WHALE WATCHING, DOLPHIN SPOTTING & SHARK CAGE DIVING IN SOUTH AFRICA

Whale-watching in South Africa runs from Doringbaai, south of Cape Town, all the way east to Durban.

Whales can be viewed from cliffs and beaches and there are also many boat operators offering trips out to sea for close encounters. Many of these whale-watching destinations are just a short trip from Route 62 and are especially worth the detour in whale season.

The False Bay coastline in Cape Town is littered with whales from September through November and can be seen from the roadside, harbour walls and beaches. They are also distinctly visible on the western seaboard if you get high enough.

On the Cape west coast, Southern Right Whales can be enjoyed all the way from Strandfontein to Lambert's Bay, Elands Bay, St Helena, Saldanha and Ysterfontein, just north of Cape Town.

Hermanus in Walker Bay on the Cape south coast is said to offer the best land-based whale watching in the world. They can be clearly seen from a scenic cliff-top walk and are a stone's throw from the rocky shores. Hermanus also holds an annual whale festival in September with a whale-crier and all, helping to attract these beautiful mammals. The festivals consists of markets, fun-fair, special restaurant deals etc

Whales can also be seen all around the Cape Peninsula and along the south coast all the way to Cape Agulhas (the southernmost tip of Africa). Agulhas is particularly rewarding, with great views of groups of southern right cows and calves at play.