False Bay Oceanic Tour
False Bay Oceanic Tour
Explore the Marine Big Five!
Join us on a thrilling private boat tour across the stunning False Bay, exclusively for your group of up to 12 people! Hire the entire boat and enjoy a personalized experience as you explore the rich marine life of the bay. Keep an eye out for playful dolphins, listen for the breath of migrating whales, and marvel at the seals of the famous Seal Island—all from a safe and respectful distance. We’ll also pass by the iconic lighthouse and Boulders Beach, home to the charming penguins.
Feel the refreshing sea breeze as you embark on this unforgettable ocean safari. Soak in the sun, enjoy the wind in your hair, and experience the touch of the sea as we venture through the bay, offering a private, intimate chance to see wildlife in their natural environment—an ideal way to relax and live your best life!
False Bay is nestled between the scenic mountains of the Cape Peninsula and the Hottentots Holland range, with Cape Point to the west and Cape Hangklip to the east. This bay, first noted by explorer Bartholomeu Diaz in 1488, has since become a highlight of the South African coastline.
What many don’t know is that False Bay is the gateway to the Marine Big Five: seals, penguins, sharks, dolphins, and whales. With over 26 years of experience, African Shark Eco-Charters is the leading expert in understanding False Bay’s marine ecosystem. Our experienced crew works closely with local fishing and marine communities to provide up-to-date reports on wildlife sightings, increasing your chances of seeing these amazing creatures.
While we can’t guarantee sightings, we always offer the most reliable information to set realistic expectations before booking. We’re committed to making your private boat tour both exciting and memorable!
QUICK INFO
PRICE:
PRIVATE TOUR R28 000.00 for 1-12 people
LOCATION:
Simon’s Town
DEPARTURE TIME:
15h00
TRANSFERS:
Available to and from hotel at additional fee
DURATION:
2.5 hrs at sea
Private tour max 12
Cooldrinks and Snacks, enthusiastic and experienced crew.
False Bay Oceanic Tour information
Embark on an unforgettable private marine adventure with African Shark Eco-Charters in False Bay, Cape Town! Hire the entire boat for your group of up to 12 people and enjoy a personalized False Bay Oceanic Tour, offering a thrilling opportunity to witness the wonders of the ocean up close. Experience the awe of seeing blue and mako sharks, dolphins, and other incredible marine species in their natural habitat.
Embark on a unique 2.5 hour voyage of discovery starting at our marine centre in historic Simon’s Town, located on the picturesque waterfront. Your adventure’s exact route will be guided by our experienced skippers, who will tailor the journey based on their keen observations of the local environment, marine activity, and the day’s weather patterns. Your journey will include the following highlights:
Meet Time: At 15h00 you will meet at our pay station in Simons Town (transfers are available at an additional fee, should you require one), and enjoy a hot beverage before you embark
Boulders Beach: Navigate past the naval base and around the Bull Nose to Boulders Beach, home to the charming African Penguin. The beach is framed by indigenous vegetation and the clear waters of False Bay, featuring sheltered bays and granite boulders dating back many, many years. Watch penguins waddle freely and nest in this protected natural environment, where their colony has grown from just two breeding pairs in 1982 to around 3,500 birds today. Experience these vulnerable creatures up close in their natural habitat.
Roman Rock Lighthouse: Marvel at the Roman Rock Lighthouse, built in 1861, the only lighthouse in South Africa constructed on a single rock and the continent’s first automated lighthouse.
Seal Island: Hold your breath as we make our way to the iconic and island that is home to between 65000 and 75000 Cape Fur Seals. Seal Island in False Bay is a wild, remote, and stunning land mass of 5 acres. Unlike Duiker Island near Hout Bay, Seal Island in False Bay can only be reached by boat from Simons Town or Kalk Bay on Cape Town’s Southern Peninsula. Discover the beauty of this magnificent bay as we make our way around this exquisite bay and stopping off at the authentic Seal Island in Cape Town!
Observe the magnificent whales, including Southern Right, Humpback, and Bryde’s whales, as we navigate through the waters of False Bay. From June to November, around 3,500 Southern Right whales gather along the South African coast for mating and giving birth, while the Bryde’s whales reside in our bay throughout the year.
Encounter lively groups of wild dolphins that frequently surf alongside the vessel or ride its wake. During late summer and autumn, you may have the opportunity to witness massive pods of over 1,000 dolphins, providing an immersive and authentic natural encounter.
Kalk Bay: On the way back, pass by quaint villages along False Bay’s shores, including Muizenberg, St. James, known for its Herbert Baker-designed homes and the final resting place of Cecil John Rhodes, and Kalk Bay, a traditional fishing village that retains much of its original charm.
Simon’s Town: Return to Simon’s Town pier. You can also stop by one of the nearby restaurants for a delightful late lunch or early dinner before continuing your journey.
All marine wildlife will be approached in accordance with the legal distances required by the Marine Living Resources Law, ensuring a respectful and safe experience for both the animals and our guests.
