The 15 Best South Africa Scuba Diving

1.From Hermanus or Cape Town: Shark Cage Diving Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 684 reviews · 4.5 - 10 hours · from $137Our pick

Spend a half or full day with White Shark Projects near Gansbaai. After breakfast and a safety talk, your skipper and marine biologist take you to sea for shark viewing and a 20-minute cage session. Bronze whalers are common, while great whites are not guaranteed. Wetsuits, lunch, towels, and a certificate are included.

“This activity was exceptionally well organized. Pickup was complicated for my location, but new arrangements were made and all worked smoothly. The Shark Project's team and facility is very welcoming with breakfast provided before the dive and a light lunch afterward. Also hot showers, towels, the works. The crew is super friendly, knowledgeable and capable and worked diligently to make this a great experience. The only downside is that the sharks were somewhat uncooperative, so encounters underwater were mostly quick glances of tails.”

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2.Shark Cage Diving and Viewing with transport from Cape Town

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 576 reviews · from $251

Travel from Cape Town to Gansbaai for a full-day shark cage experience with Marine Dynamics Shark Tours. You’ll get hotel transport, breakfast, gear, a marine biologist briefing, boat time near Dyer Island, snacks, and a hot refreshment afterward. Expect cold water, possible seasickness, and no guarantee of great white sightings.

“What a professional organisation.From start to finish.We had a fantastic day.Exceeded our expectations in every way.”

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3.Gansbaai Eco-Friendly Shark Cage Diving Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 326 reviews · 6 - 10 hours · from $237

Travel from Cape Town to Gansbaai for a guided shark cage session with Marine Dynamics. A marine biologist explains the animals and safety, while the crew takes you to Joubertsdam aboard Slashfin. Expect bronze whaler sharks, cold water, changing conditions, meals, and a visit to the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary.

“Very nice. We did see some sharks very close and the information and educative part was very good.”

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4.Half-Day White Shark Cage Diving from Gansbaai

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 310 reviews · from $166

Meet at 7:00 am in Van Dyks Bay for a roughly three-hour great white shark cage experience with White Shark Projects. You get a continental breakfast, gear, towels, refreshments, a light lunch, and hot showers after returning. Sightings are not guaranteed, and weather can cancel the trip.

“Once in a lifetime experience! My youngest, who is 9, also loved the experience!!!”

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5.Shark Cage Diving

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 221 reviews · from $118

Meet Sharklady Adventures in Van Dyks Bay for a 3.5-hour catamaran trip to view Great White Sharks. Qualified scuba users can enter the floating cage, while others may snorkel, hold their breath, or watch from deck. Expect wet suits, gear, snacks, an educational talk, and unlimited cage time.

“A lot of sharks were close to the boat. Good helpful staff. We had luck with weather. Sea was calm..”

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6.Shark Cage Diving – Adventure Meets Conservation!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 196 reviews · from $143Top rated

From Gansbaai, you’ll take a 20-minute boat ride to a shark site, then enter an eight-person cage with a trained crew. Great whites and bronze whalers may appear, but sightings are not promised. Breakfast, lunch, snacks, gear, and onboard viewing are included. Cape Town transfers cost R800 per person.

“This is a great company doing important work. Their staff were professional and informative. Unfortunately, the day we went, visibility underwater was poor, there were maybe 7ft swells (lots of seasickness, I took Dramamine and was still queRead more”

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7.Cruise with Shark Cage Dive and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 184 reviews · 1 day · from $168

Travel to Kleinbaai Harbour for a full day at sea with White Shark Ventures. After a safety briefing, breakfast, and wetsuit fitting, you will watch sharks from the boat and take turns in a surface cage. Marine guides explain shark behavior, while hot food, drinks, showers, and optional video footage round out the day.

“Great experience overall. The staff was very informative and attentive. During the dive we spotted several bronze whaler sharks, a cape seal, a stingray and two young (about 2m) great white sharks. The drop off to Cape Town could be better (i was offered the choice either to wait for 2-3 hours for another group to get on shore or to leave with another bus going first on an other destination out of town - nobody wants that after a dive in frozen water).”

