Great White Shark Diving in South Africa

Great White Shark Cage Diving

This is possibly the greatest thrill that you will ever experience. Just imagine pulling up on the boat in 'Shark Alley', the open stretch of water between the Geyser Rock and Dyer Island off Gansbaai, South Africa. Within 5 to 10 minutes the apex predator, the Great White shark, will be around your boat. You get into a wetsuit, climb into the cage, and now it’s just you and the shark. Can you imagine something like that? Gansbaai is referred to as the White Shark Diving capital of the world for a very good reason.

The wonderful thing about shark diving in Gansbaai is that you only have to take a 20 minute boat ride to Dyer Island. In the winter time we can even see sharks before the shark chum is dropped into the water! It is clear why Gansbaai is named as being the most densely populated area for Great White sharks in the world. We get White sharks here along the coast all year round but winter is certainly the best time to come and see these beautiful animals.

You don’t need to know anything about diving, or even carry a qualification to enjoy Great White sharks from the boat or cage here in Gansbaai. The cages are mounted next to the boat, and float on the surface so that it is very easy for inexperienced divers to jump in and take a good look at the Great Whites as they cruise past the cage. For most of the year the divers do not use air or snorkels in the cage as the bubbles tend to make the Great White sharks nervous and very cautious. We want the shark to be comfortable with the boat and people diving in the cages so that they will come as close as possible. It is not uncommon for a shark’s pectoral fin to glide just into the gap in the cage as it swims past.

Great White Shark Surface Viewing

It is important to note that you do not have to dive in the cage to see the Great White sharks. The boat based viewing is exceptional all year round and there are many people who just take the trip to see the Great White sharks from the boat. Unfortunately, there is no difference in price to just view the sharks from the boat. The costs involved are virtually the same when you consider chum, bait, catering, crew, fuel and the environmental taxes. It is simply a bonus if you decide when out there to slip on a wetsuit and jump in the cage to have a closer look.

Meet Our Great White Sharks

The sharks patrol the deeper water as well as the edges of the kelp fields in the area. This is where the seals play, and they offer an easy meal for the Great Whites. The seals stay in the kelp as it offers them a safe haven from the patrolling predators but one wrong turn and they are out in the grasp of nature’s ultimate killing machine. The boats position themselves according to the water current, wind, swell, and marine environment. All of the White shark diving operators have been running for a long time now and are highly experienced. They provide the safest and best possible experience when White shark cage diving when positioning themselves to attract the sharks.

Shark Diving Central Bookings

There are currently 8 White shark cage diving operators in Gansbaai, all operate around Dyer Island, Geyser Rock or in Shark Alley depending on the conditions. We have developed relationships with the top operators and are able to bring you an unrivalled and fair choice when deciding on a tour with 0% commission added to the price. To find out more about what each operator has to offer please see the following summaries.

Our Operators

White Shark Diving Company:

R1300 p/p - Max 12 on boat – 4 Man Cage - (R1650 for the shark diving including return shuttle from Cape Town) – R900 for Children under 12 Years Old

This is a great operator with an excellent crew which work well with the sharks. The boat is a comfortable boat with ample space to move around as they have the least number of people at a time of all the boats. It has a large upper deck which is great for viewing the sharks and spotting them from a distance. The cage is a sturdy rectangular 4 man cage which is very spacious when only 2 divers go in at a time.

There is a Videographer on the boat for each trip and you will have the opportunity of buying a DVD of the day following your trip.

Great White Shark Tours:

R1350 p/p - Max 35 on boat – 7 Man Cage - (R1650 for the shark diving including return shuttle from Cape Town) – R750 for children under 12

Brian (the owner) is a good entertainer and even after many years doing this, he is still passionate about the White sharks and giving clients a good experience. The boat is the most modern in the industry and has all of the luxuries such as a spray sail to roll down to block the cold wind from the lower deck to keep the clients warm. The boat has an upper deck which is great for boat-based viewing. They pride themselves on using the freshest of bait and use plenty of chum to draw the sharks to the boat.

There is a Videographer on the boat for each trip and you will have the opportunity of buying a DVD of the day following your trip..

White Shark Projects:

R1350 p/p - Max 18 on boat - 4 Man Cage - (R1700 for the shark diving including return shuttle from Cape Town) – R900 for Children under 13 Years Old

This is a fine operator with a lot of experience. White shark Projects has won many awards for education and research, and always strive to teach people about the mysteries of the Great White shark. They run a year round volunteer program too. The boat is large and has a large upper deck which proves excellent for boat based viewing of the sharks, and a 4 man cage is used for the divers.

There is a Videographer on the boat for each trip and you will have the opportunity of buying a DVD of the day following your trip.

White Shark Ecoventures:

R1350 p/p - Max 25 on boat – 5 Man Cage - (R1650 for the shark diving including return shuttle from Cape Town) – R900 for Children under 12 Years Old

White Shark Ecoventures were one of the first operators in the shark diving industry. They have a large boat with upper and lower deck. The cage is a 6 man cage with rounded ends for maximum space and comfort for divers. The boat also has a separate wet deck on the back separated from the main part of the boat for maximum comfort for clients that are not cage diving. There are also 2 fresh water showers on the wet deck available for you to rinse off after the dive.

There is a Videographer on the boat for each trip and you will have the opportunity of buying a DVD of the day following your trip.

