Great White Shark Tours
Great White Shark Tours
Great White Shark Tours
4.5
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Full view
About
We are a shark cage diving operation in Gansbaai, SA, offering guests white and copper shark cage diving and surface viewing. The company was founded more than 20 years ago by local legend Brian McFarlane, a professional diver and skipper who was involved with the sea, diamond diving, fishing and great white sharks for most of his life. Apex Predator, a custom-built boat, was awarded Blue Flag Status, implying that the boat is fitted with all the modern amenities to give guests a comfortable experience safely suitable for the sea conditions in the area where we are legally permitted to do shark cage diving. Imparting passion & knowledge to staff and crew, Brian has instilled respect for daily encountered marine wildlife enabling them to give guests with a truly memorable bucket list shark diving experience. 5* Tripadvisor reviews confirm our commitment to uphold marine tourism ethics thereby establishing Great White Shark Tours as one of the industry's leading white shark operators.
Gansbaai, South Africa
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingSimilar Experiences
Great White Shark Tours
Booking unavailable on Tripadvisor
Want other options you can book now?
Show optionsContribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
4.5
1 928 reviews
Excellent
1 559
Very good
249
Average
59
Poor
32
Terrible
29
hotr0d715
Las Vegas, NV15 contributions
I wasted a day going on this tour, and they never said that sharks were not scene for about a month prior. They should have been more transparent and gave data on when was the last shark sighting. If they had done that, I could’ve made a more informed decision. But they prioritized making money over customer experience. If you decide to book, ask when was the last shark sighting.
Written 14 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Good day hotr0d715 ,
We sincerely sympathize with the disappointment you experienced on your shark cage diving trip. Incidentally, the way we conduct our daily shark cage diving operations has not changed from before or since your trip as we pride ourselves on being professionals, knowledgeable about the sharks in our area, the seasons and the unpredictability of wildlife.
It was unfortunate that we had no white shark sightings for the past few weeks, however, lo and behold, yesterday they spotted a 5m great white female shark, the biggest female recorded (and immediately tagged) in Gansbaai. The tagging by resident marine biologists is part of a non-profit contribution to saving sharks. Copper sharks have been sighted sporadically as mentioned to you in our WhatsApp conversation prior to your dive.
Please ask for a sighting update when you book your complimentary trip with the voucher you received after the trip and remains valid for 3 years.
Kind Regards from the team.
Written 19 May 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Rob
27 contributions
Jun 2020
Superb and unforgettable experience. Wonderful day from start to finish and delighted with how fully the company is oriented towards conservation and respect for the animals. There will definitely be a “next time”!!!
Written 3 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Will
Toronto, Canada20 contributions
It was a great day, a little overcast and windy but that made the boat ride a little more fun. The crew was really knowledgeable and they are all there to support sharks and their natural habitat. It is good to know you support a good cause when you are having so much fun.
We didn't get to see great whites but we saw a bunch of Bronze Whaler Sharks and seals. They were such beautiful creatures and having them swim right beside you is amazing.
We didn't get to see great whites but we saw a bunch of Bronze Whaler Sharks and seals. They were such beautiful creatures and having them swim right beside you is amazing.
Written 17 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Matthew
3 contributions
Feb 2020
This Great White Shark Tour was a great adventure for someone who wants to experience sharks in a less stressful setting or for a beginner just starting out. Felt safe in the cage and we were lucky to see some sharks. As with nature, it can be unpredictable, but with the skilled experience of the crew, they were able to lure a couple Copper Sharks to us! The sharks were so close that you could touch them, though strongly not advised! Even though we did not see any Great Whites, as they are unpredictable, the experience overall was still brilliant as a whole!
