Shark Cage Diving and Viewing - Self drive

Overview

Available languages

English

3 hours

Mobile ticket

Dive into the unforgettable with Marine Dynamics – South Africa’s premier shark cage diving experience. Operating in the world-famous Shark Alley, we bring you face-to-face with Bronze Whaler sharks and other fascinating marine species from the safety of your custom-designed vessel, Slashfin.

What sets us apart? Every trip is guided by a qualified marine biologist, turning your adventure into a powerful learning experience. We’re proudly Fair Trade Tourism certified and actively involved in shark research and marine conservation through our partnership with the Dyer Island Conservation Trust.

Plus, you might spot whales, dolphins, seals, African penguins, and seabirds — all in one trip! With award-winning service, eco-friendly practices, and an expert crew, Marine Dynamics offers more than just a thrill — we offer purpose-driven adventure.

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible

Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

It is recommended that you wear a swim-suit underneath your clothes. Please note: Sharks are wild animals and their presence cannot be guaranteed. Every experience that guests have is educational from start to finish. The local supplier works with wild life and nature and sightings are never guaranteed. If a shark has been sighted from the boat, they will consider that a successful trip. If there is no shark activity while on a shark cage diving tour with the supplier, then a voucher will be offered. This voucher is not transferable – your name and passport number will be recorded on the voucher. The transfer fee is non-refundable. This tour typically departs at 9am, however if the weather conditions are bad in the morning, the tour will leave in the afternoon; this will be confirmed by the tour operator close to the day of your tour. You must contact the local service provider to confirm your exact pickup time.

Please note that the Conservation Fee is compulsory.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What To Expect

Marine Dynamics, operating in Gansbaai, Western Cape, offers a world-class shark cage diving experience aboard our custom-designed boat, Slashfin. A marine biologist is onboard to guide you through close encounters with apex predators in the famous Shark Alley. We are Fair Trade Tourism certified and work alongside the Dyer Island Conservation Trust on vital shark research, including fin identification, tagging, and monitoring of various shark species. While great white sharks have become rare in the area, our work continues to understand and protect these iconic predators. You may also spot the rest of the Marine Big 5—whales, dolphins, seals, and the African penguin—as well as various seabirds. Located just a 3-hour scenic drive from Cape Town, the trip includes: An educational briefing from our Marine Biologist Breakfast or lunch Onboard refreshments Soup and bread on return Towels, clean wetsuits, and masks Enjoy an unforgettable adventure with our award-winning crew, and leave with lifelong memories and a deeper appreciation for these majestic animals.

What‘s Included

All diving gear and towels

Bottled water

Snacks

Lunch

Breakfast

Coffee and/or Tea

Swimwear

Sunblock

Options

Self Drive

Self Drive & Shark Cage Diving: Guests must make their own way to our base in Gansbaai for the tour.

