Cape Town Adventure · This trip is now confirmed

Jake did this trip. Then he couldn't stop talking about it.

One week in Cape Town with Jake Rabin and marine biologist Justin Blake. Ocean, mountains, culture, conservation — and the kind of perspective you only get travelling with people who live the work.

1–8 November 2026  ·  $2,950 per person  ·  7 seats
Secure your seat →
Questions first? Join the call — Sun 9 Aug → Justin guiding guests in Cape Town

Trust the plan. Come curious. Cape Town will do the rest.

"I thought I was coming for an adventure. I left with one of the most memorable weeks of my life."

— Jake Rabin, your host. He's done this trip twice.

Jeremiah Fraites of The Lumineers — RockHopper guest testimonial

Justin has guided everyone from first-time travellers to The Lumineers. Past guests call it "exceptionally professional, beyond my expectations" and "a remarkable experience."

The week

Eight days. One honest plan.

Cape Town is shaped by wind, swell, and wildlife — the order may flex so the group gets the best possible week. The shape is fixed.

DAY 1 · SUN 1 NOVArrive, settle into Muizenberg, welcome braai. No programme — just land.
DAY 2 · MON 2 NOVEase in. Beach, coffee, False Bay, finding Cape Town's rhythm.
DAY 3 · TUE 3 NOVMorning surf lesson. Afternoon in the Winelands — food, landscape, optional tastings.
DAY 4 · WED 4 NOVKelp forest day with Justin. Boat, snorkel, cold water, and a forest most people never see.
DAY 5 · THU 5 NOVCape Peninsula. Penguins at Boulders. Behind-the-scenes of filming Planet Earth III. First Thursdays in the city that night.
DAY 6 · FRI 6 NOVCulture & community — a facilitated day with a trusted local guide. Perspective, humility, listening.
DAY 7 · SAT 7 NOVA final mountain hike, group reflection, closing braai.
DAY 8 · SUN 8 NOVFly home with more than photos.

Want to keep going? Jake can advise on a Garden Route or safari extension after the week — from around $1,000, arranged separately.

Where your money goes

This trip funds real ocean science.

RockHopper isn't a tour company that mentions conservation. It's a marine science project that hosts guests.

Built into your trip price is a contribution to the RockHopper Fund — a registered South African charity. It pays for shark tagging and acoustic tracking in False Bay, and puts students from under-resourced Cape Town communities through the RockHopper Academy: first aid, guide training, ocean access, and a path into marine work.

You'll meet this work during your week. You're not a spectator to it — your seat helps pay for it.

The RockHopper Academy students

Is this you?

A good fit if you want

  • A big trip without planning everything yourself
  • Ocean, surf, mountains, wildlife, food, and culture
  • A small group, not a mass-market tour
  • Adventure with real-world perspective
  • To actually participate, not spectate

Probably not, if you want

  • A luxury resort holiday
  • A party-only trip
  • A rigid, fully predictable itinerary
  • To sit back while everything happens around you
The investment
$2,950

per person, all-in, for the Cape Town week

7 SEATS · FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED

Included

  • 7 nights in Muizenberg
  • Airport transfers + all ground transport
  • Justin hosting and guiding all week
  • Kelp forest boat day
  • Surf lesson + gear
  • Cape Point, Boulders & entry fees
  • Community & culture day
  • 4 braais + daily breakfast
  • Pre-trip info pack + prep checklist

Not included

  • Flights (roughly $1,000–1,400 from the US East Coast)
  • Travel + medical insurance
  • Some dinners out, wine tastings
  • Optional extras — scuba, paragliding, souvenirs
  • Safari / Garden Route extension
Secure your seat — pay the deposit (R24,400 ≈ $1,475)

Your deposit is 50% of the trip and locks your seat. It's charged in South African Rand (R24,400); the exact USD amount depends on your card's exchange rate on the day. Balance due end of August 2026.

Deposits are non-refundable — except if the trip doesn't reach its minimum of 6 guests, in which case you get every cent back. That's the deal, stated plainly.

Still deciding?

Join Jake and Justin on a live call — Sunday 9 August, 3pm EDT (9pm Cape Town). Ask anything: safety, flights, fitness, money, what the water's actually like.

If you already know — don't wait for the call. Seats go in order of deposits received.

"This is not outsourced to a generic operator. It is shaped by people who live the work."

— Justin & Jake