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Cape Town Dolphin & whale watching

Our most recommended Cape Town Dolphin & whale watching

Cape Town: Coastal Catamaran Cruise

1. Cape Town: Coastal Catamaran Cruise

Enjoy a one-hour scenic coastal cruise aboard a luxury power catamaran. The vessel will take you from the historic V&A Waterfront area on an adventure out to sea. Throughout the cruise, you'll travel along the Atlantic coastline to the Green Point Lighthouse before then traveling back to the harbor. With spectacular mountain and city views, the cruise provides perfect ocean views over many of Cape Town’s splendors. Your one-hour cruise operates daily, with regular departures from Quay 5. With a cash bar on board for refreshments as well as great service, this is a trip not to be missed.

Gansbaai: Marine Big 5 Boat tour

2. Gansbaai: Marine Big 5 Boat tour

Visit the Dyer Island ecosystem and have the opportunity to spot the Marine Big 5: whales, sharks, seals, dolphins, and penguins. Every year from June to December, the southern right whales arrive to mate and calve.  Witness mating displays, breaching, tail slapping, spy-hopping and more. You may also see Bryde’s whales, humpback whales, the elusive humpback dolphin and the common dolphin. An incredible array of seabirds and a sighting of the almost 60,000-strong Cape fur seal colony on Geyser Rock is guaranteed as the boat cruises down the famous Shark Alley. An onboard marine biologist will be on hand to teach you more about the amazing animals that visit these shores. On the day of your trip, you will be picked up from your hotel in Cape Town or Hermanus, if you have selected an option with transfers included. Upon arrival in Gansbaai, enjoy coffee/tea and muffins while listening to a dedicated safety briefing.  Once you're fitted with inflatable life jackets and wet-weather gear, take a 200-meter stroll down to the harbor to board the whale-watching vessel. Time spent out at sea on average is two hours depending on sea conditions and marine life activity.  Upon return to land, receive an informative debrief while enjoying warm soup and bread. Professional trip footage is also available to purchase after the trip so that you can have a permanent memory of your sightings.  If you have chosen the option with transfers from Cape Town, a visit to the African Penguin and Seabird Sanctuary is also included on your way back. You'll see the important efforts being made to rehabilitate injured and sick animals.

From Cape Town: Hermanus Whale Watching Boat Trip

3. From Cape Town: Hermanus Whale Watching Boat Trip

Join a whale-watching tour in Hermanus and visit the area with the highest concentration of whales on the South African Coastline. Launch from the quaint fishing harbor of Gansbaai and travel along the cliffs of De Kelders to see these magnificent creatures. Along the way hear commentary about whales, and facts about right whales. Learn about the habitats and their feeding processes. Look for southern right whales in their natural environment, along with dolphins, Cape fur seals, and other marine life. Keep an eye out for humpback, minke, and Bryde's whales frolicking in the ocean. Catch a glimpse of the beautiful orcas, false killer whales, and enchanting African penguins. This tour offers a great selection of marine life and allows you to get an up-close look at wild animals. Relax without an ethical dilemma as you support businesses that celebrate animals in the wild. Return back to the harbor at the end of your boating adventure.

From Cape Town: Whale Watching Tour in Hermanus and Gansbaai

4. From Cape Town: Whale Watching Tour in Hermanus and Gansbaai

In just 20 minutes you’ll be out of Cape Town’s city center and traveling along the Overberg south coastal route to Gordon’s Bay, Pringle Bay, and Betty’s Bay. The route is picturesque and is an enjoyable way to set the mood for the full day ahead. Travel beneath Sir Lowry’s Pass and see the sheer cliff faces that drop into the Indian Ocean below. As you near Betty’s Bay, you’ll have views of unspoiled beaches stretching for miles. Stop to see the breeding ground of the African penguins at Stony Point or visit the Harold Porter National Botanical Garden. Continue the drive through Hermanus to the seaside town of Gansbaai. The magnificent cliffs of De Kelders and the unspoiled beach provide for perfect land-based whale watching. In Gansbaai, you’ll head out on a 2-hour whale-watching journey. The purpose-built boat and restrictions on the number of passengers make it possible to fully enjoy the experience of observing these creatures at play. Afterwards you’ll head back along the coast to Hermanus for a late lunch (not included in the tour price). There’s much to see and discover in Hermanus, including up-market shops and arts and crafts stalls. Head along the N2 to the Peregrine Farm Stall, the final stop on the tour. Experience old-fashioned values and quality produce straight from the farms.

Cape Town: Pre-Sunset Champagne Cruise

5. Cape Town: Pre-Sunset Champagne Cruise

A pre-sunset Champagne cruises is an extremely popular cruise, ideal for families with kids who find the regular sunset cruise too late. Whilst out on the water you can watch the sun sink into the horizon and enjoy the “golden hour”, which makes for stunning photos. You'll be presented with fantastic views over the entire city of Cape Town, as well as the always impressive Table Mountain. Aboard your vessel, you will be welcome to enjoy a glass of complimentary sparkling wine which will be accompanied by commentary from the crew whilst on board the boat. This cruise is the second-last of the day, and returns to the V&A Harbour prior to the final sunset Champagne cruise.

