The South African Town That Blows a Kelp Horn When the Whales Arrive

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Every June, something extraordinary happens in the southern Atlantic Ocean. Southern right whales — some weighing as much as 80 tonnes — begin a journey north from Antarctic feeding grounds. They are heading to the sheltered bays of South Africa’s Western Cape. And for thousands of years, one bay in particular has drawn them back.

The Town That Employs a Whale Crier

Hermanus is the only town in the world with an official whale crier.

Since 1992, a designated official has patrolled the clifftops carrying a long kelp horn — a dried, hollowed seaweed frond — and a blackboard listing the day’s sightings. When a whale is spotted, the horn sounds. The town listens.

It sounds eccentric. It is also completely logical. Hermanus sits above Walker Bay, a deep, sheltered inlet that southern right whales return to year after year. For much of the 20th century, local fishermen relied on the whales as a seasonal marker. The whale crier keeps that relationship alive.

Why the Whales Choose This Bay

Southern right whales do not come to Hermanus by accident.

Walker Bay offers a combination rare along South Africa’s coastline: deep, cold water close to shore, minimal boat traffic, and rocky kelp beds that shelter calves. Female whales in particular seek out the bay to nurse their young. Calves can weigh a tonne at birth, and in these sheltered waters they learn to swim.

The whales arrive in June and stay until December. Peak season is August to October, when Walker Bay can hold dozens of whales simultaneously. Breaching, lob-tailing, and spy-hopping are all behaviours you can watch from the clifftop path. For free. From the shore. No boat required.

Land-Based Whale Watching Unlike Anywhere Else

Most whale-watching destinations require a boat trip. Hermanus is one of the very few places on earth where world-class whale watching happens entirely from land.

The Old Harbour Museum and the cliffs above it offer direct sightlines over Walker Bay. On a good morning, you can watch a southern right whale circle within a hundred metres of the rocks, roll onto its side, and slap a flipper the size of a car door against the surface. The sound carries to the town. You can hear it from the restaurants on Main Road.

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The Story Behind the Name

The southern right whale was named by whalers — as the “right” whale to hunt. It was slow, floated when dead, and came close to shore. The population was devastated over two centuries of commercial hunting. By the 1930s, an estimated 300 remained in the entire southern Atlantic.

Today, conservation has helped numbers recover to around 10,000. The South African population, which breeds along the coastline from Hermanus to Plettenberg Bay, is one of the healthiest in the world. A southern right whale can live for 70 years — some returning to Walker Bay today may have first visited in the 1980s.

The Hermanus Whale Festival

Every September, Hermanus hosts one of Africa’s most unusual events — a week-long celebration of the whales themselves. The festival draws tens of thousands of visitors for street performances, live music, art exhibitions, and whale-watching events. Food stalls line the waterfront. Every morning, the whale crier walks the clifftops with his kelp horn.

If you plan to visit during festival week, book accommodation months in advance. The town fills up quickly.

What Else to Do Near Hermanus

Hermanus sits at the edge of the Overberg, one of South Africa’s most beautiful coastal regions. The drive from Cape Town follows the R44 coastal route, winding past vineyards and fynbos before dropping down to Walker Bay.

It is worth combining the trip with a stop at Boulders Beach near Simon’s Town, where African penguins nest between the boulders, or the sweeping curves of Chapman’s Peak Drive along the Atlantic Seaboard. If you have more time, the route continues east toward the Knysna Lagoon and the Garden Route.

When is the best time to visit Hermanus for whale watching?

August to October is peak season, when Walker Bay holds the highest concentration of southern right whales. June and November are also excellent, with fewer crowds. The whales typically arrive in June and depart by late November.

Do you need a boat to see whales at Hermanus?

No. Hermanus is famous for land-based whale watching. The clifftop path above the Old Harbour gives direct sightlines over Walker Bay, with whales frequently coming within 100 metres of the rocks.

How far is Hermanus from Cape Town?

Hermanus is approximately 122km from Cape Town — about 90 minutes by road via the R44 coastal route. Most visitors make it a day trip, though the town has good accommodation for overnight stays.

Is the Hermanus Whale Festival worth attending?

Yes, if crowds do not bother you. The September festival brings the whole town to life with music, street performers, and a festive atmosphere. Book accommodation well in advance — the town fills up fast.

There is something quietly astonishing about standing on a cliff above Walker Bay in September, coffee in hand, watching an 80-tonne animal breach fully out of the water just below. The whale has travelled thousands of kilometres to reach this bay. She has likely been before. She will likely come again.

Hermanus does not need to explain itself. The whales say everything.

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Plan Your South Africa Trip

Hermanus makes an ideal addition to any Western Cape itinerary. See our guide to Stellenbosch and the Western Cape for help planning the rest of your trip.

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