General Information

South Africa probably does not need a long introduction. Located at the southern tip of the African continent, the country is a true natural paradise. Apart from breathtaking landscapes, it is home to a big variety of animals. While lions, elephants and leopards roam in the big national parks further north, especially the cape region is home to a big range of marine ani-mals such as whales, dolphins, sharks or seals, as well as many different species of sea birds. Of special interest to us are the humpback whales, which gather in big groups close to Cape Town every year between November and March and pro-vide a true natural spectacle.

Climatically the cape region captivates with pleasant temperatures, which move between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius during the day in the humpback whale season. On the water it can still get chilly surrounded by wind and waves, which requires good clothing.

We are based in the small coastal town of Yzerfontein, about an hour north of Cape Town by car. The marina, which we use as a starting point for our whale tours, is also easy to reach. With a bit of luck, you can catch a glimpse of the whales already from shore. Always keep your eyes open.

Whales in South Africa

South Africa is home to whales all year round. While the elusive Bryde’s whale can be seen along the coast every month of the year, Southern Right Whales visit the country’s coast from June to December to mate and give birth in these sheltered bays. Humpback Whales are also visitors. However, for the last decade an interesting phenomenon has been observed, the Super Groups! Interestingly the whales seem to find a lot of food around the Cape between November and March, leading to big feeding frenzies involving up to 200 animals in a single group! These aggregations are the biggest known meetings of Humpback whales in the world, and they are happening just at our doorstep. Being surrounded by blows is a truly unique experience. Apart from the Humpback whales we also come across other species of whales, seals and a lot of sea birds.

For the search of the whales, we use a powerful RIB, that allows us cover great distances if needed. Also, we are working with the only licensed operator in the region, so there will not be any other commercial whale watching boats around.

Please note that we watch the spectacle from the safety of the boat. We are not swimming with these whales.

Accommodation

There is the option to stay together with the crew in a nice, shared house. However, there is also a big range of options with Airbnb and guesthouses. We are happy to advise if you would like to stay in Yzerfontein for multiple days. Yzerfontein is a small coastal town with about 1’200 inhabitants, offering great opportunities to gaze at the ocean or relaxing beach walks. It also offers a couple of cozy restaurants.

Before the trip we welcome you with a hearty breakfast close to the port in Yzerfontein. While at sea, we serve snacks and drinks and after coming back we round up our adventure with a nice lunch. If you decide to stay at the shared house together with the crew, all meals will be catered for.

Other Activities

There are not many countries that offer such a variety of things to do like South Africa. Since you might have travelled far to experience the humpback whales, why not making most of the trip by extending it?

Cape Town itself is a very interesting city, offering a lot of different activities such as climbing (or riding up to) the Table Mountain or visiting Robben Island, the prison where Nelson Mandela spent a big part of his life. Just south of Cape Town begins the region of the Cape of Good Hope, allowing for magnificent views and nice walks in the national park.

The famous Garden Route is a very scenic road, leading from Cape Town all the way to Port Elizabeth, passing wonderful coastal towns such as the unofficial whale capital or the world, Hermanus.

Along the Garden Route also Private Game Reserves can be found, allowing for great safari experiences, while the big Kruger National Park in the north invites you to stay for a few days as well.