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Experience the Ocean Through a Scientist’s Eyes

Private ocean safaris and coastal journeys guided by working marine biologists.
Explore whales, penguins, and kelp forests — and help restore the ocean with every journey.

We’re available 24 / 7 with seasonal suggestions based on your interests.

Scientists First. Storytellers Always.

We’re not travel agents who add conservation later.

We’re marine biologists who began in the field — studying sharks, kelp forests, and coastal ecosystems across Southern Africa.


RockHopper was born from that work — to invite travellers into science-led experiences that inspire, restore, and fund real conservation - work for the Ocean.

Not a tour. A perspective.

Our team has contributed to Planet Earth III, Netflix Our Oceans, Apple TV and major research projects along South Africa’s coast.


Each experience is private, calm, and deeply connected to place — designed to reveal the stories few ever hear.

Real Scientists

Work with active conservation biologists, not tour guides.

Private Access

Whales, penguins & kelp forests — at your pace.

Direct Impact

Every booking funds shark tagging & community develpment .

Choose Your Element

Young man with curly hair and a backpack, wearing a yellow T-shirt with pink text, standing by rocky shoreline with water and mountains in the background.

By Land

Explore Cape Point, Boulders Beach penguins, and the Cape of Good Hope with a private guide.

A woman with blonde hair is lying on her back on a boat, smiling with her eyes closed, holding snorkeling goggles in her right hand, and wearing a blue and white striped top.

By Sea

Whale watching, snorkel safaris, or relaxed deck viewing — fully private or shared small-group.

A woman with glasses, wearing a beige jacket and a headset with a microphone, looking out of an airplane window.

By Air

Scenic helicopter flights tracing whale migrations where two oceans meet.

Stories from Our Guests

1,500+ five-star reviews from travellers, artists, and scientists around the world.

  • Black and white portrait of Jeremiah Fraites from the Lumineers wearing a bowtie and a hat, with a contemplative expression, resting his face on his hand.

    Getting to see all that Cape Town has to offer with Justin was just incredible. He took me and some of the band out to go snorkeling with seals - definitely a highlight! Not to mention a visit to the turtle aquarium and a kayak trip in Table bay. Unforgettable experiences!

    Jeremiah Fraites of The Lumineers

  • Close-up of Dr George Branch with white hair and beard smiling outdoors.

    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

  • A smiling woman with long brown hair, outdoors with green trees in the background

    Justin is brilliant! Thanks for teaching us of the importance of Marine Reserves and for your amazing storytelling

    Kathryn Thorpe, Online guest

  • A young woman with long hair, sitting cross-legged on a stone surface outdoors, smiling with her eyes closed, wearing a dark denim jacket, light-colored pants, and sneakers.

    Such 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.

    Lisa Murray

See More Guest Stories

As seen in Financial Times | BBC Studios | Forbes | Vogue

Three people standing on rocky terrain, using binoculars to observe a mountainous landscape with houses and green vegetation in the background.
A man wearing a VR headset outdoors on a grassy trail with a cloudy sky, holding a yellow cloth and smiling.

Conservation Impact

Your booking funds the RockHopper Fund Non Profit’s work: shark tagging, acoustic tracking, and ocean-education programs for coastal youth.


When you travel with RockHopper, you help protect the ecosystems you visit.

Group of five young people standing side by side in front of a colorful wall, arms crossed, smiling at the camera.
A researcher wearing gloves holding a shark's dorsal fin, with a satellite tag - a small electronic device - attached to the shark's dorsal fin, in the ocean.

This Season’s Signature Safari - Whales & Wine

November25 - March26

Two people on a boat taking photos of whales breaching the ocean surface.
Aerial view of a pod of whales, swimming and surfacing in the ocean.
Person in a yellow and black jacket taking a photo of a large whale near a boat in the ocean under a clear blue sky.
A man and woman drinking wine at a table in a restaurant, with a mountain view in the background.
A helicopter pilot and a woman standing next to a helicopter, smiling at the camera. The pilo is wearing a white flight uniform with sunglasses on his cap, and the woman is dressed in a white top, tan shorts, sunglasses, and black gladiator sandals.

Whale superpods, fine wine, and a scientist’s insight — all in one extraordinary day.

View from inside a helicopter cockpit showing two pilots with headphones, flying over a body of water with a Table Mountain in the background.
A person wearing a headset and red life jacket taking a photo with a smartphone inside a helicopter cockpit overlooking a body of water.

Start Your Ocean Safari

Tell us what interests you — whales, penguins, sharks, or simply the wild Cape coastline.
We’ll design your perfect day, guided by a marine biologist.

We reply within a few hours — 24 / 7.

Featured by BBC, Forbes, The New York Times and partners such as Belmond Mount Nelson.


Private • Bespoke • Science-Led • Conservation-Funded

The RockHopper Story