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8.CapeTown: Shark Cage Diving Experience with Scuba

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 146 reviews · from $218

From Simon’s Town, you’ll cruise to Seal Island for a scuba-assisted shark-cage session with up to 12 people. Expect bronze whalers at present, plus possible seals, dolphins, whales, and seabirds. The crew explains shark behavior, supplies scuba gear, snacks, and drinks, while weather may change the plan.

“Even though the sharks were eating breakfast somewhere else, we had a great time. Saw thousands of seals and a few penguins, and even some dolphins came swimming by. The whole team was extremely nice and disappointed for us as well. Hopefully we can get back to South Africa to use our voucher!”

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9.Shark Cage Diving Cape Town

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 114 reviews · from $229

Meet Apex Shark Expeditions in Simon’s Town for a four-hour ocean trip near Seal Island or Cape Point. You’ll receive a safety briefing, gear, towels, breakfast items, snacks, and refreshments, then enter a sturdy cage with up to three others. The crew, including guide Brandon, may find bronze whalers, seven-gill sharks, blue sharks, or makos.

“Wow what an amazing experience. We saw lots of sharks as well as a visit to see the seals. The crew were amazing, very knowledgable, helpful and welcoming. Special shout out for Brandon. Would definitely recommend 🦈”

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10.Shark Cage Diving and Viewing with transport from Hermanus

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 81 reviews · from $234

From Hermanus, you travel to Gansbaai for a shark cage encounter aboard the custom-built Slashfin. An experienced marine biologist explains shark behavior and identification before you enter the cage near Shark Alley. Breakfast, gear, towels, hotel transfers, refreshments, and a free penguin sanctuary visit are included.

“Nice boat, nice crew, no sharks :((( They were organized and made you feel safe. Breakfast was included.”

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11.Shark Cage Diving Viewing Only

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 69 reviews · from $126

Meet at 9 Kus Drive in Gansbaai for breakfast, a safety briefing, and a short boat ride to the shark site. Watch cage participants from the viewing deck while guides explain shark behavior and point out other marine life. You stay dry, enjoy meals and snacks, then return for trip footage and lunch.

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12.Shark Cage Dive

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 46 reviews · 3 hours · from $274

From Simon’s Town, Apex Shark Expeditions takes up to 12 people into False Bay for a three-hour shark-cage experience. Expect bronze whaler sharks, Cape fur seals, seabirds, and possible dolphins or whales. Ryan, Brandon, Taylor, and Alex are among the crew names associated with this well-organized trip. Times depend on weather and tides.

“Definitely recommendable. Was a great adventure and the staff is very friendly and highly experienced. They definitely know what they are doing. Thanks a lot Taylor& Alex”

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13.Guided Shark Cage Diving with Hookah Air Supply in Gansbaai

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 41 reviews · from $190

Meet at 9 Kus Dr in Gansbaai for a four-hour shark cage encounter with a maximum of 12 people. You will cruise offshore, use a regulator connected to an onboard air supply, and spend about 2 to 2.5 hours at sea. Breakfast, lunch, snacks, water, and wet suits are included. No prior scuba experience is needed.

“The sharks weren't biting (so-to-speak), so we went instead to the seal colony & dipped in the cage with them. The experience was wonderful & the hosts full of information. It was very educational.”

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14.Shark Dive & Whale Watching Combo Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 22 reviews · 6 - 12 hours · from $292

From Kleinbaai and Gansbaai, you’ll pair a cage encounter near Dyer Island with a Southern Right Whale trip in Walker Bay. The shark boat includes breakfast, briefing, and a wetsuit, while the whale outing usually lasts about two hours. You can complete both in one long day or split them over two days.

“Speravo di poter osservare più specie tra squali e balene, invece solo 3 squali e 2 balene. Esperienza comunque nel complesso molto adrenalinica che consiglio!!”

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15.Shark Cage Diving with transport from Cape Town

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 22 reviews · from $361

Travel from Cape Town to Gansbaai, eat breakfast at the Great White House, receive a safety briefing, and enter a secure cage near Dyer Island. Paul Polano Tours supplies transport, gear, towels, snacks, and a marine biologist, with about two hours on the water and professional photos available afterward.

“The description is a lie ie there are 40 people in the boat, not 4. The person running this is charging US$375 per person (seemingly justified by the apparent 4 person group size, despite this being a lie), when you can directly book with the opRead more”

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