Hermanus Whale Watching

Hermanus Whale Watching

Description

Where and when does one see whales - and how

Watching whales in Hermanus is best between August and the end of October. While it's true that the Southern Right Whales start arriving in Hermanus from June onwards, the "season" only peaks during August, with sightings virtually guaranteed until the end of October/early November. Some accommodation establishments advertise that there are whales from June/July already, but the chances are good that you'll be disappointed if you come to Hermanus for the whales only. If you're coming here for everything else the town has to offer with the possible bonus of spotting whales, that's fine - otherwise wait till at least the middle of August.

When things are in "full swing" you have a few whale watching options, depending on where your main base is and what your holiday plans are:

A day trip for land-based whale watching. 
If your main accommodation is Cape Town, for instance, you can either take a bus trip or hire a car if you're visiting from abroad. The buses don't stop in Hermanus for more than about an hour, which means you can't stroll too far. So, if you're out to enjoy the coastline and see plenty of whales, come by car. That way you can enoy so many other Hermanus attractions as well. Pack in warm clothing, as our weather is pretty changeable and the wind can get cool.

OOOOOOOOOOOOH!              AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
That's the sound of hundreds of whale watching folk lining the shore of Hermanus when a southern right whale breaches out in the bay, 50 tons or more of mammal propelling itself from the sea before it crashes back in preparation for the next leap. The "slap" sound of its fall reaches the whale watchers some seconds later. Four, five times in a row it breaches ... I've counted as many as 13 consecutive breaches on more than one occasion. That's an awful lot of "ooh-ing" and "aah-ing" ... 

 A day trip for boat-based whale watching.
These trips depart from Cape Town hotels at around 9 the morning and return from Hermanus late afternoon. Lunch is normally for your own account. It's always cooler at sea than on land, so be prepared and bring along a warm jacket.

Contact Details Windsor (+27) 021 461 6583 (+27) 082 559 6858 Enquire now View Rates View Directions

Accolades

:Tourism Council of SA Star Grading

TGCSA Star Grading