Dec 25, 2016 south africa is one of the best destinations worldwide for watching marine wildlife, including whales, whether from land or from boats, with spectacular annual visits from southern right and humpback whales and enormous pods of dolphins yearround. Whalewatching at hermanus south africa lonely planet. Where to whale watch in south africa fodors travel guide. It is famous for southern right whale watching during the southern winter to spring seasons, and is a popular retirement location, too. Heres our list of top places to go whale watching in south africa, plus the best times of the year to guarantee the most satisfying sightings. The remains of a juvenile humpback whale thought to be a female washed up on a beach near the town of amanzimtoti on south africas eastern coast early this morning. Jul 01, 2018 selected as one of the top 12 whale watching locations in the world by wwf, and with a location easily accessible from cape town, hermanus is a prime destination for those hoping for a close encounter with some of the largest animals on our planet. My friend and i are trying to plan it so that we can leave cape town and hit both gansbaai for great white shark cage diving and hermanus for whale whalewatching at hermanus south africa lonely planet forum thorn tree. The 12 km cliff path follows the shore with many benches on this route, where you can sit and watch the whales. Hermanus whales hermanus new harbour, 7200 hermanus, western cape rated 4.
We werent always this lucky whale hunters took a devastating toll on numbers from the 1800s onwards, and as whales with calves were the main targets, the population plummeted. Oceans africa is the only specialist scuba diving and whale watching tour operator in south africa. Selected as one of the top 12 whale watching locations in the world by wwf, and with a location easily accessible from cape town, hermanus is a prime destination for those hoping for a close encounter with some of the largest animals on our planet. Yes the big 5, table mountain, and a spectacular flower season, but this month we celebrate the whale season in south africa and the gentle giants of the sea as they grace our coastlines with their presence. Dyer island cruises live by the discover and protect slogan, and we strive to provide you with the utmost conservation oriented and respect ethos offered on the market. A wildlife photographer had his head and torso swallowed by a brydes whale off the coast of south africa and survived. Everyone holds their breath, hoping she will do it again. Sep 18, 2017 whale, whale, whale, what have we here. Guests staying at the whale coast allsuite hotel for 3 nights or longer gain the benefit of a complimentary shuttle that operates between the hotel and restaurants within the hermanus village. This south african holiday route hugs the coast through the most crowded parts of this giant whale nursery, where in season you can see up to 20 at play at a time.
Whale watching tours south africa best whale watching in. A guide to whale watching in south africa flight centre uk. Hermanus whale watching near cape town, gansbaai in south africa. Only a 2 hour drive from cape town transport options are available, dyer island cruises offers our guests the potential to see more marine wildlife in one trip, than anywhere else in the country. The best time for whale watching in south africa is from june until october, though whale watching season starts as early as may and lasts until november.
Whale watching south africa humpbacks, southern rights, bryde. But if you have booked a whale watching trip with us we would advise you to leave 2 hours before your whale watching trip departs just to give you 30 minutes extra travelling time just in case there might be delays with traffic etc. At least 37 species of whales and dolphins can be found in the waters off south africa. Whale watching tours south africa message board tripadvisor. With members and associates in all the main coastal regions of south africa we can create the perfect tour package for you. Both are bee level 1 companies and certified by fair trade in tourism. These majestic giants migrate to the south african waters. Hermanus whale watching in south africa, cape town near. Whale coast allsuite hotel, hermanus, south africa. Diver survives almost being swallowed by 15ton whale today show. Capetourism has a collection of photos of the whales and great white sharks in.
Whale watching south africa humpbacks, southern rights. The south coast of south africas western cape, now known as the whale route, offers great whale watching by boat and from land. The promenade lies quite high up therefore you look down onto the sea. The interpretation of contour lines on the trail map took a bit of explaining on the first days ascent of potberg. I was more than a little thankful to hear that only 16 permits have been issued allowing operators close to the whales, which means we intrude on these beautiful beasts as little as possible. You do not need to venture into the ocean to see the massive mammals. Rainer schimpf, 51, has worked as a dive tour operator in south africa for over 15 years. However, the kids were undeterred by the relatively steep path winding through the fynbos to the summit overlooking the breede river. Whale watching in hermanus with the table bay hotel.
