Hermanus
Tours

Our most recommended things to do in Hermanus

Hermanus: Boat Based Whale Watching Experience

Hermanus: Boat Based Whale Watching Experience

Board your vessel for the day and receive a safety briefing before starting your whale watching adventure. In good weather conditions travelers will be allowed on the top-deck before departure for great unobstructed views, otherwise they will be allowed on top only after the whales have been found. Travel out onto the ocean taking in great views as you go.  Regarding the question about the physical tickets is that we give the physical ticket on arrival on the day to make sure that you are here. Once the whales have been spotted, the vessel is allowed to move closer to the whales where it stops and the engines disengage is to prevent the whales from being injured by the propellers. Experience for yourself the astonishment of being so close to these majestic creatures.  As the whales are curious creatures, they might move up to the vessel for some 'people watching'. See a variety of other marine wildlife such as dolphins and seals as you coast along the water. As you travel through the day and spot these beautiful creatures learn more about them from your crew, before they take you back to land after a once in a lifetime experience. 

From Hermanus or Cape Town: Shark Cage Diving Experience

From Hermanus or Cape Town: Shark Cage Diving Experience

Discover the excitement of meeting a great white shark on this day trip. Choose from a tour with hotel pickup in Hermanus or Cape Town or a tour where you can meet the boat directly in Gansbaai. Enjoy a delicious breakfast and lunch and get a certificate for your shark cage dive. First, enjoy breakfast at the stunning Lodge. The continental breakfast consists of freshly made muffins, quiches, yogurt, cereals, toast and cold meats, tea, and coffee. Meet your skipper for the day, who has extensive experience working in the unique marine area off the southern Cape coast. The skippers log more contact with great white sharks than anyone else worldwide. Have a brief introductory presentation on the Great White Shark and learn how the activity provider works with the sharks in the area. Spend 2 to 4 hours at sea, depending on how often the sharks visit the boat. Be sure to ask as many questions as you wish. Hop into the cage, which takes 6 people at a time. Each person spends about 20 minutes in the cage. All scuba equipment, including 7 mm wetsuits, is provided – you don’t need a scuba license to cage dive. On your return to dry land, you will return to the Lodge for a light lunch.

Hermanus: Whale and Dolphin Watching Boat Trip

Hermanus: Whale and Dolphin Watching Boat Trip

Discover Hermanus, one of the best destinations for watching marine mammals, on a boat trip with a whale specialist guide. Sail to areas that receive seasonal visits from southern right and humpback whales along with year-round sightings of Bryde’s whales and dolphins. Enjoy refreshments onboard. Sail on a purpose-built catamaran ensures maximum passenger comfort and spectacular viewing opportunities. During the tour, the crew is on hand to make sure everyone has a great experience, from helping get the perfect photo to serving complimentary light refreshments. The guide, a whale specialist, will interpret the marine life encountered en route and provide insight into the behavior of the whales while the action is taking place. The expert videographer will ensure the best footage is captured.

Gansbaai: Marine Big 5 Boat tour

Gansbaai: Marine Big 5 Boat tour

Visit the Dyer Island ecosystem and have the opportunity to spot the Marine Big 5: whales, sharks, seals, dolphins, and penguins. Every year from June to December, the southern right whales arrive to mate and calve.  Witness mating displays, breaching, tail slapping, spy-hopping and more. You may also see Bryde’s whales, humpback whales, the elusive humpback dolphin and the common dolphin. An incredible array of seabirds and a sighting of the almost 60,000-strong Cape fur seal colony on Geyser Rock is guaranteed as the boat cruises down the famous Shark Alley. An onboard marine biologist will be on hand to teach you more about the amazing animals that visit these shores. Please note that this is wildlife and animal activity cannot be guaranteed. You will be contacted by a member of staff the day prior to your tour to confirm the exact meeting or pickup time (depending on the activity you booked). Tour meeting times will differ from timeslots selected on booking as this tour is weather and tide depending. We will confirm the tour times after a detailed weather and tide check. Ensure you receive your message the afternoon prior to the tour and confirm receipt of message. Estimated timeslots on website is only an indication. On the day of your trip, you will be picked up from your hotel in Cape Town or Hermanus, if you have selected an option with transfers included. Upon arrival in Gansbaai, enjoy coffee/tea and muffins while listening to a dedicated safety briefing.  Once you're fitted with inflatable life jackets and wet-weather gear, take a 200-meter stroll down to the harbor to board the whale-watching vessel. Time spent out at sea on average is two hours depending on sea conditions and marine life activity.  Upon return to land, receive an informative debrief while enjoying warm soup and bread. Professional trip footage is also available to purchase after the trip so that you can have a permanent memory of your sightings.  If you have chosen the option with transfers from Cape Town, a visit to the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary is also included on your way back. You'll see the important efforts being made to rehabilitate injured and sick animals.

