Hermanus whale watching south africa lonely planet forum. During the season from july to november whale sightings are guaranteed. It depends on traveling time to the hermanus whales on that trip. Hermanus whale watching whale route tour shark zone.
It is a favourite 365 day a year holiday destination offering tourists and locals. Hermanus has a funny way of getting under your skin. We pick you up at your cape town hotel early in the morning and drive along the scenic false bay coast to hermanus. The peak whale season runs from june to mid december, annually. Hermanus is one of the best places in the world for whale watching. It is a tribute to the legacy left to the town by wendy the whale whose story is about mans ability to live in harmony with nature as well as peoples ability to come together as communities valuing the. So what might have otherwise just been a small fishing village is today a large, bustling town with an excellent range of accommodation. Southern right whale watching season is early june to late november each year hermanus is regarded by wwf and greenpeace as being one of the worlds best locations to watch whales, it holds the annual week long whale festival at the end of september early october which attracts over 150,000 eager whale watchers.
Dyer island crusies also visits the 60,000 strong cape fur seal colony of geyser rock, the great white sharks in the shallows, and the african penguin colony of dyer island so it is much more than just whale watching. 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. Both flights include an exhilarating beach flight, wrecks, whales, sharks, dolphins and. Hermanus whale view beach house takes a front row seat on a breath taking private rocky beach a mere 30m from the crashing waves in hermanus, cape town, south africa. Brydes whales great white sharks dolphins seals penguins bird life extra bonus. Hermanus, situated between magic mountains and serene seas. This coastal village doesnt only offer superb whale watching from the cliffs or if you not adverse of going to sea, there is also boatbased whale watching, but other natural attractions too such as mountain walks and bird watching. The peak time, when daily sightings are virtually guaranteed, is during september and october.
Xplora tours, hermanus, western cape, south africa sharks, whales, wine tours, explorations, safaris, vacations and african adventures 0027 0 72 062 8500 whatsapp 0027720628500. Visitors from all over the world descend to this attractive former fishing village to see the famous southern right whales that come here every year to mate and calve. On arrival we are treated to a spectacular hermanus winters day blue sky, warm weather and calm seas. From june to december every year, southern right whales congregate here to deliver one of natures most remarkable spectacles. A hermanus whale watching tour is a definite mustdo. I have walked on the cliff paths in hermanus many times, more than 20 at least. The towns mountainous backdrop declines steeply to a rugged shoreline, characterised by deep bays alternating with stark white beaches with names like onrus. Hermanus whale watching and whales in hermanus whales. Ecotourism is the main theme of the hermanus whale festival with the ecomarine village. The whale watching season runs from june till early december. On a recent visit i didnt see any security and i just didnt feel 100% safe so i headed back into town. The quaint coastal town of hermanus, is said to be the worlds best land based whale watching spot.
The 10 best hotels near whale watching in hermanus, south africa. In summer december through may, they are in the cold polar regions of the southern hemisphere where food mainly krill is present and plentiful. It is famous for southern right whale watching during the southern winter to spring seasons, and is a popular retirement location, too. Whale watching season, boat trips in hermanus, south africa. Hermanus is regarded as the whale watching capital of south africa and there are few better ways to see these gentle giants in their natural environment than on a boat based whale watching trip. Whale watching season in hermanus hermanus whales xplorio. July to november is the whale watching season in hermanus. Hermanus in south africa is a region blessed with natural beauty, unique wildlife and geological awe, making it no surprise that this is arguably the best whale watching spot in the world and it lies just 90 minutes from cape town international.
It forms the centre of the cape whale route and is surrounded by nature reserves. Sixteen boxing clubs battle it out in the stranddate. 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. For getting all my travel updates please subscribe. From what ive read, the whale watching season in hermanus runs until december. Just a 2 hour drive from cape town to the whale capital of. The exact date all depends when the star performers arrive and depart.
Hermanus shallow, sandy coves and warmer, calmer waters provide whales with the ideal environment. Depending on the time of year keep an eye out for humpback, brydes, and southern right whales, as well as dolphins and seals. Although the southern right whale is the most prolific. The peak whale watching season is september and october when cow and calf pairs are prolific and mating groups churn the sea with activity. Hermanus whale watching southern right whales humpback. Both flights include an exhilarating beach flight, wrecks, whales, sharks, dolphins and sights that will take your breath away. Did you see the whales in table bay from a boat on the water or from the shore. Whale sightings during the months of july and august vary each year. Not only is the large population of whales and sharks unparalleled elsewhere, but the locations are so accessible and in close proximity to land, that you are virtually guaranteed to witness numerous animals. The tours are operated from the new harbour in hermanus and departs 3 to 4 times daily depending on the time of year and. Hermanus is an awesome seaside resort in walker bay one hour from cape town which offers the best whale viewing from land in the world. The best time to enjoy whale watching in hermanus is between july and november either from land, by boat or from the air via a scenic flight.
