Every year during winter months, southern right and humpback whales migrate Antarctica’s icy waters to sheltered, temperate bays at the tip of South Africa. Experience these gentle giants up close on our whale-watching boat tours!
The EcoAdventure
Annually, between June and November/December, southern right and humpback whales travel from Antarctica’s icy oceans to South Africa’s Western Cape coast.
The reason for their epic annual journey is to mate and nurture their calves in our warmer waters, where they have a better chance of survival.
They grace us with their ocean antics, which occasionally include full breaching. These displays are an monumental feat for an animal that reaches up to 23000 kilograms in adulthood! Yet whales make it look effortless – just one of their many amazing characteristics.
As summer arrives in the southern hemisphere, the whales head back south, taking their offspring with them.
You can experience these migratory southern right and humpback whales close up on our whale-watching ecoadventures. Each tour is led by a knowledgeable marine biologist who will tell you about these amazing marine mammals. The trip lasts from two to two-and-a-half hours, depending on ocean and weather conditions and sightings.
Along with southern rights and humpbacks, we often see Bryde’s whales on our tours. Unlike our migratory whale species, Bryde’s whales are present in Western Cape waters all year round. We have compiled South Africa’s biggest boat-based whale identity inventory, and frequently encounter the same individual whales every annual season.
On the way to the bay’s whale hotspots, our crew will take you past Dyer Island. This access-controlled island is an Important Bird Area (IBA). It is critical to the conservation of several resident bird species, including critically endangered African penguins.
A deep channel separates the island from a smaller rocky outcrop. This islet and the surrounding waters support a population of roughly 60,000 Cape fur seals all year round.
Next, we head to the areas of the bay where we most often meet whales. We have been operating whale-watching tours in the area for more than 20 years. Over the decades, our crew members have gained vast experience with these beautiful behemoths’ movement patterns and their hang-out spots.
We hold a while-watching permit, which allows us to venture within 300 metres of whales. However, they are naturally curious animals and often approach the vessel on their own. When they do, we are treated to incredible encounters with these majestic mammals, sometimes just metres away! After the tour, guests can visit the African Penguin & Seabird Sanctuary to see conservation in action!
Please note: This activity depends on weather/sea/shark activity. Therefore, we can only provide confirmation of the trip the evening before departure.
What Species Could You See?
- Southern right whales
- Humpback whales
- Bryde's whales
- Bronze whaler sharks
- Dolphins
- Stingrays
- Cape fur seals
- Petrels
- Cormorants
- Sunfish
- Jellyfish
- African penguins
What do you need to bring?
- Sunscreen
- Warm clothes
- Seasickness tablets (if needed)
*Life jackets, oilskins, and drinking water are provided
Adventure Itinerary
- Arrive at our welcoming headquarters and enjoy coffee/tea and muffins.
- Listen to a short briefing on conservation and safety precautions during the ecoadventure. Our staff will also tell you about the route we will be taking and the species we may see along the way.
- Our team will fit you with life jackets and waterproof jackets – ‘oilskins’ – to keep the wind, sea spray and any rain at bay.
- Then, we set out on our whale-watching tour, which takes from two to 2.5 hours).
- Along the way, we visit an Important Bird Area (IBA) and an islet home to roughly 60 000 Cape fur seals.
- We then head to the bay’s whale ‘hot spots’.
- After roughly two hours on the water, we return to our headquarters for a light meal and to review the trip’s video footage (which is available via a downloadable link).
Why Take an Ecoadventure With Us?
Committed to Conservation
Preserving whales and other marine species is at the core of our work and purpose. The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Animals classifies both southern right whales and humpback whales as Endangered species.
Our team is committed to preserving these gentle and threatened marine mammals for future generations. Together, we have compiled South Africa’s largest boat-based whale ID database. This information is critical to the long-term conservation of these beautiful ocean behemoths.
Safety and Standards First
Our crew members have years of experience on our local waters and working in marine wildlife conservation. They are dedicated to upholding the highest safety standards on each and every whale-watching ecoadventure.