Shark Cage Diving and Viewing with transport from Hermanus
Description
You may think you’re a fear-defying thrill lover, but can you handle the ultimate heart-pounding experience? Find out in Gansbaai by cage diving with various shark species. This full-day shark-diving experience takes you out into the open ocean off the shore of Gansbaai and puts you in their habitat. Before jumping in, you'll learn about the sharks from the onboard marine biologist and expert guides. Breakfast, snacks and Hermanus hotel pick-up and drop-off are included.
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pick-up from hotels, guesthouse, backpackers, vacation rentals and any other points within Hermanus. Please note that the timeslot selected is an estimated time for when the Shark Cage Diving boat will launch. Pickup time will be earlier to allow enough travel time from Hermanus to arrive for pre-trip briefing at the Great White House in Gansbaai. These are only estimated times and exact times can only be confirmed a day prior, after a detailed weather and tide check.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- It is recommended that you wear a swim-suit underneath your clothes
- Please note: Sharks are wild animals and their presence cannot be guaranteed. Every experience that guests have is educational from start to finish. The local supplier works with wild life and nature and sightings are never guaranteed. If a shark has been sighted from the boat, they will consider that a successful trip. If there is no shark activity while on a shark cage diving tour with the supplier, then a voucher will be offered. This voucher is not transferable – your name and passport number will be recorded on the voucher. The transfer fee is non-refundable.
- Please note that the Conservation Fee is compulsory.
Reviews(85)
Such an amazing experience and great hospitality from the Crew👏😊 .
Dear Roam31682022304, Thank you so much for your wonderful 5-star review! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ We’re delighted to hear that you had such an amazing shark cage diving experience with us. Our crew will be especially happy to know that their hospitality made your trip even more memorable — they truly love what they do! Thank you for choosing Marine Dynamics, and we hope to welcome you back again soon for another unforgettable ocean adventure. Warm regards, The Marine Dynamics Team
This was amazing. A magical feeling, to be so close to sharks. And Marine Dynamics did such a great job. From the communication upfront to the day itself. Everybody involved was friendly and helpful. The pick-up was comfortable and right on time. The welcome was warm, there was even some food. The safety briefing was clear. We were handed out all the equipment needed. Every group had a good amount of time in the cage. There was a marine biologist on board to explain about the sharks and he was very open to questions. So many good elements about this activity. And I think the best of it all, the care Marine Dynamics has for the animals and the ocean. Love how involved they are in conservation and how they keep stressing that yes they want us as tourists to have a good time, but certainly not at the expense of the animals. Love that!!
Hi David, Thank you so much for your wonderful review and for sharing your detailed experience with us! 🦈 We’re thrilled to hear that you enjoyed every part of the day, from the smooth pickup and warm welcome to the clear briefing, time in the cage, and insights from our marine biologist. It means the world to us that you appreciated not only the excitement of seeing sharks up close but also our commitment to ethical tourism and ocean conservation. Our team is passionate about creating unforgettable, respectful encounters with these incredible animals, and your feedback truly makes all the effort worthwhile. We hope to welcome you back for another adventure with the Marine Dynamics family soon! Warm regards, The Marine Dynamics Team
Having had our trip cancelled by our preferred operator, due to poor weather, we were persuaded to join marine dynamics. The 3 metre swell was not conducive to seeing anything- poor visibility in the water, vomiting into a paper bag when on board and changing in and out of a wet suit was precarious for the less agile with so much movement. Most of the group were feeling ill/vomiting in our group and our family was wishing the whole experience to be over. I would suggest a little more honesty and integrity about the sea conditions- your boat may be able to handle it but lots of your passengers will not. This is a relatively expensive for a family, so I would only recommend if you have sturdy sea legs and are ambivalent whether you see sharks or not.
Dear Tim, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We’re truly sorry to hear that your trip did not meet your expectations, and we appreciate your honesty. Firstly, we’d really appreciate it if you could let us know the date of your trip and your name, as we’ve been unable to trace your booking or any transport arranged from Hermanus. This would help us better understand what happened and offer a more informed and personal response. You mentioned that you were persuaded to join us by another operator or person—we’d also love to know who that was, as this is quite unusual. At Marine Dynamics, we are always transparent with our guests about sea conditions and give them the option to cancel or reschedule if they feel uncertain. So, it’s very concerning to hear that this was not your experience, and we would like to investigate further. Regarding the sea conditions—yes, a 3-metre swell can certainly impact comfort, and we understand how difficult that can be. That said, nature is unpredictable, and while our crew and vessel are prepared for such conditions, we recognise that not all guests will respond the same way. We always try to balance the safety and feasibility of a trip with our guests’ comfort. What we did find especially surprising is that your review made no mention of our conservation and research efforts, which are a fundamental part of who we are. Every trip supports vital work, including shark research, marine protection, and education programmes for local youth. Marine Dynamics has been recognised with numerous international awards for our commitment to marine conservation. We’d love the opportunity to respond more fully and personally—please do reach out with your name and date of travel. Kind regards, The Marine Dynamics Team
This was such a great experience. And could experience it with my son. The staff and team was so amazing and professional. We enjoyed the breakfast and light snacks as well. But the shark cage diving experience was 5 stars.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear that sharing the shark cage diving experience with your son made it even more special. It means a lot to know that our team’s professionalism, as well as the breakfast and snacks, added to your enjoyment. And of course, we're thrilled the diving itself was a 5-star highlight! We hope to welcome you both back for another unforgettable adventure soon.