If you read the other comments, there seems to be a complete disconnect concerning visiting hermanus, at least at the cliffs. Located on the seafront in hermanus, one marine drive boutique hotel features a sun terrace with heated outdoor pool. I prefer the quieter side of the village, where i can linger over coffee, and wait for calls of the official whale crier telling me that the season for sightings has begun. Jul 01, 2018 hermanus is a small town on the coast of the western cape province of south africa, but during whale season, it becomes the whale spotting capital of the country. Maximize your chances of seeing whales with this boat tour from hermanus. I hope this helps you a bit my bottom line advice is to go to hermanus and enjoy it its at its best outside of the whale season because there are less crowds. Last days of whale watching in hermanus for 2012 duration. Learn about the magnificent mammals from a whale specialist as you head out onto the water. Watch the worlds gentle giants of the deep frolic in waters of walker bay. Check out march is the offseason, but we can still find brydes whales in the bay. Hermanus whale watching near cape town, gansbaai in south. Hermanus in south africa is without a shadow of a doubt, the best and most productive destination for experiencing great white sharks and whales at close quarters anywhere in the world.
Whale watching season, boat trips in hermanus, south. Hermanus whale watching in south africa go4travel blog. Each year between june and november, a good number of the 10,000 migratory southern right whales in the southern hemisphere come up from the polar regions of the planet to mate and calve and dance in the waves off the south african coastline. I will be in south africa in early january and really want to see some whales, but i dont want to spend a lot of time in hermanus if there are no whales. Dec 04, 2012 with the whale watching season for 2012 days away from drawing to a close, southern right charters would like to share this video with you and thank everyone for their support and for all the.
Hermanus is the mecca for whale watching during the southern hemispheres winter months. Southern right whales migrate to the bay and use their time here to mate and calve. Hermanus is a whale watching beach, you can see lot of whales in the particular season. From hermanus to the southern tip of africa 210km1hrs or from hermanus around the cape peninsula and table mountain 330km 2hrs. To alert onlookers, a whale crier sounds his kelp horn when he spots whales off the hermanus coastline. Travel through to gansbaai from hermanus about a 30 minute drive and take a boat trip to dyer island youll see many things including the great white shark. Whale watching season in hermanus hermanus message board. Welcome to the official hermanus tourism website that provides information so you can plan the holiday of your dreams in hermanus, heart of the cape whale coast. The whale viewing during the months of july and august vary from year to year with regards to how many whales are. They spend one season in one place and the rest of the year in another, and travel long distances inbetween these seasons. With panoramic sea views, the beach cottage takes a front row seat on a private rocky beach a mere 30m from the crashing waves. In summer december through may, they are in the cold polar regions of the southern hemisphere where food mainly krill. The 10 best hotels near whale watching in hermanus, south.
I have never known if it is the laid back atmosphere of a seaside town, the claimed most oxygenated air in the world or the proximity of spectacular nature so close to you at all times all i know is that it is a special place. This is the ultimate excursion, filled with the pleasure of wine and the adrenaline and beauty of whales. Children r600pp under 12 children free under 3 enquire for discount rates for groups of 10 or more. Hermanus whale festival is celebrating the return of the migrating southern right whales during the only ecomarine festival in south africa. These massive creatures can be viewed from the shore, from boats or even planes. Hermanus whale view beach front house self catering. To take advantage of this optimal part of the season there is the muchanticipated hermanus whale watching festival that takes place every year. Whale watching, boat trips, tours, transfers and many adventures in hermanus, south africa. The best months to see whales in hermanus during the whale season is between july to november.
You might spot one or two but not easily but there is a lot of other magnificent marine life to be seen. Whale watching season in hermanus hermanus forum tripadvisor. The whale watchers in hermanus is a boatbased whale watching company offering an exhilarating, upclose and personal encounter with southern right whales in their natural environment. 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. Hermanus whale watching and whales in hermanus whales and. Hermanus on the south coast of south africa is one of the best whalewatching destinations in the world. Southern right whales start arriving in walker bay from june and may even remain until december.
