SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa's standouts.
A shortlist of the 10 hermanus tours most worth booking in South Africa, with what each one is like on the day, who runs it, and what it costs.
90 minutes in Hermanus, Western Cape: whale watching from the top deck when weather allows, plus dolphins, seals, coffee, and expert guidance.
“It was an amazing experience! We did it at the end of September and saw a few whales very close ☺️”
Hermanus whale and dolphin cruise from the Whale Shack catamaran. Specialist guide, light refreshments, and up-close sightings near Walker Bay.
“Enjoyed ever single minute on board - great knowledge and impressive sightings! Thank you!”
Two hours on a purpose-built catamaran from Hermanus with a whale specialist. Spot southern right whales, humpbacks, dolphins, and seals.
“Informative pre meeting, very good guide informed us during the whole tour. Good service. Even the captain took the time to chat”
Land-based whale watching in Hermanus with guide Percy, Whale House Museum, and calm clifftop walks in a private vehicle.
“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”
Shark Alley cage encounter from Hermanus with transport, marine biologist, breakfast, gear, and an African penguin sanctuary visit.
“Nice boat, nice crew, no sharks :((( They were organized and made you feel safe. Breakfast was included.”
Marine Big 5 cruise from Hermanus with safety gear, biologist-led whale spotting, and a free APSS penguin sanctuary visit.
“A fantastic experience from start to finish. We were picked up from our hotel and transferred to the location where coffee and muffins awaited. Following a full safety brief we boarded the boat. Despite it being out of the main whale season we were lucky enough to spot and follow one to complete our marine…”
Private Hermanus land-based whale watching with Dave de Beer. Whale House Museum plus a cliff-path walk for southern right sightings.
“We had a brilliant morning with Dave who is extremely knowledgeable and very personable. Highly recommended.”
Shore-based Hermanus whale watching from Cape Town, with wine tastings on Wed/Fri and penguins at Stony Point on Sundays.
“We had a wonderful day. The weather was perfect. Our first stop was to see the penguins, which was so fun. Then we drove to Hermanus harbor where we boarded a boat for a 2 hour cruise. We saw so many whales. After that, we stopped at a restaurant for lunch before the drive back…”
A short, sweet boat trip from Hermanus to chase whales and spot dolphins and seals. Expect close-up viewing when conditions allow.
“tolle bootsfahrt”
Cape Shark Adventures pairs shark cage time in Kleinbaai with whale watching for Southern Right and Humpback whales, plus hot showers and meals.
“Uma experiência para a vida! A empresa responsável foi super atenciosa conosco. Nosso passeio estava programado para uma segunda-feira e como havia previsão de chuva, eles entraram em contato pelo WhatsApp sugerindo a antecipação pelo risco de cancelamento! Conseguimos antecipar as atividades para sábado que foi um dia fabuloso. Avistamos baleias, incluindo uma mamãe com…”
