Sharks off the coast of Gansbaai, one of the world's premier shark cage diving destinations. This three-day package is the ideal adventure tour for travellers wanting to optimize their chances of watching this graceful predator of the deep.

Spend your days out at sea, anchored near Dyer Island with its huge colony of Cape Fur Seals. Go diving in a secure shark cage, coming face-to-face with powerful Great White Sharks - an unforgettable thrill! Stay at a comfortable guesthouse in coastal Gansbaai, recounting tales of your exhilarating shark encounters in South Africa.

The ultimate Great White Shark Diving Package!

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Itinerary for this Tour

Day 1: Cape Town to Gansbaai – South Africa

This Shark Cage Diving Adventure begins with collection from central locations in Cape Town, early in the morning. Leaving the picturesque city of Cape Town we travel southeast towards Gansbaai, located in the scenic Overberg Region of South Africa.

The drive from Cape Town to Gansbaai takes about two hours, taking us over the Hottentots-Holland Mountains past pretty lakes and wine farms in the lush countryside of the Western Cape. Continuing along the rugged coast we drive via Hermanus, one of the best land-based whale-watching destinations in the world. From this famous whale hotspot, we continue to the fishing town of Gansbaai, where our Great White Shark Adventure takes place. We make our way to the Kleinbaai area of Gansbaai - arguably the 'Great White Capital of the World'.

Arriving at our well-equipped headquarters a continental breakfast is served with tea or coffee. Before the boat trip an in-depth briefing about great white sharks, the dive and safety procedures, is held at the centre. Then we take to the sea in our custom-built catamaran and embark on a 25-minute journey to the Dyer Island area, where we drop anchor.

The specially designed stainless steel cage is lowered into the water, about a metre below the surface, where it stays firmly secured to the boat. It's time to put on your designated wetsuit, booties, hoodie, weight belt and mask, and prepare for your dive. This is where the adrenalin rush kicks in!

The crew helps you into the cage where your head stays above water until you decide to go underwater to watch the sharks swimming past. When a shark is spotted approaching, the crew on the boat raises the alarm and you dive down under the water's surface to see the graceful predator up close, deciding exactly how long you want to keep your head underwater. Great white sharks are regularly spotted off Dyer Island year-round with a success rate of about 99% on this trip.

We spend about two hours out at sea, fortified with drinks and snacks (bread rolls, chips, cold drinks and hot chocolate). The sturdy cage holds eight people comfortably allowing everyone to spend as much time as possible viewing the sharks underwater. When not submerged in the water, you can watch the sharks from the spacious upper and lower decks, offering unrivalled views and unobstructed photographic opportunities. After your thrilling encounter with the great white sharks, we take a quick trip through Shark Alley, weather permitting. Shark Alley is renowned for the abundance of sharks drawn to the channel to prey on the Cape Fur Seals of Geyser Rock - a breeding colony of about 60000 seals.

Back on shore hot soup and bread is served beside the cosy fireplace and heaters, during the debriefing and great white shark conservation roundup. Afterwards, you are free to relax and explore Kleinbaai and the rest of Gansbaai. Our guesthouse accommodation is at the headquarters, or nearby, so you can enjoy dinner (own expense) at the a la carte restaurant or in town.

Day 2 & 3: Gansbaai to Cape Town – South Africa

After a hearty breakfast at the guesthouse, we walk down to the natural harbour of Kleinbaai and board the catamaran for our second shark cage diving trip. Enjoy the fresh sea breeze and beautiful scenery out at sea, looking out for other marine life. Two or more of the Marine Big Five (sharks, dolphins, whales, seals and penguins) are generally spotted on the boat trips, along with several bird species.

Taking to the sea again we head towards Dyer Island for more close-up great white shark encounters. After our morning adventure, we return to the centre for hot soup and bread and a debriefing. The remainder of the day is free for you to unwind and explore as you choose, eating out in Gansbaai or at the shark centre's restaurant in the evening.

Day three follows a similar itinerary as day two, except that we return to Cape Town after our warm refreshments and debriefing.

Back in the beautiful city of Cape Town, you are dropped off at a central location in the city, bringing this unforgettable shark cage diving experience to a close.

Shark Diving Boat, Cage & Gear

This tour is conducted in a custom-built shark cage diving boat designed for safety, stability, comfort and speed. This 46 foot (14m) long catamaran features a spacious upper deck for surface views of the sharks and other marine animals, and two platforms for the bait and decoy handlers to ensure the best possible shark viewing.

This lightweight aluminium vessel is powered by four big four-stroke 300 hp outboard engines and is equipped with the most advanced electronic navigation equipment. The unique boat features a central food area, storage facilities for personal items and both male and female toilets.

The state-of-the-art shark diving cage is 4.5m long and 2.5m deep, comfortably accommodating eight divers at a time. The professionally engineered cage is made of stainless steel, consisting of 25mm² tubing covered in 6mm security mesh with 160mm spacing. The cage remains securely fixed to the boat and is covered with two lids, providing a safe, comfortable and spacious viewing environment.

With over 100 wetsuits on hand, a clean and dry wetsuit is guaranteed on this trip. Clients are also provided with a high-quality mask, hoodie, weight belt and booties for the dive, as well as a clean, dry towel.

What to Bring:

We recommend taking the following items on your trip: warm weather-proof clothing, anti-seasickness tablets, sunscreen, hat, camera and binoculars.

Child Policy

This tour does take children.

Children of all ages are welcome on the boat if conditions allow, and children are under the complete supervision of their parents.
We will advise clients who wish to bring their children if conditions are adverse and recommend accordingly.
Our recommendation is that children of 10 years and older enter the cage, and only if the parents accompany them.

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+Where does the tour go to?
+Included in the Tour Price
  • three great white shark cage diving trips (by boat)
  • return road transfers from Cape Town
  • two nights of accommodation in Gansbaai
  • breakfasts and light lunches
  • snacks and drinks on the boat
  • hooded wetsuit, weight belt, mask & booties
  • weather jacket, life jacket & towel
  • marine biologist on every trip
  • one guide per 3 to 4 clients
  • videographer on board
  • Conservation Fees
+Not Included in the Tour Price
  • anti-seasickness tablets
  • dinners
  • underwater cameras
  • memorabilia and souvenirs
+Departure Dates

This Shark Cage Diving Tour departs daily

Scheduled Tour Departures
Click on a departure date to enquire

If you do not see departures listed for your dates, please do contact us for further info.

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