Private Tour: Hermanus Whale Watching Boat Trip & Wine Tasting
Description
Experience the ultimate whale watching tour from Cape Town to Hermanus, where you'll see the stunning Southern Right Whales up close. Enjoy private transfers with personalised guidance to enhance your journey. Join a thrilling boat tour in Hermanus to witness these majestic creatures. Afterwards, treat yourself to a wine tasting at one of the 15 exquisite wine estates in the Hemel-en-Aarde Winelands. This tour offers a seamless blend of marine adventure and fine wine discovery. Cap off your adventure with a visit to the charming Stony Point Penguin Colony. Book now for an unforgettable South African experience that combines nature, wine, and wildlife, perfect for travellers seeking excitement and relaxation.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Prepare for an early morning pick up at your accommodation in Cape Town at approximately 6:30 am, as we set off for our Hermanus Whale Watching Shared Boat Trip. The driving time is approximately 1-hour, 30-minutes to Hermanus from Cape Town.
Upon our arrival at New Harbour in Hermanus, guests will be briefed about these ocean giants by an experienced qualified whale watching specialist. Guests will board a modern shared boat with toilet facilities and embark on a 2 to 3-hour sea excursion. As soon as a whale is spotted, the skipper will stop the boat so that everyone can see these amazing sea creatures up close. As time goes by, the skipper and crew members will try to spot more whales to maximize a full whale watching experience. After the boat trip, guests will return to the New Harbour.
After the boat trip you are welcome to stop for lunch (own account) at one of the many seaside restaurants or you may opt for lunch in the Hermanus Winelands known as Hemel-en-Aarde (Heaven and Earth) for lunch and/or wine tasting. We recommend Benguela Cove Wine Estate.
Visit Stony Point Penguins Colony situated in Betty's Bay on your way back to Cape Town. Stony Point is one of the largest African Penguins colonies in South Africa. Benefit from close up chance encounters with one or two of these enchanting creatures.
We travel back to Cape Town along the scenic R44 coastline with spectacular views of the Atlantic Seaboard. Drop off will be at your accommodation in Cape Town after the tour. Duration is approximately 1-hour, 30-minutes.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(41)
Picked up by Fiston we headed to Herman’s for a 12 noon boat. We drive straight there with Fiston pointing out spots and providing details to the areas we pass through. Upon arrival we get a safety briefing then we’re out on the sea. We are lucky enough to spot Southern Right Whales whilst out, we get lots of photos (none will be gracing the National Geographic) but it’s more about the experience of seeing these magnificent animals. Once we get off the boat we spend over an hour in Hermanus ( this turned into a private trip and Fiston was very accommodating as we did not want to see another vineyard or visit Stoney Point again), we had lunch at Burgundy and then a walk around Hermanus. This is a lovely town and well worth spending time in. After this it’s straight back to the hotel. I would like to take the opportunity to thank and praise Fiston for helping to make a fantastic trip. He was so helpful and is a great ambassador for your company. Many Thanks, Jim & Anya
Dear Jim & Anya, 🐋 What a fantastic recap—thank you! We’re thrilled you spotted Southern Right Whales and enjoyed flexible, private-style time in Hermanus (great choice with Burgundy!). Huge kudos to Fiston for the smooth drive, local insights, and thoughtful adjustments—he’ll be proud. When you’re back, consider Franschhoek & Stellenbosch Winelands, Cape of Good Hope & Penguins, or a private Cape Town tour—hotel pickup, small groups, expert local guides. Kind regards, Evelyn Ntombela Guest Relations Manager — Beyond Africa Safaris (Cape Town)
Everything went smooth, whale watching was a great experience! Wine tasting was superior, the wines, the place and the food as well. Our guide was nice, flexible, with a huge amount of information and data. The whole trip gave us a full day of amazing adventures.
Dear Gabor, 🌊🐋 Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! We’re delighted to hear that your Hermanus Whale Watching & Private Wine Tour from Cape Town exceeded expectations. Seeing the majestic whales in Hermanus is always a breathtaking highlight, and pairing it with a world-class Stellenbosch & Franschhoek wine tasting 🍷 truly makes for the perfect day. We’re thrilled you enjoyed not only the whales, but also the superb wines, beautiful estates, and delicious food. Your kind words about our guide’s flexibility, friendliness, and knowledge mean the world to us—we pride ourselves on creating luxury small-group tours 🚐 that feel personal, seamless, and unforgettable. We can’t wait to welcome you back to explore even more—whether it’s a Cape Peninsula adventure to the Cape of Good Hope, a Garden Route safari 🦁, or a Robben Island & Table Mountain tour. With gratitude, Evelyn Ntombela 🌟 Guest Relations Manager | Beyond Africa Safaris
Seas were rough but definately saw Wright Whales. Followed up with a great lunch at a great winery. Well done.