Shark Diving Unlimited

R1350 p/p - Max 19 on boat - 6 Man Cage - (R1700 for the shark diving including return shuttle from Cape Town) – R900 for Children under 12 Years Old

Shark Diving Unlimited is a family run great white shark cage diving operation with over 10 years of experience. Their crew is very knowledgeable and will do their best to take you the shark lover out for your dream encounter with the Great White Shark. They have one of the largest boats in the fleet but keep the numbers to a minimum to enhance the experience at sea. The boat is spacious and has an upper and lower deck. The cage is a 6 man cage with rounded ends to enhance the view from the sides of the cage and make the shape of the cage much more ‘Shark friendly’. With the 6 man cage it only takes 3 rotations for everyone to dive in the cage thus allowing for plenty of cage diving whilst out at sea.

Shark Diving Unlimited have worked with the BBC, Animal Planet, National Geographic, Discovery Channel and countless photo-journalists to create visually stunning images of great white sharks. Shark Diving Unlimited has also been the company of choice for Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, the King of Jordan and HRH Prince Harry.

White Shark Adventures:

R1350.00 p/p - (R1650 for the shark diving including return shuttle from Cape Town) – Max 40 passengers - 5 man cage – R900 for Children under 12 Years Old

White Shark Adventures is the only operator to run from Gansbaai harbour. This means they have to ride around Danger Point, lengthening the trip by 20 minutes. They have a 57 foot motorised catamaran which provides great stability at sea. It was built especially for shark viewing and cage diving.

Video of the day option is not available with this company.

Marine Dynamics:

R1350.00 p/p Shark Cage Diving – (R1650 for the shark diving including return shuttle from Cape Town ) – R900 for Children under 12 Years Old – Maximum of 19 passengers - 5 man cage – R900.00 p/p Whale watching (July – January)

Marine Dynamics is still a relatively new company here, but they have a wealth of experience backing their operation. They also run a volunteer program, and conduct extensive levels of research in the area. They also run boat-based Whale watching trips during the 6 month period that the Southern Right and Humpback whales are in the area.

There is a Videographer on the boat for each trip and you will have the opportunity of buying a DVD of the day following your trip.

Shark Lady Adventures:

R1300 p/p - Max 12 on boat – 2 Man Cage - (Additional R250 for transfer from Cape Town – R450 for single) – R900 for Children under 10 Years Old

A fine operator with knowledgeable crew, the Shark Lady stems from the very beginnings of the industry. The boat is large but they insist not to fill the boat to its capacity of 16. The new boat has an upper deck so you will have the opportunity to take aerial photographs. In winter months (April - September) there may be the option offered to dive in the famous crystal (Perspex) cage as seen on TV. The price is R2000.00 and will include a metal cage dive as well as the crystal cage. If it isn’t possible to use the Perspex cage, they will refund R650.00 of the fee.

The Video of the day option is not available with this company unless exclusively booked.

When To Visit the Great White Shark

Winter – April - September

In winter it usually doesn't take long to for the first sharks to arrive, however this is nature and sharks are wild animals. Patience is vital, as with all things in nature, but when waiting, just remember that you are in the white shark diving capital of the world! The chances of seeing a Great White shark are higher here than anywhere else. White sharks so far have not been able to survive captivity so this may be your only chance to see one in the flesh (excuse the expression). During these months the operators work around Dyer Island as the sharks are there hunting for Cape Fur Seals. The weather is unpredictable during these months so please allow for a few days spare following your booked trip in the event that your trip is cancelled due to high seas.

Summer – October - March

In the summer months the water is, surprisingly, much colder than the winter. Due to Gansbaai's geographical location being on the Atlantic Ocean but close to the Indian Ocean, there are huge differences in water temperature depending on currents and weather systems. The sharks move towards the beaches during these months and hunt for game fish, rather than seals. Sightings are still good but the water visibility is not great (1-5 meters) The Shark activity is generally slower and it is more difficult to attract the sharks to the boats. It is advisable to allow for a few days to increase your chances of seeing a Great White Shark. On record, February & March are the worst times to come as the shark activity is normally very slow. However, we have had a few good summers in a row so things are looking good.

Sea Kayaking in the Whale Sanctuary – Eco Adventures Gansbaai

If you are visiting from the months of October – January this is a MUST do activity! With an average of 16 Whales per trip on route you will be in touch with nature like never before! In November we are offering a special double of early morning Sea Kayak with Whales followed by an exhilarating shark dive in the afternoon!

GUARANTEED! There is no better adventure on offer worldwide!

Tour Price = R400
Duration = 3 hours
Included = Drinks and Snacks, All gear (Warm Surfing Skin, life jacket)
Bring: Hat, Sunscreen, Towel, Board Shorts / swimming costume, Sunglasses

We launch from Stanford's cove which is a very safe entry point protected by reef and Kelp. The group will launch from the beach and then paddle out and along the De Kelders rocky coastline.

The nature trail will take the clients past a permanent seal colony and in Whale season the clients will most likely see many Whales on any given day whilst on the nature trail. The wildlife is amazing and the experience memorable.

The paddle is a very simple one and non-strenuous. The route is only 1.5km long from Stanfords cove to the Dip Kelders Caves. There we will land on the beach and do a tour of the famous Drip Kelders caves.

We will spend approximately 45 minutes touring the caves and swimming in the 'miracle' mineral waters that filters through the caves.

After the cave tour and rest we will then paddle back along the coastline to Stanford’s cove stopping where we wish to view the stunning coastline that we are blessed with and hoping to experience some more of the magical whales and marine life along the coastline.

www.eco-adventures.co.za

The guide is 1 of only 5 qualified professional sea Kayak Guides in South Africa

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Phone (Mobile) +27 (0)82 466 4519

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