Best whale watching in south africa hermanus yellow. Some years the southern right whales have arrived as early as april but the usual time for them to start arriving is at the end of may. Hermanus is famous for boat based whale watching trips to see southern right whales in their natural environment and in a responsible manner. Trip costs are valid for the whale watching the season from june december.
Whale watching season in hermanus hermanus whales xplorio. As the whales are around during south africas winter, it can be cool and rainy at times. Shore whale watching day tour to hermanus the whale capital of sa from cape town. 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. Southern right whales have been reported to still be in hermanus as late as early january. While whale watching in hermanus is annually from june till december. For its scenic beauty alone, hermanus is one of south africas cape gems. With panoramic sea views, the beach cottage takes a front row seat on a private rocky beach a mere 30m from the crashing waves. The key to these code is on the sandwich board he wears.
Hermanus is the mecca for whale watching during the southern hemispheres winter months. Watch the worlds gentle giants of the deep frolic in waters of walker bay. Whale watching in south africa southern right charters. Whale watching boat trips hermanus walker bay adventures. The hermanus whale festival is a fitting way to mark the peak of the whale watching season at the end of september. The only ecomarine festival in the world hermanus whale festival is a celebration of the return of the southern right whales to the coastal waters of southern. It is also possible to see spinners and bottlenose dolphins around the island. There are three kinds of whales that can be spotted in the whale watching hotspot. Whale watching season in hermanus hermanus message board. The whale viewing during the months of july and august vary from year to year with regards to how many whales are. We provide the perfect viewing spot as the house is beach front property. To enquire or book a whale watching trip in hermanus please can you email us on.
Southern right whales come to visit hermanus shores to give birth or to find a mate every year between june and december. 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. 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. It depends on traveling time to the hermanus whales on that trip. Whether youre a wildlife enthusiast or just enjoying south africas natural wonders, we have something for you. Hermanus whale, dolphins, marine attractions marine. Hermanus is one of the most popular places for whale watching in south africa and rightfully so. 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. The peak whale watching season is september and october when cow and calf pairs are prolific and mating groups churn the sea with activity. They spend one season in one place and the rest of the year in another, and travel long distances inbetween these seasons. Is there any chance of seeing whales in hermanus at that time, or should we look for other activities elsewhere. Our hermanus whale season begins in june, annually and this year the humpback whales were ever present from the start, we probably had the most humpback whale sightings during the months of june and july than any other year of operation.
Whale watching season in hermanus offers a spectacular experience for all visitors. Hermanus whale view beach house houses for rent in. Do not pitch up at the offices and expect to get a booking on the boat to go whale watching. Jul 22, 20 hermanus in the western cape during the whale season. Hermanus is one of the best places in the world for whale watching. Tooting the title of one of the best landbased whale watching spots in the world, our favourite contender is undoubtedly the sensational tiny town of hermanus, just 2 hours away from cape town.
Hermanus whale watching everything you need to know. Xplora tours, hermanus shark cage diving whale watching. Hermanus has the first whale crier in the world who is not only a major attraction but keeps visitors informed as to where the whales can be seen when he does his rounds every day. Hermanus whale festival is celebrating the return of the migrating southern. Below are the most popular spots to go whale watching. The whale viewing during the months of july and august vary from year to year with regards to how many whales are present in walker bay and along the coast. With southern right whale sightings rising over the last three years, and individual numbers rising drastically over the last year, this season is almost certain to deliver once again. Cape whale coast tourism and our information offices in kleinmond, hermanus, stanford. If you read the other comments, there seems to be a complete disconnect concerning visiting hermanus, at least at the cliffs. Oct 22, 2014 last days of whale watching in hermanus for 2012 duration. The second option for whale watching in south africa is being based in cape town rather than hermanus and taking a fullday whale watching tour to hermanus and back to cape town. To take advantage of this optimal part of the season there is the muchanticipated hermanus whale watching festival that takes place every year. Hermanus has been recognized by the wwf world wildlife fund as one of the 12 best whale watching destinations in the world. There are a host of other whale watching tours and whale watching operators based in hermanus where you can inquire about the best ways to experience whale season in the town.