From Cape Town: 2-Day Safari at Garden Route Game Lodge

From Cape Town: 2-Day Safari at Garden Route Game Lodge

Get the chance to see lions, elephants, rhinos, hippos, giraffes, and more on a 2-day safari tour from Cape Town. Enjoy 2 game drives and an overnight stay with included dinner and breakfast. On the first day, depart Cape Town and drive along the scenic coastal road to Cape Agulhas via Hermanus, the whale watching capital of the world. Make a stop at the southernmost tip of Africa to admire the beautiful lighthouse. Continue on to Garden Route Game Lodge. Here, embark on a sunset safari in an open-air vehicle. Observe a variety of native animals, including elephants, lions, rhinos, giraffes, hippos, and more. After the safari, settle in for a three-course dinner. Spend the night in one of the beautiful 4-star wooden chalets or Lodge room as allocated and admire the clear skies over the lodge. In the morning, head out for another game drive to see some of the animals you might have missed the evening before. After your drive, tuck into breakfast. Make your way back to Cape Town in the evening.

From Cape Town: Hermanus Whale Watching Boat Trip

From Cape Town: Hermanus Whale Watching Boat Trip

Join a whale-watching tour in Hermanus and visit the area with the highest concentration of whales on the South African Coastline. Launch from the quaint fishing harbor of Gansbaai and travel along the cliffs of De Kelders to see these magnificent creatures. Along the way hear commentary about whales, and facts about right whales. Learn about the habitats and their feeding processes. Look for southern right whales in their natural environment, along with dolphins, Cape fur seals, and other marine life. Keep an eye out for humpback, minke, and Bryde's whales frolicking in the ocean. Catch a glimpse of the beautiful orcas, false killer whales, and enchanting African penguins. This tour offers a great selection of marine life and allows you to get an up-close look at wild animals. Relax without an ethical dilemma as you support businesses that celebrate animals in the wild. Return back to the harbor at the end of your boating adventure.

From Hermanus: Cruise with Shark Cage Dive and Lunch

From Hermanus: Cruise with Shark Cage Dive and Lunch

Discover the thrill of diving with sharks in a protective cage on this boat tour to Shark Alley. Enjoy breakfast/lunch, snacks, and drinks on your trip.  On arrival, enjoy complimentary snacks with coffee or tea during the safety briefing on land and get fitted with your high-quality wetsuit. Embark on your cruise from Kleinbaai Harbour. Arrive at shark alley and watch as the boat is anchored, and the sharks are lured by bait line to the cage. Watch the sharks from the deck of the boat while waiting to hop into the cage for your own unforgettable close encounter. Sip on drinks and snacks on board while you warm up on the deck before having another underwater encounter with these awe-inspiring apex predators. No diving experience is necessary for this surface-level cage dive, it's as easy as holding your breath. Have your experience captured by an onboard cameraman and after viewing the day's footage back on land, while tucking into a hot meal, you can choose to purchase a video of your great experience (via a link).

