En-route to Hermanus and 60 minutes east of Cape town stands the Hottentots holland mountain range at about 1000 meters above sea level.The Hottentots mountain were forced up from underground by converging plates over a 100 million years ago.The geologically know Cape folded belt mountain range makes for such beautiful scenery as our journey meanders along the sir Lowry's pass that goes over these dramatic mountains and to the Overberg region of Cape town.
Elgin is the largest apple growing town in South Africa.Her lushness amuses and smoothens one's spirit as you drive through towards Hermanus.
The Houwhoek pass for hold corner was named by the migrating Dutch descendants from Cape town after how much difficulties they faced traversing these mountains to escape the new British law at the Cape in the early 1800s.The mountaing range provides one with breathtaking views and also glimpes of the oldest hotel in South Africa,Houwhoek Inn.
Upon reaching Hermanus new Harbour.Guest will be provided with a 20 minute safety briefing as well what they may expect to see once they sail out to sea. Marine biologist will give full details about the whales. From why they come to our shores during this time of the year as well as some of their most common traits. Our big boat carries a maximum of 80 people we only sail with 65 to enhance a much better experience. By being inquisitive animals as they are, Southern right whales are known to approach the boats most of the times to observe. This behaviour gives guest a much closer view of these huge animals. Some of them weighing up to 50 tons. That is equivalent to 10 fully grown African elephants! Guest will be more than welcome if so they wish to visit the Hermanus town center for shopping or even lunch before they are driven back to Cape town.
After the boat trip you are welcome to stop for lunch (own account) at one of the many seaside restaurants or you may opt for lunch in the Hermanus Winelands known as Hemel-en-Aarde (Heaven and Earth) for lunch and/or wine tasting. We recommend Creation Wine Estate. Should you prefer a take away instead, speak to your guide who will assist you with recommendations at one of the informal eateries.
Hermanus is a quaint and coastal town just an hour and a half east of Cape town City. Known for its sea food restaurants and also the Southern right whale's breeding warm waters. Should you still be keen to see more whales after the boat trip, Intriguing coastal walking trails where whales can be spotted from land are not to be missed. While we are still in Hermanus, guests will also have a chance to have lunch at a restaurant of your choice or do some shopping before we had back to Cape town via the beautiful whale coast route.
On the way back to Cape town along the route 44 or the whale coast route.We will have an opportunity to visit a large penguin colony in a town called Betty's bay.Stony point is one of South Africa's only two mainland penguin colonies and the other one being Boulders beach near Cape of good hope.One of the best reason to visit stony point is that since it is far away from most big town,it is usually much quieter and less busy than the very well known boulders beach.
Our journey back to Cape Town will continue along the coast as opposed to going over the mountains, passing by interesting towns that were established as whaling towns before the banning of whaling in the 1930s e.g kleinmond, Pringle bay, Rooi els and Gordon's bay. Guest will be dropped off at their desired location in Cape town to conclude our eventful day.
I cannot praise our guide Fiston enough. He made us feel so comfortable and his knowledge and information was incredible. The actual drive to Hermanus was breathtaking. We managed to see the whales with one of their calves and as a bonus managed to get a glimpse of a group of dolphins of which one was a baby. Thoroughly recommend this trip to anyone it really was a once in a lifetime experience.
Great tour, they pick you up from Cape Town so you don’t have to figure out how to get to Hermanus.
Whales watching was amazing saw loads of whales two mums and there babies playing which was special. The pickup was 40 mins late, said would be 8.30am and they didn’t show till 9.10 am and I had to what’s app them as they didn’t let us know. which was stressful and we thought we’d miss the boat, but then told we had a 2 hr drive and the boat left at 12 . We thought it went from V&A marina so all a bit confusing but all worked out ok. If you want to see the whales from land just go to Hermanus you can see them for free! Great trip but just bit unclear
Brilliant experience from start to finish! My wife and I were lucky to be the only ones booked for transport between Cape Town and Hermanus - very personalised service in a comfortable Mercedes saloon! The boat cruise in Hermanus was very well organised and we had great views from the upper deck. September is a good month for whale watching and we were not disappointed. We saw over a dozen whales at close quarters and secured some great photos. Based on our experience, this is a great tour and highly recommended when whales are present.
