SCUBA TOURS WORLDWIDE - Representing the world's finest diving

South Africa

The Sardine Run | Two Oceans Tour | Add-on Tours |

Introduction to our South Africa

South Africa has the highest concentration of great white sharks in the world. Add to that bull sharks, ragged tooth sharks, tiger sharks and hammerheads - not to mention the “flying great whites” of False Bay - and this becomes the ultimate in shark diving expeditions!

South Africa is also home to the world-renowned Sardine Run - an extravaganza of marine life converging to feed onto the greatest mass of migrating sardines imagineable creating one of the most astonishing marine spectacles on the planet.

We have focussed our dive trips to South Africa on two very special tours; The Sardine Run on the East coast accessed from Durban, and the Two Oceans Extreme Tour, which includes diving on both the East and West coasts of South Africa. Each tour offers a quite different experience. We work exclusively with SEAL Expeditions who operate from the Mbotyi River lodge, supported with state-of-the-art dive boats, microlight aircraft and all the necessary equipment to make these challenging events a safe and memorable experience that lives up to expectations.

 

The Sardine Run

“The Greatest Shoal on Earth” can be found on the East Coast of South Africa during June and July. The phenomenon consists of billions of sardines that migrate northwards along the east coast of Africa following the cool water inshore current that occurs from March to August.

 

The best time to observe and interact with this spectacular event is from June to July. Individual shoals can reach 9 to 12 miles long and over 2 miles wide and nearly 130 feet deep! At times super-pods of up to 6,000 common dolphins may follow a shoal to feed. They work together to “corner” the sardines and bring them to the surface, forming giant baitballs. Gannets rain down while copper sharks, seals and even whales join the frenzy swallowing as many sardines as they can. With such a vast school of fish migrating, this phenomenon builds over a period of many weeks and predators congregate expecting to fill their bellies.

 

Sardine Run - 2011 dates:
19 June - 27 June,  27 June - 05 July,  05 July - 13 July,  13 July - 21 July,  

Guide price for the above 2011 trips is from £2372 per person
Price includes 8nts accommodation, dedicated full-time SEAL guide, 7 days on the water or alternate activity as determined by conditions, daily meals of full or packed breakfast as determined by launch time, light lunch and refreshments on boat, 3 course dinner in evening, air support by a dedicated SEAL microlight spotter aircraft to call us onto the action, a guest flight - each guest will get to fly in the SEAL microlight and see the Wild Coast from the air, airfills, cylinders, weightbelts, full DAN insurance cover, transfers, any alternate arranged during the trip.
Excluded: International flights and hotel accommodation before and after the event.
Guide price calculated on a US$/£ exchange rate of 1.6 and is subject to change depending on rate fluctuations. Please call us for a firm quotation and for more details of the trips.

 

Two Oceans Extreme Dive Trip

The ‘2 Oceans Extreme’ expedition trips are dedicated to giving divers the opportunity of experiencing all that South Africa is famous for and covers both the east and west coasts of South Africa and her two oceans; the warm Indian Ocean and the cold Atlantic.The trips offer guests incredible and varied diving combined with spectacular land excursions.

 

The set 10 night trips depart Wednesdays throughout the year but the best time for sharks is from February to September. Itineraries change according to the seasons to take in the best action and trip highlights include Cape Town and Table Mountain, the 12 Apostles, the unparralled beauty of the Garden Route, the breaching great white sharks of False Bay, the ragged tooth sharks of Aliwal Shoal and cage-free diving with tiger and bull sharks.

Each trip is lead by a dedicated fulltime SEAL Team Guide with a mandate to create the best possible experience for every guest. Dive boats are launched in the surf and the diving can be physically challenging so guests do need to be reasonably fit to get the most from these trips. Divers should be trained to a minimum of PADI Advanced Diver level or equivalent. All our South African trips can be combined with a land safari package. Please call us for details.

 

Two Oceans Extreme 12 day trips - from £2454pp + international flights
Price includes accommodation based on two sharing with breakfast, transfers, internal Durban/Cape Town flights, 8 days of diving and other excursions, guide. Price may vary according to US$/£ exchange rate. Please call for the latest prices. International flights to South Africa fluctuate in price throughout the year but cost from approximately £670 per person plus UK and African departure taxes of approx £280 per person.
Guide price calculated on a US$/£ exchange rate of 1.6 and is subject to change depending on rate fluctuations. Please call us for a firm quotation and for more details of the trips.

Sample Itinerary

Day 1 – Depart UK for Cape Town.
Day 2 – AM Early arrival, Transfer to Cape Town Hotel. PM hike or cable car ride Table Mountain to enjoy panoramic view of city, False Bay, Table Bay and all the way to Cape Point.
Day 3 – AM Transfer to boat for shark feed in False Bay and Seal Island with objective to see breaching great white shark as they chase the bait. PM Peninsula Tour by land to see Cape Point and the Atlantic Seaboard. Enjoy sunset cocktails.
Day 4 – A diving day with a wreck dive and a visit and popular dive at the seal colony with the inquisitive seals. PM depart to wine district to sample Western Cape wines.
Day 5 – AM Cage diving with great white sharks at Dyer Island and late afternoon whale watching trip looking for Southern Right Whales. Overnight at the fantastic Spier Wine estate in Stellenbosch.
Day 6 – Another day spent cage diving with the Great White Sharks in Gansbaai or exploring the Spier Wine Estate with its Cheetah rehabilitation centre and incredible wine reserves.
Day 7 – Transfer flight from the Mediterranean Western Cape to sub-tropical Kwa-Zulu for the east coast dive experience.
Day 8 – Full day diving at the Aliwal Shoal for Tiger Shark feed with a second dive on the shoal with the Ragged-tooth sharks.
Day 9 – Second day on the Aliwal Shoal with a Tiger Shark dive followed by a phenomenal wreck dive on the infamous produce - “hunting” a glimpse of the elusive Giant Brindle Bass. Transfer to Margate and Protea Banks.
Day 10 – Two dive day on Protea Banks, drift diving and shark diving.
Day 11 – Two dive day on Protea Banks, drift diving and more sharks! PM transfer to Durban.
Day 12 – AM Visit Shakaland on the north coast for an authentic Zulu village, dancing and lunch experience before transfer to airport for flight home or onwards to Botswana for a safari.

Add-on Tours

If you wish to combine your diving trip with a safari tour, why not try a unique and spectacular cycle safari. Supported by vehicles and experienced park rangers, you will get close to the magnificent wildlife of Mashatu Game Reserve in Botswana camping out in the African bush getting as close to nature as the wilderness allows. Typical itineraries are 3 nights and 4 days which operate year round. And if you don’t want to power yourself, there are also options for horse back safaris and traditional jeep safaris. Accommodation for all these trips can be in tented camps or game lodges, just ask us for details.