Shark Cage Diving from Hermanus: Get in the water with sharks

Six hours in the water with great whites, plus a penguin sanctuary visit

Shark cage diving from Hermanus is a full-day activity where you descend into a cage in Gansbaai's waters to encounter various shark species in their habitat. An onboard marine biologist educates you throughout. Hotel pickup and drop-off, breakfast, wetsuits and all gear are included. Shark sightings are not guaranteed. If none occur during your dive, you receive a voucher for a future trip.

The experience

The day starts an hour before the boat launches, when you arrive at Marine Dynamics in Gansbaai for wetsuit sizing, check-in and an educational briefing over breakfast. The boat, a custom-designed vessel called the Slashfin, then takes you into open ocean where you'll descend into the cage and come face-to-face with sharks in their natural habitat. The cage diving itself lasts between 2.5 and 3 hours, with an onboard marine biologist and expert guides narrating what you're seeing and answering questions as you watch the animals move around you. You'll visit Shark Alley, a known hotspot for activity.

All diving gear, towels and masks are supplied. You wear a provided wetsuit and bring a swimsuit underneath. On the return to shore, you get vegetable soup and fresh bread rolls. The operator is certified by Fair Trade Tourism and partners with the Dyer Island Conservation Trust, so the experience is built around education and conservation rather than spectacle. Sightings of sharks are never guaranteed (they are wild animals), but if one has been spotted from the boat, the trip counts as successful. If no sharks appear, you receive a non-transferable voucher to dive again.

After the cage diving, the day includes a free visit to the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary before you're dropped back at your Hermanus hotel. The whole outing takes about six hours from pickup to return. Multiple departure times are available, so you can choose the slot that fits the rest of your day.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from Hermanus.
• breakfast before boarding.
• all wetsuits, masks and diving gear.
• professional guide and onboard marine biologist.
• vegetable soup and fresh bread on return.
• towels.
• entry to the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary.

Options for this experience

6 options

07:00am DepartureGuide in English · 07:00, 11:00 and 15:00Tour with transport: great white shark cage diving, including transportation from Cape Town, with pickup included

11:00am DepartureGuide in English · 07:00, 11:00 and 15:00Includes pickup

3:00pm DepartureGuide in English · Available from 15 Nov · 07:00, 11:00 and 15:00Includes pickup

See 3 more options

11:00am Departure 2025Guide in English · 11:00Includes pickup

7:00am Departure 2025Guide in English · 07:00Includes pickup

3pm Departure 2025Guide in English · Available from 15 Nov · 15:00Includes pickup

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:00, 11:00 and 15:00

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (under 5)

GroupUp to 35 · max 9 per booking

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 13 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Marine Dynamics Shark Tours

Is this one for you?Book an early departure if you want the dive completed before midday and time to explore Hermanus afterward. The 3pm slot works better if you prefer a later start or want to spend the morning in town first.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (under 5).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What time does the shark cage diving leave Hermanus?

Departures run at 7am, 11am and 3pm. You're picked up from your Hermanus hotel and driven about an hour to Gansbaai, arriving an hour before the boat launches so the crew can size your wetsuit and brief you on what to expect.

What happens if we don't see any sharks?

Shark sightings are not guaranteed because they are wild animals. If no sharks appear during your dive, you receive a non-transferable voucher to return and try again on a future date. Your name and passport number are recorded on it.

What's included in the cage diving activity?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, breakfast before boarding, all wetsuits and diving gear, towels and masks, an onboard marine biologist and expert guides, vegetable soup and fresh bread on the return, and entry to the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary are all included.

How long does the cage diving last?

The cage diving itself runs 2.5 to 3 hours. The full day from hotel pickup to drop-off is about six hours, which includes the drive to Gansbaai, the pre-dive briefing and breakfast, the dive, and the penguin sanctuary visit on the way back.

Do I need diving certification to cage dive?

No certification is required. You descend into the cage with guides and a marine biologist who educate you throughout. Wear a swimsuit under your clothes, and the crew provides all wetsuits and gear fitted to your size.