Cape Town: Marine Wildlife Tour from the V&A Waterfront

6. Cape Town: Marine Wildlife Tour from the V&A Waterfront

Climb aboard and look for marine life in the ecosystem of Table Bay on a 1.5-hour eco-cruise from Cape Town. See species in their natural surroundings, such as humpback and southern right whales, depending on the season. Get the chance to watch pods of dolphins breaching close to the boat and marvel at their acrobatic displays. Be enchanted by Cape fur seals lounging on the jetties and get close to unusual species, such as sunfish. Watch African penguins diving for fish to take back to their breeding colony on Robben Island.  Encounter birdlife, such as terns, gannets, cormorants and mighty black-browed albatross.

Cape Town: Marine Big 5 Ocean Safari from V&A Waterfront

7. Cape Town: Marine Big 5 Ocean Safari from V&A Waterfront

Escape of the hustle and bustle of the city to smell the fresh ocean air and learn about the Atlantic coastline's unique marine ecosystem. Your skippers and guide are experienced enthusiastic and love sharing knowledge and experiences of the ocean. Gaze at the beauty of the ocean as well as at the beauty of the Cape Town Atlantic Coastline. Cruise along and see the city from a different perspective. During the tour, you have the chance to see dolphins, cape fur seals, whales, penguins, sunfish, and more depending on the season. Get views of the 12 Apostle Mountain Range, Signal Hill, Lions Head, and Table Mountain as you make your past Sea Point, Clifton, Camps Bay, and Oudekraal. 

Cape Town: V&A Waterfront Champagne Cruise

8. Cape Town: V&A Waterfront Champagne Cruise

Head to Cape Town's iconic Victoria & Alfred Waterfront for an unforgettable cruise along the Atlantic coastline. Soak up the sun on the spacious trampolines in the foredeck or get comfortable on the cushions under the roofed area. Sip your complimentary glass of champagne as you take in spectacular views of Table Mountain and the Twelve Apostles Mountain Range. Keep an eye out for the marine life in the waters around Cape Town, including seals, dolphins, penguins, and even whales.

From Cape Town: Full Day Tour to Hermanus

9. From Cape Town: Full Day Tour to Hermanus

Every year, from June to December a magical event takes place. The Southern Right Whales come to bask in the warm waters off the Hermanus coastline. This beautiful gift of nature cannot be missed when you are in Cape Town. This full-day whale watching and sightseeing tour will not only take you the Hermanus coastline, but will guide you along the scenic coast. Led by a registered tour guide the route will take you through the charming seaside towns of Gordon’s Bay, Pringle Bay and Betty’s Bay. You will also have the chance to visit the famed Harold Porter Botanical Garden, the Fernkloof Nature Reserve, the Eglin region and Sir Lowry’s Pass. Of course, the highlight of this trip will undoubtedly be taking the time to watch the whales frolic in the warm waters. As an added option you are also welcome take a boat to look at them more closely. This tour is the perfect option for those looking to take part in a unique Cape Town experience.

Cape Town: Water Biking Tour

10. Cape Town: Water Biking Tour

Glide across the ocean on the worlds most advanced water bike in a totally new and unique way to experience the incredible marine environment of False Bay – renowned for its stunning ocean and mountain views and marine wildlife. Safely explore without an environmental footprint as these water bikes are silent, do not emit any omissions, and do not require fuel. Also, get a different perspective of your surroundings as the bike elevates you in the ocean. Navigate the ocean with ease as these easy and no hassle water bikes are very stable and easy to steer. They do not need balancing as with conventional bikes and no previous experience or special skills are required.  On this tour you will often encounter playful Cape fur seals, other marine life and various sea birds along the way. During whale season, it is possible to encounter one of these magnificent mammals.

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Frequently asked questions about Cape Town

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The best day trips and excursions from Cape Town are:

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What people are saying about Cape Town

Overall rating

4.7 / 5

based on 105 reviews

It was worth it!

Got to enjoy the gardens and the palace for the day without having to line up for tickets under the scorching heat of the sun. The gardens was absolutely beautiful and it was quite a big area as well. We ended up renting a golf car which made it easy to get around. You can stop and take pictures or watch fountain shows or eat one of the cafes inside the gardens. There are a lot of things you can do inside like canoeing in the grand canal, or biking around the gardens and you can even have a picnic inside if you want to. I guess it depends on the time you have. For us we ended up touring the gardens in a golf car in about 1 hour and a half. We then went inside the palace. It was really grand and majestic, especially the hall of mirrors. All in all it was really good. I do recommend if you want to go around the gardens that you wear comfortable shoes preferably rubber shoes as some parts are ruble and you could end up having really dusty feet if you wear open toe shoes.

Professionally organized trip along the coast, where we saw nothing, then meeting tye cage dive boats with no success. Continuing on we had a great encounter with Orcas (the ones that kill the GW sharks), a very rare encounter:-) Next beautiful interaction with common dolphins around the boat, next a Bryde whale - amazing. Finishing off with the seals at the island and some penguins. It was truly worth it, but boy, were we lucky!

Great experience, the crew were really nice and it’s a really nice view, all quite relaxed. Super straightforward to book and even on a choppy day it’s good fun. They serve a gentle pink sparkling (local MCC) and a cash bar on board if you want another drink.

Thanks to Paul and his expert‘s knowledge of the Ocean, we had beautiful encounters and were very lucky with the sightings. Thank you. Take care, Michelle

Excellent, very knowledgeable skipper. Handled rough conditions very well.