Hermanus whale festival is celebrating the return of the migrating southern right whales during the only ecomarine festival in south africa. Hermanus in the western cape during the whale season. Located in hermanus, 7 on marine is a only a few steps away from the seafront. Jul 01, 2018 hermanus is a small town on the coast of the western cape province of south africa, but during whale season, it becomes the whale spotting capital of the country. 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. It has been recorded that walker bay has played host to over 100 whales at a time. Hermanus has been recognized by the wwf world wildlife fund as one of the 12 best whale watching destinations in the world. Hermanus is a small town on the coast of the western cape province of south africa, but during whale season, it becomes the whalespotting capital of the country. Whale away guest house offers elegantly furnished guest rooms. We depart gansbaai harbor and head toward dyer island where there are 60 000 cape fur seals and this is the hunting grounds for the great white sharksapex predator we will hang around shark alley near dyer island, where you will watch the cape fur seals run a gauntlet to. Wifi and parking are free, and this apartment also features a restaurant.
For a mid season break, i chose to spend a weekend at grand dedale country house, on the doolhof wine estate on the bovlei road in wellington, about ten days ago. Whale watch western australia season 2015 duration. Oct 30, 2017 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. Brydes whales great white sharks dolphins seals penguins bird life extra bonus. So what might have otherwise just been a small fishing village is today a large, bustling town with an excellent range of accommodation. From what ive read, the whale watching season in hermanus runs until december. Located on the seafront in hermanus, one marine drive boutique hotel features a sun terrace with heated outdoor pool. All 3 featured properties fully equipped and furnished are located in a secure beach front estate only 3km from hermanus central.
With panoramic sea views, the beach cottage takes a front row seat on a private rocky beach a mere 30m from the crashing waves. Prices for all activities, tours and adventures in hermanus. Hermanus in south africa is a region blessed with natural beauty, unique wildlife and geological awe, making it no surprise that this is arguably the best whale watching spot in the world and it lies just 90 minutes from cape town international each year, southern right whales migrate from their feeding grounds in the arctic to the warmer waters of the cape coast to mate, calve and put on a. Whale coast hotel selfcatering, holiday resort and hotel. 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. It is located just 5 minutes walk from restaurants, the center of hermanus and 3 minutes drive from the beach. Hermanus whale watching southern right whales humpback. The towns mountainous backdrop declines steeply to a rugged shoreline, characterised by deep bays alternating with stark white beaches with names like onrus. Whale watching season in hermanus hermanus forum tripadvisor. Restaurants near whale coast hotel, hermanus on tripadvisor. Our boat was purpose built to ensure maximum passenger comfort and superior stability and is licensed to carry 70 passengers and 5 crew members. Hermanus, a 90minute scenic drive from cape town on south africas whale coast and garden route, is rightfully known as one of the best places in the world to watch whales. The apartments are fully equipped for a stay in unrivalled luxury.
The festival celebrates the return of the southern right wales to our coast. Whale watching season in hermanus hermanus whales xplorio. For its scenic beauty alone, hermanus is one of south africas cape gems. From june to december, the bay becomes the swimming grounds for a large number of southern right whales. Aug 29, 2014 hermanus, a 90minute scenic drive from cape town on south africas whale coast and garden route, is rightfully known as one of the best places in the world to watch whales. Hermanus is an awesome seaside resort in walker bay one hour from cape town which offers the best whale viewing from land in the world.
I could not have chosen a more relaxing and grander place than this 5star hotel and its excellent restaurant, which is on the wellington wine route. Southern right whales have been reported to still be in hermanus. Hermanus restaurant seafood restaurants walker bay. Dining at birkenhead house at birkenhead house in hermanus, worldclass cuisine is served in a spectacular setting. The whale coast hotel offers elegant selfcatering accommodation of awarded 4 star status to both the leisure and corporate visitor to hermanus, western cape. Xplora tours, hermanus shark cage diving whale watching. 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. Hermanus is generally considered the best landbased whalewatching destination in the world. Watch the worlds gentle giants of the deep frolic in waters of walker bay.
Visitors from all over the world descend to this attractive former fishing village to see the famous southern right whales that come here every year to mate and calve. To alert onlookers, a whale crier sounds his kelp horn when he spots whales off the hermanus coastline. Whale watching season, boat trips in hermanus, south. A cliff path stretching from one side of the town to the other, hugs the coastline for about 12 km giving whale watchers unlimited opportunities to study the gentle giants sometimes within 20m in the coves below or lolling just beyond the breakers. Hermanus whale view beach front house self catering. Whale and bird watching what you can expect a typical trip with dyer island cruises. A stay at whale coast hotel places you in the heart of hermanus, within a 5minute drive of cliff path and whalehaven winery. Considering that whales can be seen a few metres from the rocky cliffs, hermanus deserves its title of the best land based whale watching spot in the world. The whale watching season runs from june till early 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. Hermanus has a funny way of getting under your skin. The boatbased whale watching trip is not capped and is from 1hr 30m 3hrs maximum. Experience an up, close and personal encounter with the gentle giants of the ocean that promises to be an experience to be treasured. Whale watching, boat trips and many adventures in hermanus, south africa. The 10 best hotels near whale watching in hermanus, south africa. These last 2 are about 45 minutes drive around the bay from hermanus. The festival celebrates the return of the southern right wales to our coast and all marine life above and below the ocean. In summer december through may, they are in the cold polar regions of the southern hemisphere where food mainly krill. The peak whale season runs from june to mid december, annually. Whale watching in hermanus hermanus whales xplorio. Greater hermanus is situated only 90 minutes drive from cape town on the southern coast of the western cape along the cape whale coast route. The whale viewing during the months of july and august vary from year to year with regards to how many whales are. Hermanuswhale watching tours south africa whale watching.
