Whale Watching in Hermanus

Take a day tour to Hermanus when you are staying at the Westin Grand and enjoy a break from the hustle and bustle of town life! Whale watching in Hermanus is an excellant way to add that extra something to your holiday!

Hermanus is situated on South Africa’s south coast along the attractive Garden Route. The Sea side village, which has grown is popularity in the last decade, is situated between the majestic mountains and the azure blue ocean. 

The reason for its popularity is that it mixes up sea side living with scenic beauty, modern living, upmarket shops and endless adventure options. Visitors are attracted by Hermanus’ long stretches of beach, mild climate, rich floral kingdom and friendly environment. This friendly and quaint town is situated about 120km from Cape Town and is within easy reach of Cape Town International Airport. Lying in the Southeast of Cape Town, Hermanus has a population of 48,346 people.

The town of Hermanus got its name from sheep farmer, Hermanus Pieters. He brought his sheep to the coast for grazing in the 1800’s, after which came fishermen and holiday makers from the Cape. The village was known as “Hermanus Pietersfontein”, and was later abbreviated to Hermanus in 1902.  The old harbour was converted into a museum with its exhibits housed in restored fisherman's cottages, with a sonar buoy to transmit whale sounds. The Museum telescope is also available to identify whales in the bay, as they are leaping from the water, lob tailing, courting, mating and calving.

Hermanus is situated along the shores of Walker Bay near the Southern most tip of Africa, the magnificent mountains watch over the town which is home of the Southern Right Whale. A cliff path stretching from the one side of the town to the other, hugs the coastline for about 12 km giving whale watchers unlimited opportunities to study and get within 20 m of the famous whales. These whales visit Hermanus every year between June and December. One of the main attractions found in Hermanus would be the infamous Whale Crier. He works to keeps visitors informed as to the whereabouts of the whales as he does his rounds through town every day.

The Whale Festival is another popular attraction, as Hermanus has the status of being the best land-based whale watching destination in the world. Visitors have the opportunity of viewing whales aboard a boat, an airplane or the shore. The whales often appear close to the shore line, which enables viewers a perfect and safe viewpoint. Southern Right Whales are amongst the biggest in the world, measuring 11-18 metres and weighing 30-80 tonnes.  Telescopes situated alongside the Old Harbour Museum makes it possible to survey the entire Walker Bay and the whales and dolphins at close range. Nature lovers from all over the world visit Hermanus to view these magnificent creatures from the best land based whale watching destination in the world.

Other sea life activities on offer would be the opportunity to go shark cage diving, which provides an adrenaline rush like no other, as well as kayaking trips on the sea or lagoon.

The area of Hermanus boasts some excellent holiday accommodation as well as long stretches of beaches. Grotto Beach is the largest beach in Hermanus and has also been proclaimed a "Blue Flag" beach which ensures its preservation as a world heritage site. Other beaches include Voelklip, Onrus, Kammabaai and Langbaai.

Hermanus is rich in art galleries and craft shops where artists display their works. there is a regular craft market held in the centre of town is always a hive of activity with objects of interest for every member of the family. You can also go on a trip on the magnificent wine route in Hermanus; here you can experience the beautiful vineyards and well known wines of the region.