Hermanus

Hermanus is a seaside town on Walker Bay, 115 to 120 km south-east of Cape Town, and the best place in the country to watch whales from dry land. Southern right whales arrive from around June to calve and mate in the bay, often within a few hundred metres of the cliffs, and most have gone by early December. Outside whale season people come for the cliff path, Grotto Beach, the fynbos of Fernkloof and the cool-climate wine farms of the Hemel-en-Aarde valley behind town.

Getting there

Allow 90 minutes to two hours by car. The quick way is the N2 and then the R43 down to the coast. The slow way is better: from Gordon’s Bay take the R44 along Clarence Drive, a 22 km coastal pass to Rooi-Els with sharp bends, occasional rockfalls and views across False Bay, then on through Pringle Bay, Betty’s Bay and Kleinmond to join the R43. Hermanus has a handsome old railway station but no railway. The tourism office is in that station building, on the corner of Mitchell and Lord Roberts streets, open seven days.

When to go

Whale season is June to November, with the most animals and the most activity from August to October. The Hermanus Whale Festival usually runs in late September or early October and pulls crowds into the tens of thousands, so book a bed well ahead or stay elsewhere that weekend. Summers average around 25°C in February and are busy with Cape Town holidaymakers; winter days sit near 16°C. January onwards, with no whales, is the quiet season for hiking and wine.

What to do

Walk the cliff path. It runs for roughly 11 to 12 km along the seafront with benches and viewpoints, and in season you can watch mothers and calves from it with nothing more than binoculars. Hermanus has employed a whale crier since 1992, who sounds a kelp horn to signal where whales have been seen that day. The Old Harbour Museum covers the town’s whaling past. Boat-based whale trips leave from the New Harbour.

Grotto Beach is a Blue Flag beach on an 18 km stretch of sand; Voëlklip is the surfers’ beach. Fernkloof Nature Reserve, above the town, has trails through fynbos to a waterfall, well over a thousand plant species and free entry with a donation box. The Hemel-en-Aarde valley on the road inland has become a serious wine area and makes a good half day.

Good to know

The town was called Hermanuspietersfontein until 1902, when the name proved too long for the postal service. Whales are wild animals: in June and late November you may see few or none, and even in peak months a day of high wind flattens the viewing. The coast road from Gordon’s Bay is a daytime drive; take the N2 after dark. December and the festival weekend are the two times to book months in advance.

Last updated 6 October 2026. Sources: Wikipedia, Wikivoyage, Cape Whale Coast (Overstrand Municipality), Hermanus Whale Festival, Africa Safari Trips, Wikipedia.