Are you the kind of person who finds regular tours to be just a little bit too monotonous? Perhaps you’re looking for an unforgettable experience offering an adrenaline rush unlike any other, unique to a place like Cape Town.

Whatever the case may be, I guarantee you that taking on a shark cage diving tour is exactly what you’re looking for. Inviting you to face one of the ocean’s most powerful predators up close yet from the safety of a cage, this is something less than 1% of humanity gets to see.

With an obvious need for safety and knowledge, I’ve gone ahead and detailed the 5 top Cape Town shark cage diving experiences that are well worth your time and money. Let’s jump right in!

Be sure to see our reviews of Cape Town Safaris, Helicopter Rides and Paragliding.

Best Cape Town Shark Cage Diving

	Shark Cage Diving and Viewing with Transport from Cape Town	Shark Cage Diving Cape Town	Shark Cage Diving Viewing Only
Location:	Hotel pickup and drop-off included	Simon's Town Boardwalk Centre, Wharf St, Simon's Town	Hotel pickup and drop-off included
Start:	7:00 AM, 11:00 AM & 3:00 PM	Variety available	Between 6:00 AM & 6:00 PM
Duration:	10 hours	4 hours	4.5 hours
Includes:	Breakfast, light refreshments, professional guide, transportation, all diving gear and towels	Light refreshments onboard the boat, Professional guide, Diving equipment, Snacks, Towels, Educational booklet	Small-group tour, breakfast, lunch, and snacks, coffee and/or tea
	Tour Information & Booking	Tour Information & Booking	Tour Information & Booking

Quick Answer: The 5 Best Rated Cape Town Shark Cage Diving For 2024

1. Shark Cage Diving and Viewing with Transport from Cape Town
2. Shark Cage Diving Cape Town
3. Shark Cage Diving Viewing Only
4. CapeTown: African Shark Eco-Charters Shark Cage Diving Experience
5. SHARK CAGE DIVING and VIEWING (Incl. transfers from Cape Town)

Cape Town Shark Cage Diving Reviews

1. Shark Cage Diving and Viewing with Transport from Cape Town

Starting things off on the right foot, we have the Shark Cage Diving and Viewing with Transport from Cape Town! This is one of the longest on this guide, but also one of the most comprehensive.

This excursion is designed for thrill seekers and marine life enthusiasts, alike, it’s a rare opportunity to come as close as safely possible with one of the ocean’s most feared creatures.

This tour starts off with a convenient hotel pickup right from your hotel, with your guide taking you to the Cape Town hotel for a delicious breakfast at the Great White House.

The breakfast was filling and helped calm my nerves a bit before we got fitted into our diving gear. The organization was impeccable and everything went off without a hitch, as we were then transferred to our specialized diving boat outfitted with a state-of-the-art diving cage.

Our ride over to Dyer Island was surprisingly fast – a mere 20 minutes – as our captain regaled us with interesting commentary while finding the best dive location for us.

The cage was thankfully just a few feet below the water’s surface and mounted to the side of the boat, so you can actually get in and out of the cage quite easily! Depending on shark activity, you’ll usually stay anchored right here for around 2 hours while they serve drinks and snacks onboard.

You can choose to stay onboard or head into the cage, which I highly recommend trying at least for a couple of minutes! Our marine-biologist guide shared so many fascinating stories and educational commentary about these wonderful creatures, I knew I had to see them up close.

It actually wasn’t (weirdly enough) as scary as I thought it was going to be, and I knew that the cage would protect me like it had countless other visitors – it’s a must-try!

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

2. Shark Cage Diving Cape Town

The next tour is a bit shorter than the first, so if you don’t want to commit to a longer tour, this is a great alternative. The Shark Cage Diving Cape Town experience is an intimate experience with a max of just 12 passengers per boat and 4 divers per cage.

If you want to go as a friend group, entire family, or simply want to experience it in a more exclusive way, check this tour out. Actually, this is also one of the most affordable tours of its kind, so if you’re on a tight budget, put this tour at the top of your list.

While it doesn’t include a hotel pickup, you’ll meet at Simon’s Town Boardwalk Centre, which is very easy to access from most of the popular hotels.

There are multiple start times available, making it that much easier to fit into a busy schedule, and they offered plenty of coffee and cool things to look at at their shark center! Once you arrive, you’ll be greeted by the friendly staff and will receive a full safety and sighting briefing on the White Pointer II vessel before setting off.

This tour will take you to Seal Island which is no more than half an hour by boat, depending on sea and weather conditions. As we cruised along, we learned all about Great Whites, along with plenty of other types of sharks we could perhaps see on this tour!

