Animal Ocean Safaris

We had a brilliant time on this excursion. Our guides were a great mix of fun, friendly and informative making it a great trip and a really unique way to enjoy the area. Diving on the wreck was a really wonderful experience, seeing the wildlife up close, and the treats on the boat were delicious. A great way to spend a morning.

Not worth it. We traveled pretty far by boat, jumped into the freezing water & nothing! Very poor visibility area with no sea creatures in sight. Nice seeing seals & dolphins along the way but a complete waste of time & money as far as "underwater safari" goes

My favourite experience in Cape Town by far! The team were welcoming and informative from the moment we walked through the door and delivered an incredible and authentic experience. I loved that we got to snorkel in the kelp forest, unlike many other ocean tours in the area. The hot chocolate and snacks afterwards were a lovely edition! This tour gave me a whole new perspective of Cape Town as we got to see many features and animals (dolphins, seals, sunfish, small sharks) that I would never have discovered from land! Highly recommend to both visitors to the area and locals 🦭

I booked the ocean safari in Hout Bay with snorkeling, and it turned out to be one of the most awesome parts of my trip. Our crew—Daniel, Georgie, and Jesse—made the whole experience fun, safe, and surprisingly relaxing (except the parts where we were happily racing over waves, of course, which were exhilarating). I initially planned to skip the snorkeling because I was worried I wouldn’t be able to climb back into the boat afterward. The receptionist encouraged me to try it and reassured me I’d have help, so I took the plunge—literally. I’m so glad I did! Daniel lifted me back into the zodiac so easily that I didn’t even have time to be embarrassed. The safari itself was the perfect blend of calm and thrill: peaceful stretches cruising along the coastline, mixed with exhilarating bursts of speed across the bay with wind and salt spray flying everywhere. Woo hoo! We even passed a fascinating shipwreck, which felt like discovering hidden treasure right off the coast. It was eerie! The light snacks, hot cocoa, and warm water poured into our wetsuits after snorkeling—like a cozy ocean spa moment—were much appreciated. At the end, we got warm showers to wash off the saltwater. They also have a private changing room. The gear (wetsuits and rain jacket) were high quality and in excellent, clean condition. If you’re in Cape Town, don’t miss this. Even if you think you won’t snorkel… try it. Honestly, I worried about nothing, and it was cool.

Our Ocean Safari was absolutely amazing! The crew was so friendly and welcoming, and the whole experience was unforgettable. We saw lots of wildlife, including seals and dolphins and got to snorkel around a shipwreck, which was such an incredible adventure. Highly recommend it to anyone looking for something fun and unique!

Absolutely wonderful experience. The team was fantastic, the information engaging, the location breathtaking, and everything was perfectly organised. Couldn’t recommend it more highly!

I had such a fantastic experience with Animal Ocean today! The team was professional, welcoming, and made the whole adventure feel safe and fun. Snorkeling in the kelp forest was amazing -the underwater world was magical and full of life! And the Dolphin sighting was epic! Everything was really well organized, from the briefing to the boat ride and time in the water. I can’t recommend them enough if you’re looking for a unique and memorable experience in Cape Town.

The ocean safari was incredible. In addition to a beautiful view of the bay from water, we got to see many seals and their frolicking pups, and even got to see a few whales passing by late in their migration. We also got to snorkel the shipwreck at the bay, which coupled with the kelp forests, schools of fish and rock lobsters resting in the wreck was an unbelievable experience. We were given ample time to snorkel, always felt safe, and were never rushed (the guides even offered spare weight belts for free-diving), and the wet suits provided great protection in the cool water. Our guides were lovely and accommodating, full of information about the history of the bay and interesting facts about the habits of its wildlife. And just to cap a perfect day, as we were returning there was a pod of over a hundred dolphins leaving the bay, which swam beside the boat for about half an hour. Overall it was an incredible and unique experience in the water. I’d recommend anyone even mildly interested in the marine life of South Africa to do this tour 👍. Thanks again for a great experience!

Overall great experience. Going in a small boat so you are close to the wildlife is great. We saw tons of seals at Duiker, dolphins different places and a couple of sunfish. Beware that you no longer snorkel near the seals, as they stopped that 8 months ago due to aggresive behaviour and rabies among the seal colony. The two snorkel spots we used was at a shipwreck and a small kelp forrest. Technically we could have been lucky to encounter some few seals at the spots, however we did not. There is a lot of nice crew members who take care of you from start to finish. They provide nice hot beverage and snacks on the boat. Great way to enjoy a sunny day in Cape Town and view the landscape from the sea.

Absolutely amazing!! After only two minutes of the tour, we alteady got to see some seals and shortly after dolphins showed up. This whole ocean safari was an amazing experience and truly wonderful. The team is so nice and have so much knowledge about Cape town and it‘s ocean life. It is fun to listen to them. Definitely a must do!

When you hear Africa, you think about elephants, leopards, and lions but there is a big treasure in the ocean as well. We join the Ocean Safari and we tones of amazing creatures down there. I feel safe all the time for me and my 2 girls. The instructors are well prepared.

