Mossel Bay Trips & Tours

A harbour-side town marking the beginning of the much-loved Garden Route

About 4 hours from Cape Town, and holding the oft-debated title of the ‘official’ start of the Garden Route, is Mossel Bay. A harbour town through and through, there’s something of an old-school seaside vibe around, with plenty of ice cream kiosks and fish and chip stands, lively restaurants, and the Point, a quaint promontory where afternoon strolls are mandatory. With a good range of places to stay ranging from budget to (relative) luxury, the town is popular with backpackers starting their Garden Route adventures, and surfers taking advantage of the gnarly waves. If you’re in town for a night or two, it’s one of the best spots along the Garden Route for shark cage diving, and if that’s your cup of tea, you might be interested in sky diving or sandboarding too. Otherwise, head to the beach, source a locally-distilled gin, and enjoy some R&R.

Things to do

What to do in Mossel Bay

A popular holiday destination amongst local South Africans, there’s more than first meets the eye in Mossel Bay especially in terms of activities. Boat trips to nearby Seal Island and horse rides along the beach are always popular, as well as hikes along the craggy St Blaize coastal route, ocean zip lining adventures, and explorations of the pretty coastline and its blue-flag beaches and tidal pools. Further afield, there are several game reserves within day-tripping distance, all offering a taste of South Africa’s world-famous wildlife and the chance to add to your photography library. Mossel Bay’s biggest draw, however, is the chance to go cage diving with sharks. The area around the bay is rich in marine life, maintaining a good population of imposing great whites, and visitors flock to Shark Island to see them in their natural habitat. Try it if you dare!

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