South Africa · WHALE WATCHING

Whale Watching in South Africa: The 15 Best Boats

29 tours  ·  from $49

Southern right whales come into Walker Bay to calve between roughly June and November, and Hermanus has the best land-based viewing on earth as a fallback. These 15 boats are priced and clear on season, sailing time and how close the permit lets them go.

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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Whale, Dolphin & Penguin Island Cruise - Why the small group changes the experience
Cape Peninsula Tours, Cruises & Boat Tours, Dolphin Watching, Penguin Tours, Tour Reviews, Whale Watching

Whale, Dolphin & Penguin Island Cruise

3.Whale, Dolphin & Penguin Island Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 687 reviews · from $185Top rated

Set out from Port Elizabeth at 8am on Raggy Charters’ twin-engine catamaran for a four-hour wildlife cruise in Algoa Bay. With a maximum of 20 people, the crew takes a slow, careful approach to whales, dolphins, seals, seabirds, and African penguins around St. Croix Island. The tour runs once daily and includes conservation guidance and carbon-offset tree planting.

“We had a wonderful experience! The team was super helpful, engaged and living for their mission. We were so lucky to see jot only dolphins, seals, two whales but also a hammerhead shark and a bunch of penguins swimming to feed. Would recommend everytime!”

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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

4.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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Plettenberg Bay: Whale Watching Boat Cruise - Two hours along the Plettenberg Bay coast
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Plettenberg Bay: Whale Watching Boat Cruise

5.Whale Watching Boat Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 362 reviews · 2 hours · from $49Best value

Join Ocean Safaris Garden Route in Plettenberg Bay for a two-hour coastal cruise on a 400-horsepower cat-style speedboat. Guides such as Andy, PK, Ashwin, and Sergio explain the marine life while you search for Southern right and humpback whales, dolphins, seals, seabirds, and more. Expect a thrilling beach launch, spray, and weather-led changes.

“we were very lucky to see humpbacks on our trip and that was totally down to our skipper PK. our original date and time was rescheduled because of the weather so be prepared for last minute changes, and potentially getting completely soaked during the trip. the weather was pretty windy so the sea was rough, but that increased our chances of seeing whales and it paid off.”

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

6.Whale Watching from Gansbaai

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

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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Knysna: Close Encounter Whale Watching Tour by Boat - Through the Knysna Heads and into open water
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Knysna: Close Encounter Whale Watching Tour by Boat

7.Close Encounter Whale Watching Tour by Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 207 reviews · 2 hours · from $113

From Thesen Harbour Town, you cruise the Knysna Estuary and Heads before heading into the Indian Ocean. A shore-based whale spotter guides the skipper by radio, helping you find humpback and Southern Right whales, dolphins, seals and seabirds. The fast boat and rough sea can be exciting, but seasickness is a real concern.

“I cannot recommend this company highly enough. When we were being briefed, we noticed that we were sharing the boat with one very large family with a number of small children who were quite energetic. We were taken aside and given the opportunity to move our booking (free of charge) to the next day, where they could see that only adults had signed up the excursion. It was incredibly kind of them to offer and we gratefully accepted. We had a lovely quiet group the following day. The driver was quite funny and made the short boat journey to the sighting spot pretty entertaining! We were unbelievably fortunate in that…”

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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

8.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

9.Full Day Guided Hermanus and Whale Tour

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

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

10.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

11.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

12.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

13.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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Plettenberg Bay: Whale-Watching Cruise - The surf launch is part of the attraction
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Plettenberg Bay: Whale-Watching Cruise

14.Whale-Watching Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 65 reviews · 1h 30m · from $77

Join Ocean Blue Adventures in Plettenberg Bay for a 90-minute search for Southern Right and Humpback Whales. Your English- or Afrikaans-speaking guide chooses the route from recent sightings and sea conditions. Expect a 400-meter walk, a surf launch, possible dolphins and seals, and a fast beach landing. Whale sightings are never guaranteed.

“Het leuke moment was het zien van de rug van de walvis! Minder vond ik de uitleg van de gids. Wij zaten achteraan op de boot en hoorden weinig of niets wat de gids vertelde. Voorstel is misschien oortjes of hier en daar microfoons zodat iedereen kan horen wat hij vertelde.”

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Whale Watching Knysna - Close Encounter Experience Ocean Odyssey - Passing out toward Knysna’s coastal waters
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Whale Watching Knysna – Close Encounter Experience Ocean Odyssey

15.Whale Watching Knysna – Close Encounter Experience Ocean Odyssey

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 65 reviews · from $94

Meet Ocean Odyssey on Thesen Island for a two-hour marine safari beyond Knysna’s Heads. After check-in, life jackets, and a safety briefing, your skipper searches for Southern right, humpback, and Bryde’s whales, plus dolphins, seals, and seabirds. The small permitted operator takes up to 25 passengers, with bottled water and local guidance included.

“You really are having close encounter to the whales. Had a pleasure of having a snowboarding baby whale, doing tricks for us. I really recommend to just make sure you dress warm and motion sickness is real so prepare yourself if you know that you have that issue.”

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New in Whale Watching

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