Choose your country and language:

Africa

  • Global
  • Angola
  • Botswana
  • DRC
  • Ethiopia
  • Ghana
  • Kenya
  • Malawi
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Nigeria
  • South Africa
  • Tanzania
  • Uganda
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe
  • shotLeft

Americas

  • USA
  • Argentina
  • Brazil

Asia Pacific

  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • Australia

Europe

  • France
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Netherlands
  • United Kingdom
Back

SSouth Africa has a long history of conservation efforts. It has 19 national parks, numerous game and nature reserves, and a range of ecosystems from rainforests to semi-deserts. Not only do we have the Big Seven (rhino, elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard, whales and Great White sharks; we also have an incredible array of endemic bird and plant life.

Dyer Island Cruises, based in Gansbaai, is a highly respected and ethical company that offers whale watching in season and shark watching all-year round. The company, certified by Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa, offers an extraordinary, informative experience that will enrich your understanding of the sea and its biodiversity.

Did You Know?
GGreat White shark conservation was pioneered in South Africa, the first country to declare this toothy predator a protected species.

AA boat ride taking less than 20 minutes will take you to “Shark Alley” near Gansbaai in the Western Cape. South Africa is one of the best Great White shark cage-diving destinations in the world as it's the only country where it’s relatively easy to see Great White sharks.

Of the 100-odd shark species swimming in South African waters, it is the Great White shark that has captured the imagination – their size alone has often been based on myth!

FFear of these creatures led to them being hunted, but in 1991 South Africa proclaimed the Great White a protected species and became the first country in the world to introduce Great White shark conservation. A big part of this was the switch from shark hunting to shark tourism, and the Great White shark is now officially a protected and thriving species.

Great White shark tours are offered in other locations around the coast of South Africa, other than just Gansbaai. Operators have to have a permit and licensed boats in order to operate this type of business and to ensure you are in safe hands. These are checked regularly to ensure their equipment is in peak working condition. Great White sharks remain vulnerable outside South African waters, where shark hunters and fishermen still target them.

Who to contact
Best time to visit
Tours to do
Length of stay
What to pack

Related articles

Active adventure

Travel Week 2019 – more ways to Enjoy your country

Active adventure
Travel Week 2019 – more ways to Enjoy your country
It’s without a doubt that Travel Week 2019 will unlock more ways for you to Enjoy your Country! So take time out, rally your friends and family together and go on an incredible journey exploring unique parts of South Africa.
Breathtaking scenery

Find your inner social media guru at these image-worthy places around SA

Breathtaking scenery
Find your inner social media guru at these image-worthy places around SA
Here’s our top 5 places where students can find inspiration and the confidence to post image-worthy pictures on their social platforms.
Breathtaking scenery

Calling all students – explore these top 10 spots in SA

Breathtaking scenery
Calling all students – explore these top 10 spots in SA
Here are our top 10 picks where you can take a Shot’Left to relax, get adventurous or simply let loose and have a jol.
Active adventure

Students, find Inspiration when visiting these educational spots around SA

Active adventure
Students, find Inspiration when visiting these educational spots around SA
Whether you’re studying archaeology, marine biology, zoology or even an unrelated field, you’re bound to find inspiration at our top 10 pick of educational spots around South Africa.
Active adventure

Be a daredevil in the Mother City - here’s 5 top adventures

Active adventure
Be a daredevil in the Mother City - here’s 5 top adventures
Aah the beautiful Mother City, Cape Town - the metropolitan gem of the Western Cape.
Active adventure

10 great restaurants in South Africa

Active adventure
10 great restaurants in South Africa
South Africa’s streets, shores and vineyards are lined with so many incredible restaurants, it’s a hard task narrowing them down into a short bucket list.
Active adventure

Gin: SA’s trendy drink

Active adventure
Gin: SA’s trendy drink
Gin is the buzzword on everyone’s lips in Cape Town at the moment.
Active adventure

South African wines

Active adventure
South African wines
South African wines are simply an infusion of the old winemaking methods combined with new ones to create modern bottled poetry for you.

South Africa on social media