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. Whale watching in south africa it was perhaps inevitable that jessamy calkins son would grow up with a fascination inspired by his name. Relish the rich natural beauty and diversity that south africa has to offer, and enjoy the finest marine viewing experiences. The best time for watching the southern right whale in south african waters is from june to november along the cape south coast, although some will already be as far north as kwazulunatal.
Dolphins are found the year round and dolphin watching tours and charters are available in most coastal areas. Brydes whales can be seen off the south african coast year round, albeit further out. 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. Taste local wines in the hemel en aarde valley, then visit sir. Dead whale closes popular south african beach amid shark. Get upcloseandpersonal to marine mammals in their natural environment experience the thrill of watching humpback whales lobtailing, southern right whales breaching, dolphins jumping and seals playing, and be awed by greatwhite sharks. The annual hermanus whale watching season is upon us again.
Best time for whale watching in south africa rhino africa. 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. Humpbacks migrate through the region between may and december each year. There isnt a better time for whale watching in south africa than right now because the southern right whale is busy congregating just off the countrys coastline. Spend some time gazing out to see over walker bay and youre sure to spot a whale or two. A whale is often seen lobtailing along the coastline 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. Peak calving season, and therefore viewing season, is during july and august. Whale watching in south africa will leave you in awe videos by ph september 12, 2017, 11. Whale watching in south africa cape whale coast youtube. We also boast one of the limited whale watching permits allocated country wide. At least 37 species of whales and dolphins can be found in the waters off south africa.
It is famous for southern right whale watching during the southern winter to spring seasons, and is a popular retirement location, too. Whale watching south africa humpbacks, southern rights. Brush up on your lingo, and watch several different types of whales showing off their breaching. We went to see the whales at the peak of south africas whale season. 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. The centre of south african whale watching is hermanus at the walker bay, 100 kilometers east of cape town. The animals, often mere metres from the shore, provide unsurpassed whale watching opportunities between june and november. 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. South africa whale watching tour and african safari zicasso. 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. The best time to go whale watching in south africa. Hermanus has a glorious coastline and stunning scenery.
Numerous whalewatching trips depart the harbor every few hours in season. Hermanus is undoubtedly the whale watching capital of the western cape, if not south africa. Everything you need to know about whale watching in south. Dolphin species to be found in south africa include bottlenose, humpback, common and dusky dolphins see whales and dolphins of south africa.
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. Enjoy this video, which serves as a stark reminder of how winter in south africa still beats even a summers day in london. Whales and whale watching in hermanus, south africa cape. Whale watching in south africa will leave you in awe. 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.
South african whalewatching territory runs from coast to coast, with the denser numbers of southern rights breeding in the sheltered bays of the western cape. It hosts an annual whale festival to celebrate the returning of the southern right whales to this bay during the calving and mating season. 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. South africa is the worlds fifth fastest growing whale watching destination. South africas whale season is starting to take off and soon along the west coast you will spot whale pods as they wow spectators with their formidable presence mere metres off the coastline.
Ivanhoe sea safaris is universally regarded as the leading boatbased whale watching company in south africa, near hermanus and operate from gansbaai harbour. The route traverses several famous protected areas, including the garden route, tsitsikamma national park, and the transkei. Book directly with us online to receive a free video of your trip. Hermanus has been recognized by the wwf world wildlife fund as one of the 12 best whale watching destinations in the world. A guide to whale watching in south africa flight centre uk. Just a 2 hour drive from cape town to the whale capital of the world hermanus, launching from gansbaai. 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. If you want to experience south africas incredible marine wildlife for yourself, dont hesitate to get in touch. The best time for watching the southern right whale along the cape south coast is between june to november, with peak calving season in july and august. We specialize in boat based whale watching and we pride ourselves in offering a uniquely personalized service to all our clients. Whale watching season, boat trips in hermanus, south africa. The curious humpback whale can be seen between may to december, moving up along the coast from hermanus to st lucia in kwazulunatal.