Written 8 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anthony D
Tiberias, Israel85 contributions
We booked on advice from our hotel and weren't disappointed. The experience was easy throughout with confirmation and questions answered through WhatsApp and fantastic customer service. We were warned before hand that obviously no one can guarantee seeing a shark. They collected us at 0430 and it was approx 2 Hrs from Cape Town. On arrival there was a good breakfast provided (on the boat there was unlimited drinks, snacks and a sandwich, when you return there's a hot lunch). The boat was excellent as were the crew we got very lucky and got to go down 3 times seeing a shark make a numbers of turns every time. I could of gone in a 4th time but had enough at that stage! The only reason this wasn't a 5 star review was that there could of been a bit more of a continuous narrative or brief while on the boat about the sharks etc. The staff were excellent and had huge knowledge when asked. But if they used the microphone to give regular bits of info that would of kept the momentum up between sightings. Would highly recommend.
Written 10 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello anthonydD8455ZX,
Thank you for your great appreciation of the whole shark cage diving experience!
It is good to read that we mostly delived more than you expected on such a tour.
Thank you for your advice about the narrative that should be more integrated as part of the experience and will certainly keep the excitement flowing! We value our client input as we are always looking for ways to better the shark diving experience.
Enjoy your memorable moments and do visit us again sometime in the future!
Warm regards from the whole team!
Written 25 March 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Blonde98
De Kelders, South Africa37 contributions
Sep 2019
The staff were very experienced, good sound advice and safety precautions were given before going out on the boat. My family went in the cage while I took photos, just amazing to see these mammals in their natural habitat. An absolute must!
Written 27 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello by Blonde98,
We adored your enthusiastic feedback.
We are delighted that your family had such a great time with the sharks and had the opportunity to take enough photos to last a lifetime!
We cannot agree more, encounters with sharks in their natural habitat is an absolute must-do experience!
Warm regards from the whole team.
Written 29 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Diana
Braunschweig, Germany4 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
My experience with Great White Shark Tours (Gansbaai) was breathtaking. The team is friendly, humorous and responds to the wishes of its guests. A rich buffet before the tour, the snacks on the boat and the food after the excursion ensure a full stomach. The boat trip is twice as fun on the well-equipped boat, with the helpful crew and the beautiful view of the sea. There are no questions that cannot be answered by the crew. A temporary detour to the sea lions made my heart beat faster for the first time. All interested guests went with wetsuits into the cage and into the cold water. The copper sharks that were fed joined us promptly and could be seen from close up. It was fascinating and I felt absolutely safe. A great experience, what everybody should do!
Written 20 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello Dianita107,
Thank you for your beautiful, review of your shark diving trip with us.
We were over the moon when we read that you found the whole shark diving experience quite breathtaking and we cannot agree with you more - spectacular days at sea where you have the possibility to encounter 2 shark species, 60 000 cape fur seal, a myriad of pelagic birds and even a dolphin and a whale, only come once-in-a-lifetime!
Enjoy the priceless memories!
Warm Regards from the whole team.
Written 2 March 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ton.k
5 contributions
Feb 2020
Our experience with Great White Shark Tours is positive, the people are very anthusisastic and helpfull, the boat is very nice with plenty of room for everybody.
During the trip there is food, snack and drinks plenty.
But the first thing we heard when we arrived at there office was that our trip was cancelled because there were to few people to join, that's not something you wanna hear when you just made a 11 hour flight just to visit them.
We could shift to monday but that's not allways possible when you make a one week trip.
Then we found out that there were no Whites around for months because of the visiting orca's and that there boat was not allowed to visit Dyers island because they have not permit for that season and visiting Dyers island was one the main reasons we booked the two trips.
I understand that all these cage dive organisations wanna make some money but please be open over what you really can expect, we fly half the world over to visit you.
If the great white is not on the top of your list then the dive is a fantastic experience with Coppersharks, seals and beautiful dolphins.
During the trip there is food, snack and drinks plenty.
But the first thing we heard when we arrived at there office was that our trip was cancelled because there were to few people to join, that's not something you wanna hear when you just made a 11 hour flight just to visit them.
