One Day Guide in MOSSEL BAY, South Africa! (Cruise Edition)

Updated: Mar 30

Geography: Mossel Bay, South Africa is a harbor town on the Southern Cape
Population: Approx. 120,000 People
Currency: South African Rand (ZAR); Currency Converter
Cruise Port: Google Map Location
Tender Port: Yes
Best Time to Visit: October (good weather and less pricey)

We visited Mossel Bay, Africa on our Norwegian Cruise Line (Dawn) on February 15, 2024. We had about 8.5 hours at this port and I wanted to share about our experiences there.

Mossel Bay has a small boat pier and no port at all. NCL was pretty efficient at getting people who have a tour with them onto the boat without having them pick up tender tickets first (Although if you have Gold tier or higher, you also do not need to pick up tender tickets.). Tip: pick the later excursion time (if there's a choice) to avoid the crowd.

Photo above is property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

If you are able to search for a local tour guide, book early (we reached out 5 month in advance and it was already too late. The game reserve said they've already sold out for the day since the cruise fully booked the rest of their slots) to avoid the expensive tour prices by NCL. We highly recommend the one we went on at "Botlierskop Private Game Reserve" or "The Sunset Game Drive" if your ship leaves later at night. (it's a quarter of the price here than what NCL was charging per person). The drive to the game reserve was about 30 minutes but I would still suggest going with a tour than hailing a taxi to go on your own. It just didn't feel as safe to go with a random guy at the pier. We also did not see any public transportation that we could have taken to go there.

We were greeted welcome drinks (tea & coffee) and cookies while waiting for our truck to take us on a game drive. The truck was able to fit around 20 people at a time.

Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

This game reserve situates on 4,500 hectare and it was just stunning. Other than the Big Five (Lion, Leopard, Rhino, Elephant and African buffalo), we also saw Cheetah, Zebra, Giraffe, Wildebeest and more! I felt surreal...They were literally right in front of your eyes. Tip: bring a binocular!

Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

As we go through different regions in the game reserve, the weather can change drastically. Make sure to bring a jacket with you. There's no need for a hat as the wind would be quite strong. There is a seat pocket in front of you where you can put your personal belongings in. Also, note that the driver has blankets with him so definitely take use of those.

Photos above are property of ESCAPETHEROOMers

If I come back next time, I definitely want to stay in one of their luxury accommodations. The lobby area and bathrooms were already really beautiful so I'm sure the rooms are amazing!

If you have extra time in Mossel Bay, here are some other suggestions for tour: