Péninsule du Cap avec un biologiste marin

We work with the best and so began a campaign to find that one organisation that would meet our high standards of business ethic and guest experience delivery for our guests to learn about the oceans and sealife. Justin Blake it has been a pleasure and our 23 Worldschool international guests, parents and children, learnt so much from you about our on their curated Seafari that we included in their South Africa itinerary. Thank you for delivering on outstanding Justin - 10stars! We enjoy having you onboard as our Marine Guide!

This tour was an experience I'll never forget - I did the kayaking and community tip with Rockhopper Tours. Kayaking in Hout Bay harbour was so interesting (we couldn't go into the bay as it was way too windy - safety first!) with Brent Thomas and his sons telling us about the fishing community, the wildlife - including a visit to the fur seal rehab spot where fishers help disentangle seals from various plastics. Then a walking tour of Hout Bay community with Brent telling us about the history, the Indigenous Khoi people and their ongoing struggle to retain the right to live on their own land. It was raw and unfiltered, as it should be - more people should learn about the injustices which continue to occur. Justin was a superb guide and organised everything seamlessly - including some epic croissants and coffee and a delicious lunch! I didn't want the day to come to an end. Thank you for organising everything, Justin. I hope to come back again one day. I strongly recommend a tour with Rockhopper Tours if you love nature and people, have a sense of adventure and an open mind.

An early pick up at our hotel (7:30) with Justin Blake - sharkhunter - whose NGO aims at bringing South Africa’s rich marine life to a new audience, particularly into schools using 3D virtual tours. He was great; fun and interesting as he took us around the cape peninsula. He is a marine biologist, offering physical (and virtual) tours. He has worked on a number of nature documentaries. 6 years for a 7 minute segment of Our Planet III for the BBC. The trip took us from Muizenberg for a sunrise coffee and Boulder’s beach for the penguins down to Cape Point via Simonstown. It was an easy and spectacular drive. Within the national park, which claims to be more bio-diverse than even the Amazon per square metre, we saw ostriches, but not the signposted baboons or Eland antelopes. At Cape Point we climbed up to the lighthouse and the marker, at was known as the Cape of Storms and then the Cape of Good Hope. Amazing to be somewhere you had learnt about in school geography classes, but somehow never thought you would get to see in real life. On the drive back up we parked up and watched the surf and the surfers for a while, glimpsing two humpback whales swimming past. We drank roiebos tea and ate rusks - a biscotti-like - hard scone. Later on the way back up we stopped in Simonstown at Eat, Surf, Yoga - a slightly alternative cafe and yoga centre for a late lunch before returning to the hotel around 16:00. One of the highlights of our stay in Cape Town, learning a lot in fun company and helping to support the natural world along the way.

Justin and his tour rocks - go on it! I booked the experience with a friend last minute and it ended up just being us on the tour, which was amazing. Justin is a legit marine biologist, from South Africa, who has been to Antarctica, swims with sharks and goes on site with National Geographic and Animal Planet - he knows his stuff! But the coolest part of it, was all the information he shared while on the tour - my friends got tired of me quoting his info (but hey, they learned something too!). Justin took us to a special part of Boulder Beach to see the penguins up close, which was amazing and one of the best parts of the entire trip to SA for me. He also took us around Cape Point, and to a marine reserve, where we saw a bunch of different animals, including an ostrich up close, which was an added bonus. It's obvious he puts a lot of thought into his experience and wants to share his passion and knowledge of the ocean and of South Africa. I recommend him highly - you won't regret it!

I cannot recommend Justin & Rockhooper Tours highly enough! I just returned from a month in South Africa, and the day spent on the Cape Peninsula tour was a highlight of the trip. Justin's vast knowledge of the landscape and wildlife, fun and engaging personality, and commitment to creating a personalized, non-conventional tour (full of hidden local gems) made for an incredible and memorable day. A not-to-be-missed and wonderful alternative to traditional group tours. This tour feels more like discovering the Cape with a local friend than a scripted tour, which was truly a gift. Thank you Justin & Rockhopper!

