Animal Ocean Safaris
Description
Discover the beauty of the ocean with our new Ocean Safaris! While we may be transitioning from our seal snorkeling roots, we’re excited to offer you an unforgettable adventure exploring the breathtaking marine landscapes of Hout Bay. Our Ocean Safaris take you on a captivating journey, where you can witness diverse marine life in their natural habitat, all while surrounded by stunning mountain vistas. This immersive experience includes a guided boat trip with knowledgeable crew members who are passionate about sharing the wonders of the sea. Enjoy the thrill of spotting dolphins, seabirds, and other incredible wildlife as you cruise along the coastline. After your adventure, unwind at our Safari Centre with hot showers, changing facilities, or relax in our inviting lounge and sunlit garden. Join us for a remarkable ocean experience that celebrates the magic of the marine world!
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Please add a contactable cellphone number and valid email address to your booking
- Children must be 10 years or older to participate
- Minimum of 4 people booked per trip required to operate
- Maximum of 10 people on each trip
- Activity is weather dependent - if cancelled a full refund or alternative date is offered
- Guests must be confident swimmers
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers over 6 months
Reviews(262)
Experience at the top! I recommend 100%. We had the chance to observe dolphins, a moonfish, hundreds of seals. Two beautiful snorkeling spots.
We had a brilliant time on this excursion. Our guides were a great mix of fun, friendly and informative making it a great trip and a really unique way to enjoy the area. Diving on the wreck was a really wonderful experience, seeing the wildlife up close, and the treats on the boat were delicious. A great way to spend a morning.
Wow, thank you for such a lovely review! We are absolutely delighted that you had a brilliant time with us. It means so much to hear that our guides struck the perfect balance of fun, friendly and informative, as creating that kind of atmosphere is exactly what we aim for on every trip. We are so glad you enjoyed diving on the wreck and experiencing the wildlife up close. Those moments in the water are truly special. And we love that the treats on board were a hit too. There is nothing better than great snacks after an adventure at sea. Thank you for choosing to spend your morning with us. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable experience soon. Best Fishes, The Animal Ocean Team
Not worth it. We traveled pretty far by boat, jumped into the freezing water & nothing! Very poor visibility area with no sea creatures in sight. Nice seeing seals & dolphins along the way but a complete waste of time & money as far as "underwater safari" goes
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re sorry that this particular trip didn’t meet your expectations. Our focus is exploring the ocean environment as a whole, both above and below the surface. As with any ocean-based activity, water temperature (10-15C) and underwater visibility are entirely dependent on natural conditions and can change daily. We truly appreciate your feedback and will continue doing our best to set clear expectations while offering authentic, nature-based experiences in a wild and ever-changing ocean environment. Kind regards, The Animal Ocean Team
My favourite experience in Cape Town by far! The team were welcoming and informative from the moment we walked through the door and delivered an incredible and authentic experience. I loved that we got to snorkel in the kelp forest, unlike many other ocean tours in the area. The hot chocolate and snacks afterwards were a lovely edition! This tour gave me a whole new perspective of Cape Town as we got to see many features and animals (dolphins, seals, sunfish, small sharks) that I would never have discovered from land! Highly recommend to both visitors to the area and locals 🦭
Wow, what an incredible review to read. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. Being called your favourite experience in Cape Town truly means the world to our whole team. We are so happy that you felt welcomed and informed from the very start and that the experience felt authentic and special. Snorkelling in the kelp forest is something we absolutely love sharing, and it is wonderful to hear how much you enjoyed exploring it. Seeing dolphins, seals, sunfish and even small sharks along the way makes every trip unique, and we are thrilled you got to experience such amazing wildlife. We are also glad the hot chocolate and snacks were the perfect finishing touch. Thank you for the heartfelt recommendation. We would love to welcome you back into the ocean with us anytime. Best Fishes, The Animal Ocean Team
I booked the ocean safari in Hout Bay with snorkeling, and it turned out to be one of the most awesome parts of my trip. Our crew—Daniel, Georgie, and Jesse—made the whole experience fun, safe, and surprisingly relaxing (except the parts where we were happily racing over waves, of course, which were exhilarating). I initially planned to skip the snorkeling because I was worried I wouldn’t be able to climb back into the boat afterward. The receptionist encouraged me to try it and reassured me I’d have help, so I took the plunge—literally. I’m so glad I did! Daniel lifted me back into the zodiac so easily that I didn’t even have time to be embarrassed. The safari itself was the perfect blend of calm and thrill: peaceful stretches cruising along the coastline, mixed with exhilarating bursts of speed across the bay with wind and salt spray flying everywhere. Woo hoo! We even passed a fascinating shipwreck, which felt like discovering hidden treasure right off the coast. It was eerie! The light snacks, hot cocoa, and warm water poured into our wetsuits after snorkeling—like a cozy ocean spa moment—were much appreciated. At the end, we got warm showers to wash off the saltwater. They also have a private changing room. The gear (wetsuits and rain jacket) were high quality and in excellent, clean condition. If you’re in Cape Town, don’t miss this. Even if you think you won’t snorkel… try it. Honestly, I worried about nothing, and it was cool.
