Swim with seals in Plettenberg Bay

Swim with Seals is R1 295 per person and Seal Viewing is R795 per person. Group rates on request for four or more. The booking calendar always shows the live price for your date.

About 1.5 hours from launch to landing, with up to 30 minutes in the water with the seals.

A swimsuit to wear under your wetsuit, your own towel and something warm for afterwards. We supply the wetsuit, mask, snorkel and fins. For Seal Viewing, bring a windbreaker and a camera.

Yes. The wetsuit keeps you buoyant and we have flotation aids on request. Your guide is in the water with you at all times. We don't swim long distances: mostly we float around the seals.

The swim suits children from 6 years. Our smallest wetsuits fit children of about 4, so if you have a confident younger swimmer, talk to us first. Seal Viewing is open from 2 years.

Yes. Children need all the same equipment and take up a full boat seat under SAMSA standards. They often need more attention during the trip, which we are happy to give.

Sharks are a natural part of life at the seal colony in winter, when sharks and other predators follow the sardines. Pups born about six months earlier start hunting sardines, and because they are inexperienced, sharks get a chance to feed on them. The pups learn very quickly, so the sharks are only there for a short period: June and the first two weeks of July. We stop swimming in June and July. In May, August and September we use spotters on the mountain to alert the boats to any shark. From October we return to normal operations. Seal behaviour is a good indicator of shark presence, we keep a boat close by as a lookout, and we run at 10:00, 12:00 and 14:00 so that the sun is out and we can see well in the water. It is the open ocean and sharks do move around, but we have been operating for more than a decade with an excellent safety record.

There has been a rabies outbreak in Cape fur seals. We monitor the situation closely with the environmental authorities and CapeNature. There have been a few isolated cases, and we continue to operate with extra safety measures: spotters watch for unusual seal behaviour, guides stay close to you in the water, we carry first aid supplies for bite wounds, and we have slightly reduced the time in the water to keep the seals calm. Our local hospital is well prepared for seal bite injuries, with trained staff and vaccines on hand. If you feel uneasy, join a viewing trip instead. The choice is yours.

Not to worry. We go out in most weather, even rain. The only time we cancel is for a strong east wind or east swell. We let booked guests know in advance, and if we can't reschedule you, we refund you in full.

If we cancel because of unsafe sea or weather conditions, you get a full refund. Changes need 24 to 48 hours' notice by email. A no-show is charged in full. If conditions turn unsafe for swimming after launch, the trip is refunded down to the viewing rate. The full terms are on the terms and conditions page.

Your guide photographs and films every trip, so you can keep your hands free. You can see the pictures at the office afterwards and we send a link by email. Ask the office about the current photo and video options.