Dear Scott, Thank you for sharing your experience! 🐋 Despite the rough seas, we’re thrilled you had the chance to see the magnificent Southern Right Whales during our Hermanus Whale Watching Boat Trip. Following up with a delicious lunch at one of our renowned Cape Winelands wineries makes for a perfect day! 🍷🌊 We appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back soon for more unforgettable whale watching tours and wine experiences from Cape Town. Warm regards, Beyond Africa Safaris Team #HermanusWhaleWatching #CapeWinelandsTours #WhaleWatchingSouthAfrica #BeyondAfricaSafaris
The day before our private whale watching tour, Amy from Beyond Africa Safaris emailed that the tour was cancelled due to bad weather. We totally understood, as there were rough sea warnings and days of hard rain. We were leaving the following day, so sadly missed the whales and couldn't reschedule. She assured me in writing that my $850 payment would be refunded. It's been 5 weeks now, and no refund, despite numerous assuring emails. In a strange twist, instead of refunding my money, a new bizarre invoice was sent to me to pay them an additional sum of money. Multiple emails about the bad invoice (and my refund) have since gone unanswered and my refund is still outstanding.
Dear Nancy, Thank you for reaching out and sharing your experience with us. We sincerely apologize for any confusion or inconvenience you have experienced. We can confirm that the full amount you paid for the tour was refunded to you via PayPal after you initiated a chargeback. Please note that Beyond Africa Safaris did not send an additional invoice. Any communication regarding charges could be related to bank fees associated with the PayPal transaction, which we tried to inform you about. The cancellation of the whale watching tour was due entirely to weather conditions, a decision made by the operators, Southern Right Charters, for the safety of all guests. If you have any further questions or need proof of the refund, please feel free to contact us directly. We are here to assist you and ensure this matter is fully resolved. Thank you for your understanding and patience. Best regards, Pinky Ntombela Marketing Manager Beyond Africa Safaris
The trip was a little more expensive than the other companies, but my, what a bonus. Picked up at hotel, private car. Whale watch and lunch at this fabulous place right down on the rocks with the ocean waves 10 ft. away. Could see whales right from our table. ( restaurant = The Cave) Then a stop at Stony Point for, off the tourist route, penguins.! Then ride home was different and saw more of the peninsula. Fabulous, and well worth the extra money.
Good day Valued Client We appreciate the fantastic review of this whale watching tour experience, and are glad we could be of service and that the views and whale spotting was fantastic including the lunch spot.
John our tour guide was very knowledgeable and very kind. We saw lots of whales and seals for our boat trip. John also took us to see the penguins and he was also very accommodating when we want to eat somewhere else other than the ones the vineyard offered. Overall, my husband and I had a very pleasant and enjoyable trip.
Good day Valued Client Thank you for visiting us again and sharing this valuable feedback.We wish you all the best with your travels and cant wait to have you back in Cape Town
If you are expecting a relaxing anchor off the rocks with a cocktail in hand watching the whales surface at their leisure, think again, the tour I was included on literally chased down every whale or whale spray in the distance, it’s pure exploiting of the wildlife…two of the occupants of the bot were sea sick and vomiting overboard . The snacks and drinks are literally a bag of lays and a Pepsi. Rather stay on the rocks and a wood the boats . Better views , more whales, less vomit .
Good day Valued Client Thank you for the review of this tour.When going for whale watching people getting motion sickness is way out of our control and even the company rendering the service as this can happen to people at the least expected time.The route they take is also beyond our control they are well educated and aware where to find the whales while still protecting you.We do want to apologise that this tour had not met your expectations. All the best with your travels Kind Regards
That a very worthy trip. Kelly, our guide, was extremely kind, and explained several aspects about the travel and Cape Town. We could see the whales, have a great ime at Hermanus, the winery tasting was amazing and we enjoyed with the pinguins visit. Moreover, landscaping of the trip is great!
Good day Valued Client Thank you for the review of this tour.We are delighted that you had the most memorable time while doing whale watching.We wish you all the best with your future travels.
Fantastic trip! Djiby was a great guide and we enjoyed our day. Beautiful drive and we lucked out with some great whale views.
Good day Valued Client We’re thrilled you had such a great time at Hermanus Whale Watching.We hope to have you back soon!
Holy moly what an amazing experience! Hermanus is known for their whale sightings and this tour did not disappoint! Jean-Nepo was our guide and he was so thoughtful and so considerate. I actually had an issue trying contact another tour company and he tried to get in touch with them using his own phone bc mine only worked on wifi! We were picked up and dropped off from our hotel! We had waters and got to see whales and experience two amazing wineries!
Good day Valued Client Thank you so much for your five-star review. We are delighted to hear that you had a positive experience with us at Whale watching.All the best