Thank you Aletta and team for a wonderful experience. Communication was fantastic from start to finish. I felt very safe on the boat and really enjoyed the enthusiasm of the crew. They have such a great passion for conservation. Lunch after the trip was delicious. For anyone considering this trip, you will not be disappointed.
We’re thrilled to hear you had a great, safe, and fun experience with us at Marine Dynamics Shark Tours! A huge shoutout to Aletta and our passionate crew for making your adventure unforgettable – their love for conservation and the ocean truly shines through. We’re so glad you felt safe on board and enjoyed the lunch. Your kind words mean the world to us! Enjoy the rest of your holiday
A well controlled and safe way of getting up close to Sharks. The tour is expertly delivered. A bit of a tourist trip on a boat that can hold up to 40 people. It feels like a conveyor belt at times of how they move you through their process. Swell can be a problem if you suffer from motion sickness. Dont expect to see Great Whites as it is not that common however you will see lots of others. We even saw a whale en route to the dive site. The biggest issue I had was the chum that was constantly thrown over my head to attract the sharks, it will drip on you and it stinks awful. You then come out of the water smelling of it too! The tour guide Suzi was really good and they had plenty of staff on hand to help. The video guide was hugely enthusiastic, if not over the top! Not everyone wants him trying to rev you up if your not feeling great!! Not cheap, but worth doing it if you have always thought about it. It is very safely managed and teh cage is always firmly fixed to the boat and you dont even have to out your head underwater!
Dear Yorksfamilyreview, Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed review – we truly appreciate your honest feedback and are glad to hear that you found the experience interesting and worth doing! We're pleased to know you felt safe and well looked after by our team, especially Suzi and the support staff onboard. Safety is our top priority, and we’re delighted that this came through clearly during your time with us. It’s also great that you were lucky enough to spot a whale en route – a wonderful bonus to any trip! We understand that aspects like chum and sea conditions can impact comfort, and we do our best to manage these as considerately as possible while ensuring ethical shark attraction methods. Your feedback about the experience feeling a bit fast-paced at times is noted, and we'll look into how we can better balance the flow without losing the excitement. Thanks again for joining us and for highlighting both the highs and areas for improvement. We’re always striving to make the adventure both thrilling and respectful to all comfort levels. Warm regards, The Marine Dynamics Team
This was an incredible bucket-list trip for me. From the moment we were arrived we were treated to such a high-quality of service from the knowledge and passion of the staff, help from the team at every stage (getting in and out of those wet suits was a mission!), breakfast before we left for the boat, soup and roll afterwards. We had a full boat of 30+ people but we didn't feel rushed, had plenty of time in the water, and were looked after brilliantly. The company are passionate about research and creating an eco-friendly service. That was incredibly important to me. On our trip the skilled team even managed to detangle fishing line from one of the sharks. I would choose this company again and again.
Dear Bev, Thank you so much for sharing your amazing experience with us! We’re thrilled to hear that your bucket list trip was everything you hoped for and more. We’re especially glad you felt well taken care of throughout the day, from the wetsuit struggles to the after-trip soup and roll! Our team is truly passionate about providing a safe and eco-friendly service, and we’re proud that you could see our commitment to marine conservation firsthand, especially with the fishing line removal from one of the sharks. We would love to welcome you back anytime for another unforgettable adventure! Thanks again for choosing Marine Dynamics. Best regards, The Marine Dynamics Team
Having looked forward to this "bucket list" experience for a long time, I was extremely disappointed for a number of reasons; 1. Shark Cage Diving was founded on the huge Great White Sharks hunting seals in the area, but it turns out that they are no longer present, having been killed and/or frightened off by Orcas. On arrival, during an interesting presentation, the Marine Biologist explained that this had been the case since 2017 !!! The Bronze Whaler Sharks that are now the "stars of the show" are simply not a comparative replacement, while the price of the trip remains extremely high. I understand that nature has caused the change, but all the operators in the area still give the impression that seeing Great Whites is likely/possible, whereas in reality they are long gone. They have had ample time to amend their websites and explain the situation, rather than waiting until clients have travelled thousands of miles and spent an awful lot of money based on completely false hope. Personally, if I had known in advance then I would have gone elsewhere in the world to tick this off my list. 2. We went in peak season so the boat was rammed with 33 paying customers, split into 4 groups each taking it in turn to enter the cage. Visibility was good at first, but by the time it was our turn to enter the cage (the last group) it was virtually impossible to see anything due to the amount of chum oil and bait debris in the water. It turns out that the Bronze Whalers require a particularly large amount of chum to attract them. 3. The first three groups