Cape Town Adventure
November 2026 · Cape Town, South Africa · 8–10 people
A one-week ocean, mountain, culture and conservation adventure with Jake Rabin + marine biologist Justin Blake
A small-group Cape Town trip built around surf, kelp forests, penguins, filmmaking, culture, conservation, food, mountains, and the kind of perspective you only get when you travel with people who know the place deeply.
Jake tested the idea himself. Justin has spent years guiding people through Cape Town’s ocean and coastal landscapes as a marine biologist, shark scientist, filmmaker, and specialist guide.
This is not a standard tourist trip.
Trust the plan. Come curious.
Cape Town will do the rest.
No payment required at this stage. Add your name and we’ll send the trip details + group call invite.
What to Expect
❋ Hosted By
Jake Rabin + RockHopper / Justin Blake
❋ Proposed Dates
1 - 8 November 2026
❋ Base
Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa
❋ Group Size
8-10 people
❋ Optional add-on
Garden Route / safari guidance
Trusted by past Cape Town guests
Absolutely wonderful experience for our first time in Cape Town! We hit all of the highlights of the Cape Peninsula and had an amazing shark cage diving experience. Justin, Sizo, and the rest of the team are amazing!
— Jordan LSuch a wonderful and memorable marine tour. Everything was exceptionally professional and perfectly planned, even beyond my expectations. I really couldn't have asked for more from my ocean experience and I cannot recommend RockHopper more highly from start to finish.
— L Murray“Remarkable experience!”
— Samantha SA big trip, made easier
A lot of people want to take a proper adventure.
Then life gets busy. Planning feels complicated. South Africa feels far away. And the trip never happens.
Cape Town Field Week makes it easier.
You arrive in Cape Town with a small group, local support, a clear plan, and people who know how to turn the week into something memorable.
You will still have breathing room. You will still have downtime. But the core week is curated.
This is not “figure it out when we get there.”
The four signature experiences
Surf, Perspective & Vineyards
Start with Cape Town’s ocean rhythm: surf, salt air, mountain views, good food, and time to slow down.
The week includes a Muizenberg surf experience, space for reflection, and a Winelands afternoon with food, landscape, hospitality, and optional tastings depending on age and group fit.
This is the “arrive in your body” part of the trip.
Penguins & Filmmaking
Cape Town is one of the few places where penguins, sharks, kelp forests, mountains, and city life all meet.
This experience brings together wildlife, storytelling, and what it means to work in conservation media. Justin’s footage has been featured in BBC Planet Earth III, and the group will get a behind-the-scenes look at how field stories, wildlife encounters, and film work come together.
This is the “look closer” part of the trip.
Culture & Conservation
Cape Town is beautiful. It is also complicated.
This day is designed around local context, conservation, community, and listening. The aim is not to “volunteer for a day” or turn people’s lives into a tourist attraction.
The aim is to understand more of the place you are visiting: its history, inequality, creativity, community work, and the people shaping its future.
This is the “leave with perspective” part of the trip.
Marine Biology in the Kelp Forest
Cape Town’s kelp forests are one of the most remarkable marine habitats on Earth.
With Justin, the group will explore the ocean like field naturalists: reading weather, swell, wildlife, safety, animal behaviour, and the living world beneath the surface.
Depending on conditions, this may include boat-based wildlife, kelp forest snorkelling, shore exploration, or marine conservation field context.
This is the “see the ocean differently” part of the trip.
Sample week
Cape Town is shaped by wind, swell, weather, wildlife, and local conditions. The order may change so the group gets the best possible week.
But the core shape is clear.
Day OneArrive & Meet
Airport pickup, transfer to Muizenberg / False Bay, settle in, group welcome, local orientation, and casual dinner.
Theme: arrive, settle, orient.
Day TwoEase into Cape Town
A lighter day to recover from travel: beach, coffee, False Bay, Muizenberg, local orientation, and an introduction to Cape Town’s rhythm.
Theme: get grounded.
Day ThreeSurf, Perspective & Vineyards
Morning surf lesson in Muizenberg. Afternoon Winelands experience with food, landscape, hospitality, and optional tastings depending on age and group fit.
Theme: confidence, fun, and hospitality.
Day FourMarine Biology in the Kelp Forest
A RockHopper ocean day shaped by conditions: boat-based wildlife, kelp forest snorkel if possible, marine conservation, and the reality of working around the sea.
Theme: ocean connection and field judgement.
Day FivePenguins & Filmmaking
Cape Peninsula, Boulders penguins, coastal wildlife, visual storytelling, and behind-the-scenes filmmaking context.
Theme: wildlife, story, and looking closer.
Day SixCulture & Conservation
A responsibly facilitated local context day with a trusted guide or partner. This could include history, food, community projects, sport, youth work, or education depending on the final partner.
Theme: perspective, humility, and listening.
Day SevenHike, Reflection & Closing Dinner
A final nature experience, group reflection, and closing dinner.
Theme: what changed, what matters, and what comes next.