Wedged between the mountain and the sea, the quaint hamlet of hermanus has been rated by the world wildlife fund wwf as one of the twelve best whale watching locations in the world, and it is often regarded as the heart of the whale route. Greater hermanus is situated only 90 minutes drive from cape town on the southern coast of the western cape along the cape whale coast route. The best way to see them if they are still around would be the air. Ein erlebnistag in hermanus mit dem hermanus whale cruises team. It has been recorded that walker bay has played host to over 100 whales at a time. Hermanus whale watching is renowned for the most prolific whale viewing experience in the world. Enjoy the most spectacular coastline in the world from air. So i thought no better a time to drive up the coast from cape town less than 120 kms in search of some rest and relaxation. These majestic giants migrate to the south african waters. Hermanus in the western cape during the whale season. Located in hermanus, 7 on marine is a only a few steps away from the seafront.
Sixteen amateur boxing clubs from six municipal districts within the western cape were battling for the honour of being amongst. Hermanus has been recognized by the wwf world wildlife fund as one of the 12 best whale watching destinations in the world. I am a tour guide and take tourists all over the western and northern cape. Hermanus is a small town on the coast of the western cape province of south africa, but during whale season, it becomes the whalespotting capital of the country. Last days of whale watching in hermanus for 2012 youtube. We depart gansbaai harbor and head toward dyer island where there are 60 000 cape fur seals and this is the hunting grounds for the great white sharksapex predator we will hang around shark alley near dyer island, where you will watch the cape fur seals run a gauntlet to. Whale watching is one of the major attractions of the western cape.
Whale watching in hermanus hermanus whales xplorio. From june to december, the bay becomes the swimming grounds for a large number of southern right whales. For its scenic beauty alone, hermanus is one of south africas cape gems. Whale watching gansbaai book a gansbaai whale watching trip for r1200pp. The quaint coastal town of hermanus has become synonymous with whale watching, given its sheltered coves in which these marine mammals come to mate and calve. They will furnish you with the details of the very experienced pilot evan austin who does whale watching trips from the air. Aerial whale watching walker bay hermanus walker bay. 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. The whale watching boat trip will take about two hours. Hermanus, known as the best landbased whale watching destination in the world, plays host to thousands of visitors 2012 we welcomed over 100 000 visitors who flock to the seaside resort to exhilarate in the unique natural environment, watch the whales and revel in music, enjoy great food and enjoy the many activities available during the. The annual hermanus whale festival is a celebration to the return of the southern right whales to the coastal waters of southern africa. Hermanus hosts an annual hermanus whale festival at the end of september, to celebrate the calving and mating season. Hermanus in south africa is a region blessed with natural beauty, unique wildlife and geological awe, making it no surprise that this is arguably the best whale watching spot in the world and it lies just 90 minutes from cape town international each year, southern right whales migrate from their feeding grounds in the arctic to the warmer waters of the cape coast to mate, calve and put on a. The hermanus whale crier plays his kelp horn to signal a southern right whale sighting.
Hermanus whale watching south africa lonely planet. Hermanus whale view beach house is located in hermanus, 1. Apartment hermanus whale view beach house, south africa. Hermanus is generally considered the best landbased whalewatching destination in the world. Hermanus comes alive from june to december with the arrival of the whales in walker bay. A cliff path stretching from one side of the town to the other, hugs the coastline for about 12 km giving whale watchers unlimited opportunities to study the gentle giants sometimes within 20m in the coves below or lolling just beyond the breakers. Whale watching boat trips hermanus walker bay adventures.
Xplora tours, hermanus shark cage diving whale watching. Hermanus whale festival whale festival of hermanus. With the whale watching season for 2012 days away from drawing to a close, southern right charters would like to share this video with you and thank everyone for their support and for all the. 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. There is usually security on the sections nearer the town. Whale watching in december hermanus forum tripadvisor. The apartment is in an area where guests can engage in activities such as fishing and hiking.
Whale watching in hermanus is an unforgettable experience, so make sure to book your tour with shark zone today. The boatbased whale watching trip is not capped and is from 1hr 30m 3hrs maximum. All 3 featured properties fully equipped and furnished are located in a secure beach front estate only 3km from hermanus central. Also a huge plea to those who like to come to hermanus to watch whales the whales are being seriously threatened by japanese.
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