We had a great time on our tour with Fiston. We chose this tour because it included two things we wanted to do - see penguins and go whale-watching - with transfer from Cape Town. We were very happy with Stony Point and our boat trip from Hermanus. The sea was rough when we went, so I'd recommend taking sea-sickness medication. Unexpected bonuses were the drive and Creation winery! The drive along the coast was incredibly beautiful and Fiston made stops at scenic points, while telling us about the history of South Africa. Creation winery (named the #7 winery in the world last year!) was outstanding - we did the tasting menu and it was the most memorable meal of our entire trip.
Had a fabulous day trip to Hermanus to go whale watching. We were lucky enough to be the only 2 going on this trip so had a private day tour. Pick up was on time and our guide Armando made the day incredible, he was so knowledgeable, answered lots of questions, he was so lovely, attentive and funny, he looked after us extremely well. Whale watching was incredible and we had the best day, thank you Armando, and remember, ‘you’ll never walk alone’
We had an incredible experience on the tour to Hermanus with Zion Tourism. Everything was exceptionally well organized from beginning to end. Our guide, Finston, was outstanding, extremely knowledgeable, attentive, and happy to share interesting information throughout the day. One of the highlights was the organization. Finston had a well planned itinerary with clearly defined timings, which made the entire day smooth and stress free while allowing us to visit everything that was planned. The scenic drive itself was beautiful, with breathtaking views along the way. We also had the opportunity to visit the penguin colony at Betty’s Bay, with admission included in the tour, and saw plenty of wildlife along the route, including many baboons. Hermanus was absolutely spectacular. We saw far more whales than we expected, with unforgettable views and incredible encounters. We also spotted seals and dolphins, making the experience even more special. The tour is not the cheapest option, but considering the distance from Cape Town and the excellent organization, transportation, itinerary, and overall experience, we found it well worth the price. We highly recommend this tour and Zion Tourism, especially Finston as a guide. It was definitely one of the best tours we did in Cape Town and made our trip even more memorable. An excellent experience from beginning to end!
We had a great experience with Fiston as our guide! Communication was excellent as we had to reschedule due to weather. We traveled from Camp's Bay to Hermanus and he entertained us with interesting details about the area on the way. A stop at Betty's Bay to see the penguins was great! The whale watching was completely amazing as we saw a momma and her baby playing right by our boat. The stop at Creeation Winery was also a nice end to the day. What a beautiful place!
A fantastic day. Our guide was Fiston. He was friendly, knowledgeable and a safe driver - couldn't have been a better experience. The penguins were everywhere and then, on the whale watching trip, we saw more than we ever expected. A mother with a white calf as well as male and female adults getting ready for next year's babies! Plus others a way away. Overwhelmingly wonderful. Fiston recommended a restaurant to have lunch and it was spot on. Very good prices and excellent food. We would thoroughly recommend this day trip.
Everything was timely and guide explained everything well. Saw many whales. Boat guide made extra effort to ensure we got to see as many whales as possible.
The tour guide, Fiston, is energetic and knowledgeable that he explains a lot of stories on the way. He is caring our needs throughout the journey and is always punctual. The whale watching experience is superb and we enjoy it so much. The tour has included all admission fees such that we can travel stress-free. Highly recommend.
Our guide picked us up at our hotel despite not being in the center of town. We drove a ways to Hermanus but the drive was interesting and we saw a penguin colony on the way. On a two-hour boat ride we saw 10 whiles including a baby. They breached and slapped their tails. They are slow-moving and the boat was within 50 feet of them. It was an amazing experience and well worth the time. Fiston, our guide, was friendly, knowledgable and a good driver. A great day!
