We share news and blog articles from across our various wildlife tours and marine big 5 adventures. These sea animals that are generally the cumulative size of around 10 african elephants can be pretty elusive and september has had. Any stay at the twelve apostles luxury hotel can be made even more. Cape town a metre long whale carcass was towed away from a cape flats beach on wednesday. Between june and october every year they put on a spectacular showcase on the cape whale coast hermanus. Southern right whale calves are 46 meters long and weigh 1. Best option for whale watching cape town central message. These southern right whales were filmed on a whale watching trip with simons town boat company in false bay. Whale tail, whale up close, southern right calf jumping. There was a big swell on the day, as can be seen from the movement of the boat.
Whale watching south africa humpbacks, southern rights. The peak time, when daily sightings are virtually guaranteed, is during september and october. Whale views gordons bay cape town nestling at the foot of the beautiful hottentot holland mountains where they tumble into the sea at gordons bay, whaleviews offers two self catering apartments dolphins leap and dolphins rest. Originally i planned to get to hermanus but then i found out about the tours from simons town. Cape whale route there are many beautiful areas along the western cape coast from which to watch the whales, each with wonderful accommodation and other facilities. This area is sheltered from the open ocean, surrounded by stunning views and provides an ideal winter home for the southern right whales. Apartment a whale of a time, fish hoek, south africa. From july to december the pods of whales grace the shores of southern africa. Best place to watch cape town whales false bay simonstown. Download our patriots app for iphone download our patriots app for android sign. Voted one of the best destinations for watching marine animals worldwide by the telegraph, hermanus has become the south african authority for whale watching.
In fact, this sprawling seaside town with its incomparable cliffs and vantage points is considered to be the best landbased whale watching spot in the world, where the southern right whales that annually descend on hermanus are often seen within metres. The western cape is one of the top whale watching destinations of the world rated number two by uks the telegraph, and we are particularly lucky to have some of the best spots not too far off from our capital of cape town where we can witness these glorious creatures amidst their annual migratory patterns. There are three types of whales usually sighted in false bay southern right, humpbacks and brydes. But this portion of the coastline, which includes the towns of. From may to november, pods of whales migrate to warmer waters to mate, calve and rear their young.
We went to see the whales at the peak of south africas whale season. Hermanus whale watching near cape town, gansbaai in south. Whale watching in cape town results 1 20 of 71 switch to map34. In cape town, you can see them from the road along the false bay coast, and theyre distinctly visible on the western seaboard if you get high enough. The waterfront hosts many businesses, shops, restaurants and accommodation, providing a wide variety of entertainment and activities both day and night for locals and visitors alike. Hermanus is undoubtedly the whale watching capital of the western cape, if not south africa. Dead whale closes popular south african beach amid shark. Hermanus whale watching best close encounters, purpose. Aug 29, 2017 the hermanus whale watching festival is a fun and celebratory way to immerse into the whale watching fever that takes over the town. Just a 2 hour drive from cape town to the whale capital of the world hermanus, launching from gansbaai. The best time for watching the southern right whale in south african waters is from june to november along the cape south coast, although some will already be as far north as kwazulunatal. However the only reason that the western cape, from cape town, east to the garden route, is renowned for whale watching, is for the migratory population of southern right whales which come here from the antarctic latitudes to calve in the later winterspring. Any stay at the twelve apostles luxury hotel can be made even more special with this oneofakind wildlife experience.
Strand beach near cape town has been shut as experts fear the corpse of the 14 metre whale may attract sharks reuters thu 24 dec. You will also enjoy a wine tasting at bouchard finlayson wine estate. Cape town marine big five adventure natural world safaris. Francois had first alerted sawdn to the same whale in february but despite an extensive search by. But where is the best place to see whales, cape town. This week, some amazing footage was captured by thomas pryor, who was paddling near a smaller pod closer to the shore. At any time of year, the cape peninsula is home to a bounty of marine mammals with plentiful opportunities to go dolphin and whale watching in cape town. Cape town is blessed with being the only place in the world where one could quite possibly see a great white shark and a whale on the same boat.
Since this is the dry season and rain is scarce most days have clear blue skies but expect the occasional windy day. A guide to whalewatching in the cape cape town etc. Mar 30, 2015 hermanus is undoubtedly the whale watching capital of the western cape, if not south africa. At 10h40, thursday, 05th march, sa whale disentanglement. Now that you understand a bit more about the whales, where are the best places to see them during whale season.
Toprated cape town whale watching tours 2020 dolphin tours. Capetourism has a collection of photos of the whales and great white sharks in false bay, cape town, south africa. Further south, the town of hermanus in walker bay on the cape south coast offers. So bundle up, brave the cold, and make a plan to head out this winter. Explore cape towns exciting coastline, getting on and in the water for some incredible. Watch the worlds gentle giants of the deep frolic in waters of walker bay.