Not only did I feel safe at all times, the crew was very informative about the sea life and landscape around. Their enthusiasm gave lots of energy to the tour. This was an incredible experience to see another unique side to wildlife in Africa!

Learned of Animal Ocean some years ago and was sure I wanted to go to one of their tours when I visited Capetown. I can just say, it did not disappoint. Although they're not longer doing the Fur seal tour, they still make sure you have the best experience in the bay. Steve and his team show true love for the ocean and its life forms, they're very knowledgeable and responsible on how they approach wildlife and take good care of visitors. Also, they'll be waiting for you with some hot chocolate when you're done snorkelling, for a wonderful cozy end to the visit.

You don’t wanna miss this if you stop by Cape Town, it was amazing, we had such a great time snorkeling 🤿 thanks to our guide, we learnt a lot about the different species living in the ocean, not only it was instructive but it was fun as well.

I would like to point out the great honesty and professionalism of the Seal Snorkeling team. A few hours before our excursion, they called to inform me that some seals had been slightly aggressive the previous day and that they therefore wished to respect the animals and temporarily redirect us to another spot. They said they couldn't guarantee that we'd see as many seals as planned, so they left me the choice of whether to go ahead or cancel. I (unfortunately) chose to cancel, but received a full refund a few days later. The next time I'm in Cape Town, I'll be sure to contact them again.

Communication was great prior to our outing but 50 minutes prior to our departure I received a call telling me that our trip was canceled due to the skipper calling out/the winds “picking up.” We were 5 minutes away from arriving and incredibly disappointed as there is not much else to do in this area. Wasted our time. We were we would be refunded but should also be compensated for our travel!!

Staff very professional we had an excellent time dolphins escorted from the bay in a massive pod Then snorkelled with the seals unbelievable The go pro download needs updating To export to phones on site.

Super fun day out! I couldn't believe how many seals were in the bay and how close they got to you. They are playful and inquisitive and the team does a great job to make you feel safe and informed. Definitely recommend whilst on holidays in Cape Town

Unfortunately my date was cancelled due to bad weather, but I was notified well on time and had a great contact with this organisation. I will definitely try to come back dimmer another time !

Very professional and friendly. Felt safe and looked after at all times. The hot water after the dive was most welcome as were the hot chocolate and showers! Fabulous memories.

The staff are super friendly, very well qualified and go out of their way to make sure you feel comfortable in the water. My partner is German - not a strong swimmer and so she was a little nervous getting out of the boat because there was a bit of a swell running. The boat dive-guide (so sorry but I can’t remember her name) was really calm and patient and helped her feel safe. She stayed with her until she had relaxed. Very kind and considerate. And the seals were awesome: very playful and curious. Lovely to be with them so free in their natural habitat. An emotional experience rewarding experience in the sea with nature’s most playful wild animals. We will certainly be back! Highly recommended!

What a seal-iously amazing experience! Truly one I would never forget and a feeling that I would strive towards for the rest of my life. Thanks to the kind staff, especially, who made it possible.

This was just a fantastic experience! The team was well organised, punctual, friendly and very professional. The equipment was nearly new and well fitting which is important in relatively chilly water. Swimming with the seals has been on my bucket list for years. As a diving instructor who has dived with all manner of marine life I left with a huge smile on my face. Thank you to Capt. Rob the team! Loved it.

Went for my 2nd seal snorkel with Animal Ocean today because it was THAT good!! The staff are passionate and professional, the facilities were great. Love the touch of the hot water straight after the snorkel, thanks guys! The seal shop is also great, such cute curios

Was definitely a must do experience, the crew where friendly and extremely informative, this was a all rounder, had alot of fun

A good trip although I personally found the the extra buoyancy of the wet suits difficult to deal with. staff/guides were very helpful.. Everyone enjoyed the experience, The bonus was seeing a huge elephant seal.

Best experience! We saw so many seals in the wild from so closeby. Everything was managed so well; from the sea mobile (car) to the harbour, the boat, all equipment to also keep you warm and the kind and cautious personell. Would highly recommend!

Had an amazing time, we got lucky with calm waters and great visibility. The team Were super informative and friendly! 10/10experience

Nice experience. Terrible crew. Especially Jamie, she was very unkind. The seals were very funny. We saw a sea elephant.

Water was cold but gear is ok to protect enough. Small boat so be prepared for possible rough sea. Snorkeling is done in calmer water protected by a wonderful wall of algae. Seals can be very active or quite lazy so you have to have a bit of luck. The price is reasonable and the organisation is professional.

A transcendent experience is what my daughter said. A rare addition of a pod of dolphins, on the way to the seals, was an unexpected wonder! Swim with the seals! It was unbelievable. Staff was top notch! Equipment and gear were clean and of high quality! Recommend this adventure 100%

What a fun afternoon spent snorkeling with seals. They are adorable and it almost felt like they were putting on a show for us! Animal Ocean was a great company and very helpful. So glad we were able to fit this into our schedule!!