They are the best on the coast if not is all sa with real commitment to conservation and protection and a marine biologist on every trip. Hermanus whale festival is celebrating the return of the migrating southern right whales during the only ecomarine festival in south africa. Wildlife safari and whale watching in south africa. Whale watching season in hermanus is june to late nov each year. And if that doesnt impress you, wait til you have a copy of getaway open in front of you unexpected holiday activities, offthebeatentrack routes, weekend getaways, adventure sport, wildlife and conservation. Showing you quality articles showme and getaway, africas finest travel magazine, bring you some of this magazines top notch content right here on our site.
Every year, southern right whales migrate from their icy feeding grounds off antarctica to warmer climates, reaching south africa in june. Free undercover parking is provided at the whale coast allsuite hotel, and cape town international airport is a 65 mi drive away. Whale watching is one of the major attractions of the western cape. We also boast one of the limited whale watching permits allocated country wide. The type of whale that comes to hermanus is the southern right whale, migrating from antarctica in june and remaining in the relatively warm waters of south africa until november or december. Every room at a whale of a time has a spectacular view over the whole of false bay and the accommodation is graded 3 stars by the tourism grading authority of south africa. Yes the big 5, table mountain, and a spectacular flower season, but this month we celebrate the whale season in south africa and the gentle giants of the sea as they grace our coastlines with their. Hermanus originally called hermanuspietersfontein, but shortened in 1902 as the name was too long for the postal service, is a town on the southern coast of the western cape province of south africa. Whales specifically can be watched from boats, cliffs and beaches. Whale watching in south africa the motorboat is hushed except for the chorus of wows. Every year, during south africas winter and spring months, hundreds of southern right whales make their way to its coast, congregating in the. The peak time, when daily sightings are virtually guaranteed, is during september and october.
South africa is one of the top 10 locations worldwide for whale watching, with exceptional land and boatbased whale viewing from cape town and the garden route to the wild coast, richards bay and st lucia make your way to south africas 2000km long whale coast for a privileged encounter with the largest mammals on earth. Theres no better place than south africa to witness the seas most awesome creatures in action, and its topnotch restaurants, hotels, and culture round out the experience. It can be taken as a standalone tour or added on to the end of one of our south african safaris. Whales and whale watching in hermanus, south africa cape whale coast. Contact us whale watching in south africa hermanus.
Book directly with us online to receive a free video of your trip. The whale route starts along the south of cape town and extends to durban, 1,200 plus miles of whale watching coastline. Whale watching in the western cape south africa travel news. A south african beach popular with christmas holidaymakers has been closed until the carcass of a beached whale is removed amid concerns its blood may attract sharks, the city of. The three types of whales that are most often spotted in south africa are the southern right whale, the humpback whale and the bryde whale. The apparent suicide game made news this week with claims that it was heading to south africa. Whale watching in south africa home brand south africa. South africa retains its position as the fifth fastestgrowing whale watching destination in the world. Southern right whales, humpback whales, orca and brydes whales can all be seen here between july and december. Amazing whales breaching in hermanus south africa youtube. If you want to go whalewatching, one of the best places right now is off the coast of. Mar 16, 2017 whales are swarming near south africa and no one knows why. Hermanus is undoubtedly the whale watching capital of the western cape, if not south africa. Hermanus whale watching best close encounters, purpose.
Taste local wines in the hemel en aarde valley, then visit sir. In south africa he finally got to see the creature that. Best time for whale watching in south africa rhino africa. Best whale watching in south africa hermanus yellow zebra.
Roughly 37 whale species is found in the waters of south africa. It is famous for southern right whale watching during the southern. Youll journey along 170 kilometers of african landscapes, past the false bay, bettys bay and houston. Ivanhoe sea safaris pioneered boatbased whale watching in south africa, we worked with respected scientists to set the regulations and rules of approach to ensure the. Humpbacks and brydes whales are mostly spotted offshore from boats, but by far the most commonly sighted species, either from land or from a boat, is the southern right whale. Feb 06, 2010 whale watching in south africa it was perhaps inevitable that jessamy calkins son would grow up with a fascination inspired by his name. South africa may be known for its big five, but the marine wildlife is just as impressive. Whale watching and marine big 5 tours in south africa.
