Verner was excellent and had a great attitude and conversations the entire time! He answered all our questions and then some! Also a very safe driver! Thanks again.
Super day on the boat. Weather was perfect for viewing the scenery and the wildlife. We saw so many animals including whales, sharks, seals and penguins plus a variety of other sea birds. The guides explained everything we saw. We felt like the boat was very clean and the staff were very helpful.
A super fun day trip! We were lucky to see all of the big 5. The crew was knowledgeable and informative. Everyone was professional. They made sure to keep us dry & comfortable at all times. Be sure to take your Dramamine!
The guided transfer tour was immensely enjoyed by the whole group. Our driver Jamie ensured the drive was smooth and comfortable and also shared a lot of information about viewpoints along the way. Would definitely recommend!
Seeing whales in their natural habitat was amazing. And to be lucky enough to see a mother and its playful calf made for an unforgettable experience.
The best thing about the tour was Mike, our driver to Gansbaai. He included lots of stops for sightseeing and told us a lot about South Africa. At the stop in Hermanus, we were able to see the first whales from land. The MarineTour itself was semi-good. Quite a few people threw up after just 10 minutes on the boat, which wasn't great to watch. Of course it was really tough and the swell was enormous. The whales themselves were also difficult to see due to the high waves and also difficult to photograph or film. The sharks were briefly visible as they were being fed by a shark diving boat. The harbour seal colony was very beautiful, but it was incredibly smelly. There were no dolphins at all, that's just wildlife and the punguins were too far away. All in all, the day was super nice and we experienced a lot.
Mike was a knowledgeable and personable guide. He knew the area very well and his commentary added a lot to our experience. He was flexible and addressed all our interests and questions. The big 5 marine tour was awesome! The biologists and crew were professional and highly competent. We saw several groups of southern right whales as well as sharks, penguins and seals. An amazing day!
We took my parents and family on the whale watching experience and it was better than expected. The staff were very caring and helpful to assist the elderly people and the young baby. The sightings were incredible and we saw dappled whale calves. The conservationist on board gave so much information while at sea which made the trip so immersive. At the end the company gave all some soup on land. This was definitely the best whale watching experience I have been on. Thanks again to the staff.
Our guide Mike was wonderful. He picked us up at our accomodation, made sure we were safe and comfortable, and was a wealth of information during our drive to Gansbaai. The cruise was amazing. We saw whales, sharks, penguins, sea lions and seals, numerous sea birds, and even an ostrich walking along the dunes. The staff at Dyer Island were warm and welcoming, even providing coffee, tea and muffins before we set out. Our guide managed to squeeze in a wine tasting experience for us on our drive home. A perfect day!
We were very pleased with how Michelle and Mike treated us. Very professional but also personal. Mike was great guiding us! Every time ahead of schedule and never rushing this! Thank you all for everything!!! Definitely we will be with you guys again!
We were lucky and saw many whales and several other animals. Our tour guide was James and he's the best. He told us everything and went above and beyond to make our journey the best.
Highly recommended. We were lucky and saw many whales. It was beautiful. Guides were very Nice too. I would only make it last longer but I guess it will never be enough haha
This trip was fabulous - we saw everything we’d hoped for and more. Our guide Mike was superb, so considerate with great attention to detail and excellent knowledge of the area
I would give the staff 5 stars, and seeing the right whales as close as we did was absolutely incredible, all of the staff of Dyer Island cruises were knowledgeable and warm. However, we believed that there was a maximum of 17 people for the boat but it turned out to be closer to 35 in total. This led to feeling packed in like sardines and needing to elbow to get space in order for prime viewing and that was rather unpleasant and detracted from the overall experience.