As leaders in eco-friendly marine tourism, we prioritize responsible interactions with wildlife while educating our guests on ocean conservation. Whether you’re a wildlife enthusiast or a curious traveler, this private tour provides the perfect blend of excitement and education amidst stunning seascapes.
WHAT TO BRING
- Rain/wind jacket
- Sun block and Hat
- Beanie and scarf
- Your swimming costume
- Camera
- Take sea sick tablets – we do sell sea-bands a drug free answer to sea sickness
- Do not over indulge in alcohol the night before as you will be horribly sea sick.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE
We have a very high success rate, but we are working with wild animals. Please be aware of this, so you do not arrive with unrealistic expectations. Marine animal sightings and activity are never guaranteed and even during peak season, there may be days when the sightings are lower than expected.
ABOUT SIMON'S TOWN
Simon’s Town, sometimes spelt Simonstown, is a town in the Western Cape, South Africa and is home to Naval Base Simon’s Town, the South African Navy’s largest base. It is located on the shores of False Bay, on the eastern side of the Cape Peninsula. For more than two centuries it has been a naval base and harbour.
THINGS TO DO IN SIMON'S TOWN
- Go shark cage diving
- Visit the penguins at Boulders beach
- Go Kayaking
- Go water biking
- Snorkelling in the Kelp Forest
- Scuba diving or snorkel with seals
- Scuba diving at the various wreck sites in False Bay
- Walk up to Just Nuisance’s grave
- Have fish and chips on the pier
MARINE LIFE WE SEE ON OUR TRIPS
During an unforgettable ocean adventure in False Bay, visitors can observe a diverse array of marine wildlife, including seals, dolphins, and whales, making it an exceptional destination for nature enthusiasts.
Bronze Whaler Sharks
African Shark Eco-Charters is now diving with the beautiful Bronze Whaler Sharks. The tours are very exciting and the sharks are interactive around the boat. This makes for a great shark diving trip.
Bronze Whalers are also known as “Bronzies”, or Copper Sharks. With the decline of the Great White Shark in the areas, these sharks have now been spotted more frequently in False Bay. We have been seeing them on our day tours in the summertime. They can reach up to 3.5m in length, but we generally see sharks around the 2.5m mark.
Broadnose Sevengilled Cow Sharks
Over the last few years, we have seen a distinctive increase in Broadnose Sevengilled Cow Shark sightings around Seal Island. This is an astounding shark to dive with, as it is primitive looking and has calm slow movements. This shark was primarily seen in Cape Town in the shallows and in the stunning protected reefs in the Kelp forests along the Cape Peninsula marine reserve. However, in the last few years, they have moved to Seal Island and we have been privileged to be able to dive with them on our shark cage diving tours.
Hammerhead Sharks
It’s not often we see hammerhead Sharks in False Bay, but we have seen a few of them on our day trips when the warm water has pushed into the bay. They are named for the distinctive shape of their heads. It’s a great privilege to see them in False Bay.
Sting Rays
Occasionally we have been graced by Short-tailed Stingrays. We love these weird-looking creatures. They are the largest stingrays in the world and can reach upwards of 2.1m across and 350kg in weight.
Penguins
Did you know that you can see African Penguins on Seal Island? There are not a lot of penguins found on the island. Their numbers vary, but we roughly see around 50-80 penguins. They are very cute and happily live with the Cape Fur Seals.
Whale Watching
Whales are often seen on our trips in False Bay. We see Brydes whales, Southern Right whales and Humpback whales. We have also spotted Orca’s on our trips, especially the infamous shark eating “Port” and “Starboard”.
Great White Sharks
The iconic shark of all sharks is the Great White Shark. They are known and famous in False Bay to breach out of the water when hunting and catching their prey, which is the Cape Fur Seals. This behaviour is known as breaching or as we call it “AIRJAWS”. This behaviour is predominately seen in our peak season which is our Wintertime, with peak seasons being June, July and August.
Short Fin Mako Sharks
This extremely fast pelagic shark can be found on our Blue and Mako shark trips off Cape Point. This is a full day trip. We can go anything from 5-20 miles off Cape Point in search of warmer “blue water” where they are found. They are also known as the Blue Pointer or just Mako Shark. They are classified as endangered.
Blue Sharks
These open ocean sharks are found in temperate to tropical waters. They are long pointy sharks, of a blue shade on the top with white underneath and have long pectoral fins. They are also called the Great Blue Shark. They are most frequently seen on our pelagic shark trips.
Cape Fur Seals
Seal Island is heaving with Cape Fur seals. Depending on breeding season, the rock can boast anything from about 40 00-70 00 seals. They are large muscular seals, extremely noisy animals and bleat like lambs.
Common Dolphins
These beautiful sleek dolphins can be found in their hundreds in False Bay. We see them on many of our shark trips.
So, now that you know what False Bay has so much to offer, it’s like going on a marine safari!
Book your spot now for the trip of a lifetime!
PRICING
The price of the trip is R28,000.00 for the whole boat. This accommodates 1-12 people, excluding transfers. A transfer is R750,00 a person. A single person transfer is a flat rate of R1500,00.