5 facts about the Whale Route

1. Hermanus Whale Festival 21 – 24 September: This festival is an annual event which coincides with the arrival of the Southern Right Whales each year. They swim into the harbours, where they give birth and mate. Hermanus has the best land-based whale-watching in the world.
   
   
2. The Southern Right Whale is so named because it resides in the Southern Hemisphere and was considered the right whale to hunt because it moves so slowly and, due to it’s large amount of blubber, it would usually float once it had been killed.
   
   
3. Whale antics: When you see a whale’s tail flashing above the waves, they are actually using it as a sail. If you see a whale roll, it is probably a female trying to avoid an amorous male.
   
   
4. Food: The Southern Right Whale eats 400kg of plankton and krill a day. The reason for eating such small sea creatures is because their throats are small and contain baleen plates which act as a filter.
   
   
5. Life Span: The Southern Right Whale usually lives for fifty years and since 1985, there are laws in South Africa that forbid people from killing, disturbing or harassing the whales.

One Week: Cape Town, Ocean View Guest House

Ocean View is situated right by the sea and offers spectacular views of Table Mountain and the Twelve Apostles Mountain range. All rooms have been individually designed and each one possesses a private terrace or balcony that overlook the Atlantic Ocean, from where you can watch the sun dip into the sea. With the choice of either strolling the extensive gardens, sitting by the pool or picnicking by the sea, there is no reason for feeling stressed.

www.oceanview-house.com

One Week: Overberg, Jan Harmsgat Country House, Swellendam

Jan Harmsgat derives it’s name from the corruption of “Jan Harmans’s Schat” (Jan Harmans’s treasure). Perfectly situated in the klein Karoo on the slopes of the Langeberg Mountain and irrigated by the Breede Rivier, it began as a free holder’s farm in 1723. Today, the original slave lodge has been converted into a comfortable guest lodge that possessed the calm ambiance of the country and the rich South Africa pioneer history. Jan Harmsgat is close to the Robertson, Montagu and McGregor Wine Routes and Cape Agulhas – the most southern tip of Africa.

www.jhghouse.com

Arniston Hotel, Arniston

The Arniston Hotel is as four star accommodation, known as one of the world’s best getaways. It is situated next to the Indian oceans and is in close proximity to the warm-water beaches, nature reserves and Arniston fishing village. Its restaurant offers seafood fresh from the sea, a breakfast buffet and a menu that infuses traditional South African cuisine with modern culinary initiatives. The Arniston Hotel is favoured as a wedding venue and as a perfect escape from the world so as to relax and unwind.

www.arnistonhotel.com

On the Cliffs, Hermanus

True to its name, On the Cliffs Guesthouse is a four star bed and breakfast which overlooks the warm Indian Ocean. Each room has an en suite bathroom and a king-size bed as well as its own private balcony or patio which overlooks the sea. From the privacy your room, you can enjoy the antics of the whales, which come into the Hermanus bays every year to mate and give birth. Herrmanus not only offers the world’s best whale route, but also has its own wine route. For the more active enthusiast, On the Cliffs can offer shark-cage diving, quad-biking, sea kayaking, and paragliding, et cetera.

www.capeportfolios.com

Suggested Activities

Shark-cage Diving 

www.actionafrica.info

Waterfront Boat Cruises

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Table Mountain Hike

www.actionafrica.info

Mogg’s Country Cookhouse

Mogg’s Country Cookhouse is a successful family-run restaurant, situated within the Hemel-en-Aarde wine valley, just outside Hermanus. It is surrounded by mountains, fields, fruit trees and vineyards and is the perfect lunch stop while viewing whales and exploring the Hermanus wine estates.


www.moggscookhouse.com