Tours/Cape Town/Marine Big 5 Safari full day trip from Cape Town
Viator · group up to 8 pax

Marine Big 5 Safari full day trip from Cape Town

3.9(14)Cape Town1 hour
VIATOR3.5(8)TRIPADVISOR4.5(6)

Description

Leave Cape Town behind to take a marine cruise where you can see great white sharks, whales, Cape fur seals and a variety of seabirds. On a ±2-hour cruise from Gansbaai, ply the waters of Shark Alley to see great whites as they hunt for seal snacks. Then travel to hotspots to see whales, African penguins and other seabirds around Dyer Island and Geyser Rock. Expert guides show you the best of this amazing South African marine wilderness.

Tour Options

Marine Big 5 Safari full day trip from Cape Town
  • Pickup included

Itinerary

Admission included120 min

Muffin and Coffee on arrival, 2 hour boat ride, light lunch included

Highlights

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

What's included

Included
Professional guide
Hotel pickup and drop off (Cape Town city centre hotels)
Light lunch
Boat cruise
Not included
Gratuities
Food and drinks, unless specified

Pickup Locations & Times

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.

Traveller Ratings

3.9
14 reviews
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7
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3
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2
0
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2

Important Information

  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
  • 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

Reviews(14)

B
boschuda90
September 17, 2025
A marine tour with gentleman Mike

My wife and I had a very fun Marine tour with Mike. After a pleasant shore and countryside drive with all of our questions answered, we made a rest stop at a quaint general store with an opportunity to purchase snacks or souvenirs. Next, Mike asked if we wanted to stop at a penguin rehabilitation hospital and we did. It was interesting, informative and we were able to watch penguins close-up from behind one-way glass We next boarded an ocean touring ship and watched shark cage divers with brown sharks Then we set off for whales We watched three for repeated intervals, including a mother and child. The sea was a bit choppy, which made for a bumpy ride, but we like that sort of thing. At times, we needed to make a choice between taking an iffy photo or just watching. We usually just enjoyed the view. The ship went to a seal island, where the seals seemed to enjoy playing in the water for us. We went to a penguin Island, but there were none there in sight. If Mike hadn't taken us to the penguin hospital, we wouldn't have seen any. Dolphins also eluded us, but you can't guarantee nature. By our request, we "capped" off the day at a winery and Mike took us to a very nice one. It was an adventurous fun long day!

Operator response

Good Afternoon Thank you for taking the time and for providing us with your feedback. We are pleased to hear you had an fun day

G
gagizzz
May 24, 2024
Rough Sailing

The staff were incredible. The met every need. However the water and weather was way too rough to sail. There 8 to 10 ft swells and two squalls. 80 percent of the group was sick. The trip should have been canceled. Mr partner is a retired Navy Ship captain and was worried as was one of the crew.

T
tarag444
March 10, 2024
Marine 5

The guides were amazing. They recognized we liked birds and made the effort to point them out to us. A beautiful ride there and back. We saw everything but the dolphins.

Y
Y7994VYsarahl
November 16, 2023
Good Trip

We booked this tour before we went to Cape Town and saw Whales, Penguins and Seals. Unfortunately, they had had a problem with Orca's who had chased the Great White Sharks away (we didn't see the Orca's). This trip is 2 hours from Cape Town which they pick you up from your hotel for and you have to remember that you may not see anything because you are relying on nature.

Operator response

Good Afternoon Thank you for taking the time and providing us with your feedback.

J
John_S
November 14, 2023
Don’t waste your time!

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.

Operator response

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.

J
James M
October 26, 2022
Fabulous experience

This was a very special experience. We were given a full safety brief and was fitted with life jackets and raincoats (also provided with lovely refreshments) prior to boarding the boat. It was a spacious boat with comfortable seating. The guides were full of useful information and a wealth of knowledge. We saw plenty of penguins, seals and more importantly plenty of whales with calves! We were able to spend a lot of time watching the whales and getting fantastic pictures and videos. The day ended with a lovely light lunch. Would highly recommend.

Operator response

Good Morning Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback. We are thrilled that you enjoyed your marine Safari experience tour.

P
Paulo S
August 31, 2018
Penguin Reserve

A magical place , excellent for the walk and especially for being very close to the penguins , being able to observe it 2 meters away , amazing landscape and natural beauty

2 people found this helpful
B
beefhawk
October 31, 2017
Great viewing. High seas that day...

<p>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.</p>

E
Eugene H
July 28, 2017
It's definitely worth it! We saw the...

<p>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!</p>

A
Angeline H
December 31, 2016
A long way to go from Capetown. The...

<p>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.</p>

1 people found this helpful

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