Not strictly true, as the cape whale route stretches for over 900 kilometres, from doringbaai on the west coast, all the way to storms river mouth on the garden route. At least 37 species of whales and dolphins can be found in the waters off south africa. You can see the most amazingly majestic creatures in the world up close on your trip to cape town. Peak calving season is july and august, but whales can be seen through. Cape point, at the very southwestern tip of the continent, also provides a range of perfect vantage points to experience this annual phenomenon. Hermanus about two hours outside of cape town along the garden route, hermanus is famous for its whale watching. It is illegal to approach within 300 metres of whales in any craft boat, kayak, aircraft and only a few legally permitted boat based whale watching operators in south africa may. A whale of a time is managed and owned by ivan and a team of committed staff members who are committed to ensuring that your stay at a whale of a time is a memorable one.
Dec 25, 2016 in cape town itself, you can see them from the road along the false bay coast, and theyre distinctly visible on the western seaboard if you get high enough on the scenic coastal victoria road. Peak calving season is july and august, but whales can be seen through september and october. The wwf and greenpeace regard whale watching in cape town as one of the top 3 places in the world to get up and personal with whales. Whale watching is one of the major attractions of the western cape. Cape town whale watching south africa whale watching. The female southern right whale is usually larger than the male whale.
Hermanus whale watching best close encounters, purpose built boat. Only a 2 hour drive from cape town transport options are available, dyer island cruises offers our guests the potential to see more marine wildlife in one trip, than anywhere else in 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. Spend some time gazing out to see over walker bay and youre sure to spot a whale or two.
In cape town, you can sometimes spot whales from along the road on the. The cape whale coast is not in cape town but is certainly worth the trip. Whales in hermanus in february hermanus forum tripadvisor. Whale watching in south africa home brand south africa. Whale watching in cape town results 1 20 of 71 switch to map. Accommodation gordons bay, cape town whale views luxury. Along the cape whale coast the area between rooiels pringle bay and pearly beach. Recently, a huge pod of humpback whales in cape town were captured on film by kieran donnelly as they played in the waters off the coast of clifton. Set on the edge of the wine route, they are the perfect exclusive getaways from where you can explore cape town and the western cape. Whale watching season in hermanus cape towns unique no.
Hi everyone, we are visiting cape town next month and would like to go on a whale watching boat trip. But there are other places closer to cape town as well. Accommodation gordons bay, cape town whale views luxury bed. This year, the festival takes place over three days from 29 september to 1 october 2017 and as always promises good food, live entertainment and awareness of all things cetacean. Dyer island crusies also visits the 60,000 strong cape fur seal colony of geyser rock, the great white sharks in the shallows, and the african penguin colony of dyer island so it is much more than just whale watching. Whale watching south africa humpbacks, southern rights, bryde. Every year, southern right whales take a vacation in cape waters, treating cape town locals to a display of breaching, fluking, spouting, and spyhopping. Here are some of our ideas for whale watching between august and november. Aug 27, 20 these southern right whales were filmed on a whale watching trip with simons town boat company in false bay. Sawdn volunteers including additional crew from cape town and nsri.
Surf lessons, sunset cruise, cruise, tree tops canopy tours, team building, whale watching, whale33. Board dreamcatcher our 5 star, custombuilt whale watching vessel. Truly, this is bound to be a once in a life time experience. Whale watching and marine big 5 tours in south africa. Whale watching in cape town south africa travel news. Everything you need to know, from the loadshedding stage right now to the schedules. Whether you have plans to be at home, work or somewhere out and about to play, heres everything you need to know about loadshedding in cape town.
Is there any possibilities for whale watching around cape town area in march. In fact, this sprawling seaside town with its incomparable cliffs and vantage points is considered to be the best landbased whalewatching spot in the world, where the southern right whales that annually descend on hermanus are often seen within metres. We are perfectly situated in a pretty and central area, and about seven minutes walk to the beach on the warmer seaside, shops and restaurants. Youll catch the end of whale season, but this time of year is most famous for the wildflowers. Approximately an hour and a half away from cape town is the seaside town of hermanus. Climate february has hot and sunny days that often push temperatures over 30c. Stunning rooms, 360 degree views of the mountains, city bowl and table by, great architecture and top class facilities makes bayview house the regular choice of discerning travellers. Whale watching in cape town can be enjoyed at various times of the year. Tree tops canopy tours, team building, whale watching, whale 33.
Sep 18, 2017 hermanus, the whale capital, was ranked in the top 12 whale watching locations in the world by the world wildlife fund. The high cliffs of the western cape provide an ideal vantage point for the seasonal whale watching of southern right whales and the seaside town of hermanus holds its annual whale festival in september in celebration of all things cetacean. Dec 24, 2015 strand beach near cape town has been shut as experts fear the corpse of the 14 metre whale may attract sharks reuters thu 24 dec 2015 00. Your guide to the hermanus whale festival cape town etc. Spend a day whale watching and wine tasting on this private fullday trip to hermanus from cape town. The seaside town of hermanus is once again honouring its most famous visitor, the southern right whale, at the 28th annual hermanus whale festival from september 27 to 29, 2019. Best time for whale watching in south africa rhino africa. Get hold of a city pass to enjoy free entry to over 70 cape town attractions, including whale watching. Whale watching day trip from cape town south africa.
