Hermanus

Hermanus Map

Considered by many as the start of the Garden Route, Hermanus is a sleepy coastal town near the southernmost tip of Africa and only an hour and a half from Cape Town.

Tucked between mountain and sea and featuring fynbos-covered hiking trails, a number of beaches, two lagoons and a meandering wine valley, Hermanus is one of the most sought-after holiday destinations in South Africa for both eco-tourists and nature-lovers.

Why visit Hermanus? Easy - it boasts the best land-based whale-watching in the world, and this fact alone attracts thousands of nature-lovers yearly in the peak viewing times between August and December, with the famous Whale Festival taking place in September.

The most frequently seen whale in this area is the Southern Right Whale, ranked among the biggest in the world. A cliff path stretching from one side of the town to the other hugs the coastline for about 12km and gives whale-watchers unlimited opportunities to study and get within 20m of these gentle giants.

Accommodation in Hermanus is plentiful, but it gets booked up over public holidays and during festival time so you would be advised to book in advance at this time of year.

Activities

Hermanus is fast becoming an eco-adventure playground. With activities such as sea kayaking, abseiling, lagoon-canoeing, sand-boarding, paragliding, horse-riding, scuba-diving and sailing, visitors are never short of things to do and see.

Telescopes situated alongside the Old Harbour Museum make it possible to survey the entire Walker Bay and the whales and dolphins at close range. Hermanus also offers some of the best shark cage diving opportunities.

While in Hermanus, make sure you don't pass up the quaint little museum on the harbour's edge - the whale song playing in the background comes live from underwater microphones in the bay.

Surrounding Areas

For the curious traveller, the surrounding towns - Hangklip, Kleinmond, Caledon, Gansbaai, Napier, Bredasdorp and the holiday resort of Arniston - are also worth a visit and offer a variety of outdoor activities. From Hermanus it's also a short trip to the southernmost tip of Africa, Agulhas, officially the point where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet.

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