South Africa · WHALE WATCHING IN HERMANUS

Whale Watching in Hermanus: Our 15, in Order

22 tours  ·  from $52

Distances here are long and a wasted day is expensive. These 15 whale watching in Hermanus are priced and timed so the choice takes a few minutes rather than an evening.

Hermanus: Boat Based Whale Watching Experience - The boat ride across Walker Bay
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Hermanus: Boat Based Whale Watching Experience

1.Boat Based Whale Watching Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,180 reviews · 1h 30m · from $93Our pick

Board at Hermanus New Harbour for a 90-minute whale-watching trip with an English-speaking guide, safety briefing, and ocean wildlife viewing. The crew may spot southern right whales, dolphins, seals, and seabirds. You can use the upper deck in good conditions, and the boat stops with engines off near whales.

“A great trip out seeing the whales. 2 hours was the perfect amount of time, and we managed to catch many breaching whales at sunset too. Would highly recommend!”

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Hermanus: Whale and Dolphin Watching Boat Trip - Searching for southern right whales
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Hermanus: Whale and Dolphin Watching Boat Trip

2.Whale and Dolphin Watching Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 807 reviews · 2 hours · from $98

From Hermanus New Harbour, you’ll join Southern Right Charters for a two-hour catamaran cruise with an English-speaking whale specialist. Expect seasonal southern right and humpback whales, year-round Bryde’s whales and dolphins, light refreshments, and wide viewing areas. Guides including Ken, Jacques, and David have led past trips, with optional drone footage available to buy.

“Very well organised. They offered us coffee, tea, and cupcakes before the tour. Unfortunately, we didn’t see a whale, but since it was the last day of the season, that was understandable. Still, we had an amazing time with around 300 dolphins and even saw some seals. I would definitely do it again, just in the middle of the season to see the whales.”

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From Cape Town: Hermanus Whale Watching Boat Trip - An early pickup from Cape Town
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From Cape Town: Hermanus Whale Watching Boat Trip

3.Hermanus Whale Watching Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 378 reviews · 7 hours · from $221

Travel from Cape Town to Gansbaai, then cruise toward Hermanus aboard a speedboat limited to 25 people. Guides such as Alfonzo, Jean, and Muammer explain whale behavior as you look for Southern Right Whales, calves, dolphins, seals, penguins, and humpbacks. Expect a long road journey, about two hours at sea, cold weather, and wildlife sightings that depend on nature.

“the office contacted me to move our tour to 1 day earlier due to weather forecast not looking good for the day we booked. end up the day we move, weather is perfectly great to go out to the sea. 3 skippers on the boat to guide us of around 20 tourist. skippers are well prepared and knowledgable with the whales. we saw total of 4 whales and 2 mating right next to our boat. all are southern right whales. the return ride from cape town hotel to the port was smooth and scenery was excellent. driver Mr Cyril is also very friendly. highly recommended to tick off this bucket…”

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Whale Watching from Gansbaai - Dolphins, seals, penguins, and other marine life
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Whale Watching from Gansbaai

4.Whale Watching from Gansbaai

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 327 reviews · from $112Top rated

Join Ivanhoe Sea Safaris in Gansbaai for a two-hour cruise toward the De Keldar cliffs. A professional crew, including guides such as Jan, Johan, and Jean, looks for Southern right whales, calves, dolphins, seals, penguins, sharks, and other whales. The boat carries no more than 25 people, and the trip returns to the harbor.

“We did Whale Watching with Ivanhoe Safaris. It was not a nice experience. Approximately 15 drunk Russians sceaming every time we saw the whales coming out of the water. The guide did not tell them to shut up! The boat was smelly from petro, no drinks except water. Read more”

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Boat Based Whale Watching from Hermanus - The 6:30 am start and transfer from Cape Town
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Boat Based Whale Watching from Hermanus

5.Boat Based Whale Watching from Hermanus

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 205 reviews · from $91

Join a whale specialist at Hermanus New Harbour for a two-hour catamaran trip in search of southern right, humpback, and Bryde’s whales. The guide explains whale behavior as you watch, while the crew provides light refreshments and helps passengers find the best viewing spots. Dolphins, seals, and seabirds may also appear.