Whale watching and marine wildlife tours dyer island cruises. Located on the seafront in hermanus, one marine drive boutique hotel features a sun terrace with heated outdoor pool. Hermanus is the whale watching capital of south africa where every year between august to november an estimated 100 southern right whales will gather in the towns walker bay. From what ive read, the whale watching season in hermanus runs until december. Whale watching is superb in the winter months when hundreds of magnificent southern right whales migrate to the southern and western stretches of south africas coastline to mate and calve.
The tours are operated from the new harbour in hermanus and departs 3 to 4 times daily depending on the time of year and. Oct 30, 2017 hermanus is one of the most popular places for whale watching in south africa and rightfully so. Coastline at hermanus in the western cape of south africa, famed for whale watching. Hermanus whale watching best close encounters, purpose.
The beaches here are gorgeous, and its only 90 minutes from cape town. Cape whale coastwhale watching on the cape whale coast. The best months to see whales in hermanus during the whale season is between july to november. Download the hermanus whale festival application 2020 forms below. Hermanus whales stock photos download 222 royalty free. These trips are highly popular and can fill up very quickly. Brush up on your lingo, and watch several different types of whales showing off their breaching, fluking, lobtailing, logging, spouting and spyhopping. 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.
If you happen to be here during the whale season, there is one character you are bound to meet. Southern right charters offers boatbased whale watching tours from the new harbour in hermanus. Whales and whale watching in hermanus, south africa cape. Hermanus in south africa is considered to be the worlds premier site for watching whales and the many people who flock there during the whale season of june to late november, look forward to catching sight of these intelligent creatures playing in the water. Whale watching in hermanus prices, rates and specials of the hermanus whale watchers. Southern right charters the whale shack, whale road, new harbour. Hermanus is most famous for becoming a whale wonderland each year as the bay literally teems with tons of whales from june to november. Is there any chance of seeing whales in hermanus at that time, or should we look for other. Located in hermanus, 7 on marine is a only a few steps away from the seafront. Download 222 hermanus whales stock photos for free or amazingly low rates. Best time for whale watching in south africa rhino africa. A whale of a season as southern right numbers rise. Hermanus is known and recognised by the worldwide fund for nature as among the best whale watching destinations in the world.
The best months are august to october, with the hermanus whale festival taking place in late september or early october. The promenade lies quite high up therefore you look down onto the sea. Hermanus on the south coast of south africa is one of the best whalewatching destinations in the world. The hermanus whale season whale watching hermanus 2019. It is small wonder that hermanus is considered the worlds best destination for landbased whale. 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. Whalefestival sep 2020, hermanus whale festival, hermanus. 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. Hermanus whale season whale watching hermanus 2019. Help us keep the hermanus whale festival clean and green. The peak whale season runs from june to mid december, annually. Wherewhale watching in walker bay, hermanus and surrounds, walker bay, cape whale coast, western cape, south africa. Tourists watching on boat a southern right whale at hermanus in south africa.
You will also have the privilege of coming across dolphins, seals, penguins, bird life and lots more marine life. The best way to see them if they are still around would be the air. Whenbest during daylight hours in whale watching season usually august to october overnightstay in hermanus accommodation, western cape. Whale watching in cape town cape town arguably has some of the best whale watching in the world.
The hermanus whale season when is the hermanus whale season. Southern right charters whale watching 36,749 views. The sound of his kelp horn has become a characteristic of the charm of this seaside resort during the whale season, call 0283122629 for whale info. Whale watching season in hermanus is june to late nov each year. Unfortunately our hermanus whale watching was cancelled due to poor weather. To alert onlookers, a whale crier sounds his kelp horn when he spots whales off the hermanus coastline. The exact date all depends when the star performers arrive and depart. Blog whale watching season in south africa hotspots2c.