Book the trip!!! Being a pathological planner with a propensity for (sometimes exhausting) research, I booked Justin’s Rockhopper Cape Peninsula Tour for myself and a friend during our trip to Cape Town. Having previously fallen in love with Africa years ago, Cape Town was on my perpetual bucket list. His tour was absolutely perfect. It is unique, full of knowledge, experiences, history, sights, and memories. It is the perfect addition to any trip to Cape Town and an inspiration to those who strive to make a difference in the world, one person at a time. Now, about that dream of moving to Africa…

Justin is clearly a Cape enthusiast with a love for all the peninsula has to offer in the way of flora and fauna. He took us round for a whole day from one beautiful place to another, showing us the delights of Chapman’s Peak, Misty Cliffs, Cape Point and Boulders Beach as well as a few favourite spots of his own. He explained the effect of winds, tides and weather conditions on the local habitats and wildlife- from grand scale down to the small detail of how a limpet ‘farms’ its own favourite algae. He showed great respect and concern for the environment and was distressed to see some local fisherman catching undersized bream and illegally not returning them to the water (Park Rangers soon informed!) He was enthusiastic and informative, including about his own project researching the habits and movements of the bull shark which he funds from his guiding business. My only regret about the day was not asking more questions on marine biology which is his area of expertise having started his career as an academic. We were very well looked after. Breakfast started early in a great cafe (Chardonnay Deli) in Constansia, he thoughtfully provided the best Roibos tea and biscottis for mid morning refreshment on the beach and we had lunch at a great little place in Simons Town called Tasty Table. He drove well and carefully and gave plenty of opportunity for loo stops! Having started at 7am we were returned at 3.30pm having spent an unforgettable day on the Cape.

Our day with Justin felt like we were just touring around the Cape Peninsula with a friend. He had so much knowledge to share and made the trip a really fun experience! His insight into the animal life (not just marine life) added something extra to our trip. We never felt rushed, and even though we fell slightly behind schedule, he ensured we still got to see everything we set out to see. He knows all the ins and outs to make it a great tour and avoid the major jams and traps you would otherwise face with a large tour group. We are so happy that we decided to do our Cape Peninsula tour with Justin! Tip: save room for a small breakfast to go before the tour because the deli you meet Justin at is SUPERB! We took some muffins and coffee to go and on the way back, grabbed some cake to take back as well!

Justin planned a great day for us, touring around the Cape Peninsula, educating me on the wildlife, plants and history of the area. It ended up just being me and him for the day because of bookings, but lucky for us, the weather was PERFECT. I’ve tried to book tours with other venues, but if I’m their only booking, they end up cancelling or moving me to another day which doesn’t always work, especially when traveling on specific days. But Justin couldn’t have been happier to give me a private tour, and you’ll notice how friendly he is from just one conversation. He is truly passionate about what does, but furthermore, I learned that he conscientiously cares about the environment and is eager to learn more through research and also sharing his knowledge to educate others on our part to keep it healthy. We covered a lot of ground in this eight hour tour, spending the right amount of time at each stop. The first highlight of the day would be the views from the Cape Point lighthouse lookout area, followed by walking right next to the baboons on our way down. They leisurely passed by us, almost without notice because it’s just their natural habitat. Both funny and enlightening. The second highlight would be the rock pool we stopped at and had a snack, which is tucked away along the coast. It’s a great spot to see some seals, go snorkeling in the rock pool to see more aquatic life and also take in the view of Cape Point. The third highlight would be the visit to the Penguins. We went to a spot that isn’t as touristy, so we were able to admire the penguins ourselves and look around for their nests and eggs. While these are just a few highlights of the day, everything was just as amazing. I’d highly recommend Justin for his marine knowledge, friendliness, and can-do attitude. I’ll be back for another great time.

Wow, what can I say!! This is an absolute MUST, if you visiting Cape Town or have lived here forever. I had an amazing day with Justin, he is full of knowledge, interesting stories and is very passionate about what he does. We missed all of the tourists which was great, don’t get on a tour bus or do it yourself join Jason instead!