The coming of the whales to the western capes southern coastline, also known as the cape whale coast, every year between june and november, not only creates a stir, but brings to our shores a large, intelligent and remarkable giant of the sea and the only mammal to have adapted to life in the open oceans. Where to whale watch in south africa fodors travel guide. 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. Each year southern right whales migrate into the coastal waters of the western cape to calve and nurse their young. Here is the best time to go whale watching in south africa for each of the different whale species. Capetourism has a collection of photos of the whales and great white sharks in false bay, cape town, south africa.
As they usually get close to the coasts, seeing them from the mainland is possible in several places, making the western cape of south africa one of the best places in the world for mainland whale watching. They arrive off the coast of south africa in june and remain until november, where they mate, calve and frolic to the delight of many visitors who come especially to see these giants of the ocean. Whales and dolphins of south africa join a whale and dolphin watching tour with oceans africa whales and dolphins cetacea can be divided into two major groups or suborders. Oct 24th, 2017 dolphins, photo blog, sightings, whales. 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. Hermanus whale watching in south africa, cape town near. Travel to hermanus to see right whales off the coast or upgrade your tour with an optional whalewatching cruise. We share news and blog articles from across our various wildlife tours and marine big 5 adventures.
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. Baleen whales mysticetes are distinctive for having two blowholes and whalebone baleen plates hanging from the roof of the mouth to filter food. Cape town whale watching south africa whale watching. Theres no better place than south africa to witness the. Whale watching south africa south africa travel news. The whale route starts along the south of cape town and extends to durban, 1,200 plus miles of whale watching coastline. 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 and marine wildlife tours dyer island cruises. Everyone holds their breath, hoping she will do it again. Peak calving season is july and august, but whales can be seen through september and october. The practice of whaling in south africa gained momentum at the start of the 19th century and ended in 1975.
Whale watching in the western cape south africa travel news. 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. Combine two of south africas top activities, whalewatching and winetasting, in a single 9hour tour from cape town. Season the peak whale watching season along the south african coast is from july through october when the southern right whale is resident along the cape south coast and humpback whales frequent the waters off the elephant coast in kawzulu natal.
Whale watching tours south africa best whale watching in. South africa is one of the best places in the world for whale watching whilst our waters are home to a wealth of resident dolphins, porpoises and whales all year round it is the annual migration of the humpback, brydes and southern right whale in particular, between june and november, that allows us to boast exceptional landbased, and boatbased, whale watching in south africa. They are also the most vocal of all whales and if you dive in south africa during the winter months you may well hear the haunting songs of the humpback whale, although the animals themselves can be several kilometers away. Exploring whale coast, south africa road trips across the world. 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. Whale watching season in hermanus is june to late nov each year. Whale watching season is early june to early december in hermanus, south africa. Outside of whale season there is still a lot to be seen on any marine tour. Whale watching in south africa home brand south africa.
Whale watching in south africa the motorboat is hushed except for the chorus of wows. Whale watching in hermanus, south africa is the place on the planet to whales up close. Peak calving season is july and august, but whales can still be seen through september and october. Hermanus is a town on the southern coast of the western cape province of south africa, famous for southern right whale watching during the southern winter and spring. Many years ago, the cape, much like many other coastal cities and towns around the world, was a big part of the whaling industry. Whale watching and marine big 5 tours in south africa. During whale season is the ideal time to explore the south african coasts, taking in its spectacular views and quaint little towns, and witness the migration of the humpback, brydes and southern right whales.
This is one of the whales most popular calving spots so you might. Hermanus whale watching best close encounters, purpose. 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. Thousands of whalelovers arrive along the coast to witness these massive mammals birth and care for their newborn calves. The whale viewing during the months of july and august vary from year to year with regards to how many. Take a look at our photoblog of some of our latest sightings from southern right charters. 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. From may to november, pods of whales migrate to warmer waters to mate, calve and rear their young. Whale watching in hermanus with the table bay hotel. In fact, some parts of southern africa are considered to be the best in the world for landbased whale spotting.
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