A fantastic place to pair with Cape Town, the Western Cape offers all manner of pleasures. You will be based at beautiful Walker Bay where, between Jul-Oct, southern right whales come so close to shore they can easily be spotted.
In a nutshell
There are also year-round opportunities to see dolphins, seals, penguins and large colonies of seabirds. You can even see sharks, including the great white.
There are some spectacular golf courses in the area and wine lovers can take the scenic drive to the Franschhoek Valley. You can also explore the Overberg to the south, stopping off at little villages and nature reserves on the way to L'Agulhas, Africa's southernmost town.
Getting there
The easiest way to access the Cape Whale Coast is by car from Cape Town. Hermanus is approx a 1 hour 30-min drive and the roads are well signposted, plus there are lots of places to stop and admire on the way - from the whale-watching areas at Hermanus, botanical gardens at Kirchenbosch and of course, the wine estates along the way.
Additional info
- Whale watching (Jul-Oct).
- Visit the Whale Festival on the last weekend of Sep.
- Visit Cape Agulhas - Africa's most southerly point.
- Explore the surrounding mountains.
- Enjoy a picnic on the beach.
- Take a local boat trip and spot penguins, seals and whales (in season).