Hermanus Whale Watching Tours: The 9 Trips That Deliver

1.Hermanus: Boat Based Whale Watching Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,180 reviews · 1h 30m · from $93Our pick

Review of Hermanus whale watching by boat, with practical tips on wildlife, timing, sea conditions, value, and what to expect for $93.

“Loved the whale watching trip! We saw a mother and a calf. Amazing to see those magnificent animals so close by. The crew respects the animals. They keep their distance, and don't bother them. But you have plenty of time to watch the whales. A must-do when in South Africa.”

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2.Hermanus: Whale and Dolphin Watching Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 807 reviews · 2 hours · from $98

Review of Hermanus whale watching with Southern Right Charters, covering sightings, boat comfort, guides, value, timing, and practical tips.

“We enjoyed the trip, we were fortunate to see some southern right whales and seals. The guide was friendly, entusiastic, informative. The staff was very helpful when I got seasick. We recommend this tour!”

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3.Boat Based Whale Watching from Hermanus

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 205 reviews · from $91

Set out from Hermanus New Harbour for a two-hour whale tour with expert guides, close sightings, refreshments, dolphins, seals, and seasonal whales.

“Our family had an amazing day of whale watching. Great crew and very informative tour. Sighted many Southern Right Whales up close to the boat. Also saw dolphins. Highly recommend this trip to anyone.”

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4.Whale Watching Walking Tours (Land-Based) – from JUNE 2025

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 88 reviews · from $57Best value

See Hermanus whales from quiet coastal paths with a private guide, museum visit, air-conditioned vehicle, and flexible viewing stops.

“We met up with Percy on Friday and started at the whale museum he was very knowledgable and informative about all aspects of the whales. We had a good 3.30 hours around Hermanus talking in the views and surrounding area we unfortunately didn’t see any whales but it was still a very enjoyable trip would definitely recommend”

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5.Hermanus Land based Whale Tour with Dave de Beer

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 24 reviews · from $80

Review of Hermanus land based whale tour with Dave de Beer, covering the museum, cliff path, price, private format, and practical tips.

“We had a brilliant morning with Dave who is extremely knowledgeable and very personable. Highly recommended.”

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6.From Cape Town: Full Day Hermanus Whale Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.6 · 20 reviews · 9.5 hours · from $120

Review of the Cape Town to Hermanus whale watching tour, with coastal views, optional boat trips, wine tasting, penguins, timing, and value advice.

“Pas du tout la prestation demandée, à aucun moment il était notifié qu'il y avait le bateau à prendre, seul chose intéressante de la journée mais 120€ pour deux en plus à payer. Pas de dégustation de vin comme notifié. payer 155€ pour deux juste pour l'aller retour c'est du vol, on aurait mieux fait d'y aller avec notre voiture de location. Une véritable arnaque”

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7.Shark & Whale Trip Combo

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 12 reviews · 3 hours · from $283

Review of Cape Shark Adventures’ Gansbaai shark cage and whale watching combo, with practical timing, costs, safety, meals, and tips.

“Un accueil incroyable ! L'équipe est professionnelle, chaleureuse et à l'écoute des clients. Bravo ! La prestation est de grande qualité.”

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8.Cape Town: Hermanus Whale Watching Shared Boat & Penguins

★★★★★★★★★★3.3 · 6 reviews · 1 day · from $246

Review of Cape Town’s Hermanus whale tour with shared boat trip, lunch, town time, and quieter African penguin viewing at Stony Point.

“Great experience. Gabriel was amazing. Filled with so much knowledge and able to answer any questions. He really knows his stuff. He made sure to recommend things to do after the whale watching and was happy to wait whilst we did our own thing, like visiting the local market in Hermanus. He also recommended a great restaurant where we could see the whales from the table! Absolute dream! The Whale watching out of this world - so many mums and their babies nursing which was a great thing to witness (went September). Penguins were adorable and it’s quieter than Boulders so more time to enjoy them in their natural environment.…”

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9.Hermanus: Whale Watching and Wine Testing

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 5 reviews · 8 hours

Review of Hermanus whale watching and wine tasting, with private transport, Walker Bay boat trip, winery visit, pricing, tips, and drawbacks.

“Our guide Joseph was excellent, very informative and gave us plenty of time to relax and enjoy each part of the tour.”

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