Coot Club

The Best of South Africa

Romantic Classic + 3 more + 3 more

Cape Town, wine & wildlife: South Africa's highlights over 11 days.

11 days

from £3,225 pp

Go Local in South Africa

Safari Wildlife & Nature + 3 more + 3 more

Real people. Real stories. Real South Africa.

19 days

from £6,690 pp

South Africa Family Holiday

Family Safari + 1 more + 2 more

The ultimate family adventure through South Africa's highlights.

15 days

from £3,495 pp

Kruger, Canyons & Cape

Safari Wildlife & Nature + 2 more + 3 more

The perfect South African summer holiday.

14 days

from £3,995 pp

South Africa Safari Explorer

South Africa's wildlife at its best.

14 days

Safari Wildlife & Nature

from £5,850 pp

South African Grand Tour

Safari Wildlife & Nature + 3 more + 3 more

Three weeks, one unforgettable road trip across South Africa’s greatest highlights.

21 days

from £4,295 pp

Quirky excursions

View all excursions in South Africa

Shark Cage Diving

The waters off the Cape coast are one of the few places in the world that offer the exhilarating, adrenalin-fuelled experience of cage-diving with great white sharks. This takes place just off Dyer Island in Walker Bay, where huge numbers of seals attract these amazing predators to an area of water known as “Shark Alley”. Cage diving is possible on scuba gear and on snorkelling, so no previous diving experience is required. Sharks never attack the cages but do come very close, brushing the cage. They will also peer in, allowing you eye contact with these majestic creatures. The good cage diving outfits will seek to teach you about sharks, and are involved in monitoring and conservation projects, not just of the sharks but of a wide range of other marine wildlife. It’s an amazing experience and one you are unlikely to ever forget.

Light aircraft whale-watching

Whale watching from sea level is a bit like watching icebergs: there is far more going on under the water than above it. Its only from the air that you get an appreciation of just how huge these creatures are, and where you can enjoy classic images of calves swimming alongside their mothers. Of course, from a light aircraft you can see across a huge expanse of ocean, increasing your chances of spotting whales to a near-certainty in whale season. As well as the whale watching, there’s the sheer thrill of swooping along the stunning coastline and gaining a different and spectacular view of the Whale Coast.

Hermanus Saturday Markets

Hermanus is famous for more than just the whales, and the Saturday markets are one example of this. There are several to choose from: there is a typical farmer’s market, where local farmers bring their organic produce to sell; there is also a “foodie” market, the Hermanuspietersfontein Boeremark, which focuses on more luxurious food, and the fantastic local wines; the Onrus market is parts arts and crafts market and part car boot sale, whilst there is another arts and craft market focused more on artwork and clothing. Basically if you enjoy shopping and browsing then you should try to leave yourself a free Saturday in Hermanus!

Boat-based whale watching

Mindful of the potential impact of boat-based whale watching on the whales themselves, permits for this activity are limited to a small number of concessions, each with just one or two boats operating in it. They have to abide by strict regulations, which include not approaching mother and calf pairings, and not approaching within 50 metres of the whales. However, nothing stops the whales from approaching the boats, and being inquisitive creatures, this happens frequently. Very few things compare with the thrill of an eye-to-eye encounter with one of these denizens of the deep, and a boat trip out to see the whales is an essential part of any trip to the Whale Coast. The trips typically last a couple of hours, and during whale season you are pretty much guaranteed to see a significant number of whales. The regulations allow you to do this safe in the knowledge that not only are the whales undisturbed, but also that the local communities have a vested interest in conserving and not exploiting these magnificent creatures.