Safari Marine Big 5 avec Transport au départ du Cap

Pay attention to whale season. If it isn’t whale season you aren’t going to see whales. It’s a 2.5 hour bus ride from Cape Town one way. The water has an average tide of 2.3 meters so if your easily sea sick this isn’t for you. Staff was nice, if it were what season this would be totally worth it. But I didn’t see the value if it isn’t whale season!

Booked this trip last minute as we had a few spare days in Cape Town. Pick up was easy and the mini bus was clean and comfortable luckily there were only 5 of us this day so plenty of room for all. Our driver was friendly and helpful. On arrival we were greeted by our guide and given a hot drink and cake. We then had a briefing on what to expect and H&S. Everyone had a life jacket and coat, just in case! On this occasion neither was needed! We then boarded the boat and headed out. The guide was quite clear that we may not see any of the big 5 but we did see all of them even if the whale sighting was brief. We were out on the water for just over two and a half hours. As well as our guide there was a marine biologist on board. We choose Marine Dynamics as they put a lot back into marine conservation and have a sea life sanctuary to help injured animals. After the boat was back on land we went back for hot soup and rolls, which was most welcome. Unfortunately I did feel a bit queasy on the trip even with sea sickness tablets as the swell was quite high but all of the staff on board did their best to help us. Overall a great trip and would recommend this company without hesitation, well worth it.

We were picked up from our hotel right on time. After arriving at the destination we donned the life jackets and proceeded to the boat. We saw so many animals and were amazed by the scenic views from out on the water. All of the staff we came in contact with were so friendly and professional.id definitely do this tour again if I’m ever back in Cape Town.

If travelling from Cape Town it is a long day, two hours there and the same back. However the nature you see makes it worth it

We saw all big5 :) Lucky I took motion sickness pills though, as it was quite a bumpy ride. Worth the stuggle, be prepared though for rough waters. Was absolutely breathtaking to see thousands of dolfins around you 🥰

The day was well organised from pick up at the hotel to the time on the boat. Staff were welcoming and informative and we were fortunate to see all of the marine life mentioned in the programme including whales which are not normally seen in early December. Beautiful scenery en route and a fantastic time out on the water. Excellent trip.

Utterly brilliant tour - despite somewhat difficult seas!! Long drive in minivan from city - a little uncomfortable. Staff were all awesome. A snack and safety briefing then out to the boat. The day I went the sea was unforgiving - blowing a gale with very difficult sea conditions. The boat took off through the surf like a bucking bronco - which wasn't for everyone. The team on the boat were fab - informative, careful and always helping the guests. As with all these things, nature doesn't always play ball, and the sea conditions meant we could not safely go where some of the animals were, which was a pity, and the swell/lumpy sea meant actually spotting things was difficult. I wanted brilliant photos, and I could not get these, So for me a disappointment, however the trip was great and on any other day would have been perfect.

Incredible experience! As someone who loves whales and has not had the opportunity to see them before, I was over joyed to have the opportunity to see them. We were given plenty of time to view the animals the boat, and the boar was moved to accommodate the best view and all those on the boat. We were also lucky enough to see all 5, the guide was knowledgeable and friendly and the team onboard were professional and experienced. Well organised and stunning location.

The staff were all very friendly and knowledgeable. However, I recommend that you read the fine print since pick up at the hotel was much earlier than what was on the website. The driver picked me up at 4:55 am. I thought it was a 9 am departure. Because of my jet lag and time difference, I wouldn’t have booked a trip this early.

A 04.30 pickup from our Cape Town accommodation was worth it, for the wildlife we saw, Marine Dynamics' professionalism, and a late afternoon return to Cape Town. (I'd booked us on the 1st trip of the day.) The drive took almost 3 hours, and seeing more of South Africa's countryside, small towns and coastline was a bonus. Arriving at MD's base in Gansbaai, we had time for complimentary tea/coffees/ht chocolate and biscuits, and an introductory video - what to expect, safety, etc. Then, life vests on and ponchos too. Seating on the boat was comfy - padded seats formed the lids of lockers, in which we put our backpacks, spare clothing, etc. Very useful. Hold onto the boat's rails for safety. Within 10mins of leaving the jetty, we were watching a mother Right Whale with her calf. Frankly I'd have counted the whole day a success just for this. Everyone on board had lots of opportunity for a clear view, with the crew clearly focussed on our safety, and respect for the animals, throughout. After 15min, we moved on...and 10mins later, were watching 2 more Right Whales. Wonderful. From there, off to watch 1,000s of fur seals as they basked on rocks and swam near the boat, dozens of penguins, a Copper shark...and a wet-suited poacher, probably illegally taking abalones from the sea floor of this marine sanctuary - the boat had to change course to avoid running him over! Back on dry land, we relaxed again in the huge MD cafe/bar/seating/shop area, with complimentary home made soup with bread rolls. Spot-on. We'd originally booked this trip for 2 days earlier, but it was postponed due to the poor sea state. For this reason, we always book marine trips at the start of holidays, so we have "back up" days. Also, do dress up warm, as it's usually colder at sea than on land. Eg: knitted bobble hats, not baseball caps. The latter blow off in the wind! While we didn't see all of the "big 5" on fhis trip, (no dolphins), everyone agreed that it had been a huge success. The MD team, both on shore and aboard, were friendly, helpful and full of knowledge and enthusiasm for what they do. Thanks guys. And we visited the local penguin sanctuary too, which was so interesting. Finally, if you go on this, or other similar trips, do ask questions of the wildlife officers. While they do give commentary and info, they k ow so much additional detail, which can really add to the experience. Enjoy!