South Africa · HERMANUS WHALE WATCHING IN HERMANUS
The 9 best hermanus whale watching in Hermanus you can book today, with what each costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is top for a reason; start there.
Board a boat at Hermanus New Harbour for a 90-minute whale search in Walker Bay. An English-speaking guide explains whale behavior while you watch for southern right whales, dolphins, seals, and seabirds. Boats have open viewing areas, and sightings can include mothers, calves, and breaching whales.
“We saw several mother and calf pairs of Southern Right Whales, playing around near the surface of the sea.”
Join Southern Right Charters in Hermanus for a two-hour cruise aboard a purpose-built catamaran. A whale specialist such as Ken, Jacques, or David explains the wildlife while you look for southern right, humpback, and Bryde’s whales, dolphins, and seals. Tea, coffee, soft drinks, and light snacks are included.
“What a beautiful experience: From the expert introduction to Hermanus' whales by Ken, to the explanations of Jacques and the Crew taking care of us and making sure to keep watching out for marine life, this tour was great. Not only did we find ourselves in the middle of a large school of dolphins and did spot a whale while it was already end of season. I also felt the Crew did run the tour with expertise, ensuring to not chase the animals but give them space to approach us.”
Set out from Hermanus New Harbour on a purpose-built catamaran with a whale specialist, support crew, and videographer. The two-hour trip may bring you close to Southern Right, humpback, or Bryde’s whales, plus dolphins, seals, and seabirds. Light refreshments are included.
“My family very happy and satisfied with whale watching trip on cruse. Crew was very experienced, safe and knew where to bring to watch whales. I am giving 5 star for my review and recommend others! Thank you!”
Start at Hermanus’s Whale House Museum with guide Percy, then ride in an air-conditioned private vehicle to five to seven coastal viewpoints. Walk paved paths, watch for whales and marine life, and return to the museum after roughly two to three hours. Pickup is available.
“Alles perfekt geklappt. Percy hat dieses Erlebnis für mich toll gemacht..auf individuelle Wünsche eingegangen..Man merkt dass er seinen Job gern macht und dann aber auch noch die Extrameile geht und auch mit seiner Kamera Fotos macht zur Erinnerung . Danke”
From Hermanus, ride to Gansbaai for a 2.5 to 3-hour cage encounter aboard Slashfin. A marine biologist explains shark behavior while you look for bronze whalers and seven-gill sharks near Shark Alley. Transfers, breakfast, gear, towels, refreshments, and a penguin sanctuary visit are included.
“Nice boat, nice crew, no sharks :((( They were organized and made you feel safe. Breakfast was included.”
From Hermanus, ride to Gansbaai for a two-hour Marine Big 5 cruise around Dyer Island. A marine biologist and crew help you look for whales, dolphins, penguins, Cape fur seals, and sharks. Coffee, muffins, safety gear, hotel transfers, soup, and APSS entry are included.
“Due to weather forecast we had a very early start, got picked up about 6.00am then were in bus for about 90 mins gathering other guests and travelling to harbour. Fast and good size boat for number of passengers, crew were excellent, particularly with passengers suRead more”
Travel by air-conditioned minibus from Cape Town to Hermanus with an English-speaking guide and up to 11 people. You will watch whales from shore, stop in Betty’s Bay, and visit Bouchard Finlayson for wine on Wednesdays and Fridays, or Stony Point penguin colony on Sundays if time allows.
“We had an incredible day with Qiyam, his insights into Cape Town’s history and diverse cultural influences made the journey truly special. The penguin colony and whale watching were unforgettable highlights, and we felt so lucky to witness multiple sightings of Southern Right and Bryde’s whales.”
Travel from Cape Town to Hermanus with a private English-speaking guide, then join a shared 2 to 3 hour whale-watching boat trip. Enjoy lunch and free time in town before visiting Stony Point in Betty’s Bay, a quieter penguin stop. Guides Gabriel and Joel are praised for flexible, helpful touring.
“Great experience. Gabriel was amazing. Filled with so much knowledge and able to answer any questions. He really knows his stuff. He made sure to recommend things to do after the whale watching and was happy to wait whilst we did our own thing, like visiting the local market in Hermanus. He also recommended a great restaurant where we could see the whales from the table! Absolute dream! The Whale watching out of this world - so many mums and their babies nursing which was a great thing to witness (went September). Penguins were adorable and it’s quieter than Boulders so more time to enjoy them in their natural environment.…”
Travel by private vehicle from Cape Town or Hermanus to Walker Bay for a two to three-hour whale-watching boat trip, then taste regional wines at Benguela Cove or Spier. Guides such as Joseph and Kelly add useful local context, though boat fees and lunch cost extra.
“Our guide Joseph was excellent, very informative and gave us plenty of time to relax and enjoy each part of the tour.”
Pick a reserve, a coastline or a cellar.