Great tour! Our guide Armando picked us up as scheduled at our hotel and drove us the 3 hours to Hermanus Bay boat dock, stopping to see different sights and penguins along the way. He was a fantastic guide! Saw many whales along the two hour boat ride, including a few females with calves. We then stopped at the lovely town of Hermanus for lunch before our drive home.
Custom was our tour guide. He was great and very engaging the whole trip. He pointed out and explained multiple points of interest.
We had an amazing trip. The winds had picked up so we were luckily the last boat allowed to go. It was pretty rough so seasickness tablets recommended! Seeing a southern right whale mother and calf so close was totally amazing. The costal drive is spectacular and stopping to see the very cute African penguins is a must . Fish was a great driver and guide
Fantastic experience seeing the whales it's something we won't forget Had fantastic guide to escort us who was knowledgeable about the whole trip
We had a nice day with Fiston, who collected us directly at the Cruise-Ship-Terminal. We saw whales, a lot of dolphins. Very nice!
Wonderful day with brilliant guide Fiston. Great crew at Southern Right Charters making sure everyone got a safe and enjoyable experience. Excited to see several groups of whales including youngsters. The return journey was comfortable and got to see the beautiful scenic route including the penguins, and again complimented by Fiston’s knowledge and kindness.
Whales! A lovely trip for my birthday. It was chilly but we were prepared based on the reviews. We had a phenomenal tour guide, Fiston! He made the trip so much more special.
Was a full day being privately driven to see the many whales and babies, followed by coffee,lunch and shopping in Hermanus. This was followed up with a scenic coastal drive back to visit the Jackass penguin colony up close, followed by the many baboons in route. Was a spectacular day with great company and fabulous value for money
Had a great day, saw many whales from the boat and from the shore in Hermanus. So good to see mothers and calves so close to the shoreline & in Hermanus, there is a whale cryer to let you know by blowing his horn when they appear. We had a private tour booked but somehow we ended up sharing which wasn't fair. But we thoroughly enjoyed it & the driver took us to Gordon's bay to see more wild penguins.
This was an extremely valuable experience. We were picked up at the meeting point by our driver, Fiston, and directed to Hermanus. We could see lots of whales and dolphins. It was great! On the way back we also stopped to see the penguins on a less touristic shore than Boulders Beach, great choice according to me. I recommend this tour. Very nice and professional guide.
Booked and paid for this tour in advance online via Viator - believing it would be a trusted option. Agreed on a hotel pickup at 7.00am. We got up at 5:00 a.m. to ensure we were ready for the pickup. No one turned up. Repeated calls to Zion Escape Tours, but no response. Left a message - asking for a call back - still no response. At 9.00am we lost hope! After being prompted, Viator informed me the following day that the tour had to be cancelled due to unfavourable weather. It would have been polite, helpful, and good service to have informed their customers in advance. Poor service all round!
Our tour guide, Fiston, was brilliant. He drove us to Hermanus for the whale watching tour sharing loads of knowledge and interesting facts about SA and the various areas we drove through en route. We stopped a couple of times on the way for refreshments and pictures including Bettys Bay to see the penguin colony. We then had the whale watching boat trip which lasted a couple of hours. The trip was excellent with a guide explaining everything before we boarded the boat including lots of information about the whales that we would hopefully see. We saw a group of whales and were given plenty of time to watch and take pictures. Fiston waited for us before taking us to a nice local town for some lunch and then a smooth drive back. Overall a great experience and one that I would highly recommend.
Our guide fiston was the best tour guide. He was on time, went the extra mile to please us and was so friendly. He made our experience so much more enjoyable. We could not stop bragging about how amazing he really was!
We saw a whale mother with her Baby and this was very moving!!! Especially our driver Mazenga was wonderful and very thoughtful. Thank you for the great experience!