Whales in hermanus in february hermanus message board. A popular holiday destination for tourists and locals alike, hermanus is hailed as offering the best land based whale watching in the world. Select month, may 2020 april 2020 march 2020 february 2020. Heres what you need to know about whale watching in cape town. From july to november the southern right whale comes to breed in the bay near this seaside town, an easy and beautiful drive from cape town. Further south, the town of hermanus in walker bay on the cape south coast offers possibly the best landbased whalewatching in the world. The route traverses several famous protected areas, including the garden route, tsitsikamma national park, and the transkei. Only a two hour drive from cape town, this little town is the heart of the whale route. If you want to experience south africas incredible marine wildlife for yourself, dont hesitate to get in touch. Heres everything you need to know about whale watching in cape town. Whale watching on the false bay coast in simons town, cape. Check out march is the offseason, but we can still find brydes whales in the bay. In cape town itself, you can see them from the road along the false bay coast, and theyre distinctly visible on the western seaboard if you get high enough on the scenic coastal victoria road. Aug 04, 2012 best place to whale watch in cape town area.
You can occasionally see whales in many, many parts of the world if you get a boat far out to sea and are very lucky. All over the western cape, blooms take over vast fields and mountains and splash the region with bursts. The best time of year to visit cape town cape town travel. Thousands of visitors drive to the seaside town to watch them frolic in the ocean, they are playful in nature and everyone is guaranteed a theatrical performance. Sawdn yzerfontein and oudekraal 3 whales assisted in 3. Humpbacks and brydes whales are mostly spotted offshore from boats, but by far the most commonly sighted species, either from land or from a boat, is the southern right whale.
Cape town whale watching whale watching in hermanus. See migrating southern right whales off the coast of hermanus from june through middecember. A blue whale was photographed off the coast of cape cod wednesday afternoon. Id love to do some whale watching while there but i understand that march isnt a very good time for it. Spot whales breaching beneath you from a clifftop lookout before heading to sea to join them. Simons town boat company is the sole permit holder for boat based whale watching for the western half of false bay stretching from strandfontein all the way to cape point. The brydes whale was spotted floating in the water at sonwabi beach on tuesday, but by wednesday. Join us on a wonderful cape town day trip marine safari that takes us to see the mighty southern wright whale. For those who come to enjoy the many wonders of the cape, like whale watching in cape town, bayview house offers an excellent choice of accommodation options. Watch as whales come within metres of the shores, and join in on the festivities of the annual hermanus whale festival this year held on. Juvenile southern right whale freed in a whale disentanglement. Here is our guide to getting the most out of the whale season in cape town. Take this opportunity to go whale watching from one of the best landbased viewing spots in the world, hermanus.
The simons town tour will save us a bit of time as. We also requested assistance from the cape town boating network and they had a member, who. Peak calving season, and therefore viewing season, is during july and august. If you are visiting cape town between july and november and want an exciting experience, book a boatbased whale watching trip departing from simons town. 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. With 3101 listings in cape town, our handy cape town map search and great low prices, its easy to book the perfect holiday accommodation for your cape town visit. Whale watching in the western cape south africa travel news. Nov 02, 2017 we went to see the whales at the peak of south africas whale season. The whale route starts along the south of cape town and extends to durban, 1,200 plus miles of whale watching coastline. Blue whale spotted miles off cape cod on wednesday. For the best hermanus whale watching experience, there is no better choice than ivanhoe sea safaris 5yrs consecutive winner of certificate of excellence, and with a proven track record since 1996, the company has established a reputation of offering an unrivaled.
Southern right whales come into the bays to breed and calve between august and november, while humpback whales can be seen in cape town in the summer months. Hermanus whale watching is renowned for the most prolific whale viewing experience in the world. One southern right whale female whale normally has two mates to ensure pregnancy another curiosity. Where to go dolphin and whale watching in cape town 12. If you are looking for cape town accommodation, safarinow has a selection of selfcatering, guest house, hotel accommodation in cape town and surrounds. Cape town whale watching whale watching in hermanus, cape town. The peak season is from july to december, and southern right whales are pretty. Whale watching in cape town bayview guest house and self. Cape town has a great deal to offer and visiting table mountain, cape point, the penguin colony. The coming of the whales to the western capes southern coastline, also known as the cape whale coast, every year between june and november, not only creates a stir, but brings to our shores a large, intelligent and remarkable giant of the sea and the only mammal to have adapted to life in the open oceans.
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