Swim, dive or snorkel with seals in Cape Town

Snorkel with SEALS CAPE TOWN

“A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.”
― John Lennon

Looking for the best seal swimming encounters in Cape Town?

Come seal snorkeling or diving with Oceans Africa

Oceans Africa is a dive tour and charter company. We are based in Cape Town, where we we run seal snorkeling and scuba diving tours our boat Sea Otter. Seal diving tours are available all year round. Depending on the season we may launch from Simonstown or Hout Bay where we are able to access the best seal encounter sites on Cape Town’s Southern peninsular.

Our seal snorkeling trips in Cape Town are exclusive, and family friendly, with low ratios, personal service and attention to detail.

Seal Encounters Cape Town

Swim, scuba dive or snorkel with seals

Snorkeling with seals in Cape Town is a truly amazing wildlife experience.

Cape fur seals are one of several species of Otariidae found globally. Fur seals are closely related to sea lions and are gregarious, social and curious. Their inquisitive nature makes them one of only a few wild animals that will allow, human interaction – a true wildlife encounter on the animals terms!

When conducted with sensitively and care, snorkeling, scuba diving and swimming with seals can be one of the most rewarding and powerful experiences.

 5/5

"... one the the highlights of my life! So beautiful to see Cape Point from the water and to swim with the seals."

" For snorkelling and diving they know all the best spots to experience the kelp forest and the cape fur seals "

" We did a seal swimming trip with Graeme that ended up in the most amazing sunset cruise with the Penguins at Boulders Beach"

"Graeme from Oceans Africa makes every trip a special one. He focuses on the real experiences on and in the ocean as it happens."

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Seal Colonies in Cape Town

Where do seals gather in Cape Town?

There are several sites around Cape Town where you can find large congregations of Cape fur seals.

The main breeding colonies are at Robben Island in Table Bay, Duiker Island near Hout Bay and Seal Island in False Bay.

There are also several smaller haul-out areas, with Partridge Point and Strawberry Rocks being among the most popular with the Cape Town dive charter operators.

Seal Swimming All Year-round

Best time and place to dive with seals?

Seal encounters can be enjoyed all year round, so where is the best place to swim with seals in Cape Town? The answer depends on the time of year and the conditions on the day.

As a general rule Duiker Island is best in the Summer months when there are the most seal pups and the winter swells have abated. Partridge Point in False Bay is a very good year-round option and is often the only option to snorkel with the seals in winter. False Bay is protected from SW swells and visibility is often better than the Atlantic seaboard at that time.

When planning your seal snorkeling adventure we will be able to suggest the best options, so give us a call and we can give you the latest updates on conditions.

What Makes Us Different?

Seal snorkeling with Oceans Africa

At Oceans Africa we believe you deserve the best possible experience we can deliver. It’s time to move away from bucket-list type tourism to more personalised and exclusive experiences.

We like to take our time on our seal swimming charters, exploring the local area in search of other marine life on the way.

We always try to stay flexible and adapt our charters to our clients interests, the conditions and the sightings. Our boat trips can launch from Simonstown, Kommetjie or Hout Bay to access the best sites on the day.

Our charters are kept to low ratios to allow a high degree of personal service.

Our Seal Charter Boat

You'll love our boat Sea Otter

Oceans Africa invites you to join us on our boat Sea Otter for a private seal snorkeling charter in the Cape Town area.

Sea Otter is licensed to carry 5 passengers plus your skipper and dive guide. She is the perfect boat for small groups, families and private seal snorkel tours.

With a swim platform at the stern allowing easy entry and exit from the water, Sea Otter is a fantastic boat for free-diving, snorkeling and swimming.

Seal Swimming Safety.

Is it safe to swim with seals?

Safety is the primary concern in all wildlife experiences however no encounter with wild animals is without risk.

Cape fur seals are seldom aggressive in the water and will generally choose flight over fight if threatened. There are however best practices that minimize any risk and our clients are thoroughly briefed on general safety and behavior before entering the water.

Smaller group ratios on our boat also allow for better supervision while our guides are always sensitive to the animals spacial needs and to changes in the seals behavior.

Book Your Seal Snorkeling Trip

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