“Informative pre meeting, very good guide informed us during the whole tour. Good service. Even the captain took the time to chat”

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From Cape Town: Full Day Guided Hermanus and Whale Tour - Rotary Way and the first great view of Hermanus
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From Cape Town: Full Day Guided Hermanus and Whale Tour

6.Full Day Guided Hermanus and Whale Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 155 reviews · from $51Best value

Travel from Cape Town to Hermanus with an English-speaking guide, stopping at Gordon’s Bay, Rotary Way, Hermanus Harbour, Wine Village, and Peregrine Farm Stall. You’ll have free time in town, chances to see Southern Right whales, WiFi on board, and an included urban wine tasting. The boat trip costs extra.

“The coastal drive alone made the trip worthwhile but seeing the whales up close is something I will never forget. Our tour guides, Louis, wealth of knowledge was unbelievable and made the tour that much more interesting.”

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Gansbaai: Whale Watching Trip by Boat - Along the cliffs of De Kelders
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Gansbaai: Whale Watching Trip by Boat

7.Whale Watching Trip by Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 127 reviews · 2 hours · from $146

From Gansbaai Harbour, you’ll cruise along De Kelders’ cliffs with an English-speaking guide, watching for southern right whales, dolphins, seals, sharks, and other marine life. The two-hour boat stays close to the action without feeling crowded, and the trip is wheelchair accessible. Bring warm clothing and sun protection.

“Great visual access in a boat where you are able to see the whales clearly and especially if you are lucky enough that they come close to the boat. Guides have good knowledge”

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From Cape Town: Full Day Hermanus Whale Watching Tour - The road to Hermanus, with Betty’s Bay along the way
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From Cape Town: Full-Day Hermanus Whale Watching Tour

8.Full-Day Hermanus Whale Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 119 reviews · 1 day · from $120

Spend a full day touring the Cape coast from Cape Town to Hermanus in a small group of up to eight. A registered guide leads you through Gordon’s Bay, Betty’s Bay, Harold Porter Botanical Gardens, Elgin, and Sir Lowry’s Pass. From June to November, you may spot Southern Right Whales from shore, with an optional boat trip for a closer view.

“Nette Tour, nur sollte die Whale Watching Boat Tour mit eingebunden werden. Wale waren vom Ufer zu sehen, allerdings ist der Blick vom Boot deutlich eindrucksvoller. Wenn man den Tag investiert, scheint das komplette Programm sinnvoller, zumal der reine Landausflug deutlich günstiger mit dem Mietwagen möglich wäre.”

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From Cape Town: Whale Watching Tour in Hermanus and Gansbaai - Sir Lowry’s Pass and the first coastal views
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From Cape Town: Whale Watching Tour in Hermanus and Gansbaai

9.Whale Watching Tour in Hermanus and Gansbaai

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 110 reviews · 2 hours · from $249

Travel from Cape Town along the Overberg coast to Gansbaai for a 2-hour whale-watching boat trip with Ivanhoe Sea Safaris. Guides such as Neil and Bruce add local insight, while stops may include Stony Point, Hermanus, and Peregrine Farm Stall. Pickup, transport, entrance fees, and an English-speaking guide are included.

“I had a great time with Aretha. Saw lots of delphins and Southern Right whales. Couldn’t be any happier. Definitely one of the highlights of my adventure in South Africa.”

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Whale Watching Walking Tours (Land-Based) - from JUNE 2025 - Moving between five to seven coastal viewpoints
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Whale Watching Walking Tours (Land-Based) – from JUNE 2025

10.Whale Watching Walking Tours (Land-Based) – from JUNE 2025

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 88 reviews · from $57

Meet Percy at The Whale House Museum in Hermanus for a 20-minute introduction to local whales, dolphins, sharks, and marine life. Then ride in an air-conditioned private vehicle to 5 to 7 coastal viewpoints and walk paved paths for 2 to 3 hours of whale watching. The tour ends where it begins.

“Alles perfekt geklappt. Percy hat dieses Erlebnis für mich toll gemacht..auf individuelle Wünsche eingegangen..Man merkt dass er seinen Job gern macht und dann aber auch noch die Extrameile geht und auch mit seiner Kamera Fotos macht zur Erinnerung . Danke”

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From Cape Town: Hermanus Whale Watching Full Day Tour - Rotary Way and the first view of Walker Bay
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From Cape Town: Hermanus Whale Watching Full Day Tour

11.Hermanus Whale Watching Full Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 30 reviews · 8h 30m · from $68

Travel from Cape Town to Hermanus with an English-speaking guide, stopping at scenic viewpoints, Walker Bay, and an urban wine tasting featuring Hemel-en-Aarde wines. You get free time in town for shops, galleries, walks, and food. Whale sightings are seasonal, and the boat cruise costs extra, so book it ahead if seeing whales is your main goal.

