South Africa: Whale watching hotspots between Cape Town & Hermanus

Every year between June and November, the coastline between Cape Town and Hermanus is becoming one of the best land-based whale watching spots of the world. During those five to max. six month Southern Right Whales are migrating from their icy feeding grounds off Antarctica to warmer climates off South Africa to play and breed in the sheltered bays of the Western Cape coast and to nurse their newborn calves.


View Top five whale watching spots in Cape Town and surrounds in a larger map

Top whale watching sports between Cape Town & Hermanus:

• Road between Llandudno and Bakoven
• Hout Bay area (you will need a powerful pair of binoculars)
• Chapman's Peak Drive
• Road between Scarborough and Kommetjie
• Cape Point
• Road from Boulders to Smitswinkelbaai
• Coastal road between Fish Hoek and Simon's Town
• Glencairn
• Fish Hoek
• Road to Fish Hoek to Kalk Bay
• Boyes Drive from St James to Kalk Bay
• Clarence Drive between Gordon’s Bay and Rooi Els
• Hangklip & the Kogelberg Biosphere
• Hermanus

Did we miss a great spot? Let us know and we'll update the list asap!

Albino Southern Right Whale in the Walker Bay (video)

The little village of De Kelders is one of the world's best whale watching spots. Located right at shores of the famous Walker Bay and only 5 km north of Gansbaai and a about 30 minutes’ drive from Hermanus, De Kelders is renowned as the home of the Southern Right Whales. The whales are coming to stay in the warm waters of the Bay with its rocky inlets and sheltered bays usually between June and December year after year to mate and calve.

Lloyd Koppel, a local from De Kelders, filmed a rare albino Southern Right Whale along with other whales in the Walker Bay in November 2011. All the footage in the video was shot from land, indicating just how close the whales come. Kudos @ Lloyd Koppel

Whale watching hot spots in Cape Town and surrounds

Every year between June to November, Cape Town and its surrounding areas are becoming some of the best land-based whale watching spots of the world. It is the time when the Southern Right Whales are migrating from the heir icy feeding grounds off Antarctica to warmer climates off South Africa.
Southern Africa's coast is exactly what the whales need during this time of the year.The shallow, sandy-bottomed and sheltered bays are perfect for mating, calving, nursing their young and resting.


View Top five whale watching spots in Cape Town and surrounds in a larger map

The top spots to watch whales in Cape Town & surrounds are:

• Road between Llandudno and Bakoven
• Hout Bay area (you will need a powerful pair of binoculars)
• Chapman's Peak Drive
• Road between Scarborough and Kommetjie
• Cape Point
• Road from Boulders to Smitswinkelbaai
• Coastal road between Fish Hoek and Simon's Town
• Glencairn
• Fish Hoek
• Road to Fish Hoek to Kalk Bay
• Boyes Drive from St James to Kalk Bay
• Clarence Drive between Gordon’s Bay and Rooi Els
• Hangklip, home to the Kogelberg Biosphere
• Hermanus

Cape Town, South Africa: video of whale breaching onto a yacht

You may have all seen the pics of the Southern Right Whale breaching onto a yacht off the coast of Cape Town. CNN, however, got some video footage of the incident.

Cape Town city guide >>

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De Hoop Nature Reserve - first whales have been spotted

The first Southern Right Whales have been spotted off the coast of the De Hoop Nature Reserve in South Africa's Western Cape province.


View De Hoop in a larger map
According to De Hoop Collection, adult and baby whales in their hundreds are clearly visible from the shoreline along the De Hoop Nature Reserve. The best time for whale watching (Southern Right whales in particular) in South African waters is usually from June to November. Peak calving season is from July to August, but whales can be seen through September and October.
De Hoop Collection in the De Hoop Nature Reserve offers accommodation ranging from camping to more luxurious options. 

Whale watching in South Africa >>

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