Southern right and humpback whales are here from June to November, and the boats launch straight through the surf off Central Beach. A 90-minute whale cruise costs ZAR 1,250 per adult.
Dark months are the peak for that species, light months are the rest of its season. October is marked.
| Species | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern right whale | January: not usually seen | February: not usually seen | March: not usually seen | April: not usually seen | May: not usually seen | June: in season | July: in season | August: in season | September: in season | October: in season | November: in season | December: not usually seen |
| Humpback whale | January: not usually seen | February: not usually seen | March: not usually seen | April: not usually seen | May: not usually seen | June: in season | July: in season | August: in season | September: in season | October: in season | November: in season | December: not usually seen |
| Bryde's whale | January: in season | February: in season | March: in season | April: in season | May: in season | June: in season | July: in season | August: in season | September: in season | October: in season | November: in season | December: in season |
Peak In season
From capenature.co.za, oceanadventures.co.za. Whales turn up outside these months too.
| Operator | What you get | From | Length | Group | Min age | Boat | If no whales | Cancellation | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Whale watching cruiseIncludes Life vest, Poncho, Pre-trip safety briefing, Guide |
R1,250 per adult |
1 hour 30 minutes |
Suits all ages (no minimum stated) | None; operator says it cannot guarantee sightings | Check dates | ||||
Whale Watching CruiseIncludes Life jacket, Raincoat |
Not listed |
2 hours |
Private parties of up to 30 passengers and smaller groups |
Cat-style boat with 400 hp motors, launched from the beach | Not stated | No refund for cancellations less than 24 hours before departure; no-shows pay in full. | Check dates |
From each operator's own website, checked October 21, 2026. How we compare.
Ocean Blue Adventures and Ocean Safaris both leave from Central Beach, where the town's ski boats launch. Ocean Blue Adventures checks passengers in at its shop on Hopwood Street 30 minutes before departure, and its homepage lists sailings at 8:30 am, 10:30 am, 12:30 pm and 3:00 pm. The boat goes out through the surf from the beach and comes back with a high-speed landing on the sand.
Ocean Safaris meets at its adventure hut in the Central Beach parking area, with its office on Hopwood Street. Its whale cruise also starts and ends with a beach launch through the waves. Only paying guests may board, and the company says it follows SAMSA and SABBWWA guidelines for its operations.
Ocean Blue Adventures sells whale cruises from June to November, when southern right and humpback whales are the main sightings, and visits Cape fur seals and sometimes great white sharks if time allows. Southern rights come into the bay to breed and calve, and CapeNature says they can be seen from Robberg from June to November. Humpbacks are migrating past, and orca and sei whales turn up occasionally.
From December to May the boats switch to dolphins. Ocean Blue's marine eco tour looks for bottlenose and humpback dolphins close inshore, plus common dolphins, Bryde's whales and the Cape fur seal colony at Robberg. Ocean Safaris runs its Dolphin Discovery Cruise from 1 December to 31 May. Bryde's whales are in the bay all year and most often seen in summer.
Every trip here starts with a launch through the surf and ends with a fast run onto the beach. Ocean Blue Adventures asks guests to disclose pregnancy, motion sickness or medical concerns before departure, and gives everyone a life vest and a safety briefing before boarding; its whale cruise also includes a poncho. Ocean Safaris sails a cat-style boat that it says is built for ocean conditions, with safety and comfort first.
Trips run weather permitting, and Ocean Blue says each day's route depends on sightings, sea and weather. Ocean Safaris suggests weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable shoes, plus a hat, polarised sunglasses, sunscreen and a camera. On land at Robberg, CapeNature warns that the weather can change suddenly and asks walkers to keep away from cliff edges when the wind is strong.
Both companies hold permits that let them approach whales to 50 m, while the public must stay 300 m away, and Ocean Blue says it closes in at very slow speed. Ocean Blue Adventures publishes its fares: a 90-minute guided whale cruise from June to November is ZAR 1,250 for an adult and ZAR 700 for a child. It calls itself a pioneer of the industry and makes no sighting guarantee. Its December to May marine eco tour costs ZAR 800 per adult and ZAR 450 per child.
The Ocean Safaris cruise lasts 2 hours, half an hour more than Ocean Blue's, on a cat-style boat powered by 400 hp motors. It takes smaller groups as well as private groups of up to 30 and keeps its prices off the website. Cancellations within 24 hours of departure are not refunded, and no-shows pay in full. Neither company states a refund if no whales are seen.
from R1,250 per adult
Whale watching cruise
Permit lets it approach whales to 50 m at very slow speed
Price on request
Whale Watching Cruise
Holds an official permit to approach whales to 50 m
Prices and policies come from each operator's own pages, read on October 21, 2026. Seasons, rules and local details come from the pages below.