Amazing experience. I was quite nervous in the water and Marcel one of the guides was amazing! Very kind and stayed with me till I felt comfortable! Many seals to be seen!

This excursion was such a blast! First off, the staff was incredible. From the moment we arrived, they assisted us with storing our belongings and helping us put on our gear. After a brief, but important lecture, we took a two minute ride to the boat launch and headed out to the island. The skipper and guides helped us find the seals and always made us feel safe. We saw tons of seals and above all else, we were out in the ocean with incredible views around us. After we finished, they had water, snacks, and showers waiting for us. It was quite an experience and I highly recommend this excursion if in Cape Town.

Although the organisation was real good, we are very disappointed in our snorkeling tour. All the seals were on the rocks en I have not seen any seals at all in the water. The staff did not mention before the trip that there was a possibility of not seeing any seals at all in the water, so we expected to swim in between several seals. That was also what we have read before booking the tour. I know that the staff can’t change anything about the behaviour of the seals, but we did not get the impression that the staff cared about it. When we came back, no-one (guides and manager) mentioned anything about the disappointing trip. Even when we mentioned to the manager that we have not seen any seals at all, she did not actually respond to that. One positive thing is that I hired a underwater - camera, but we did not need to take the videos and photos (which we did not have many) and pay for that.

Seal snorkelling is a must do in cape town! We almost went twice we loved it so much! If you're thinking about this, definitely do it! All the staff are great and make you feel really comfortable from the start. The boat out to Duiker Island is great fun, and the hot chocolates and cookies for the journey back to land after being in the water was such a nice touch. Would 100% recommend!

It have been one of the best experiences in my life. Whole trip has been executed with immaculate precision from the equipment to hot chocolate at the end (with almond milk!). Stars of the show, seals did not disappoint. There has been a lot of young pups approaching us and swimming around.

This was one of the best snorkeling experience possible. With Great insights about the species, it was memorable.

the entire trip was pretty interesting. The operators were friendly and gave good clear instructions. The equipment were in good condition too. We went in March and there were quite many baby seals. We got to see them real close as the young seals were more curious. The sea water was real cold and be prepared.

Absolutely amazing experience! Seals come so close,the young ones are very curious & playful. Staff very friendly & informative. You have about 40mins in the sea which everyone agreed was perfect amount of time, as you start to get cold but have seen so much. Showers & towels provided on return to office. Hot chocolate on boat is a lovely treat too.

The highlight of our entire trip in Cape Town was the seal experience!!! It was so much fun and the seals are so cute! They come right up to you but don’t be afraid, they are so playful; they’re just curious. Make sure to take some Dramamine beforehand if you get a little sea sick. Overall the experience was the absolute best!!!! Will never forget it!

Unfortunately our tour got cancelled due to weather conditions, we were notified in advanced and our money was refunded. I recommend to do this tour at the beggining of your stay in Cape Town so you can reprogram.

This was such a cool trip and one of my highlights of Cape Town. Although you can see seals in the city, there is really nothing like getting in the water with them and experiencing many curious seals and the kelp forests. The staff were excellent and very knowledgeable about the seals, they gave some information on the boat trip over and answered my questions well. The wetsuit and gear is good quality. Water is still cold... But worth it! The manager also assisted me and communicated with me when I left something in their office after the trip, thank you for that.

This was an awesome experience. The staff were so nice and accommodatable. Even the group of people I went with were nice and super fun. They put safety first and everything was awesome.

Wonderful experience! Everything ran so smoothly and the team was very friendly. Being in the water with the seals was thrilling and my friends and I had a great time being out on and in the water. Even though the water was chilly, we were all fine for the ~45 minutes - 1 hour we were in the water thanks to the wetsuit gear provided by the team. Amazing adventure!

Excellent people. My swimming is not good at all but I was still helped by the guide to be able to have fun and enjoy the time in water.

Most amazing experience! My husband and teen boys had the best time. And staff were so accommodating for this mom that wasn't so sure.

This was so special, so magical! I cannot recommend it enough! The staff were wonderful from start to finish, but the experience, getting to see these aqua puppies so close was just so cool! I got extra motion sickness, and the lovely woman in the water with me was so kind and made it feel so normal. She truly couldn’t have been better, so kudos again to the staff for going above and beyond! But even with the challenges of my weak stomach and choppy waters, I would absolutely do it again every time! We even had an incredible bonus of dolphins swimming with our boat on the way in! And the seal towels were just an adorable cherry on top! ***Take all the Dramamine the night before, and that morning if you’re at all sensitive to motion sickness!!***

The whole experience was well thought out by Animal Ocean. The safety aspect and explanations of what to do and expect were given before we set out. All the equipment was provided for each individual. We were 'sized' up for wetsuits which was pretty much spot on. The water sadly wasn't terribly clear but the swim was exciting and exillerating. I loved swimming over the kelp and watching the seals ahead of us. Surprisingly, the water wasn't as cold as I thought because of the quality of the wetsuits, boots and gloves provided. The hot chocolate and hot showers afterwards were much appreciated! This was an experience to be remembered for a very long time. Thank you. Wendy