Whale watching in South Africa

2 towns and 5 operators, with the months each species is around. Listed trips run from R550 to R2,340 per person.

When to go, town by town

Dark squares are peak months for at least one species, light squares are the rest of the season.

Town	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Trips from
HermanusSouthern right whale, Humpback whale	January: quiet	February: quiet	March: quiet	April: quiet	May: quiet	June: peak	July: peak	August: peak	September: peak	October: peak	November: peak	December: in season	R550
Plettenberg BaySouthern right whale, Humpback whale, Bryde's whale	January: in season	February: in season	March: in season	April: in season	May: in season	June: in season	July: in season	August: in season	September: in season	October: in season	November: in season	December: in season	R1,250

Operator	What you get	Town	From	Length	Group	If no whales	Book
Walker Bay Adventures	Sea Kayaking (guided eco marine sea kayak tour)	Hermanus, South Africa	R550 per person	2 hours (90 minutes of paddling after check-in and safety briefing)		Not stated	Check dates
Ocean Blue Adventures	Whale watching cruise	Plettenberg Bay, South Africa	R1,250 per adult	1 hour 30 minutes		None; operator says it cannot guarantee sightings	Check dates
Southern Right Charters	Hermanus Whale Watching Experience	Hermanus, South Africa	R1,580 per adult	1h30 to 3 hours, about 2 hours on average		50% refund or a free place on the next available tour if no whales are seen	Check dates
Dyer Island Cruises (Marine Dynamics Shark & Whale Tours)	Marine Big 5 Tour	Hermanus, South Africa	R2,340 per adult		Licensed for 50 passengers	Not stated	Check dates
Ocean Safaris	Whale Watching Cruise	Plettenberg Bay, South Africa	Not listed	2 hours	Private parties of up to 30 passengers and smaller groups	Not stated	Check dates

Each operator's cheapest listed trip, from its own website on October 21, 2026. How we compare.