Thank you for such a thoughtful and detailed review! We absolutely loved reading about your experience. It means so much to know that your ocean safari in Hout Bay was one of the most awesome parts of your trip. We are so happy that Daniel, Georgie, and Jesse helped make the adventure fun, safe, and relaxing, with just the right amount of exhilaration along the way. Racing over the waves is always a highlight. We are especially glad you decided to take the plunge and join the snorkeling. Hearing that you felt supported and comfortable every step of the way truly makes our day. There is nothing better than seeing someone surprise themselves and love it. From peaceful coastline cruising to thrilling bursts across the bay, spotting the shipwreck, and warming up with snacks, hot cocoa, and that cozy wetsuit moment, it sounds like you embraced it all. We are also pleased the showers, changing facilities, and gear added to your comfort. Thank you for encouraging others to give it a try. We would be thrilled to welcome you back for another ocean adventure anytime. Best Fishes, The Animal Ocean Team
Our Ocean Safari was absolutely amazing! The crew was so friendly and welcoming, and the whole experience was unforgettable. We saw lots of wildlife, including seals and dolphins and got to snorkel around a shipwreck, which was such an incredible adventure. Highly recommend it to anyone looking for something fun and unique!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are absolutely thrilled that your Ocean Safari was such an amazing and unforgettable experience. It makes us so happy to hear that the crew made you feel welcomed and that you enjoyed every moment out on the water. Seeing seals and dolphins in their natural habitat is always so special, and snorkeling around the shipwreck really does add that extra sense of adventure. We love that you found it fun and unique, as that is exactly what we hope to create for every guest. Thank you for the heartfelt recommendation. We would love to have you back on board for another ocean adventure soon. Best Fishes, The Animal Ocean Team
Absolutely wonderful experience. The team was fantastic, the information engaging, the location breathtaking, and everything was perfectly organised. Couldn’t recommend it more highly!
Hi there, Thank you so much for your kind words. We’re really happy to hear you had such a wonderful experience and that the team helped make it special. It means a lot to know you found everything well organised and enjoyed the location as much as we do. Best fishes, The Animal Ocean Team
I had such a fantastic experience with Animal Ocean today! The team was professional, welcoming, and made the whole adventure feel safe and fun. Snorkeling in the kelp forest was amazing -the underwater world was magical and full of life! And the Dolphin sighting was epic! Everything was really well organized, from the briefing to the boat ride and time in the water. I can’t recommend them enough if you’re looking for a unique and memorable experience in Cape Town.
Thank you for sharing such kind feedback. We are thrilled you enjoyed the kelp forest snorkeling, the dolphin sighting, and that the whole adventure felt safe, fun, and well organized. We are so glad it was a memorable Cape Town experience for you. Best fishes, The Animal Ocean team
The ocean safari was incredible. In addition to a beautiful view of the bay from water, we got to see many seals and their frolicking pups, and even got to see a few whales passing by late in their migration. We also got to snorkel the shipwreck at the bay, which coupled with the kelp forests, schools of fish and rock lobsters resting in the wreck was an unbelievable experience. We were given ample time to snorkel, always felt safe, and were never rushed (the guides even offered spare weight belts for free-diving), and the wet suits provided great protection in the cool water. Our guides were lovely and accommodating, full of information about the history of the bay and interesting facts about the habits of its wildlife. And just to cap a perfect day, as we were returning there was a pod of over a hundred dolphins leaving the bay, which swam beside the boat for about half an hour. Overall it was an incredible and unique experience in the water. I’d recommend anyone even mildly interested in the marine life of South Africa to do this tour 👍. Thanks again for a great experience!
We really appreciate your kind words. It is wonderful to hear that you felt safe and unhurried while exploring the wreck, kelp forest, and marine life, and that the dolphins gave you such a memorable finale. Thank you for recommending us so highly. Best fishes, The Animal Ocean team
The team around was great and also very experienced and helpful. But Msn should change the expectations from the provider, as currently NO snorkeling or swimming with the seals is possible. I did this tour to swim with the seals. I also realize it's weather dependent. However, among the seals the rabies has broken out so gsd the organizers are so much aware that they do not allow swimming. So , should you book the tour to swim with seals, there will be no more for a long time. Otherwise the tour was complete 👌 We saw the seals from the boat.
We really appreciate your understanding and your kind words about our team. As you mentioned, swimming with the seals is not possible at this time because of the rabies outbreak, and we want to make sure expectations are clear. Thank you for joining us and for sharing your experience of still enjoying the tour and seeing the seals from the boat. Best fishes, The Animal Ocean team
