Top 15 Scuba Diving in Cape Town

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

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 576 reviews · from $251Our pick

Travel from Cape Town to Gansbaai for a full-day shark cage encounter with Marine Dynamics. After breakfast and a safety briefing, you’ll board a boat near Dyer Island, watch wild sharks with a marine biologist, and return with snacks, gear, and hotel transport included.

“It was a very unique experience, loved it but please take sea sick medicine as that can make or break your trip! Got to experience sharks so up close and personal”

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2.Cape Town: Gansbaai Eco-Friendly Shark Cage Diving Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 326 reviews · 6 - 10 hours · from $237

Travel from Cape Town to Gansbaai for a guided shark cage encounter with Marine Dynamics. You’ll get safety instruction from a marine biologist, use supplied wetsuits and gear, and visit the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary. Bronze whaler sharks are the main attraction, with seals, rays, whales, and dolphins possible.

“This trip was very well organized- they’ve really thought of everything and strived to make the participants as prepared and comfortable as possible. I had a GREAT time and very adventurous yet comfortable experience. The boat was very well stocked, the shark cage was very safe and well designed, and the guides and crew were knowledgeable, informative, and helpful. Highly recommend.”

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3.From Hermanus: Cruise with Shark Cage Dive and Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 184 reviews · 1 day · from $168

Spend about three hours at sea near Kleinbaai, watching bronze whaler and possibly great white sharks from a protected cage. The crew provides wetsuits, masks, food, drinks, and marine-life briefings. Expect cold water, rough seas at times, and rotating cage time for groups of four or five.

“Was so amazing!!! I loved! Staffs as really nice and kind, the filming was so good. In the end we had soup and bread witch was really good. Recommended a hundred times. The only thing is we didn’t see great white sharks, they told us they are not in that region. Shame! But it worths anyway”

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4.CapeTown: Shark Cage Diving Experience with Scuba

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 146 reviews · from $218

Meet at Simon’s Town for a small-group shark cage adventure led by an expert captain and crew. Use provided SCUBA equipment to spend time underwater with bronze whalers near Seal Island, or search for blue and mako sharks near Cape Point. Expect cold water, marine life, snacks, and a boat ride.

“Shark cage diving was the most important event of our stay in Cape Town. We arranged all other tours around it, taking a great deal of effort. Then, three days before the tour, the operator said that the weather was going to be too rough and cancelled the tour. The operator said that he might be able to re-schedule us with an unidentified "colleague" in Gansbaai (a 6 hour round trip drive away) for the same price plus 3000 ZAR for the transportation. We understand that safety comes first and that weather precluded this tour. But this operator made no real effort to accommodate us by still charging us $936…”

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5.Shark Cage Diving Cape Town

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 114 reviews · from $229

From Simon’s Town, Apex Shark Expeditions takes you aboard White Pointer II toward Seal Island or Cape Point. You’ll receive a safety briefing, boat gear, towels, snacks, and refreshments, then watch for bronze whaler, seven-gill, blue, or mako sharks from a cage shared by up to four people.

“Wow what an amazing experience. We saw lots of sharks as well as a visit to see the seals. The crew were amazing, very knowledgable, helpful and welcoming. Special shout out for Brandon. Would definitely recommend 🦈”

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6.Cape Town: Shark Cage Dive

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 46 reviews · 3 hours · from $274

Meet Apex Shark Expeditions in Simon’s Town for a three-hour False Bay outing. You’ll receive a safety briefing, wetsuit, mask, and snorkel before entering a surface cage. Ryan, Brandon, and the crew may also seek out seals, dolphins, penguins, seabirds, and whales.

“We had an amazing dive and were able to see 6-8 bronze wheeler sharks. Instructions were clearly provided by the guides and they helped us throughout”

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7.Cape Town: Shark Cage Diving with Snacks and Soft Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 21 reviews · 4 hours · from $233Top rated

From 62 St George’s St, Shark Explorers takes you into False Bay for a four-hour shark encounter. Guides including Nina, Jason, Ernest, and Stephen provide a safety briefing, wetsuit, mask, and booties before you enter a secure cage. Expect sandwiches, hot drinks, and possible dolphins, seals, penguins, and whales.

“The confident and relaxed mannerism by all the staff made it feel like a family outing, spotted and followed a pod of dolphins en route to the dive site that made it more special, definitely want to do this again after this as a first experience.”

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8.From Cape Town: Shark Cage Diving and Penguin Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 15 reviews · 9 hours · from $310

Leave Cape Town early for Gansbaai, where you receive a safety briefing, gear, breakfast, and lunch before a three-hour shark cage excursion. Afterward, visit penguins near Betty’s Bay, though the exact route and penguin stop can change. French and English guiding is available.