We could shift to monday but that's not allways possible when you make a one week trip.
Then we found out that there were no Whites around for months because of the visiting orca's and that there boat was not allowed to visit Dyers island because they have not permit for that season and visiting Dyers island was one the main reasons we booked the two trips.
I understand that all these cage dive organisations wanna make some money but please be open over what you really can expect, we fly half the world over to visit you.
If the great white is not on the top of your list then the dive is a fantastic experience with Coppersharks, seals and beautiful dolphins.
Written 13 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Anthonie57,
Thank you for the enlightened review of your shark diving experience.
You have certainly given us room for thought which we will take to heart as we are always looking for ways to improve for better customer experience.
Enjoy the delightful memories of the marine wildlife we were privileged to encounter during the trip.
Kind Regards from the whole team.
Written 29 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
martalt88
Barcelona, Spain2 contributions
Aug 2019
This was by far one of the best experiences I have ever had. Everything was perfect, we saw almost four white sharks, and all of us had the opportunity to see one. The boat trip was perfect, and we had food and drinks to share. Everybody was so nice. Highly recommended.
Written 9 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Katie R
Greater London, UK2 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
We booked this ‘ bucket’ list dream activity months ago carefully evaluating each of the dive companies and chose great white shark company because of their ‘reputation’, ethos, promo , size of boat etc. We were so disappointed when the day before,great white shark tours cancelled our dive citing the weather. Ok we thought they can’t control that. They suggested rescheduling so we juggled our activities for the next day , they said that would be good. So chuffed our dive was still going to happen! The night before they informed us they were going to cancel again because they didn’t have enough people , and it wasn’t financially viable for them to go out. They said they could arrange for us to go with another company , Marine Dynamics,. Not happy but of course we said yes. When it came to the day we found some on the trip had been diverted to MD from other companies. We also discovered that MD had gone out the day before with the same size boat as Apex Predator, and the weather hadn’t affected them! MD is staffed with three or four volunteers. The actual dive ? Very disappointing , there were 5 boats out in the same spot. They do chum the water and throw in fish bits. Our boat attracted 3 copper sharks who had got bored/ used to the chum , by time we ( the second group) went into the cage. In 20 mins we had 3 passes that was it!
So great whites a real rarity! Maybe a smaller boat would be better to get ANY shark experience!!
Great White Shark Tours happily took our money!!!
So great whites a real rarity! Maybe a smaller boat would be better to get ANY shark experience!!
Great White Shark Tours happily took our money!!!
Written 8 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear 988katier,
We were quite distressed to read about your perception of the manner in which we dealt with these two unfortunate situations. It is with certainty that we can assure you that whatever decisions were taken, had the guests' best interest in mind.
Even though all the shark cage diving vessels are all built according to legal specifications, the construction of some boats makes them more lenient to adverse sea conditions.
We carefully choose the operators to whom we entrust our valued guests and from experience - and client feedback- we are confident that you would have been in excellent hands! The alternative would have been to cancel your trip.
Surely, the shark diving experience left you with some lovely memories to enjoy.
Best regards from the team..
Written 13 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Taras
Kyiv, Ukraine4 contributions
Хотелось бы узнать какова стоимость погружения ?
Great White Shark Tours
Gansbaai, South Africa6 contributions
Dear Friend,
Thank you for you interest in shark cage diving.
To get a breakdown of our diving and transport rates, please visit our website or alternatively you can view the rates here on Tripadvisor. You can also send us a mail for more personal interaction.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Kind Regards
Dean K
Honolulu45 contributions
what time of year would be the best chance of observing great white sharks?
Great White Shark Tours
Gansbaai, South Africa6 contributions
Hello Dean,
Shark behaviour is unpredictable and cannot be guaranteed and therefore there is really no certain time of year better than the rest.
However, we have experienced incredible copper shark activity on every trip for the kast few months
Hope this info will help with your planning.
