We work for the Ocean
About Us
RockHopper was founded to connect people with the ocean in meaningful, transformative ways.
Guided by real marine biologists, we craft private journeys that go beyond travel — they restore balance, calm, and connection.
With no phones underwater, in the wilderness, or above the clouds, our safaris give you the rarest luxury of all: time to disconnect and immerse yourself fully in nature.
Our Approach
Every day with RockHopper is different. We listen to your passions — whether you’re a family with children, a couple on honeymoon, or a solo explorer — and build your safari around you.
No two itineraries are ever the same. One day you might snorkel through a kelp forest, the next explore wild coastlines on foot, or take to the skies by helicopter to trace the migration of southern right whales.
After time in the ocean or out on the land, we welcome you to private spaces - a seaside cottage or peaceful shoreline - to rinse off, relax, and savour farm-to-table food, wines, or tea.
Comfortable, private, and unhurried — just like being at home, but with whales, penguins, and dramatic seascapes outside your window.
Our Impact
We are conservation biologists — not a tour company that gives back as an afterthought.
Our team works daily in the field: at National Parks Serive, with shark tagging and acoustic research projects, and while reading toward our PhDs. RockHopper was born from this work.
Tourism is our way to share it — to connect travellers directly with cutting-edge science, expose the hidden life of the ocean, and provide experiences enriched by lived expertise and passion.
Every booking supports this mission. It funds research, ocean education, and training programs that create opportunities for marginalised communities to enter the conservation field — a path that is rarely easy, nor lucrative.
When you join us, you don’t just witness the ocean; you actively become part of restoring it.
Our Philsophy
We are not generic guides reciting from a script. We are scientists, conservationists, and storytellers who have spent our lives watching tides, studying the flick of fish tails, and listening for whale blows on the wind.
That lifetime of attention and passion allows us to share the ocean in its deepest sense: authentic, raw, and profoundly connecting.
Join Us
Whether you join us on a private safari by land, sea, or air, or through one of our online experiences, you become part of a bigger story: ocean restoration. Travel with RockHopper, and discover that true luxury is meaningful.
RockHopper Experiences
Immersive Adventures in South Africa
For hands-on explorers, we create unforgettable journeys by land, sea, and air:
Kelp Forest Snorkeling – Discover Cape Town’s iconic underwater wilderness, featured in My Octopus Teacher, guided by marine biologists.
Scenic Coastal Journeys – Explore the Cape of Good Hope, penguins at Boulders Beach, and dramatic seascapes on a private 135 km road adventure.
Helicopter Tours – Soar over whale-rich Walker Bay before enjoying a curated wine and food pairing at a world-class estate.
Interactive Online Ocean Safaris
Join the ocean from anywhere in the world. Led by shark scientist Justin Blake, our virtual sessions combine live storytelling, science insights, and interactive discussion. Perfect for global teams, schools, and families seeking inspiration and connection.
“RockHopper is the brilliant invention of Justin Blake, who has entranced a multitude of tourists with his joyous knowledge about the riches of our coastline, and whose ‘Just On Marine’ newsletter is a fount of information.”
— Professor George Branch, Marine biologist & author: Living Shores and Two Oceans
Justin Blake
I’ve been captivated by the ocean for as long as I can remember. A fascination with sharks and vast, open waters first drew me to a remote marine reserve in Mozambique, where I began studying a little-understood population of large fish and sharks. That place — and its wild inhabitants — became my lifelong passion.
Since then, my career has been dedicated to telling the ocean’s stories. I’ve worked on scientific projects and major documentaries including BBC’s Planet Earth III to Netflix’s Our Planet and Our Oceans . I’ve also pioneered digital storytelling, spending more than 10,000 hours hosting online shark experiences to connect people everywhere with the hidden lives of the ocean.
Through RockHopper, I now bring these worlds together — blending science, conservation, and storytelling to create private experiences that connect global travellers to local solutions, and help restore the ocean we all depend on.
Featured in
“Filming great white sharks and fur seals.”
BBC Planet Earth III
“The breathtaking world of kelp diving”
Financial Times HTSI
“The Kelp Keeper”
Luxury Magazine