Our driver Ms Lynn was very punctual and provided useful descriptions and explanations as we drove to Gansbaai. She was also quite attentive to our jet lag moments of falling sleep during the journey. On arrival at the wharf, she accompanied us to make use of clean and proper washrooms and ensured we partook of filling refreshments. The boat tour was thrilling. We saw the southern right whales in different movements and motions. The boat itself was sturdy and very comfortable. I would recommend this tour be called whale watching instead. I say this because the instructor on board and all the signage at the booth were only aligned to whale watching. I must make mention that the 2 tours booked with Born in Africa during the trip were conducted in a thoroughly professional manner. Be sure to ask for Ms Lynn or Ms Melodie as your guide!
Great driver with lots of interesting information. Knew all of the best places to stop and see wildlife.
Great day from start to finish. Loved the experience, saw 4 of the marine big 5! Mike our driver was great, informative and found us a great wine tasting on the way back. We went to the steakhouse he recommends ,the Nelson and had a great steak to finish the day.
Great trip to see the marine 5. We were met by Jamie, our tour guide who is fab. He is so knowledgeable about the area and took/ showed us so many things on the way and on return. We really feel that we learned so much from Jamie about the history of the Cape. Jamie us a quintessential tour guide and a must have for your tour needs. Thank you so much.
I had an amazing day with my tour guides David and Lloyd. I was driven to Gansbaai with a stop on the way for all important beverages and snacks, and even though it was outside of the whale season, on our boat trip we saw whales, sharks, seals, penguins, dolphins and even the rare sunfish! We had a warm bowl of soup and bread waiting for us after our boat tour. It was an incredible day from start to finish, with David even stopping off in the town on the way home where I got gelato on the sea front, and also an additional stop to a little hidden gem where you can see colonies of African Penguins up close! I was dropped off at my hotel just in time to watch the sun set over Table Mountain. Travelling as a solo female, my safety and comfort is my top priority, and David and Lloyd ensured it was theirs too. I really enjoyed my time with them, and can't recommend them enough. To anybody thinking of booking - do it! You won't regret it. All the glowing reviews really do speak for themselves. Thankyou Born in Africa tours for an unforgettable day!
We went in September which is prime whale season. Mike was our guide, he was on time and very nice. He picked us up at our hotel, he had water and chocolate for us. He was knowledgeable about the areas we drove through. We stopped at a farm store on the way where you could buy hot beverages and pastries among other things. We arrived at Southern Right Charters for our whale watching. We saw so many Southern Wright Whales including a couple babies, it was amazing. After, we stopped for lunch and he made sure to finds somewhere to suit our vegetarian members. We got to stop to see some penguins and then he dropped us off at our hotel. I would highly recommend Born in Africa Tours!
We went to watch the whales from Cape Town during the day. It was a really beautiful experience traveling along the coasts and our guide Miky was amazing, very professional and fun !! Highly recommended !!
Dave and his team are superb! The care, the companionship and the information they provide is top notch. Further to that, they gave us the space to explore the town around and was nothing but friendly and supportive all through our journey. Best tour guides in CT.
Had a great day with Mike as our tour guide. From as soon as I booked the tour, Dave was in touch with information and even rescheduled due to weather conditions on the water. Mike showed up early and drove us to Gansbaai because Hermanus was fully booked up. He stopped at a beautiful winery along the way. The boat tour was fabulous and we saw whales, sharks, penguins and seals. Mike was very accommodating to be sure we had everything we needed and was very attentive and informative along the way. Highly recommend!!
Mike was awesome! From the start of booking when Dave contacted me to resort the date because of weather all the way through to drop off. Couldn’t recommend them more. Everything was top notch. Mike was super knowledgeable about all things Cape Town and South Africa. And he even did a quick stop off at a winery which was breathtakingly beautiful. Whale watching was awesome, the tour even let us see sharks at the cage divers. Highly recommend using this company!
It was an incredible day. David gave great recommendations and was super hospitable. Will never forget the experience.
