Tours/Cape Town/Whale Watching Tour in Hermanus with Hotel Pickup
Viator · Private tour

Whale Watching Tour in Hermanus with Hotel Pickup

5.0(14)Cape Town1 hour
TRIPADVISOR5.0(14)

Description

WHALE SEASON IS FROM JUNE TO NOVEMBER only. Private off season tours can be scheduled at different rates. Doing whale viewing with us gives you opportunity to enjoy our add-on like, 1. Lunch on amazing sea front of Hermanus 2. Penguins in Betty’s bay 3. Scenic coastal drive on the slopes of the Hottentots-Holland mountain

Tour Options

Whale Watching Tour in Hermanus with Hotel Pickup
  • Pickup included

Itinerary

60 min

After the whale viewing we give guests a chance to see the town of Hermanus and if they want to eat lunch they have opportunity to.

180 min

The great season for whale viewing is in between May to November. Although one can cone across whales randomly on coastal drive, seeing them next to you on boat tours in the ocean is amazing.

30 min

Betty’s Bay has a penguins colony. The location is great and the numbers of penguins are large. This is another add on experience.

Highlights

Private transportation
Air-conditioned vehicle

What's included

Included
Private transportation
Air-conditioned vehicle
Not included
Boat watching fees not included. Transportation and tour only

Pickup Locations & Times

We pick up our travelers at the address provided

Traveller Ratings

5.0
14 reviews
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14
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Important Information

  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Specialized infant seats are available
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Reviews(14)

T
TXDelta3
December 10, 2025
Bryde's whale + dolphin sighting in late Nov

Booked this tour with Tingo at SantaCruise in advance; turns out he wasn't our guide for the day but Anga was great. Did this tour at the end of November when most of the whales have returned to Antarctica. Obviously no guarantee of what you'll see but decided to go anyway. Anga picked us up at our hotel drove us to Hermanus. The bay was rough that day - no one's fault just matter of fact; be prepared with Dramamine or something as it got rough even for those who don't typically experience sea sickness. But... The playful pod of dolphins that followed and surrounded our boat was so cool, and we did see one Bryde's whale before the tour was done. After the tour, Anga suggested lunch at a waterside spot. We enjoyed her company so much we insisted she join us for lunch, which was delicious. Would def do this tour again with Anga, perhaps earlier in the season to maximize chance of seeing more whales.

Operator response

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ We truly appreciate you choosing Santacruise Tours and for booking in advance. While Tingo wasn’t your guide on the day, we’re delighted to hear that Anga took great care of you and made the experience memorable. She’ll be especially happy to know how much you enjoyed her company—from the drive to Hermanus, to the dolphin encounter, and even sharing lunch together afterward. Nature always has the final say, and we’re glad you went into the experience with the right expectations. Despite the rough bay conditions, it’s wonderful that you were rewarded with a playful pod of dolphins and a Bryde’s whale sighting—those moments are truly special. Thank you as well for the helpful note about sea conditions; it’s valuable advice for future guests. We’d love to welcome you back again, hopefully earlier in the season, to maximize whale sightings and create even more unforgettable memories. Warm regards from the entire Santacruise Tours team 🌊🐋

Y
yuanl987
September 1, 2025
The legendary Tingo

It’s always a 50-50 chance with guides and with Tingo, we hit the jackpot! Sights will always remain the same but Tingo made even the drive to Hermanus come alive with info nuggets of history, nature, culture, food, religion, jokes even… he would excitedly point out natural phenomenons and sights as if it was the first he saw them (you see what you see, he said) and stopped en route for us to take breath taking pictures or pick up local produce. Conversations and laughter flowed freely, and honestly we got more than the whales and sights we signed up for from this tour… we got one heck of a gentleman from whom we truly experienced the South African way of life and hospitality; who taught us lessons on happiness without knowing. Truly a memorable and valuable experience for us! Just make sure it’s the legendary Tingo!

S
Sunshine41198006318
August 9, 2025
Cape town Santa Cruise private tour

It was a 10 very fun very social good laughs got to see the whales the light house tower has beautiful views from above..100% good private tour

Operator response

Thanks for joining the tours. I hope you will share the details to the loved ones.

K
Kathy R
September 18, 2024
Timbo!

Timbers made this experience one for the books for sure, the scenic view, the dinner, the whales, the penguins and the laughs he made this experience perfect from beginning to end! We are excited to do it again in the future for sure!

Operator response

Thanks Kathy! That's was fun and great day for sure. Thanks for using our services

L
Lee J
September 17, 2024
An up-close experience with whales and penguins

Tingo guided us on an awesome whale watching trip at Hermanus. It was a memorable experience thanks to the crew's expertise and enthusiasm. The whales were really close to us. The curious penguins at Betty Bay never fail to amaze me with their movements. It enriched the whole trip with Tingo's commentary. Anybody looking for a whale watching adventure should take this tour!

Operator response

Thanks Lee for trusting and using our services. We greatly appreciated hosting you and your family. Please share the word of our services to Singapore

I
ivork38
September 16, 2024
Fantastic Tour!

We had a fantastic day with Tingo, visiting Hermanus, seeing whales and dolphins, and visiting Betty’s bay to see penguins and finishing off with the beautiful scenery at the coast. Tingo is an excellent and knowledgeable guide who knows the area well and showed us some beautiful hidden spots, and above all he’s a fantastic guy! 5 out of 5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Operator response

Thanks Ivor. Am glad that you enjoyed the tour and the knowledge shared will last life time. Thanks again.

5
582theresec
September 12, 2024
Wonderful day with Tingo

What an amazing day, from the minute Tingo picked us up to the minute we arrived home. We were so fortunate to see a humpback, southern right whales with calves and countless dolphins. Tingo shared a beautiful coastal walk with us and took us to a lovely restaurant. From there we had a wonderful time seeing the penguins at Betty's Bay and all the time we felt we were in the company of a friend. Thank you Tingo.

Operator response

What an amazing family you have.. so much fun all the way and very good educational questions. Thank you

S
Stay603541
August 15, 2023
Santa Cruz Tours

Whale watching was amazing. We had the best tour guide, Tingo of Santa Cruz Tours made our trip phenomenal! Thank you Tingo. We were blessed to see so many whales that day, it was perfect!

Operator response

Thanks for joining this authentic viewing experience. Its very satisfying. Thank you

N
NNM25
August 7, 2023
Superb

Whale watching with Tingo was excellent. He is an amazing tour guide and extremely pleasant. We really enjoyed our time in Capetown and all the tours with Tingo!

Operator response

Thanks so much Nester. I greatly enjoyed your presence and the fun. Thanks . Pass the word of mouth to other travelers

E
Erica J
December 10, 2022
Hermanus is a dream!

Really enjoyed this full day private tour with Santa Cruise Tours. Our guide was very knowledgeable of the city and the history. The route was scenic and so pretty. We had ample time for lunch and did a few stops in between for pictures. Pickup was timely and the car was comfortable and clean. I cannot recommend this company enough for your South African site seeing needs.

Operator response

Nothing beats the whale watching experience . I enjoy it myself. Sadly the season is over looking forward to June- November season again. Thanks for choosing Santacruise Tours

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