The 12 Best Hermanus Tours & Whale Trips

1.Boat Based Whale Watching Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,180 reviews · 1h 30m · from $93Our pick

See whales, dolphins, seals, and seabirds from Hermanus on a guided 90-minute boat trip with wide ocean views and expert crew.

“We had an amazing whale watching experience! 🐋 Before departure there was a clear briefing about which whales we might see, so we felt prepared and excited. The group was limited to only 40 people, and there were different types of boats to choose from, which made everything feel well organized. During the trip, huge whales appeared right next to us and even around us — truly breathtaking! We were lucky to spot a mother and baby whale breaching in the distance. The guide told us it’s a rare sight, which made it even more special. Overall, we are super happy and grateful for such a memorable adventure.”

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2.Whale and Dolphin Watching Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 807 reviews · 2 hours · from $98

Review of Hermanus whale and dolphin cruise, with practical tips on sightings, seasickness, value, safety, and what to expect aboard.

“Best Whale watching in the world. We saw lots of Southern Right Whales in Hermanus' Walker Bay. You will even see them from the Coast. Beautiful place and professional company with good Crew a Guide.”

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3.From Hermanus or Cape Town: Shark Cage Diving Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 684 reviews · 4.5 - 10 hours · from $137

Meet Southern African sharks from a secure cage near Gansbaai, with transport, meals, expert guides, equipment, and conservation lessons included.

“From start to finish we received excellent service, from booking, pre pick up details, our driver, Charlie our Marine Biologist, the Skipper and crew, the catering staff and the facilities - all exceeded our expectations. Then came the shark experience. WOW!! we saw a number of Bronze Whalers Sharks and a single seal. 20 minutes in the cage is plenty of time to see the sharks, plus there is ample opportunity to film them from the boat whilst others are in the cage. If you only have time for one trip this must be it! Thank you.”

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4.Whale Watching from Gansbaai

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 327 reviews · from $112Top rated

Review of Gansbaai whale watching, with Southern right whales, dolphins, scenic De Keldar cliffs, practical tips, price, and booking advice.

“Friendly welcome from 'Ivanhoes' receptionist, down at Gansbaai Harbour. Faultless experience once on board with crew.”

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5.Half-Day White Shark Cage Diving from Gansbaai

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 310 reviews · from $166

Review of Gansbaai’s white shark cage experience, including price, schedule, gear, weather risks, family details, and honest value advice.

“This was horrible- long and far from Cape Town, poor communication, and no one told us that the Great White are no longer coming around the waters they cruise. They did not even put the cage in the water and only 2 sharks came and went. NOT worth the money or the time. The only saving grace was the scenery down to the dock.”

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6.Shark Cage Diving

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 221 reviews · from $118

Review of Sharklady Adventures in Western Cape, with cage access, surface viewing, pricing, safety, timing, and practical booking advice.

“A lot of sharks were close to the boat. Good helpful staff. We had luck with weather. Sea was calm..”

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7.Boat Based Whale Watching from Hermanus

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 205 reviews · from $91

Set out from Hermanus New Harbour for a 2-hour whale watch with a marine guide, refreshments, Southern Right whales, dolphins, and seals.

“We had a lovely day on the water with a great crew. They were very enthusiastic and accommodating and we saw a lot of whales, dolphins, and seals. I absolutely recommend it!”

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8.Shark Cage Diving – Adventure Meets Conservation!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 196 reviews · from $143

Meet great white and bronze whaler sharks from an 8-person cage near Gansbaai, with meals, gear, guides, and optional Cape Town transport.

“Experiencia única y trato estupendo. Totalmente recomendable. Se ven un monto de tiburones y los puedes ver de cerca.”

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9.Whale Watching Walking Tours (Land-Based) – from JUNE 2025

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 88 reviews · from $57Best value

Review of Hermanus’s private land-based whale walk, with Percy, coastal viewpoints, museum visit, pricing, tips, and booking advice.

“We met up with Percy on Friday and started at the whale museum he was very knowledgable and informative about all aspects of the whales. We had a good 3.30 hours around Hermanus talking in the views and surrounding area we unfortunately didn’t see any whales but it was still a very enjoyable trip would definitely recommend”

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10.Shark Cage Diving and Viewing with transport from Hermanus

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 81 reviews · from $234

Review of Hermanus shark cage experience with transport, marine biologist, breakfast, wildlife sightings, costs, tips, and booking advice.

“Nice boat, nice crew, no sharks :((( They were organized and made you feel safe. Breakfast was included.”

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11.Shark Cage Diving Viewing Only

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 69 reviews · from $126

Review of Gansbaai shark cage viewing from a boat, with meals, guides, wildlife sightings, transport advice, price, and booking tips.

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12.Marine Big 5 Safari with transport from Hermanus

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 64 reviews · from $164

Review of Hermanus Marine Big 5 Safari: whale, shark, seal, penguin, and dolphin sightings, transport, costs, timing, and practical tips.

“Très bon accueil et nous avons eu la chance de voir requins, otaries, et une baleine et son bébé . Le programme est parfait avec la collation, la petite soupe , très sympa. Accueil et explications au top”

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