| It's that time of the year again when thousands flock | | | | favourite place for whale watching. This town is |
| to the shores of the Cape and surrounding Western | | | | enthusiastic about whale watching that they have set |
| Cape towns for whale watching season. This is the | | | | up many points that accommodate the hundreds of |
| time that the whales come out to our warm seas to | | | | people that make their way to the town's annual |
| mate, calve and frolic our waters. | | | | Hermanus Whale Festival in September. The festival |
| Whale season starts from the end of July up till | | | | runs for nine days and is filled with music, theatre, sport, |
| November and has many planning their trips to the | | | | parties and the Whale crier. The whales venture close |
| West Coast during this time. The Whale route | | | | to the shore and can be seen from the cliff top walk. |
| stretches from the south of Cape Town to the coast | | | | Plettenberg Bay is just behind Hermanus and is also |
| of Durban, and the Garden Route. | | | | regarded as one the best places for whale watching. |
| There are about 37 species of whales and dolphins | | | | For the whole season the Southern Right Whales are |
| that visit our shores, of these 37 species the most | | | | in the bay and just as they have left the humpback |
| common are the Southern Right Whales; they are the | | | | whales and their calves arrive, they are in the bay |
| ones with the white barnacles and humpbacked | | | | from about December to January. |
| whales. Bryde's and orcas appear occasionally, the | | | | Make it memorable... |
| bottlenose and the humpback can be found along the | | | | The best and memorable way to enjoy whale |
| coast of Kwa Zulu Natal. Of the whales that visit our | | | | watching is to take a boat trip, the boats are not |
| shores the Southern Right Whale is the largest. | | | | allowed too close to the whales in case they disturb |
| Whale watching hotspots... | | | | them. The boats are big, comfortable and relatively dry. |
| The best viewing spots for whale watching are along | | | | There are instances where the whales come up to |
| the coast in Lamberts Bay on the Cape West Coast, | | | | the boat. If you are adventurous enough you can |
| the Cape Peninsula, False Bay, Hermanus, Arniston, | | | | paddle out to sea on a kayak, the whales and dolphins |
| Mossel Bay, Wilderness, Sedgefield, Knysna and | | | | may surface near, which often happens. |
| Plettenberg Bay. | | | | You could also visit some of the coastal reserves like |
| The whale watching experience is also magical in the | | | | the De Hoop Nature Reserve that is near Bredasdrop. |
| Cape because you these beautiful creatures can be | | | | They offer a range of trails and hikes that differ in |
| seen from the road as you are driving from | | | | distance to enrich your whale watching experience. |
| Muizenberg to Simonstown. You could also be taking a | | | | To get the best out of your whale watching |
| train ride through to Simonstown and you could one or | | | | experience then you could go on a Hermanus Tour |
| two whales along the Southern Peninsula. | | | | and ask Dyer Island Cruises to plan your boat trip for |
| Out of all the spots Hermanus seems to be the | | | | you. |