Whale watching in South Africa
Whale watching is amazing in many parts of the world, but South Africa is particularly special. You can see almost thirty kinds of whales and dolphins there! This makes it one of the best places to go if you want to see these wonderful creatures up close. You can go on whale watching tours by land, sea, or air, so everyone can find an experience that they will love. If you love nature, going whale watching in South Africa should be on your bucket list!
1. Hermanus - the whale-watching capital
You can see whales in South Africa from May to December. They come from the Antarctic to have babies and go back in December. When they travel, they sometimes follow a lot of sardines. Many other animals like dolphins and sharks also follow the sardines and eat them. It’s a really cool thing to watch!
Where To Go
Whale watching season in South Africa is from May to December. Most whales travel from the cold Antarctic waters to the warmer waters off the coast of Mozambique and Madagascar to breed and calve. The whales also head back to the Antarctic in December. During some months, the whale migration coincides with the Sardine Run where billions of sardines move northwards in search of warmer waters. Many whales, dolphins, sharks, and diving birds follow and feed on the sardines. It’s an amazing sight to see!
Boat trips
If you are traveling to Hermanus in hope of seeing whales, whilst you can spot these from the shore, we’d highly recommend joining a three-hour boat trip along to coast to travel alongside these magnificent beasts. Whilst as with any wildlife, sightings are never guaranteed, but during the ‘whale season’ you are highly likely to get lucky, and your experienced crew will be able to tell you about the species and surrounding area.
Boat trips should be booked in advance (and can easily be done through your hotel or in the town), and in the unlikely event that there is bad weather, they will contact your hotel to rearrange or refund you.
Cliff path
An absolute must whilst you are in Hermanus is to explore its famous coast park between the New Harbour and Piet-Se-Bos. The path is 12km long and has scenic ocean views giving you plenty of opportunity to spot whales, dolphins, and even sea lions. There are plenty of benches along the route so you can stop and marvel at the view (or just enjoy a little rest).