“The staff was excellent!! However, I was very disappointed that I did not see a Great White Shark. I saw only 2 sharks of different species from the boat. I couldn't see it at all in the gage. We were supposed to be in a 6 person gage but one of the first group came in with us and there were 7 of us and it was very tight and uncomfortable. The staff should have said no.”

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9.Cape Town: Scuba Diving Experience for Beginners

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 14 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $112Best value

Meet your PADI professional at Just Nuisance’s statue in Simon’s Town, complete the online learning and a 45-minute safety briefing, then spend about 1.5 hours underwater among kelp, fish, seals, penguins, and possibly small sharks. Kobus is a praised instructor when available.

“For some of us it was our first time diving and the guides made us feel super comfy! We got to see some cool things and overall was an awesome experience and highly recommend for beginner divers!”

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10.Cape Town: Discover Scuba Diving – 1 day experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 4 hours · from $155

Meet your English-speaking instructor at Dive Team in Simon’s Town for a PADI Discover Scuba lesson, safety briefing, equipment practice, and a guided underwater session at Long Beach. Groups are limited to four, with at least 45 minutes underwater and warm changing facilities afterward.

“We recently went scuba diving for the very first time with the Dive Team in Simon’s Town! Our instructor was incredibly patient, knowledgeable, and made safety the top priority while still keeping the whole experience fun and relaxed. I can honestly say it was one of the best experiences of my life! From the moment I arrived, the entire team made me feel completely comfortable and excited for the adventure ahead. Offering coffees, water, sweets, and fresh fruit!! Once we started diving, the guidance was amazing — I felt supported the entire time and could just focus on enjoying the beautiful underwater world seeing lobsters, fish, octopus and beautiful Kelp…”

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11.Cape Town: Shark Cage Diving Tour (with Breakfast & Lunch)

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 5 reviews · 8 hours · from $278

You leave Cape Town early for Gansbaai, where an English-speaking crew takes you by boat to Shark Alley. After breakfast and a safety briefing, you enter a protected cage for 10 to 30 minutes, then return for lunch, marine-life viewing, and an optional day DVD.

“The shark activity was incredible. We saw six sharks, and everything was perfectly organized for us. The homemade bread and soup prepared after the activity was delicious .”

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12.Cape Town: Shark Science SCUBA Diving Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 3 reviews · 1 day · from $178

Join Cape RADD's marine biologists in Simon's Town for a small-group SCUBA outing in False Bay. After a short ecosystem briefing, you will search for puffadder sharks, pyjama sharks, rays, fish, and octopus, photograph shark patterns, and help record marine data. Guide Mark has earned praise for careful equipment checks and friendly support.

“I loved my instructor. no one else was in my group so I had 1 on 1 attention. it was neat learning about the marine ecosystem but nothing described was given to me. certificate was not given and felt kind of rushed out after. my instructor said he would email photos but never got them. I've messaged a couple of times now with no response. Just feel disappointed with the no contact and getting what was detailed in activity.”

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13.Exhilarating Shark Cage Diving Experience in Cape Town

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 2 reviews · 9.5 hours · from $495

You’ll leave Cape Town with driver-guide Leonard or Suzy, reach Gansbaai, and spend about three hours at sea near Dyer Island. A shark expert explains local marine life before your cage encounter. The day also includes food, equipment, Stony Point penguins, and a possible Hermanus stop.

“Our driver Leonard was an excellent guide, took great care of us and was very knowledgeable about the area. Saw lots of copper sharks up close in dive cage and shark guide taughtbus a lot about the sharks - Marine Dynamics are passionate about protecting the local marine life - great experience - only downside was the temp as even in wetsuit have never been so cold in my life!”

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14.From Cape Town: Gans Bay Shark Cage Diving

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 4 hours · from $292

Travel from Cape Town to Gansbaai for a four-hour great white shark cage encounter. You’ll receive a safety briefing, wetsuit, refreshments, boat trip, and a chance to watch sharks underwater or from the deck. No prior experience is needed, but you must be at least 12 and able to swim.

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15.From Cape Town: 2-Day Garden Route Safari with Shark Diving

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2 reviews · 2 days · from $401

Travel in a small group of up to eight with an English or Afrikaans-speaking guide, stopping in Hermanus and at Cape Agulhas before an overnight stay at Garden Route Game Lodge. Pay separately for the safari drives and shark cage experience. Guide Rameez is especially attentive with photos and roadside stops.

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