You also have the wonderful bonus of definitely seeing a massive colony of cape fur seals and thousands of marine birds and very good chances of views of great white sharks, african penguins endangered. Spend some time gazing out to see over walker bay and youre sure to spot a whale or two. Combine two of south africa s top activities, whale watching and winetasting, in a single 9hour tour from cape town. Blue whale suicide game hits sas shores south africa news. Apartment a whale of a time, fish hoek, south africa. Mar 30, 2015 heres our list of top places to go whale watching in south africa, plus the best times of the year to guarantee the most satisfying sightings. Contact us ivanhoe sea safaris, south africa s oldest boat based whale watching and eco marine tour operator since 1996. In south africa, whale watching is a waiting game with penguins. Southern rights are so named because they were seen as the right whales to hunt in the past due to their slow movements and inability to dive for long periods of time. We share news and blog articles from across our various wildlife tours and marine big 5 adventures. Whale watching in south africa it was perhaps inevitable that jessamy calkins son would grow up with a fascination inspired by his name. The practice of whaling in south africa gained momentum at the start of the 19th century and ended in 1975.
Whale watching season, boat trips in hermanus, south africa. Dead whale closes popular south african beach amid shark. Experience the thrill and the wonder of whale watching along south africa s scenic coast during this whale and wine tasting tour to hermanus. Dec 24, 2015 a south african beach popular with christmas holidaymakers has been closed until the carcass of a beached whale is removed amid concerns its blood may attract sharks, the city of cape town said. The best time for whale watching in south africa is during our winter months from july to november. If you want to go whale watching, one of the best places right now is off the coast of south africa. By the mid1960s, south africa had depleted their population of fin whales, and subsequently those of sperm and sei whales, and had to resort to hunting the small and lessprofitable minke whale. Description of wildlife safari and whale watching in south africa this short south africa whale watching tour starts in johannesburg and includes flights to cape town and transfers as shown. South africa is one of the best destinations worldwide for watching marine wildlife, including whales, whether from land or from boats, with spectacular annual visits from southern right and humpback whales and enormous pods of dolphins yearround. Aug 26, 20 theres no better place than south africa to witness the seas most awesome creatures in action, and its topnotch restaurants, hotels, and culture round out the experience.
Oct 30, 2017 the best time for whale watching in south africa is from june until october, though whale watching season starts as early as may and lasts until november. Whale watching waters off the coast of southern africa run from false bay, south of cape town, up as far as st lucia in kwazulunatal on the east coast. I was spat out by a whale snapped in the wild youtube. Whales are swarming near south africa and no one knows why. South africa is the worlds fifth fastest growing whale watching destination. The route traverses several famous protected areas, including the garden route, tsitsikamma national park, and the transkei. Minke whales continued to be caught and brought to the durban whaling station from 1968. Every year, southern right whales take a vacation in cape waters, treating.
Although the southern right whale is the most prolific. If you want to experience south africa s incredible marine wildlife for yourself, dont hesitate to get in touch. Cape town whale watching south africa whale watching. Thousands of whalelovers arrive along the coast to witness these massive mammals birth and care for their newborn calves. Whale watching in hermanus, south africa is the place on the planet to whales up close. South africa is wellknown as one of the best destinations worldwide for watching whales. Is there any possibilities for whale watching around cape town area in march. Whalewatching waters off the coast of southern africa run from false. There are various self catering apartments offered, from single rooms to family suites and garden apartments. Id love to do some whale watching while there but i understand that march isnt a very good time for it. This is one of the whales most popular calving spots so you might even spot a whale baby too, with whales often coming within mere meters of the. Begin your journey in the midst of the stellenbosch winelands as you experience some of the finest wines the region has to offer. With landbased, boatbased and aerial whale watching options, south africa offers some of the most accessible and rewarding whale and dolphin watching opportunities in the world. Only 16 permits have been issued countrywide to ensure regulation of the industry and minimum intrusion on the whales who come to the warmer waters of the south to mate.
Your best whale watching as a day tourist is from the promenade in hermanus, one of the must see towns on your south africa trip. Travel to hermanus to see right whales off the coast or upgrade your tour with an optional whalewatching cruise. Best whale watching in south africa hermanus yellow. Hermanus has become one of the many small towns to visits when coming to south africa that sits along the garden.
Combine two of south africas top activities, whalewatching and winetasting, in a single 9hour tour from cape town. This unique occurrence makes south africa one of the best countries for whale watching in the world and each year draws the interest of local and international tourists as they flock to the cape coast in the hope of catching a glimpse of the marine giants. There are several good guides to whales, like whale watch. A guide to whales and other marine mammals of southern africa, by vic cockcroft and peter joyce struik, and whale watching in south africa, by peter best mammal research institute, university of pretoria.
130 175 803 1010 425 1380 1358 210 964 122 293 1480 949 461 1156 609 843 546 615 723 649 322 765 706 952 787 169 1331 1306 980