We are on the 1st floor of the Summer Place complex in Glencairn. The address is 14 Glen Rd, but some maps recognise it as Glencaird Rd.
Description
Explore the Great African Sea Forest on our snorkeling experience and immerse yourself in the magical world beneath the kelp. Our kelp forests are teeming with colour and life. There is no place quite like it. Our highly experienced guides will introduce you to the creatures living in our kelp forests during their initial briefing. They will also help you get fitted with the high-quality snorkeling equipment which we provide, to make sure that this experience is warm and enjoyable. The easy shore entries make our snorkeling experience suitable for most ages and does not require you to be a skilled swimmer. Each guide has a safety buoy with them in the water which less confident snorkelers can hold on to.
Tour Options
Kelp Forest Snorkeling in Cape Town
What's included
Included
Safety buoy to hold onto if needed
Marine life and equipment briefing
Use of Snorkelling equipment
Not included
Towels, food and drinks
Traveller Ratings
4.8
20 reviews
5
16
4
3
3
1
2
0
1
0
Important Information
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Participants must be comfortable swimming
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does Kelp Forest Snorkeling in Cape Town take?
Kelp Forest Snorkeling in Cape Town lasts about 3 hours.
How much does Kelp Forest Snorkeling in Cape Town cost?
Prices start at $82 per person for this Cape Town experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
Can I cancel Kelp Forest Snorkeling in Cape Town for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Where does the tour start?
The meeting point is We are on the 1st floor of the Summer Place complex in Glencairn. The address is 14 Glen Rd, but some maps recognise it as Glencaird Rd. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
What languages is Kelp Forest Snorkeling in Cape Town offered in?
The experience is available in EN.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 10 participants.
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is Kelp Forest Snorkeling in Cape Town worth it?
Travellers rate it 4.8 out of 5 across 20 verified reviews; it is run by Cape Town Freediving.
Reviews(20)
J
jessicalN662YS
April 4, 2026
Breathtaking Experience & Exceptional Guides
This was an absolutely incredible experience! Snorkeling through the kelp forest felt like being in a different world. We were lucky enough to see a pyjama shark, octopus, starfish, and beautiful sea shells. The guides were amazing and went above and beyond to make sure everyone felt safe and comfortable in the water. Their knowledge and enthusiasm really added to the trip. If you’re in the area, I highly recommend this—it’s a must-do for nature lovers!
J
Jacques_T
April 2, 2026
Incredible experience
Jayd is highly professional and very experienced in the marine environment, and very friendly service
T
Tom_D
March 1, 2026
Amazing day Kelp diving
Amazing day Kelp diving - our guide Liam was so helpful and knowledgeable about the marine life. We saw sharks, jellyfish, starfish and an octopus! The equipment was warm and buoyant so it would be easy even for beginner swimmers. Would massively recommend to any Cape Town visitors!
E
esterellev
December 30, 2025
Messy and unprofessional.
Chaotic experience due to poor communication before and there! On location t was messy (took 45min) and it turned out that we had to drive half an hour with our own car to the place where we went snorkeling (Kommetjie). There it took t for the group of 14 (instead of max 10) to finish while we had to wait in the heat with a mega thick wetsuit. Not to do and then walk again to the beach. All in all, eea came across as clumsy. The hour snorkeling in the kelp forest was certainly beautiful, but hardly seen animals. No point but not what we expected.
Operator response
Hi Estrelle,
Thank you for your review. We always strive to meet our guests’ expectations by delivering the best possible kelp forest snorkelling experience. However, we are unable to meet expectations that differ from what is clearly described in the Viator listing.
It became apparent upon arrival that you and your family were expecting a boat-based snorkelling experience. This is not something we offer. As stated in our experience description, our kelp forest snorkelling is a shore-entry activity and does not involve boats. We also clearly explain that the snorkelling location is selected on the day based on weather and ocean conditions to ensure the best visibility and calmest conditions, and that guests have the option of returning with us to Muizenberg or departing independently if they are using their own vehicle.
Once this was explained, we did our best to support you and your family and to clarify how the experience works. Unfortunately, the mismatch between expectations and the nature of the activity clearly affected your enjoyment on the day. We strongly encourage all guests to read the full experience outline prior to booking, as this information is provided specifically to avoid confusion and disappointment.
You are correct regarding the group size. Four additional guests joined unexpectedly due to a misunderstanding around their session start time. While this did result in a slightly larger group, we had additional qualified staff available and added a second guide to the experience. This resulted in a guide-to-guest ratio of 1:7, which exceeds our standard ratio of 1:10 and ensured appropriate supervision and safety throughout. I do acknowledge that the larger group contributed to slightly longer preparation time on land.
Our guides are highly experienced ocean professionals who remain attentive to all guests at all times. They are there not only to ensure safety, but also to point out marine life and help guests get the most out of the kelp forest environment. As with any wild marine setting, sightings can vary, and engagement with the guides plays an important role in what guests experience in the water.
We appreciate you taking the time to leave a review and wish you and your family all the best in your future travels.
Kind regards,
The Cape Town Freediving Team
9
97bruyerem
November 15, 2025
Amazing snorkeling experience
Rex gave us an excellent snorkeling session. The spot is beautiful and suitable for all levels, even beginners. He takes the time to explain what we are seeing with clear and simple terms, which makes the experience even more interesting.
Highly recommended!
R
RJ W
November 14, 2025
Unique side of the cape.
Great experience. Our guides Rex and AJ were super helpful and showed us loads of interesting wild life. Good gear. Amazing environment. Saw octopus and a range of shy sharks. Would recommend.
O
OnAir796961
November 3, 2025
To do
Great diving, which we could enjoy thanks to the preliminary brief that presents us what we crossed (fish, seaweed forest, octopus, abalone, starfish, pyjama shark ) and seal puppy on its rock.
Equipment provided perfect;
Good Price quality ratio
W
William_H
November 3, 2025
We had so much fun and we...
We had so much fun and we were able to see some cool marine life! JP was a great guide and we would definitely recommend this activity to others!
D
dvTimon
January 14, 2025
Comfortable kelp forest visiting
Very professional support, good quality of equipment. Highly recommended for beginners snorkelling. Cute cat in the office
D
Divanhatt
January 6, 2025
Great Guides awesome experiences!
We had a phenomenal time! The guides JP and Julian did a fantastic job helping us out and showing us all sorts of fascinating things! DO THIS TOUR!! absolutely worth every penny!
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