There are two places where you can swim with seals in South Africa: Hout Bay in Cape Town, and Plettenberg Bay along the Garden Route. Here are the pros and cons to both!
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Did you know you could swim with seals in South Africa?
That’s right! And it’s one of the only places in the world you can do this. Your two main options are Plett or Cape Town. It’s a little freaky at first — getting in the water with these wild animals — but they’re super playful and friendly. We had an amazing time and I highly recommend this to any adventurer with a bucket list. Here’s how to decide where to do this once-in-a-lifetime activity in South Africa!
Swim with seals in South Africa: Plettenberg Bay
Plettenberg Bay is by far the best place to swim with seals in South Africa. I can say that with confidence because it’s only one of two real options, BUT it’s also true. There are between 8,000 and 10,000 seals living out there on the Robberg Peninsula, so you’re guaranteed to have some playful companions to swim with once you jump in the water.
You’ll visit Plett if you’re driving the Garden Route between Mossel Bay and Storms River. Or if you’re doing a longer route from Cape Town to Gqeberha for the Addo Elephant Park.
Though there are countless tours that bring you out to see the seals from the safety of a boat: Offshore Adventures, Plett Seal Adventures, and Pro Dive Plettenberg Bay.
There are three main operators in Plettenberg Bay that offer the swimming with seals experience.
Offshore Adventures
This is the company I went with and they were the best! We booked through Get Your Guide a couple days in advance and had no trouble booking our spot. They provided us with all the gear: wet suits, snorkels, life jackets for the boat, and flippers. (Be sure to wear the flippers because these playful puppies of the sea may try to nip at your toes!)
The water in Plett was crystal clear and the boat ride out to the seal colony was scenic but quick. The guide was friendly and gave us a good safety briefing. He took candid photos of us all which were included in the price of the booking. I also had my own GoPro, and they were totally fine with that. (I’ve been on other tours where they’d rather force you to pay for the photos they take.)
Cost: $50 per person
(About 900 ZAR / 45 EUR / 35 GBP / 65 CAD / 80 NZD)
Other things to do around Plettenberg Bay
There are lots of other cool things to do in Plett — most of them animal-themed. So if doing the doggie paddle next to the Cape fur seals wasn’t enough, you can get up close to other wild(ish) animals here:
- Whale and dolphin watching: It’s basically always whale season in this part of South Africa, with Southern Right whales passing by from June to November, and humpbacks in season from August to December. Dolphins are more common and we actually saw some playing on the boat ride back from swimming with the seals!
- Monkeyland: A sanctuary where rescue monkeys roam free in a large enclosed area. You’ll walk around with a guide to learn about all the species there (and probably so they can make sure you don’t try to touch anything). Wear your contact lenses, as some monkeys may try to nick your glasses!
- Birds of Eden: Similar and right next door to Monkeyland, this is an exotic bird sanctuary you can explore. Who doesn’t love a good birdspotting adventure?!
- Jukani: This is also right in the same area, but a sanctuary for mistreated or injured wildcats, including lions, leopards, and hyenas. If you’re not going to a wild game reserve like the Kruger National Park, this might be a good alternative.
- Wolf Sanctuary: Wolves? In South Africa? That’s right. There’s a pretty huge population that got out of control no thanks to the exotic pet trade. This sanctuary rescues surrendered/abandoned wolves and lets visitors in as a way to raise money for their cause and fund the project.
- Lawnwood Snake Sanctuary: I really wasn’t kidding when I said there were lots of animal activities in Plett, was I? If snakes are your thing, you’ll want to make sure you hit the Lawnwood Sanctuary before you head out.
- Robberg Nature Reserve: If you didn’t get enough of the seals on your swim, or you’d rather see them from dry land, follow the Robberg Hiking Trail around the peninsula.
- Tsitsikamma Forest: Explore the area’s national park for local flora, fauna, and some dramatic hanging bridges.
- Canyoning: A great adventure activity if the idea of abseiling and swimming through canyons gets your heart pumping.
- Bungy jumping or ziplining: This one is pretty self-explanatory — jump off South Africa’s highest bridge into a lush valley!
Make sure you book enough time in Plettenburg Bay to check out these other activities!
Read more: Garden Route Highlights Not to Miss
Swim with seals in South Africa: Hout Bay, Cape Town
Your alternative is right in Cape Town, which is the obvious choice if you only have a short time in South Africa. Just like Plett, there are thousands of Cape fur seals in Hout Bay, so seeing them is a guarantee. One downside to their habitat here is that you might have to dodge some kelp as you swim.
Animal Ocean
I didn’t try this one personally, but the family we were visited had done it here in Cape Town with Animal Ocean rather than in Plett. They had nothing but good things to say, but seemed more impressed with the photos we got. They also said it was freeeeeezing when they went (spring) so make sure you time your excursion in a warm season if at all possible.
Other ways to see seals in South Africa
If you want to see seals but don’t want to do the swim for any reason, you still have tons of opportunities to see them! There are kayaking excursions, boat tours, and we spotted some from the shore in Knysna, and Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront, Kalk Bay, and Cape Point. Keep your eyes peeled anytime you’re on the coast.
Here’s a video I put together of what it was like to swim with Seals in South Africa. If you’ve come all this way, you should really make it happen. If you do, let me know what you thought of the experience in the comments!