LOCAL TRAVEL
Winter in Hermanus brings cold air, cliff walks, cosy wine farms, and the annual return of southern right whales to Walker Bay.
Packing for Hermanus in winter feels uniquely South African. The sky might be clear over Cape Town, but soon enough, you’ re reaching for a puffer jacket and beanie. Everyone knows the weather outside the Mother City can change in an instant.
Leaving the city feels slower at this time of year. The mountains look greener, the roads are wet, and small farm stalls send up steam in the cold. As you get closer to Hermanus, people gather along the cliffs, all watching the ocean and waiting.
And then it happens...
A sudden movement in the distance. A tail lifting above the water. Phones rise, strangers point excitedly, and for a few seconds, the entire coastline seems to pause together. Whale season has officially begun.
Whale season runs from June to November, with sightings usually peaking around September.
June marks the beginning of whale season in Hermanus, and with it comes one of the Western Cape’ s most remarkable natural spectacles. Every year, southern right whales migrate from the icy waters of Antarctica to the calmer, warmer bays along South Africa’ s coastline to mate and calve.
Hermanus, with its dramatic cliffs and protected waters, becomes one of the best land-based whalewatching destinations in the world.
What makes Hermanus special isn’ t only the whales themselves, but also how close they come to shore. You don’ t necessarily need a boat or expensive excursion to witness the experience.
As a kid, I still remember the excitement of spotting these majestic creatures along the Hermanus coastline. On good mornings, whales would glide unbelievably close to the rocks, rolling through the water before lifting their enormous tails into the air and disappearing beneath the surface again.
ABOUT 120KM FROM CAPE TOWN The town itself seems to shift with the season. Restaurants pull blankets over outdoor chairs, local cafés fill with travellers escaping Cape Town for the weekend, and binoculars become part of the scenery. Whale season creates a quieter kind of tourism, no rush.
There’ s also something deeply grounding about watching whales in real life. No screen really prepares you for their size. One moment, the ocean is empty, the next, there’ s movement beneath the water so large it changes your sense of scale completely. It reminds you how wild this coastline still is.
For first-time visitors, the best viewing spots are scattered around town. Gearings Point remains a favourite for photographers, while Siever’ s Point
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