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WHALE ROUTE – HERMANUS
The seaside resort of Hermanus in Walker Bay offers the best whale viewing from land in the world. A cliff
path stretching from one side of the town to the other, hugs the coastline for about 12 km giving whale
watchers unlimited opportunities to study the gentle giants in the coves below or lolling just beyond the
breakers.
From the path or from rocky outcrops just off the path, whale watchers can get within 20m of whales
cruising in the coves. Benches all along the cliff path provide comfortable resting and watching spots. Start
at Gearing's Point which gives a panoramic view over the bay. A telescope situated alongside at the Old
Harbour makes it possible to survey the entire bay and the whales and dolphins at close range. Next to the
telescope is an information plaque which provides additional information on the whales.
The whale seen most frequently in the Walker Bay area is the Southern Right Whale, but other species do
make an appearance occasionally. The whales start arriving in May in order to calve and to mate in the
shallow water. Peak time for whales at any one time is October, but many can still be seen in November,
tailing off in December.
Humpbacks migrate through the region between May and December each year, while Bryde's whales are
found slightly futher offshore all year round. Occasional sightings of Killer Whales have been made.
Dolphin species which may be seen in the region include the endemic Heavisides dolphin, Bottlenose dolphin
and Common dolphins.
The first Whale Crier in the world is not only a major attraction but keeps visitors informed as to where the
whales can be seen when he does his rounds every day. The sound of his kelp horn has become a
characteristic of the charm of this seaside resort during the whale season.
A whale watching hotline provides visitors who wish to travel to Hermanus and environs with up to the
minute information on the whereabouts of the whales ( 0283122629 ). Walker Bay is one of the favoured
bays for Southern Right Whales to calve and mate and between September and November sitings are
practically guaranteed on a daily basis.
The other major attraction to Hermanus is the Great White Shark population. South Africa was the first
country to protect this super predator of the ocean. Seals are an important part of its diet and therefore
Dyer Island is an important feeding ground for this endangered shark. It is one of the last places where
Great White Sharks still occur in large numbers.
SEASONS
• The best time to film or view white sharks is during our winter from May to September
• The best time is October through November for Whale watching
HERMANUS SPECIALITIES
• Whale watching
• Shark diving
FACTS
Hermanus is located about 1 hour and half from Cape Town
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