Gansbaai: Whale Watching Trip by Boat

Gansbaai: Whale Watching Trip by Boat

Launch from the quaint fishing harbor of Gansbaai and travel along the cliffs of De Kelders. Enter a nature reserve with the highest concentration of whales in South Africa. Look for southern right whales in their natural environment, along with dolphins, Cape fur seals and sharks. Keep an eye out for humpback, minke and Bryde's whales frolicking in the ocean. Catch a glimpse of the beautiful orcas, False killer whales and enchanting African penguins. Return back to the harbor at the end of your boating adventure.

From Cape Town: Whale Watching Tour in Hermanus and Gansbaai

From Cape Town: Whale Watching Tour in Hermanus and Gansbaai

In just 20 minutes you’ll be out of Cape Town’s city center and traveling along the Overberg south coastal route to Gordon’s Bay, Pringle Bay, and Betty’s Bay. The route is picturesque and is an enjoyable way to set the mood for the full day ahead. Travel beneath Sir Lowry’s Pass and see the sheer cliff faces that drop into the Indian Ocean below. As you near Betty’s Bay, you’ll have views of unspoiled beaches stretching for miles. Stop to see the breeding ground of the African penguins at Stony Point or visit the Harold Porter National Botanical Garden. Continue the drive through Hermanus to the seaside town of Gansbaai. The magnificent cliffs of De Kelders and the unspoiled beach provide for perfect land-based whale watching. In Gansbaai, you’ll head out on a 2-hour whale-watching journey. The purpose-built boat and restrictions on the number of passengers make it possible to fully enjoy the experience of observing these creatures at play. Afterwards you’ll head back along the coast to Hermanus for a late lunch (not included in the tour price). There’s much to see and discover in Hermanus, including up-market shops and arts and crafts stalls. Head along the N2 to the Peregrine Farm Stall, the final stop on the tour. Experience old-fashioned values and quality produce straight from the farms.

From Cape Town: 3-Day Garden Route Safari and Coastal Tour

From Cape Town: 3-Day Garden Route Safari and Coastal Tour

Departing Cape Town, we head towards Cape Agulhas, the true Southern Tip of Africa and its famous lighthouse. En-route visit Betty’s Bay where an African penguin colony calls this home. On to Hermanus which is known as the best land-based whale watching destination in the World and where the majestic Southern right whales calve their young in the Bay. We meander to Cape Agulhas with views over the Indian and Atlantic Oceans and tonight you will overnight at a 4-Star Guest House Leaving the Southern Tip of Africa, you make your way to the magnificent Garden Route Game Lodge. This 4-Star facility offers a unique Safari experience. Check into our award winning chalets or lodge rooms as allocated with time to spare to enjoy the attractions and views it has to offer. In the afternoon, hop aboard an open-aired Safari vehicle, where a local guide will take you on a 2-hours game drive. Spot elephants, rhinos, lions, hippos, herds of antelope, and much, much more. A 3-course dinner is on the menu for the evening. Spend the night at the Garden Route Game Lodge A morning game drive awaits you bright and early, spotting some of the animals you perhaps did not see the day before. After a scrumptious breakfast, make your way back to Cape Town via the incredibly scenic Route 62 through mountain passes and characterful towns. Wine tasting and exploring are on the menu before arrival at your place of accommodation around 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM. The tour can run back to front due to accommodation availability issues.

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What people are saying about Hermanus

Overall rating

4.6
(1,032 reviews)

This was a must do. What a wonderful experience with fantastic customer service. They made sure everyone had a great experience. Henrico our driver was the one that really made a difference. He was so much fun to be with and made the trip very memorable.

This was a wonderful way to see some amazing sites in South Africa! It was an awesome 3 day adventure. I would highly recommend this tour. Mzweh my guide was terrific and he took care of every detail and made sure the trip went well.

Great guide and staff, very professional and good at giving information about the different animals. No problems with pickup or drop off at our hotel, super easy. Would recommend! :)

Fantastic experience and great value too. Highlight of our trip to South Africa. Our guide Gareth was knowledgeable, humorous and helpful throughout.

What an amazing experience…. 2 lots of 2 hour safaris …. Saw lots of animals and got sooooo close to the animals it was amazing.