consisted of 8 people, which seems to be the norm as the seats on board were also set out in 8's. Our group had the "extra" person who finished up trying to share my little space rather everyone having a bit less room. When I eventually realised what was happening and pointed out the problem, everyone else was asked to shuffle along a little bit, but by that time I had lost the plot. Marine Dynamics say the cage can take up to 10 people which might be ok if everyone was equally spaced, but I really wouldn't fancy it. 4. The cage is long and faces outwards from the side of the boat. At either end of the cage a bait handler stands on deck, throws a bait line into the water, and pulls it back towards himself as the shark follows it. This naturally entices the shark to follow the bait toward the cage, but only toward either end. So if you are in the middle of the cage, the best view you are likely to get is of a tail going away from you. Yes, you guessed, we were in the middle! So in summary, if you want to see Great Whites do not go to Gansbaai (or False Bay). If you are ok just seeing Bronze Whalers then make sure you are in the first group into the cage, and secure a place at either end of it by getting in first or last. To be fair to Ocean Dynamics, when I complained back at base (called The Great White House!!) they did buy me and my mate a bottle of beer to say sorry. Subsequently, when I emailed them with my concerns they offered a free alternative Big 5 trip which I will take them up on next time I fly 8,000 miles to see some big fish.
We went shark cage diving on the 6th of January 2025 - book & paid for a great white shark dive- now as much as what no one can control the ocean or sharks - I find it very disappointing that they last saw a great white in October - I strongly suggest that you inform your guests that there's a shortage of great white sharks due to the orcas - and you could definitely revise your prices. We were under the impression the entire time that we would have a very big chance of seeing a great white shark- or at least tell us before paying. It was a nice experience but sadly also disappointing.
Dear LeandriB8, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations, and we truly appreciate your thoughts on this matter. Can you please let us know which day you were on our boat we are not able to pick up your name as one of our guests for the last 6 weeks. It is important to us, to get a clearer picture as we are known to be very transparent. We need background history to clarify where the miscommunication is coming from. Through who did you book? We want to clarify that our website, social media, and brochures are all very transparent about the species we work with. We focus on Bronze Whaler Sharks as the main attraction, and this is consistently communicated across our platforms, including our daily blog and social media, where we post updates on the sightings each day. We never indicate that we work with Great White sharks; our materials reflect our commitment to Bronze Whaler sharks, which are an endangered species. We have fought tirelessly to protect these sharks in the area where we are permitted to operate. We are passionate conservationists and all species of marine life are equally important to us. We always suggest that guests do their homework before embarking on any trip to ensure they understand the type of experience they can expect. Our reservations team is always open and clear about the sightings and species we focus on, and we recommend reviewing our daily blog for the most up-to-date information about each day's sightings. We understand your disappointment, but we would like to highlight that seeing a Bronze Whaler shark is truly a remarkable experience. These sharks and other species are critical to the ocean’s ecosystem, and we are proud of our role in their conservation. We also invite you to explore the scientific work that our team, including marine biologists, has contributed to, which has significantly influenced South African marine conservation policies. We hope that despite this misunderstanding, you still found the experience enjoyable. We appreciate your feedback, as it helps us continue improving the services we provide. Best regards, The Marine Dynamics Team
Lousy experience, we were treated like sheep, everyone vomiting on the boat, make something special, lose its charm because it is too noticeable that they are only interested in checking in and not that people enjoy . The deal leaves much to be desired. The sharks approaching are very small, but that's not their fault of course.
Hola, Lamentamos mucho escuchar que tu experiencia no fue satisfactoria. Siempre trabajamos para ofrecer a nuestros visitantes una experiencia única y agradable, y nos preocupa saber que no fue así en tu caso. Es importante destacar que recibimos constantemente comentarios positivos sobre nuestro personal, especialmente en cuanto a cómo cuidan a quienes se sienten mareados, por lo que no es agradable escuchar lo contrario. Entendemos que el mareo en el barco puede ser un inconveniente, y siempre recomendamos tomar una pastilla para el mareo, ya sea el día anterior o en la mañana del tour, para minimizar este malestar. Respecto a los tiburones, como mencionas, la naturaleza es impredecible. Sin embargo, esta mañana tuvimos alrededor de 15 tiburones, la mayoría de los cuales superaban los 3 metros, lo que demuestra que siempre tratamos de ofrecer una experiencia impresionante. Lamentablemente, no podemos controlar ni el comportamiento de los animales ni las condiciones del mar. Esperamos que puedas darnos una nueva oportunidad en el futuro para que tengas la experiencia que realmente mereces. Agradecemos tus comentarios y siempre buscamos mejorar. Saludos cordiales, Marine Dynamics