Whale watching season, boat trips in hermanus, south africa. The boat southern right charters hermanus whale watching. The exact date all depends when the star performers arrive and depart. Hermanus is the mecca for whale watching during the southern hemispheres winter months. Whale watching season in hermanus hermanus message board. The 26th hermanus whale festival takes place from 29 september 1 october 2017. It is whale watching season in hermanus the best landbased whale watching spot in the world. Hermanus, situated between magic mountains and serene seas. Between june and early december, southern right whales migrate to walker bay to mate, give birth, and play, making it one of the worlds top whalewatching locations. When you book a trip with us, the evening before your tour we will contact you or your accommodation to confirm the time of your tour. If you happen to be here during the whale season, there is one character you are bound to meet. It depends on traveling time to the hermanus whales on that trip. The restaurant at newton johnson in hermanus, western cape.
Welcome to the official hermanus tourism website that provides information so you can plan the holiday of your dreams in hermanus, heart of the cape whale coast. Whale season in hermanus is between june and late november each year, with hermanus being the best spot to see southern right whales up close. The hermanus whale season when is the hermanus whale season. We specialize in boat based whale watching and we pride ourselves in offering a uniquely personalized service to all our clients. The tours are operated from the new harbour in hermanus and departs 3 to 4 times daily depending on the time of year and. Hermanus has grown from rustic fishermens village to being acknowledged by the world wide fund for nature wwf as one of the 12 best whale viewing sites in the world. Incredibly perhaps, but whales can be seen from your seafront bedroom or restaurant table and are almost within reach of your fingertips when seen from the deck of a whale watching boat. Whale coast hotel is a selfcatering, holiday resort and hotel in hermanus western cape south africa. Southern right whales migrate to the bay and use their time here to mate and calve. From june to december you will mostly encounter the southern right whales, seals, penguins and marine birds, and often see dolphins, brydes and humpback whales on this informative and educational tour. Hermanus whale watching south africa lonely planet forum. Whale away guest house is a small guest house facing the walkerbay. 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.
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. Birkenhead house luxury hermanus hotel the royal portfolio. In summer december through may, they are in the cold polar regions of the southern hemisphere where food mainly krill is present and plentiful. Hermanus operators go out at various times per day 09. It is a favourite 365 day a year holiday destination offering tourists and locals. Whale watching gansbaai book a gansbaai whale watching trip for r1200pp. Created out of a traditional cave previously inhabited by a koi strandloper of the same name, the restaurant spills out onto the rocks of walker bay in hermanus, where whale watching is the preferred local passtime.
Well typically the whale season in hermanus is between june and december every year. Great white shark cage diving at kleinbaai near hermanus from r2100 to r2450 3 to 5 hrs sightings are not 100% guaranteed copper shark are being spotted on a lot of trips whale watching boat trips r950 to r90 2 to 3 hrs whale watching season starts june, 2020. Booking confirmation whale watching in south africa. Hermanus has been acknowledged by the world wide fund for nature wwf as one of the twelve best whale viewing sites in the world. Tripadvisor whale watching from hermanus overstrand. Whale watching in hermanus hermanus message board tripadvisor. Whale watching in hermanus whale route whale trail south. 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 season whale watching hermanus 2019. Prebook one of several daily cruises to watch this natural spectacle in action, with guides to help you spot a wealth of marine life.
One trip we did last season was incredible as a whale actually rubbed its back on the bottom of the boat. Southern right charters runs hermanus whale cruises daily at 09h00, 12h00 and 15h00 from june december each year. The 10 best restaurants near whale coast hotel, hermanus. Hermanus is generally considered the best landbased whale watching destination in the world. Executive chef oliver coetzee grew up in south africas western cape where the cuisine has a strong malay influence. Xplora tours, hermanus, western cape, south africa sharks, whales, wine tours, explorations, safaris, vacations and african adventures 0027 0 72 062 8500 whatsapp 0027720628500. Whale watching boat trips hermanus walker bay adventures. We also boast one of the limited whale watching permits allocated country wide. 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.
Ivanhoe sea safaris is universally regarded as the leading boatbased whale watching company in south africa, near hermanus and operate from gansbaai harbour. With huge windows maximizing the jawdroppingly beautiful view, dining at heaven is a feast of all the senses. I wonder which perspective is correct concerning the hermanus cliff area. From its rocky cliffs, whales can be seen as close as 5 metres 16. Hermanus in south africa is a region blessed with natural beauty, unique wildlife and geological awe, making it no surprise that this is arguably the best whale watching spot in the world and it lies just 90 minutes from cape town international.
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