The whaling season in south africa is a unique opportunity to witness these gentle giants in their natural environment from land, sea or air. Jun 07, 2018 recently the hermanus whales facebook page shared a video of the first two southern right whales making an appearance in the popular bay. Some years the southern right whales have arrived as early as april. Whale watching season in hermanus hermanus forum tripadvisor. The boatbased whale watching trip is not capped and is from 1hr 30m 3hrs maximum. 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. However i was very impressed with the operator, southern right charters, who informed us at 08h00 of the cancellation and i was contacted within a couple of hours by viator to offer me a reschedule or a refund. The curious humpback whale can be seen between may to december, moving up along the coast from hermanus to st lucia in kwazulunatal. Whale watching season, boat trips in hermanus, south africa. The mediumsized brydes whale can be spotted all year round, and while rare, orcas can also be seen. Whale watching in hermanus, south africa is the place on the planet to whales up close. August and september humpback whales walvis bay, namibia. Hermanus tourism hermanus accommodation hermanus bed and breakfast hermanus holiday rentals hermanus holiday packages hermanus flights. 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.
The famous cliff paths of hermanus also offer an excellent vantage point to view the whales. Hermanus becomes a hive of activity with hustle and bustle every year during the last week of september, which is the official whale festival week. Gearings point is great too, but like any popular spot, these two can get pretty crowded. 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. The only town in the world that has a whale crier, hermanus has someone on duty throughout whale season to sound a call when whales are in the bay. Probably the two most distinct whale activities of hermanus is their fulltime whale crier the only one in the world, who walks the length of hermanus to announce where the whales are being spotted at that moment, and their annual whale festival that. Pair that with the unparalleled surrounding natural beauty of this scenic, special country and you have an unforgettable experience lined up.
Whale watching season, boat trips in hermanus, south. Its all about the whales here, so much so, hermanus hosts an annual 3day whale. Every single one of my clients have commented on how clean it is. 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. A typical whale watching trip in season, we search for the gentle giants of the sea, the southern right whales. The travel experience of visiting hermanus during whale. Ecotourism is the main theme of the hermanus whale festival with the ecomarine village. The 10 best hotels near whale watching in hermanus, south africa. All 3 featured properties fully equipped and furnished are located in a secure beach front estate only 3km from hermanus central. Tours from whale watching hermanus tend to sell out travelers recommend booking in advance. Hermanus is widely considered the best place in the world to see whales from the shore. Residents and visitors celebrate the migration of southern right whales and other marine wildlife with oceanthemed activities and exhibitions. As mzansis capital of whale spotting, hermanus offers residents and visitors alike a number of vantage points to spot these deep sea divers. Whale watching in this region is predominantly by boat and with the right permit, visitors can even get to swim with the sperm whales.
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. Whale watching in hermanus hermanus whales xplorio. As one of the worlds best spots to see whales, hermanus is a must for cetacean enthusiasts. And once youre there, youll need somewhere to watch the whales from. September and october is the peak season for southern right whale watching.
Well typically the whale season in hermanus is between june and december every year. Download the applicable application from the website or click on the link here. The 12 km cliff path follows the shore with many benches on. Boat trips daily, weather permitting southern right charters boat based whale. Hermanus whale view beach front house self catering. And whale sightings are pretty much guaranteed, as the whale crier of hermanus is often on the paths himself, blowing keenly on his kelp horn to alert everyone to the presence of whales. The whales are swimming into hermanus right on schedule. They will furnish you with the details of the very experienced pilot evan austin who does whale watching trips from the air. Whale watching in hermanus this season harbour house. Whale watching hermanus offers amazing boat based whale. Whale watching hermanus what you need to know before you go. I am a tour guide and take tourists all over the western and northern cape. Hermanus whale festival is celebrating the return of the migrating southern right whales during the only ecomarine festival in south africa. Hermanus whale season 2019 southern right charters.