Day EightDeparture
Airport transfers, goodbyes, or onward travel.
Theme: return home with more than photos.
Who this is for?
Cape Town is for students, recent graduates, and early-career people who want a big trip with more meaning than a normal vacation.
You do not need to be a marine biologist, conservation student, surfer, diver, or experienced traveller.
You just need to be open-minded, up for adventure, and ready to participate.
Good fit if you want:
A big trip without planning everything yourself
Ocean, surf, mountains, food, wildlife, and culture
A small group rather than a mass-market tour
A mix of adventure, fun, reflection, and real-world perspective
To step outside your normal routine
To travel with people who are curious and up for doing things properly
Probably not ideal if you want:
A luxury resort holiday
A party-only trip
A rigid academic course
A fully predictable itinerary
To sit back passively while everything happens around you
What guests remember
-
We spent the morning with Justin walking the shoreline of Hout Bay and talking about the sea life around us. The walk was fascinating. Justin showed us things we’d never have noticed on our own. He’s knowledgeable, friendly and very easy to be with. Next time we’re in Cape Town, we’ll spend more time with him. Highly recommended!
— Steve J
-
Many thanks to Sizo (our biologist) and Mansur (our navigator) for the marine biology day tour. They were brilliant and struck a good balance between educating, guiding and being a good laugh! Sizo not only has the perfect scientific background for this tour (my colleague and I are both inquisitive clinician scientists) but she has a wealth of knowledge in local languages which made the trip even better. Both Sizo and Mansur have excellent communication skills. I recommend Rockhopper without reservation. Thanks Sizo and Mansur- the picnic with you both with wild ostriches on the beach, and discussing 'My Octopus Teacher' was perfection!
— Adnan
-
I did two tours with Justin during my week in Cape Town — a trip to Boulders Beach to see the penguin colony, and a kayaking and community tour in Hout Bay with Justin and Brent from Karbonkelberg Tours. Both were great. The activities were easy to access from the Cape Town City Center, and Justin was a thoughtful and knowledgeable guide, sharing his expertise in marine science (like where to look for whales from the shore, which South African sharks deserve more appreciation) as well as IDing local birds and plants on land. He kept us fueled throughout our fun activities with stops for the best coffee and croissants first thing in the morning, and at local hidden gem Blende for smoothies and wraps post-activity. He even had snacks and hot chocolate to warm up after a windy day on the water. Highly recommend!
— Liz M
-
“I thought I was coming for an adventure. I left with one of the most memorable weeks of my life.”
Jake Rabin
Based in Muizenberg / False Bay
The group will be based in Muizenberg / False Bay, Cape Town’s relaxed surf-side neighbourhood.
Muizenberg gives the trip an easy ocean rhythm: beach, cafés, surf, walks, and a more contained group environment than staying in the city centre.
It also keeps the group close to many of the ocean, surf, Peninsula, and False Bay experiences.
Accommodation will likely be a shared house, guesthouse, or nearby apartments, depending on final group size.
What’s Included
Hosted Cape Town itinerary
Accommodation in Muizenberg / False Bay
Airport transfers
Arranged ground transport during the programme
RockHopper guiding and facilitation
Ocean / boat / kelp forest day
Surf lesson
Cape Peninsula / Cape Point day
Selected meals
Selected entry fees and activities
Community / cultural experience
Pre-trip information pack
Safety, health, and travel preparation checklist
Not included
International flights
Travel insurance
Medical insurance
Passport / visa costs
Personal spending
Optional activities outside the itinerary
Safari / Garden Route extension
Some meals and drinks, depending on the final package
Hosted by people who know the trip from the inside
Jake first connected with Justin through an online ocean experience.
A few months later, he travelled to Cape Town, joined Justin in the field, and ended up doing the kind of South Africa trip most people only talk about.
That week included hiking, diving, surfing, local community connection, marine biology, filmmaking stories, and a deeper look at Cape Town beyond the postcard.
This trip grew from that experience.
Justin Blake is a Cape Town-based marine biologist, shark scientist, filmmaker, specialist guide, and founder of RockHopper. His work spans marine science, shark conservation, tourism, public education, underwater filming, and conservation storytelling.
His footage has been featured in BBC Planet Earth III, and he has guided guests, students, families, film crews, conservation groups, and travellers through South Africa’s ocean and coastal landscapes.
The difference is simple:
This is not outsourced to a generic operator. It is shaped by people who live the work.
Want to extend the trip?
For anyone who wants to extend the trip after the Cape Town week,
Jake can help advise on Garden Route or safari options.
This is not included in the core trip price, but we can help point you in the right direction depending on your time, budget, and travel goals.
Interested in the first group?The first Cape Town Field Week will be small: 8–10 people.
If you are interested, join the first interest list and we’ll send:
Trip details
Estimated budget
Group call invite with Jake + Justin
Next steps for joining the first group
Join the first interest list
No payment required at this stage. This is to confirm interest and join the first round of conversations.