Cape Town 6-day Itinerary
South Africa
Where to go and what to see in Cape Town to get the most from your trip – a 6-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Richard Holmes.
Website >
Overview >Bucket list experience:
Dive with great white sharks in Cape Town
Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
Last updated: 04 November, 2022
In the waters off Cape Town it’s the Great White Shark, carcharodon carcharias, that rules the roost, and admiring this remarkable predator in its natural environment – from the safety of a sturdy steel cage, of course – is a bucket list experience you’ll never forget.
Spacious speedboats leave Kleinbaai harbour (two hours’ drive from Cape Town) in the early morning, setting course for Dyer Island and the famous ‘Shark Alley’. Here, chum (fish bait) is released into the water, the cage is lowered and adventurers don their wetsuits. When a shark comes to investigate, it’s into the water you go.
Note – you don’t have to go in the water to enjoy this trip. Watching these majestic, and curious, creatures glide around from the security of the boat is also worth going for.
From the editor: at time of writing, sightings are less than they used to be following the arrival of two orcas (that prey on the great whites). No one is sure how long the orcas will stay… so check before you book.
Want more recommendations in this destination?
Destination Guide >Recommended itineraries by our writers that include this experience
Price from: £100
Minimum age: 6
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around
Duration: 5
Getting there & doing it
A range of cage-diving operators run trips from Kleinbaai harbour, with most offering early-morning transfers from Cape Town that return in the afternoon. If you want to self-drive, Kleinbaai is a two-hour drive from Cape Town. Follow signs for Hermanus and the R43 from the N2 freeway.
Trips last roughly five hours, and operators provide a simple lunch and drinks on board. Equipment is provided, so all you’ll need is a swimming costume, towel and courage.Take seasickness tablets if you are susceptible. You’re a few hours on the ocean and there can be swell that sways the boat.
Operators have minimum age policies, ranging from 6-12 years – less if kids stay in the boat.
When to do it
Cage-diving trips run all year round, seven days a week. Morning trips depart around 7am, afternoon trips depart around 1pm.
The best sightings are to be had in winter (May to October) when the visibility is best and sharks hunt for seals around the islands. In summer (January to March) Great Whites tend to hunt inshore, away from the islands where the cage diving takes place.
Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity
Shark Diving Full Day Guided Return Transfer to Gansbaai from Cape Town
Cape Town
See feared predators in a shark cage dive for the ultimate adrenaline rush or just enjoy the action from the deck, on a day trip to Gansbaai...
Z2,500 | Rating 4.66 / 5 [9 ratings]
Website >
Tour supplied by:
Half-Day White Shark Cage Diving from Gansbaai
Gansbaai
In South Africa, we are privileged to have access to great white sharks … if you know where to go, and when. Shark Cage Diving and viewing i...
Z2,890 | Rating 4.53 / 5 [182 ratings]
Website >
Tour supplied by:
African Shark Eco-Charters Shark Cage Diving Cape Town
Cape Town
We are an owner operated licenced shark diving operator with an ethical approach to nature and the environment. Our small groups allow for a...
Z3,200 | Rating 4.61 / 5 [95 ratings]
Website >
Tour supplied by:
Shark Cage Diving Cape Town
Cape Town
We operate a half day tour 45 minutes from Cape Town to see a variety of shark species throughout the year according to the seasons, weather...
Z3,300 | Rating 4.83 / 5 [65 ratings]
Website >
Tour supplied by:
Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Chartfield Guesthouse
Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa[12.3 miles]
A century-old seaside mansion forms the heart of this mid-sized guesthouse in the bohemian suburb of Kalk Bay, offering easy access to the charms of the False Bay seaboard.
Official star rating:
Steenberg Hotel & Spa
Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa[16.1 miles]
This elegant country hotel set on a working wine farm is a quietly luxurious base in the Constantia valley, from which to explore the city.
Official star rating:
Vineyard Hotel
Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa[21 miles]
A great value boutique hotel set amid expansive gardens in one of the city’s leafy suburbs, in the shadow of Table Mountain.
Official star rating:
Tintswalo Atlantic
Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa[21.2 miles]
A luxurious lodge retreat, set just yards from the Atlantic Ocean, on the shores of the Table Mountain National Park.
Official star rating:
Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Cape Town
Western Cape, South Africa
Vibrant, multicultural city with dramatic scenery, adrenaline adventure galore, Africa’s best art’s scene and golden beaches and outstanding gastronomy.
Website >
Overview >Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first
African penguins at Boulders Beach
Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa[13.8 miles]
One of the Cape’s most beautiful beaches, hosting a rare 2,500-strong African Penguin breeding colony.
Best for ages: 4+ | £8
Website >
Overview >
Swim with mako and blue sharks in Cape Town
Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa[14.3 miles]
Adventure into the deep seas south of Cape Point to free-dive, snorkel and scuba dive with mako and blue sharks.
Best for ages: 13+ | £125 | Full day
Website >
Overview >
Constantia Wine Region
Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa[18.7 miles]
The picturesque Constantia Valley is a compact wine route that’s home to some of the oldest wine farms in the Cape.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Website >
Overview >
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens
Cape Town, Western Province, South Africa[21.6 miles]
South Africa’s premier botanical garden is a treasure trove of flora from the Cape Floral Kingdom.
Best for ages: 13+ | £10
Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..
Experience
Norval Foundation
Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa[15.6 miles]
Set amid the Constantia Winelands, this contemporary gallery celebrates global and African artists in both indoor exhibition spaces and the outdoor sculpture garden. Excellent on-site restaurant.
Best for ages: 18+ | £9
Website >
Overview >
Round-ups that include this experience
13 Best places to swim with sharks
Multiple countries
Get in the water with the so-called ‘man-eaters’ – great whites, tiger, bull and hammerhead sharks – to appreciate these magnificent but sadly maligned creatures .
Website >
Overview >
3 Best places to dive with great white sharks
Multiple countries
Since Steven Spielberg’s smash hit film Jaws in 1975, the Great White Shark, carcharodon carcharias, has both fascinated and/or terrified us. Here are our recommendations for the best places to get up close to man’s most feared predator.
Website >
Overview >