South Africa
South Africa and the Southern Right Whale - An INTOSOL Experience
One of the species abundant in South Africa during the season from June through to October, the Southern Right Whale draws thousands of visitors to Cape Town and the Garden Route. You need not walk any further than Cape Town’s famous Waterfront to board a boat.
However, South Africa’s whale watching hot spot is doubtlessly the celebrated Walker Bay located at approximately one and a half hours driving distance from Cape Town. Hundreds of whales journey north from Antarctica every year to calve in the warmer waters of Walker Bay.
The incredible abundance of these majestic animals and the superb local conditions for observing them, have earned the region the nickname Whale Coast.
In Hermanus and De Kelders the gentle giants often come right up to within metres of the coastline. The cliffs’ sheer drop continues past the water’s surface, giving the animals a wide berth.
In Hermanus a trail navigates the cliffs. From personal experience we can tell you that you may occasionally get soaked by the whales’ spout – that is how close you get!
We recommend the Marine Hermanus Hotel or the Birkenhead House. Both options are almost directly on the “whale trail”. Moreover, request an ocean view suite to observe the spectacle in all comfort.
Talk to our experienced team of travel consultants who will assist you with your travel plans. The best rooms are quickly booked out in the whale watching season.
The Grootbos Nature Reserve offers the best of two worlds: A breathtaking view of the whales breaching the waters of the bay and the nature reserve’s unique and pristine ambience.
In fact, many of our guests rank the Grootbos Nature Reserve as first and foremost on their list of memorable South Africa experiences!
Yet another exciting way to observe whales is a scenic flight. The small planes track the whales from the air and afford you with a magnificent bird’s perspective of the giants playing below.
And then, of course, there are plenty of whale watching boat excursion on offer. It is a pleasure for the INTOSOL team to take care of making such arrangements – leaving you free to enjoy your holiday in South Africa.
It is highly recommendable to make reservations both for the most sought-after hotels and boat excursions well in advance. The whales have become popular and boats are frequently booked out for days and weeks on end sin the season.