It offers some of the best watching in the world, both from the shore and from the water. The town even has the hermanus whale festival which takes place annually around the end of septemberbeginning of october. It has been recorded that walker bay has played host to over 100 whales at a time. A whale watching destination, hermanus offers prime viewing points for observing these giants of the deep from the shore. They can be seen splashing around in the foamy ocean, bring much joy and hope for another successful season. Generally the whale season ends by 15 december 2018. 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. Hermanus whale watching season runs from june to december however, these are wild animals and should the whales change their migration schedule arrive early and leave later we will adjust our schedule accordingly. Southern right whales have been reported to still be in hermanus. A whale is often seen lobtailing along the coastline of south africa. Whale watching in south africa travel guide audley travel. Big 5 sea safaris gansbaai to dyer island hermanus. Contact us whale watching in south africa hermanus. Whale watching hermanus 2020 all you need to know before.
The whale town of hermanus is thrilled to have the southern right whales return back to our shores. Hermanus whale watching download this royalty free stock photo in seconds. But if you have booked a whale watching trip with us we would advise you to leave 2 hours before your whale. We are so sorry that you missed your whale watching trip as you had a flight to catch from cape town as the boat was running late and this resulted in you not being able to go on your whale watching trip. From fine dining to takeaways, enjoy your meal with a view and cheers your glass of local sa wine. These markings enable whale experts to individually identify the whales. Music, art and food festivities are also part of the program. Hermanus has a funny way of getting under your skin. Hermanus in the western cape during the whale season. Depending on the time of the season you may also see migrating humpback whales or the resident brydes whales. When is the hermanus whale watching season june to december of every year september and october is the peak season for southern right whale watching. Whale sightings during the months of july and august vary each year. We would advise you to book your whale watching trip in gansbaai way in advance.
With over 12kms worth of coastal hiking trails, elevated hills and quaint seaside restaurants, hermanus offers an unparalleled whale watching. The whale crier walks through the streets of hermanus blowing codes on his kelp horn to tell people where whales have been seen. The southern right whales made a slower than usual arrival and we had our first sighting on the 14th june 2019. Hermanus whale watching south africa lonely planet forum. Whale watching in december hermanus forum tripadvisor. The high cliffs of the western cape provide an ideal vantage point for the seasonal whale watching of southern right whales and the seaside town of hermanus holds its annual whale festival in september in celebration of all things cetacean.
Whale watching in gansbaai faqs boat trips hermanus. The whales have arrived in south africa, which means that the beautifully quaint town of hermanus in the overberg will morph into the whale watching mecca of the world and we couldnt be more excited. Last days of whale watching in hermanus for 2012 youtube. The whale watching season runs from june till early december. However, if you are looking to whale watch in hermanus during season september to november, you can easily spot whales from cliff path. While sunbathing at a local beach, i can sometimes spot up to five or six whales, just behind the last set of waves, says a hermanus tourism representative. The whale crier walks about from 10am to 4pm every day in whale season and. Did you see the whales in table bay from a boat on the water or from the shore. Whale watching and marine wildlife tours at dyer island cruises, we pride ourselves on being able to cater to every taste and every age. As you enter gansbaai on the r43 from hermanus, at the second four way stop turn right into voortrekker street.
Cape whale coast tourism closed until 16 april 2020 due to covid19. If you have limited time in south africacape town this is the best option. Oct 18, 2017 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. From june to december every year, southern right whales congregate here to deliver one of natures most remarkable spectacles. Whale watching in south africa home brand south africa. To see migratory southern right or humpback whales, visit between june and october. In fact, there is a whale crier during the whale season in hermanus, alerting visitors to watch the ocean waters as they come alive with different whale species. Whale watching in walker bay in hermanus, western cape. Southern right whales start arriving in walker bay from june and may even remain until december. Southern right whales migrate to the bay and use their time here to mate and calve. Hermanus hosts an annual whale festival at the end of september, to celebrate the calving and mating season. Hermanus has been recognized as one of twelve best whale watching destinations in the world, renowned for its landbased whale watching around walker bay a favorite breeding ground for the southern right whale. Compilation of footage taken during the 2017 whale season in hermanus, south africa. Hermanus is a pretty coastal town on the indian ocean and surrounded by mountains.
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