We booked the Tour very spontaneously on the night before and were pleased that it got confirmed right away. Unfortunately due to the late booking there was not space on the boat in Hermanus. This caused the agency to come up with an alternative trip. the trip was overall shorter but we were still able to visit the pengiuns, see seals, get some Souvenirs and having a 3 hour wale watching tour which pleased us with many Wales in Simons Town. Although we were not pleased with the miscommunication on the night before about our destinations (we desperately wanted to go to Hermanus and would have postpone the trip if we would have known that the boat was booked out), the customer service was extremely understanding and thankful for pointing this out. With the hope that changes in the plan will be communicated upfront in future, I can only recommend the trip :) I guess booking a few days upfront and asking about the details will ensure that you have the trip you wished for, as they are very friendly.
I recently had the pleasure of embarking on a guided tour of Cape Town, and it was an experience I won't soon forget. Our guide was knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about the city, which made the tour incredibly engaging.
Originally pickup was suppose to be 7:00 AM. this was changed to 8:00 then 8:15. Everythig would have worked out better if they kept the 7:00 pickup. Less wsted time in town and chance for optional wine tour. As it was, we hard to ask the driver to skip the wine tasting so that we would get back at a reasonable time,
It was a shame that the departure was late and I had little time to see the penguins (almost no time to see them). The 8:30 departure became 9 o'clock. But, the original plan was to depart at 6 AM. It was good that it was a small group, but I had to contact Viator multiple times because I couldn't get prior notice (because Viator gave me incorrect information).
I researched a lot before booking the tour in Hermanus, and this is definitely special! 1)Lunch at Creation Winery: it was the ONLY tour that includes this incredible winery, without charging an additional fee. The winery is beautiful, the food is wonderful, and the wines are excellent, one of the best we visited in Africa. 2)Boat trip included: most of the time the boat is not included, you can run out of spots if you wait to book at the last minute and it ends up being more expensive. In the few that the boat was included, the value was exorbitant. 3)Stop in Stony Point: this penguin colony is much cooler than the well-known "Bouders Beach". The penguins are loose and you can get next to them. Some tours don't stop here. 4)Pick up no hotel: the other tours leave from a meeting point. These were the differentiators that made us close with Zion. It was one of the best days of our trip, it was very worth it. Special thanks to our guide, Fiston, kind, attentive, and let us enjoy the tour with great tranquility.
Excellent organization. Our guide, Fiston, was knowledgeable, friendly, fun and was also an excellent driver. Absolutely recommended.
The experience was perfect! Our guide/driver, Fiston, who took us from Cape Town to Hermanus, was excellent, providing us with a good conversation and a great trip, passing through some cities along the way (also seeing some African penguins). The Whale Watching tour in Hermanus is a separate spectacle, we saw several dolphins and free whales, simply beautiful!!! On the way, Fiston recommended us to do a Wine & Food Experience at Creation Wines Vineyard, which was also very good, I recommend! (The price of this wine-harmonized lunch is approximately 1500 Rands per person, which seems expensive, but we thought it was worth it!)
We were picked up at our hotel. Fiston was our guide and he helped make the day amazing. He gave us insight into the history of South Africa and had good knowledge. We stopped getting to look at the African penguins. The whale safari was a success when we were able to see up to 10 whales When we were going to have lunch Fiston suggested a nearby vineyard; Creation. Wow! Food, wine, views and service. 10 out of 10!
We were very happy with the ride, the driver and the entire trip. Were lucky and could really see whales.
The tour itself is wonderful but it must be added that we had a health problem and the guide Armando behaved excellently
Fiston was an exceptional guide, who explained the whole tour to Hermanus and all the areas where we passed. The boat experience is wonderful, we could enjoy seeing whales for 2 hours and know a little more about them. 100% recommended
We had a great experience. Fiston was excellent guide, picked us up and left in our accommodation. He stopped for a snack on the walk to the whales and stopped to see penguins. Super recommend
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