Reviews

4.40

10 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Unforgettable Sea Lion Swim
AncaDD,,Dec 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
I went on the shark cage excursion and at the last minute upgraded to swimming with sea lions. Marine Dynamics is a professional company with organization and efficiency rarely seen. The entire staff knows exactly what to do and everyone is very friendly and smiling, which creates a great atmosphere. The shark cage part was a bit below expectations due to poor visibility, so we didn’t see much marine life—the highlight was the bronze whaler. After leaving the cage, the team took us by boat for the sea lion swim. It was an incredible experience, far exceeding expectations. I want to thank our guide, Susy Alexandersen, who took great care of me knowing I can’t swim, as well as the entire sea lion team and the skipper who skillfully navigated the boat, for ensuring an unforgettable experience. I could have stayed in the water for hours, but even with wetsuits, the water wasn’t very warm. Thank you, Marine Dynamics—I will definitely return!
FINNTASTIC!
Franevanzyl,,Dec 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Wowzapalooza! The sharks, the staff and the whole experience was one of the best family experiences we have had! The staff took great care and hyped our boys up, providing hot water bottles, blankets snacks and hot chocolate when the came out. Even let our Shar fanatic son Finn in for a second go! Thanks to the very knowledgeable and Super fun and vibey staff! 100% Recommend to make memories with your family!
Great deal of conservation work
AnettadL,,Dec 14, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Being in South Africa, I would not miss shark cage diving. Marine Dynamics not only offers this amazing experience, but also does a great deal of conservation work related to sharks and other marine creatures. They use eco-tours to fund research and conservation efforts focusing on shark research, penguin and seabird rehabilitation, and community education. You can see that first hand at the Seabird Sanctuary located in Ginsbaai that provides care to sick and malnourished African Penguins on the Dyer Island. Most of the penguins who are cared for in the facility are released back to the wild. They are doing a truly wonderful work! I highly recommend!
Unforgettable
FarAway03462773430,,Nov 30, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Superb from start to finish! They have such a deep knowledge of the animals and they sync it perfectly with your time in the water so you're quite literally watching and learning. They were brilliant.
Amazing experience - Highly reccomend
michailev,,Nov 17, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Loved the shark cage diving experience! Went out with a group of 30-40 people and had plenty of time in the water with the team providing snacks and nibbles on board whilst learning from a marine biologist. Lastly can't forget to mention the conservation work.
A little dispointing
foxyfoxholes,,Nov 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00
We feel very conflicted giving Marine Dynamics a 3-star rating as we know what a valuable job they do for shark and marine life in the area. We boarded the boat for our 3 hour shark cage experience, and frankly saw only a couple of rays in the water. It appears that sharks of any kind are rarely in the bay any more, it may be apocryphal, but someone mentioned that there hadn't been any sharks in the area for months. Whether that's true or not it was clear to us before we went on the trip we weren't going to see sharks, as it was made clear numerous times that 'there was no guarantee of any sightings but they will give you a voucher for a return visit if no sharks are seen'. That's great for locals but not for tourists. We of course accept it is a wildlife experience and you never know what you may see. Marine Dynamics do an excellent job, and I'm sure need the money from these trips to continue to do that great job. Perhaps though they need to change the name of the excursion to 'marine experience' rather than shark cage diving. Good luck to them though.
Great experience
ArjanG1983,,Oct 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Had a great day! Upon receipt by the tour guide we received a clear explanation and safety briefing. We saw several sharks and along the way we got a lot of information about the sharks and their behavior. Fantastically arranged all. For anyone complaining about not seeing a White Shark...please read up on the situation of this shark species beforehand...
What an experience!
O7485WIanthonyt,,Oct 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had an absolutely fabulous shark cage diving and a separate whale watching experience with Marine Dynamics. I think anyone going on one of these have to understand that there are certain things completely out of the staff's hands i.e. frequency of sightings and sea visibility. However from what can be controlled by the team, from start to finish, the team went above and beyond to make sure everyone had a safe and enjoyable day. The guides were knowledgeable, passionate, and genuinely cared about our experience — including checking in on those who felt unwell from sea sickness, which was much appreciated. Seeing around eight beautiful bronze whaler sharks up close during our diving and during the whale watching tour managed to see about 6 Southern Right whales which was truly incredible and something we’ll never forget. The extra touches made the day even better — complimentary photos from the staff, a tasty breakfast before heading out, and warm soup afterwards. An unforgettable day with a wonderful team — highly recommended!
Total waste of money.
Tourist00048036191,,Aug 19, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00
Really bad experience. The water was rough, large swells and very poor visability. You were thrown around in the cage due to the poor conditions. The captain was shouting at the lead chum person as they had got the chum mixture wrong. Very few sharks appeared over a couple of hours and the ones that did were only visible for a few seconds. Marine dynamics should review the sea conditions on the morning of the trip and give people the chance to cancel if they're likely to have a poor experience. This was supposed to be a once in a lifetime experience. Instead we were battered by waves in a cage, with chum thrown over us on several occasions and we probably saw 10 seconds of sharks. Half the people on the boat were sick due to the large swells. Really disappointed!
GrandTour10541326617,,Jul 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
The online package is great value for money. Friendly and efficient staff that cater for your every need from the beginning to end ensuring comfort and safety. Awesome highly recommended experience!!!