Africas Ocean Safaris Plettenberg Bay

Africa's Ocean Safaris is a legally permitted boat based whale, dolphin and seal watching company based in Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route of the Western Cape. Close encounter whale watching tours and a variety of Dolphin discovery tours are on offer - typically 2 hours each. Private charters, specialised group tours also available on request.

Africa's Ocean Safaris is dedicated to the observation and conservation of our magnificent marine environment. Rated by “Europe” magazine as one of the top 25 marine eco-ventures worldwide, Africa's Ocean Safaris is widely regarded as the premier boat-based whale-watching company in South Africa. We are proud owners of one of a few whale watching permits allocated country wide and are also licensed by the South African Boat-Based Whale Watching Association (SABBWWA) to conduct marine mammal encounters in Plettenberg Bay. With Ocean Safaris boat based whale and dolphin watching, you can be assured of an exclusive, legal and environmentally sensitive encounter with our magical marine co-habitants. We also enjoy a special working relationship with the highly regarded and locally based Centre for Dolphin Studies, adding further to our commitment to the sustainable preservation of our marine heritage in Plettenberg Bay. Our location is a natural magnet to visitors from near and far, both human and aquatic.

The safety of our passengers is also of great importance to us. Our Skippers are all trained and accredited by the South African Maritime Safety Association and have completed the required SABBWWA modules, qualifying them to perform their respective tasks aboard. While we don’t employ qualified marine biologists, our crew are selected for their passion for the environment and a willingness to share their knowledge and experience with the public.

Whale and dolphin watching are activities not to be missed.

Our local skippers and tour guides provide a personalized service and give insight into the wide spectrum of marine life and geology of the area. The tour begins with a unique dry launch into the surf zone and ends with a ride straight back onto the beach….

We offer two different types of Dolphin & Whale watching cruises: DISCOVERY CRUISES and PREMIUM CRUISES (Close Encounter).

BOTH cruises are essentially the same and we don’t call them the BEST SEAFARI BY FAR for nothing!! We take special notice of any dolphins in the area, visit the seals and check out any seabirds, sharks and other marine species that may be around, you never know what you are going to see!! Our records show that OCEAN SAFARIS see more animals than anywhere else in the country!

PREMIUM cruises are ‘CLOSE ENCOUNTER’ tours. These are conducted on our permitted whale watching vessel “Fatboy”. This permit allows our licenced boat to approach whales up to 50 m. The whales may then move closer if they wish… Whales are usually inquisitive and generally move closer and alongside the boat! Only permitted boats may approach whales to this distance, all other sea vessels must maintain a 300m distance from the whales. ‘Official’ whale season, based on the presence of Southern Right Whales along our coastline, runs between July and November… however, we are fortunate to have Humpback Whales between April and January. Bryde’s whales are seen along our coastline ALL year round, so there is always a chance of getting ‘up close and personal’ with whales in South Africa.

Capacity: 30 Pax plus 2 guides (60 Pax by arrangement)
Duration: 1.5 hours
Runs: July - November, 4 times daily.

DISCOVERY cruises are run on our boats which do not hold permits and are legally obliged to stay 300 meters from whales. These cruises operate all year around.

Capacity: 54 Pax plus 4 guides (104 pax by arrangement)
Duration: 1.5 - 2 hours
Runs: All year round, 3 times daily.

Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape, South Africa.

Experienced guide, pre-cruise briefing, 2 hour boat trip, life jackets.

What to bring:

Many of our passengers will want to bring their cameras or video equipment along. We do encourage this and our Skippers will always try to get you into the most favourable position to get great images – while considering the comfort of the animals at all times. While it does happen that we are occasionally not able to get all that close to animals, we find that a camera with a lens of less than 300mm will suffice. On the opposite extreme, sometimes such lenses are too big so it is often wise to bring along a lens with a wider angle in case the animals get really up close and personal. Due to limited deck space and as a courtesy to other passengers, we discourage the use of tripods and monopods on the trip. Also, be sure to just watch the animals for a while without looking through a viewfinder… some of the finest memories can only be captured in the mind.

With regards to clothing, our best suggestion is that you dress according to the weather on the day of your trip. We would suggest bringing at least a light jumper along, even on hot days as the conditions may well change during the course of the trip. Should you have a weather-proof jacket, this too could come in handy. A hat (although you may have to hold onto it at times), and sunglasses are recommended while high-heels are definitely not appropriate. We suggest you apply sun-screen at least one hour before the trip starts. Should you have concerns with regards to possible motion-sickness, we suggest taking one tablet at least 24 hours before the trip and another one hour beforehand.

All are welcome on the whale and dolphin watching cruises.