Cruises & Boat Tours

Take the ferry to Robben Island and tour the prison where Nelson Mandela was confined. Learn about South Africa's history of Apartheid and life in the prison from a former prisoner. Depart from Cape Town on a shared bus to the V&A Waterfront. Collect your ticket and make your way to the Nelson Mandela Gateway to Robben Island. Sail out to the island on a 45-minute journey. On arrival, embark on a bus tour of the island before visiting the prison and the cell where Nelson Mandela was kept for 18 of his 27 prison years. Gain an insight into the history and conditions of the prison from a former prisoner. After the tour, return to Cape Town and be dropped off at the V&A Waterfront. Here you will be free to return to your accommodation independently or continue touring the beautiful city.

After a short explanation, you and your pilot will take off from a mountain slope under a canopy that resembles a parachute. Once inflated overhead, you will take just a few steps or a short run to take off from the gentle slope, the wind will catch the canopy and you will be airborne. In the air, complete control over direction and speed gives your pilot the freedom to soar ridges, rise on warm currents of air and cover distance. The tour providers have a proven safety record from day one, a credit to company procedures. Each season starts with brand new equipment and well-maintained throughout the year. All pilots are internationally recognized Tandem Flight Instructors. Each passenger is briefed and issued with a helmet. All pilots carry complete reserve and communication systems and weather conditions are carefully assessed before you are taken up and again on take off. You will be assisted by the crew on both take off and landing. Get ready to fulfill man's oldest dream of free flying. Now, you can experience the joy of personal, foot-launched flight in its purest form - on a paraglider. You do not need to have any experience at all to come tandem paragliding. Thousands of tandem paragliding flights have been done with children as young as 10-years-old and adults as old as 87-years-old. After a short briefing, you will merely run a few steps and the rest will be in the hands of your fully qualified pilot. Just sit back and enjoy your flight. Bookings are essential, do not leave it until your last day as the activity is dependent on the weather conditions.

Join the most prolific Whale Watching Operator in the Hermanus area, launch from the quaint fishing harbor of Gansbaai and travel along the cliffs of De Kelders, proven to be the best area with the highest concentration of whales on the South African Coastline. Along the way hear about local commentary of whales, and facts about right whales. Learn about the habitats and their feeding processes. Look for southern right whales in their natural environment, along with dolphins, Cape fur seals and other marine life. Keep an eye out for humpback, minke and Bryde's whales frolicking in the ocean. Catch a glimpse of the beautiful orcas, false killer whales and enchanting African penguins. This tour offers a great selection of marine life, that you can get up close with wild animals. Relax without ethical dilemma as you support businesses that celebrate animals in the wild. Return back to the harbor at the end of your boating adventure.

A local food-lover, Faldela Tolker, will be waiting to greet you on the doorstep of her neat, lilac-colored house. She’ll welcome you into her kitchen where a large metal pot simmers on the stove, emitting a spicy aroma. Chef Faldela conducts cooking classes in her home in Bo-Kaap, Cape Town. The food cooked in this predominantly Muslin neighborhood is as piquant as the hot pink and burnt-orange painted houses that rise gently up the lower slopes of Signal Hill, part of Table Mountain. Unique to the Western Cape of South Africa, Cape Malay cuisine fuses African tradition with that of Malaysian and Indonesian slaves, brought over by the Dutch in the 17th and 18th centuries. A blend of spices — ginger, fennel, star anise, tamarind, and, most importantly, turmeric — gives the food a distinct aromatic quality. Stews, roasts, and sauce-heavy curries are popular in Malay cuisine, as are meat patties, milk, and bread puddings.

The tour departs Cape Town and heads to the first stop of the day, Maidens Cove. From here, admire stunning views across the Atlantic seaboard as well as marveling at the imposing Twelve Apostles Mountain range. The tour continues along Chapmans Peak Drive, rated one of the best mountain drives in the world. Along the way, stop at a selection of lookouts that provide unspoiled views of Noordhoek beach. Arrive at Boulders Beach and learn about the friendly African Jackass Penguins that call the beach their home. Although the penguins roam freely on the beach and are comfortable being near humans, they are protected animals and visitors are not permitted to touch or feed them. Admire the penguins from a designated viewing point, and observe these creatures as they go about their day. Enjoy some free time to relax on the beach, take a swim in the refreshing waters, or explore the surrounding landscpaes. The tour ends with a visit to Boyes Drive, a spectacular mountain road overlooking the stunning view of False Bay coast.

Discover the thrill of diving with sharks in the safety of a cage with this tour from Cape Town. Enjoy a hearty breakfast and head to Dyer Island to hop in the water with sharks. Have snacks and drinks onboard and end your experience with soup access to the African penguin and seabird sanctuary. If the transfer option is selected, your adventure will start pickup from your hotel in Cape Town. Take a drive along a scenic route to get to your destination – the Great White House. Once there, enjoy a breakfast or lunch before a safety briefing about what to expect. Then, stroll to the harbor to board a dedicated shark-diving vessel. Journey to Dyer Island and drop anchor where the sharks reside. Your boat will have all the amenities, along with drinks and snacks for your comfort. Collect your waterproof bag containing your dive kit and then get up close to these magnificent animals in their natural environment, protected of course by a cage. You'll be completely safe, but your adrenaline will be pumping like crazy. This is sure to be an experience you will never forget. Travel through shark alley if conditions permit before returning to land for a debriefing and a warm bowl of soup. Then, enjoy free entry to the African penguin and seabird sanctuary on your way back to Cape Town (if option is selected).

