Whale Watching in Hermanus

Cape Town and nearby Hermanus, in South Africa, have some of the best land-based whale watching in the world.

All nine of the great whale species found in the Southern Hemisphere come past South Africa's shores. The most commonly seen whale in Cape Town, South Africa is the southern right whale. It is named the "right" whale because it was the best whale to hunt. Fortunately these whales are now protected from whaling, but they are still in danger from pollution and ships.

The right whales are the most endangered of all the great whale species.

Whales come close to the coast of Cape Town, South Africa, to mate and nurse their young. It is usual to see females and their babies. They stay in sheltered bays for periods of three months or more. The females do not eat at all while they are nursing.

An adult southern right whale can be up to 15.5 metres long and weigh up to 60 tons. Blue whales are known to have reached 30 metres!

You can see whales around Cape Town, South Africa, at any time from June until December. The best time to see whales is from August to October (Spring in South Africa).

If you are lucky you might see whales "breaching", when they push themselves out of the water and land with a giant splash.

Whale watching Links

Hermanus, just outside of Cape Town, South Africa, is home to more than 150 southern right whales who come there from July to December every year.

Cetacea.org has good information on all whale species, as well as dolphins and porpoises.

The Ocean Alliance is an attractive site about whale conservation. Read about southern right whales on this page.