Once we arrived, we had the chance to go down into the sturdy cage, and I went in with a few friends as we witnessed a Great White, a couple of Bronze Whaler sharks, Blue, Mako, and Seven-Gill sharks! We decided to do the breath-hold method, which was easier for us, though you can also choose scuba, if you prefer.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

3. Shark Cage Diving Viewing Only

I’m pretty sure that if you’re viewing these tours right now, that you’ve probably seen insane videos from people down in shark cages. The sharks look enormous and come flying towards the cage with their razor-sharp teeth.

In all honesty, tours like that rarely tend to be that intense, but if you’re still a bit nervous, there’s always the Shark Cage Diving Viewing Only! This tour is perfect for those with a fascination for marine life but aren’t ready to take a plunge into the cage (which is totally fine).

You shouldn’t have to miss out on the thrill of seeing these incredible creatures in person, which is why this tour is such a great alternative. You’ll get to see sharks along with other marine critters all from the deck of the boat, with a dedicated viewing deck specially designed for that purpose.

With a maximum of 15 passengers, you get a more intimate experience and time to ask questions and chat with the guide. While those who choose to dive take turns exploring underneath the surface in the cage, you will enjoy amazing views of shark sightings.

They provide plenty of taste refreshments as well as lunch, which only expanded upon an already-great tour! The food was quite good, and with virtually endless free coffee and tea, I could have stayed out there all day.

With included hotel pickup and drop-off at no extra charge, I can’t think of a way to make it more convenient than this! It’s one of the more educational tours I’ve been on, so if you’re really curious about marine life – and specifically sharks – this is the one to take!

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

4. CapeTown: African Shark Eco-Charters Shark Cage Diving Experience

For those who love adventure yet have a deep respect for one of nature’s most formidable animals, the Cape Town: African Shark Eco-Charters Shark Cage Diving Experience should be at the top of your list.

Offering a fascinating shark cage diving experience, it’s an eco-conscious, adrenaline-filled time that takes you straight into the waters of Gansbaii – one of the best places on the planet to spot the legendary Great White Shark up close!

With a focus on conservation, it’s not only thrilling but is a way to understand the animal’s vital role in the ecosystem. While nothing is ever 100% guaranteed in terms of animal sightings, it’s almost certain that you’ll get to see at least some wildlife out in the water.

Unlike some other tours that have you just hold your breath, this one includes use of wetsuits and all scuba equipment, which is also quite convenient.

Start off by meeting your captain and crew or elect to be picked up at your hotel for a small extra fee, later boarding your vessel and head out to the famed Seal Island located in False Bay known for Bronze Whaler Sharks.

Alternatively, you can choose to go to Cape Point with the Blue and Mako Sharks – you’ll be able to see Great Whites from April to September at both locations. If you’re lucky, you may even be able to spot some Humpback Whales, seals, and dolphins like we did!

While observing Great Whites alone is certainly worth going on the tour for, you’ll be doing much more than that.

You’ll be learning all about them from expert guides who provide interesting insights into shark behavior and ecology, offering a closer connection to the animals than you’d likely get on a typical dive.

There are plenty of different start times to choose from, so you can select which one works best for you and your schedule.

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

5. SHARK CAGE DIVING and VIEWING (Incl. transfers from Cape Town)

I just have to say that this next tour was a shockingly good value – I was actually surprised at how much we received and experienced for how affordable it was compared to many other options!

The Shark Cage Diving and Viewing is a comprehensive experience that comes with everything you need for an amazing day out on/in the water learning about and seeing breathtaking wildlife up close.

For adrenaline junkies and animal lovers, alike, this experience is one of the most amazing I’ve ever had – I’m sure you’ll feel the same! This tour starts early in the morning so you get to take advantage of the entire day, with convenient hotel pickup and drop-off included so you don’t have to worry about booking separate transport.

Arrive on sight and make your way out to Gansbaii, enjoying a light breakfast with coffee and tea during the safety briefing. After breakfast, it’s time to get on the boat and take a 20-minute ride out to Shark Alley, known for shark sightings.

With the custom-made cage attached to the sight of the boat, it’s an amazing way to get to see sharks closer and more safely than you’d ever be able to any other way. Our captain and crew shared plenty of fascinating insights into the different sharks and their behaviors.

You’ll have around 3 hours to dive and watch onboard (if you don’t want to get in the water), with all wetsuits and diving gear included. Once you get back to shore, you’ll be served a hot meal to fuel up after that legendary experience, as you watch the exclusive shark video recorded of your tour!

This was such a wonderful way to wrap things up afterward, and they even offered the option to purchase a copy on USB if we wanted to take the memories home with us to relive the experience!

More Information & Tour Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience