Sardine Run

About this spectacle

Each year between May and July, billions of sardines surge northward along South Africa's rugged Wild Coast, forming one of the ocean's most dramatic feeding events. Baitballs — dense, swirling columns of fish forced to the surface — attract Cape gannets diving from above like silver arrows, common and bottlenose dolphins herding the shoals with coordinated precision, copper and dusky sharks cutting through the mass, and humpback and Bryde's whales lunging open-mouthed through the chaos. Snorkellers and scuba divers drop into the water beside these baitballs, finding themselves encircled by thousands of fish and surrounded by predators at close range. The water frequently turns dark with sardines and bright with the flash of gannets hitting the surface. Above water, boats jostle for position and gannets rain down in near-continuous volleys. The sheer scale — marine mammals, seabirds, and apex predators all competing within metres — makes this one of the most viscerally exciting wildlife events on earth.

When to go

May — Jul

Getting there

Nearest airport: DUR. Nearest city: Durban.

Booking options

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