Every year at the end of September — At the beginning of October, the Whale Festival is held in the city of Hermanus (city website) on the Atlantic coast of South Africa. Tens of thousands of tourists from all over the world come here to see the magnificent nature and giant whales with their own eyes.
Hermanus is a small resort town and one of the oldest settlements in South Africa. Every year, dozens of these huge mammals swim here to Walker Bay from July to December to give birth to their young. Whales come very close to the shore (within only 15-20 meters of swimming),
and you can freely observe them from special observation platforms located on the coastal cliffs. At the moment when the whale comes closest to the shore, a special “whale sentry” shouts into a bullhorn so that everyone gets ready for this exciting spectacle. Travel companies also organize boat excursions for those who want to see animals as closely as possible. The World Wide Fund for Nature considers Hermanus one of the 12 best places in the world for whale watching: on some days more than 20 whales can be observed in the bay at the same time.
The event includes scientific lectures on the life of whales, observations of flocks of animals, theatrical and musical performances, sports marathons, competitions for children and many exhibitions on various topics.
What else to do in Hermanus:
• Go on a wine tour
In the vicinity of Hermanus there are several good wine farms where you can taste excellent local wine. One of these places is the Hamilton Russell farm, which produces rare, valuable local wines from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay varieties. Tasting a drink at a winery will make a great impression on a knowledgeable traveler and give a lot of pleasant emotions.
• Visit the southernmost point of Africa
130 kilometers from Hermanus is Cape Agulhas, the southernmost geographical point of the African continent and the border of two oceans, the Indian and the Atlantic. It received its name at the end of the 15th century from Portuguese navigators due to a magnetic anomaly that was observed in this place: the needle (or “needle”) of the compass constantly deviated to the west by exactly 30 degrees.
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