Great White Sightings Near Cape Town Remain Unpredictable

If a Cape Town itinerary from a few years ago promised guaranteed great white shark encounters at Gansbaai, it's worth an update: sightings in the area have remained considerably less predictable in recent years than they were through the 2000s and early 2010s, a shift widely linked to orcas (killer whales) preying on great whites and pushing them out of their traditional False Bay and Gansbaai territory.

What operators are seeing instead

Gansbaai operators have adapted, building trips around a broader range of species — bronze whaler and broadnose sevengill sharks are now the more consistent sightings, with great whites appearing seasonally rather than reliably. Mossel Bay, further along the coast toward the Garden Route, has in recent years reported stronger great white activity, though it's a longer drive from Cape Town.

Our advice

We've written a full, honest breakdown of what a shark cage diving trip actually involves in 2026, including how to set expectations before booking — see our shark cage diving guide.