“Nice drive to and from Hermanus and we enjoyed the day. Sadly no whales. Probably frightened away by the number of people at the Whale Festival (very busy!) which we didn't know was on when we booked - this would have been useful info! We lost time in Hermanus because of the festival traffic and felt like our departure time was made earlier to ensure another passenger returned in time for a flight (why book the tour on that day!). We were also disappointed that we were not returned to our pick up point in the same vehicle and had to transfer/wait for a bus with vague instructions . This…”

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Gansbaai: Shark Dive & Whale Watching Combo Boat Trip - Starting with breakfast at Kleinbaai Harbour
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Gansbaai: Shark Dive & Whale Watching Combo Boat Trip

12.Shark Dive & Whale Watching Combo Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 22 reviews · 6 - 12 hours · from $292

Ivanhoe Sea Safaris combines a shark cage experience near Dyer Island with a southern right whale trip from Gansbaai. You can complete both on one long day or split them over two days. Breakfast and wetsuit rental are included, Cape Town pickup is optional, and the English-language experience suits visitors who want close marine wildlife encounters without needing scuba training.

“Shark Diving was absolutely great, the driver arrived on time and the drive to Gansbaai was smooth. They gave us breakfast and briefing before heading to the boat. We went in the cage for two dives of about 15 minutes each. We saw so many bronze whaler sharks. When we came back lunch was waiting for us and then we got back to Cape town. We couldn’t do the whale watching due to the strong wind in the afternoon, it got canceled. We got a refund. Totally worth it”

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From Cape Town: Full Day Hermanus Whale Watching Tour - The road to Hermanus, with Betty’s Bay along the way
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From Cape Town: Full Day Hermanus Whale Watching Tour

13.Full Day Hermanus Whale Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.6 · 20 reviews · 9.5 hours · from $120

Travel from Cape Town to Hermanus in a small group of up to 11 people, with an English-speaking guide and a scenic coastal route. Watch for Southern Right whales from shore, then visit Bouchard Finlayson for wine on Wednesdays and Fridays, or Stony Point penguins on Sundays if time allows. Boat trips and lunch cost extra.

“Pas du tout la prestation demandée, à aucun moment il était notifié qu'il y avait le bateau à prendre, seul chose intéressante de la journée mais 120€ pour deux en plus à payer. Pas de dégustation de vin comme notifié. payer 155€ pour deux juste pour l'aller retour c'est du vol, on aurait mieux fait d'y aller avec notre voiture de location. Une véritable arnaque”

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Boat Based Whale Watching from Hermanus - The 6:30 am start and transfer from Cape Town
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Boat Based Whale Watching from Hermanus

14.Boat Based Whale Watching from Hermanus

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 19 reviews · from $287

Join Paul Polano Tours for a six-hour whale-watching trip from Hermanus New Harbour. After a shore briefing, you board a purpose-built catamaran with a whale specialist, support crew, refreshments, and a videographer. Look for southern right, humpback, and Bryde’s whales, plus dolphins and seals, depending on the season.

“We recently went on a whale-watching tour, and while we couldn’t see any whales, the experience was still memorable. Our guide, Paul, was friendly and knowledgeable, making the trip enjoyable despite the circumstances. He even went the Read more”

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Shark & Whale Trip Combo - Breakfast, briefing, and the practical start
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Shark & Whale Trip Combo

15.Shark & Whale Trip Combo

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 12 reviews · 3 hours · from $283

Cape Shark Adventures pairs a shark cage encounter from Kleinbaai Harbour with whale watching nearby. You receive breakfast, safety instruction, wetsuit gear, a light meal, and a hot shower after the cage session. No scuba qualification is needed, but shark activity and whale sightings depend on weather, tides, and season.

“Un accueil incroyable ! L'équipe est professionnelle, chaleureuse et à l'écoute des clients. Bravo ! La prestation est de grande qualité.”

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New in Whale Watching in Hermanus

★ 5.0Private Tour: Hermanus- Boat Based Whale Watching ExperienceFrom $3704 reviews

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