Whales arrived late in Hermanus this year
The whale watching season normally begins in June
Southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) typically begin appearing in Walker Bay and along the Western Cape coast in the first two weeks of June. By the third week of June in most years, the Hermanus Whale Crier is active, the boat operators have their first trips of the season, and the cliff path has its first whale-watchers with binoculars.
In 2024, the first confirmed sighting in Walker Bay was not until the first week of July.
At a glance: normal season vs 2024
| Milestone | 2024 vs long-term average |
|---|---|
| First sighting | First week of July (vs early-mid June) |
| Peak density | Compressed into August (vs Sept-Oct) |
| Season normalises | By October, same as usual |
| Departure | November, unchanged |
This is not unprecedented — the scientific record shows variability in arrival dates correlated with sea surface temperature anomalies in the Southern Ocean feeding grounds, where the southern rights spend the austral summer before migrating north to the calving grounds on the South African coast. The 2023-24 Southern Ocean season was warmer than average — an El Nino year with elevated sea surface temperatures across the southern hemisphere — and the krill and copepod abundance that southern rights depend on for feeding was reportedly patchy in several key Antarctic feeding zones.
The marine biologists at the South African National Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) and the Southern Right Whale Research Project, which has been tracking the Walker Bay population since the 1980s, documented the delay and attributed it to the feeding-ground conditions rather than any change in the South African coastal environment.
What the delay looked like on the ground
Tour operators in Hermanus reported a difficult early season. Visitors who had booked trips in June for the expected peak of the calving season arrived to empty water. The cliff path was walkable and the weather in June was reasonable — the Western Cape winter was mild by recent standards — but there was nothing to watch.
By late July and August, the population had arrived and was large. Operators reported what they described as an “above-average” August, with unusual behavioural activity including sustained breaching sequences in Walker Bay over several consecutive days in the second week of August. The delay appeared to have compressed the migration, with multiple females and calves arriving in a shorter window than typical, which produced higher observed density in the bay for a shorter period.
By October, the season was tracking normally, with the annual departure of most animals beginning in November. Several Hermanus operators reported refunding or rebooking June bookings, and free land-based viewing along the Whale Coast between Hermanus and Walker Bay had little to show until late July.
What this means for planning future visits
The standard advice for whale watching in Hermanus — “visit in September or October for peak season” — remains accurate as a statistical central tendency. But the 2024 season demonstrated the variability in that advice. A visitor who planned a specific June trip for first-of-season whale watching would have found nothing. A visitor who booked late-August based on the assumption that the season was over would have found extraordinary conditions.
The practical approach for visitors who want whale watching as a specific priority:
Book accommodation with good cancellation terms. This allows flexibility to adjust dates if early-season reports are poor.
Monitor the Hermanus Whale Crier and operator social media from mid-May. The crier begins active reporting as soon as confirmed sightings begin and the reports are accurate and timely.
Consider late August through early October as the most reliable window. Mid-September to mid-October has the highest probability of large populations and active behaviour.
Do not book non-refundable flights for June on the assumption of whale watching. June has historically been the start of the season but 2024 demonstrates it is not reliable.
Hermanus boat-based whale watching books quickly in peak August-October; reserve in advance, ideally with a changeable-date policy if you are visiting in June or July when arrival dates are most uncertain.
Choosing between boat and shore in an uncertain season
When arrival dates are unpredictable, the way you watch matters as much as the date you pick. The cliff path costs nothing and lets you drop in whenever the Whale Crier reports animals close in, which suits a flexible stay. A boat trip puts you on the water with the animals, and a boat-based whale and dolphin outing from Hermanus is the better use of a fixed afternoon once the bay is clearly busy. If you would rather leave the planning to an operator who also covers the wider coast, a whale-watching tour from Cape Town that also visits Hermanus and Gansbaai keeps the logistics simple, and it pairs well with the Gansbaai destination page if you want to see more of the coast.
Those staying longer can build the whales into a wider trip rather than making them the only reason to travel. The Hermanus destination page covers the town itself, Cape Town works as a base for day trips, and the Western Cape overview helps you see how the coast fits with the Winelands and the Garden Route.
Other whale and wildlife options if the bay is quiet
A slow week in Walker Bay does not have to empty your itinerary. The Cape Peninsula offers coastal scenery and wildlife that does not depend on the migration, and the Cape Winelands are an easy fallback for a rainy or whale-free day. A full-day wine tour through several Stellenbosch estates fills a day well, and the Stellenbosch wine route guide explains how to choose your estates.
For travellers who like the idea of seeing the sea’s wildlife beyond whales, the marine Big Five explained shows what else lives along this coastline, and the Hermanus and Cape Town day trip guide helps you decide whether to stay overnight or return the same day. Reading about the 2026 honest best of South Africa is also a useful way to see where whale watching sits among the country’s other highlights.