Enjoy a unique view of the coast of Cape Town from the sea while relaxing and sipping on local sparkling wine on this sunset cruise. Admire the sunset over the Atlantic Ocean that stretches away from the majestic Table Mountain range. The sailboats Esperance and Serenity One follow the wind for this cruise, and therefore the destination is dependent on the weather at the time of the cruise. Your captain will let you know before departure your expected direction, but typical Cape Town summer wind blows from the southeast. First, you'll leave the harbor and sail across Table Bay towards Milnerton Lighthouse, returning to the protection of the Granger Bay in the lee of Table Mountain to watch the sun set, and then motor back to the waterfront. In the winter months, with the Northwester prevalent, the direction will likely be towards the Clifton coastline or the Robben Island Coastline. This cruise will also return to Granger Bay and the Waterfront. On some occasions the weather may require the use of a motorboat, in which case the boat will cruise slowly along the Atlantic seaboard towards Clifton beach and then return. On all trips your skipper and crew will do their best, weather dependent, to give you the best view of the spectacular sunset over the sea - you won't believe the beauty of this sight until you experience it yourself! For all the vessels, when the seas are running too high or the wind is unpleasantly strong, instead of heading into Table Bay the destination is the Cape Town Harbor; a perfect alternative offering magical views of Table Mountain and the lights of Cape Town and the harbor in the evening. In extreme conditions the skipper will take every aspect into account, and even stay dockside to ensure the safety of the passengers.

Visit the Dyer Island eco-system and have the opportunity to spot the Marine Big 5: whales, sharks, seals, dolphins and penguins. Every year from June to December, the southern right whales arrive to mate and calve. Witness mating displays, breaching, tail slapping, spy-hopping and more. You may also see Bryde’s whales, humpback whales, the elusive humpback dolphin and the common dolphin. An incredible array of seabirds and a sighting of the almost 60,000-strong Cape fur seal colony on Geyser Rock is guaranteed as the boat cruises down the famous Shark Alley. An on-board marine biologist will be on hand to teach you more about the amazing animals that visit these shores. On the day of your trip, you will be picked up from your hotel in Cape Town or Hermanus, if you have selected an option with transfers included. Upon arrival in Gansbaai, enjoy coffee/tea and muffins while listening to a dedicated safety briefing. After you're fitted with inflatable life jackets and wet-weather gear, take a 200 meter stroll down to the harbor to board the whale-watching vessel. Time spent on sea on average is two hours depending on sea conditions and marine life activity.  Upon return to land, receive an informative debrief while enjoying warm soup and bread. Professional trip footage is also available to purchase after the trip, so that you can have a permanent memory of your sightings. If you have chosen the option with transfers from Cape Town, a visit to the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary is also included on your way back. You'll see the important efforts being made to rehabilitate injured and sick animals.

Take off from the iconic V&A Waterfront for a scenic helicopter flight along the Atlantic Coast. Fly over Cape Town Stadium and Lion’s Head, a mountain forming part of the dramatic backdrop to the city. Fly over the neighborhoods of Clifton and Camps Bay and admire their beautiful dwellings, cliffs, and beaches. Finish your flight with a panoramic view of Table Mountain, South Africa’s most iconic mountain landmark.   Your pilot is also a trained guide, who’ll communicate with you through high-quality Bose headphones, making your flight informative and fun. Fly in an R44, Airbus H120 or Airbus H130, all eco-friendly helicopters built for the best views.

Join a sunset cruise from Cape Town and watch the Atlantic Ocean stretching away from the Table Mountain range as the sun goes down. Get a unique view of the coast from the sea while relaxing and sipping on local sparkling wine. After the cruise, enjoy a 3-course meal at a seafacing restaurant. The sailboats Esperance and Serenity One follow the wind for this cruise, and therefore the destination is dependent on the weather at the time of the cruise. Your captain will let you know before departure your expected direction, but typical Cape Town summer wind blows from the southeast. First, leave the harbor and sail across Table Bay towards Milnerton Lighthouse, returning to the protection of the Granger Bay in the lee of Table Mountain to watch the sunset, and then motor back to the waterfront. This package is a combo offering the sunset champagne cruise and a meal ashore after the 90-minute cruise. This allows you the freedom to choose from 3 restaurants: the Meloncino Restaurant for Italian, the City Grill for local flavor, and the Greek Fisherman. The cruise departure time changes with the seasons and can vary from 5:00 PM in winter to 7:00 PM in the summer. After the cruise, you then have a short stroll through the waterfront to the restaurant where you can enjoy your meal. The meal is a 3-course meal and each restaurant has a different menu. Possible Weather Variations:  During inclement weather, when the seas are running to high, or the wind is too strong, the tour destination will be Cape Town Harbour instead of Table Bay. Guests will be able to enjoy a Harbour Lights Cruise; a perfect alternative offering magical views of Table Mountain and the lights of Cape Town and the harbor in the evening. In extreme conditions, the skipper will take every aspect into account, and may cancel the tour to ensure the safety of the passengers.