South African Whale Route

Hermanus has grown from a rustic fishermen’s village to being acknowledged by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) as one of the twelve best whale-viewing sites in the world. From its rocky cliffs (which can become somewhat crowded, as shown on the photo), whales can be seen from as close as 5 metres. It is also the only place in the world where one can watch the whales and, by means of an underwater microphone, hear their calls at the same time!

The Southern Right Whales start arriving in Walker Bay from June and have usually left again by December. The peak whale season, when sightings are virtually guaranteed on a daily basis, is during September and October. Calving season is August and September and the whale population peaks in Walker Bay during October.