See the Southern Right Whales jump, play, or calve only meters away from the rocky cliffs (klips) and shores of Hermanus near Cape Town: Welcome to South Africa's Whale Watching Capital.

The lovely seaside town of Hermanus in Walker Bay is known best for one thing: whale watching. It claims to have the "best shore-based whale watching in the world", so it shouldn't come as a surprise that nature lovers from all around the world visit Hermanus to see these magnificent creatures.

From the benches all along the path along the cliffs or the Whale Watching Car Park, for example, whales can be seen frolicking, playing or calving and smelled only 10 meters away!

Southern Right Whales come to South Africa's Walkers Bay between June and December, peak season being from September until November. They enjoy the relatively warm waters for mating, calving, playing, feeding and they give us live entertainment while doing so.

Ever seen those posters of a whale's tail or a whale jumping out of the ocean in full glory? Welcome to Hermanus: it is like that up close during the Whale Season.

Read all on whale watching, whale watching tours and land based whale watching in our Whale Watching feature.

More Hermanus:
Cities & Suburbs: Hermanus
Selfcatering Accommodation
Hotels near Hermanus: Arabella Kleinmond
Hotels in Hermanus: Misty Waves Boutique Hotel

More to do in and around the water:
Our to do 'on the water' section
Horse Riding on Noordhoek's never ending beach
Seal spotting on a Seal Island Cruise Hout Bay
Great White Shark Cage Diving in Gansbaai

2007 Whale Festival Hermanus
Whale Festival Hermanus 2007, the Total Whale Half Marathon in Hermanus, the Whale Festival Classic Golf Tournament at Arabella and Hermanus Golf Courses and the
Boule Tournament at the Marine Hotel in Hermanus.