Simara Mombelli
Porto Alegre, RS38 contributions
Hello! We travel to Cape Town next week, we arrive december 25. These period is possible to see great white sharks? We have 2 days for option: 26 or 29, but in the last day we travel on 8pm.
Great White Shark Tours
Gansbaai, South Africa6 contributions
Hello Simara,
We have briefly seen a white shark two weeks ago.
However, we encounter very active cooper sharks on every trip and even stingrays make an appearance,
The weather does not look too promising the next week, so would you please contact us via email. This way we can keep you better updated regarding the trips which will help with your planning.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Hi. Will i get free video if i book online?
Great White Shark Tours
Gansbaai, South Africa6 contributions
Hello,
Yes, the video link to your trip is free is you book online, however, it covers the trip generically. For more personalised footage you will have to bring your own camera.
See you soon!
My 23 year old son is a big guy -- 6'5" and 300 pounds -- he also has a form of autism called Asperger's Syndrome. Would he be able to go into the cage?
Great White Shark Tours
Gansbaai, South Africa6 contributions
Good Morning
Thank you all for the sound advice with which we fully agree.
The best advice is to contact us via email as many logistics have to be taken into consideration.
Such as the ferocity of the sharks at close proximity which why he will need someone familiar to him and most probably fewer divers with him in the cage.
We will gladly assist in making his shark diving experience very memorable. However, we need to make a few preparations beforehand.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
Warm Regards
Elena Chikanova
St. Petersburg, Russia6 contributions
Hi! Tell me please, in November we can see great white sharks?
Great White Shark Tours
Gansbaai, South Africa6 contributions
Hello Elena,
Weare working with marine wildlife and can therefore not guarantee any sightings just as one cannot guarantee sightings of lions on a wildlife safari.
What is certain however is that we had daily sightings of great white sharks for the past few months now.
Please visit our daily blog on our website for sighting updates.
Hope to see you in November!
Kind regards .
Patricia C
Greater London, UK5 contributions
Hi,
There are different packages. Can you tell which on is the cage Shark dive pls and can transfer be booked to and from the our hotel
Great White Shark Tours
Gansbaai, South Africa6 contributions
Hello,
Standard plus Cape Town transfer
Includes a return transfer per person from Cape Town to Kleinbaai
Adult: Incudes a dive in the cage
Non- Diver: Trip on the boat and surface viewing only- No cage Diving
Standard ( No transport included)
Adult: Includes a dive in the cage
Non-Diver: Includes trip on the boat and surface viewing only- No cage Diving
I hope this answers your question.
If can be of any more help, please send us an email
Kind Regards.
Steven
Singapore, Singapore
Hi, is the price including hotel pick up service? Thanks!
Great White Shark Tours
Gansbaai, South Africa6 contributions
Hello Camper, We have different pricing options for divers and Non-divers. The transfer is an optional R500 per person. Please visit our website for the 2019 & 2020 rates.
I have a 11 year old daughter will she be able to go in the cage and see the sharks
Great White Shark Tours
Gansbaai, South Africa6 contributions
Hello Craig,
Children are allowed in the cage if they are accompanied by their parent who will take responsibility for them.
We believe children are our future shark ambassadors and take good care to impart good marine practices to all kids on the trip.
Bottomline; She will have an unforgettable adventure and will most definitely return in later years.
Hope we see you soon!
Kate Meechan
17 contributions
Is it true that the sharks are held in place with a lead so people can see them? Xx
Great White Shark Tours
Gansbaai, South Africa6 contributions
Dear Meechank1...,
This statement is totally unfounded and untrue.!
A dedicated bait handler lures the sharks closer with fresh fish bait but under no circumstances do we feed or touch any shark at any stage of the trip.
Please visit our website to familiarise yourself with the procedures we follow during the whole shark cage diving tour.
I hope this answer will clear the confusion and uncertainty about our operating procedures.
Kind Regards.