Dave was absolutely amazing! He truly made the trip and I am so fortunate to have met him. You will not regret booking this transfer! We ended up booking another tour with him the next day because he was so knowledgeable and fun. You will not get an experience like this through a taxi ride or cab. Dave even took us to a restaurant and to street shops so we could look around and buy things. He went above and beyond and completely made our trip. Thank you so much Dave!
No whales seen after a trip of 2 hours drive. Luckily we had a good guide which made the day not too bad
The captain and crew were great, always making certain everyone had a chance to see the whales. The whales, however, seemed determined to put on a show. I knew Walker Bay was used as a mating ground for these creatures, but the whales seemed to take it to a Las Vegas level. I jokingly suggested to the captain to play some Barry White just to give the whales a sense of romance. Shortly thereafter, I could hear, “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love Baby” over the speakers. I’m not a marine biologist, but I felt the scene change. Much more lovin’!
Its a little out side of whale season, so we knew there was a chance we wouldn't see whales. That being said we still had a wonderful time, and my family live the trip from Cape Town, and the boat ride. We saw sharks, seals, and penguins. They took us through shark alley and the penguins rehabilitation center. One the way back to Cape Town, we stopped by for a wonderful lunch in Hermanus. Thanks again Dave. We greatly enjoyed our time with you.
Having been out with mike from the tour company the day before and had a lovely time we expected the same from Dave. We were not disappointed. A great day. Dave was again very knowledgeable and we discussed a wide range of topics that enriched our time here. We didn’t see whales as they were out of season but we did expect this. We saw hump back dolphins (never knew that the existed!) sea lions. Penguins, sharks and lots of birds. The crew on the boat were lovely. The boat was fun and fast! After the trip there is soup to warm you up but Dave suggested that we go for a lunch instead. After stopping off to visit penguins (my favourite) we had a very enjoyable lunch and then the journey home. I slept as we had an early morning but Dave and my husband put the world to rights...great day. Book up early though as we wanted to book in again for another day but they were already booked up!
Original trip was cancelled due to weather but cannot thank Jamie and firm efforts in getting us on a revised trip. Ended up getting up at 5am in Cape Town to get there as had an evening flight but well worth it. Cancellations happen but it is how they are dealt with that makes the difference. Saw humpbacks, great white and seals. Stopped off on way back for nice lunch and some pinotage. Excellent!
Dave was our tour guide and he was just phenomenal - friendly, knowledgable and went more than the extra mile. Thank you for an INCREDIBLE DAY!
Booked and pre-paid a private tour for 4 people with whale watching with this company through Viator. Less than 48 hours before our tour I was notified it was being canceled due to bad weather. Completely understandable. Now, you would think that if the tour operator canceled your tour you are entitled to a full refund of your money for the services not provided, right? WRONG. This operator refused to give us a refund and to this date Viator has not stood behind the product they sold us. An absolute disgrace! If you want to risk losing your money with an operator of questionable reputation, go ahead and hired these guys. Otherwise, wisen up, and look elsewhere.
<p>Our tour guide was very prompt, friendly, and professional couldn't be faulted on his wealth of knowledge and great customer service. The tour began with a stop off for breakfast at a farmers market eatery called Peregrine. Then a drive to Heramus to join the whale watching boat. The skipper Ken was very knowledgeable and entertaining. We manage to see two whales and was given the opportunity to purchase a video footage of our trip. Dave Coxford met us on our return and we took the Coastal drive back to Cape Town. Stopping off to shots of the penguins and a sighting of a Dassie at Betty's Bay.</p>
Punctual pick-up from the hotel at 9 a.m. and direct journey to Gansbaai. Duration approx. 2 hours. Welcome, small snack, put on life jackets and get on the boat. We were lucky and first came across the sister boat, on which a few crazy people were being lowered down to the sharks in a cage, before we were able to follow a mother whale and her calf further out. Then we continued to a seal colony and got a distant view of some penguins. Return to the harbor, hand in the life jackets, small snack and return to Cape Town. If you don't see any whales, you'll certainly be very disappointed.
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