Whale Route Full Day Tour: Is it Worth it? (Review)

Alright, you might be contemplating, “Is the Whale Route full day tour truly worth the hype?” Well, I’m here to, as a matter of fact, give you the skinny on my experience and, that, let you know what you could maybe expect should you decide to, like, actually give it a whirl.

What is, Like, The Whale Route Anyway?

The Whale Route is, in fact, a hugely stunning stretch of coastline near Cape Town, South Africa, that’s famous, you know, for its killer whale watching opportunities. Hermanus, a smallish coastal town along the route, is, maybe, almost like the hotspot. That, too, is because these massive marine mammals like to show up close to the shore, particularly during their breeding season. The Whale Route full day tour actually typically involves a good scenic drive, some time in Hermanus, and possibly a boat trip to, you know, actually see the whales up close, so very neat!

What You Get on the Full Day Tour. Is That Worth Something?

The tour, often, starts super early because it’s, like, very much a full day affair. Typically, first you get picked up right from where you stay in Cape Town, that’s, very, actually convenient, right? Then it’s a super pretty drive along the coast, offering ocean vistas. In Hermanus, you sometimes have a few hours to actually wander around, check out the shops, grab a bit to eat, and obviously try to spot some whales from the shore. Also, some tours actually include a boat trip out into the bay. Doing that just to potentially catch an up close and, basically, personal encounter with these gentle giants can, obviously, be a killer experience!

What’s the Shore-Based Whale Watching Like?

Shore-based whale watching, I would suggest, is really what makes Hermanus pretty awesome. The town itself is perched on some cliffs, really offering fantastic vantage points, that, for spotting whales breaching, tail slapping, and maybe just cruising along. What is super cool is that they even have a “whale crier” – a person who moves around town blowing a kelp horn, sort of like signaling whenever whales are spotted. Honestly it’s an age old cool tradition!. That is, of course, pretty neat too. So just spending a bit of time walking the cliff path, while very picturesque, really gives you the chance to see some whale action.

Boat Trip Bonanza: Close Encounters?

Adding the boat trip to the Whale Route tour could be a great idea for any tourist. When I did the boat trip, we did go quite close, very close in fact. In some cases you can view mothers and baby whales frolicking near each other. We all just grabbed our cameras trying to get the shot! The guides on these boats often have very killer knowledge, right, they’ll teach you super interesting facts of what you’re witnessing. That said, the ocean is the ocean.

Honestly, just getting on a boat just can’t ever really guarantee any sort of up-close view all of the time so, there is always that possibility.

A Few Perks of the Tour. Are They worth Considering?

One of the best bits, arguably, is, almost, not even just the whales, but that scenic drive. The Western Cape is crazy pretty. You get to pass coastal towns and beaches, and mountains on the way, making that travel bit of the experience, arguably, super amazing. The tour handles all the transport, that is probably, to be fair, taking out that potential hassle of driving. Plus, having a guide often means that you learn some cool bits and bobs about the area and the wildlife you are looking at!

What Else Can you Expect and See along the Way?

Beyond whales, that route is loaded, actually, with stuff to look at. Some tours might stop at the Harold Porter Botanical Garden, a place showing tons of beautiful native plants. There’s also the option to visit the Stony Point Penguin Colony to, like, check out tons of adorable African penguins waddling about. These stops really add just tons of flavor to the tour, making it more, a bit, than just a whale watching trip.

Things To, Perhaps, Think About Before Deciding.

Whale season hits, typically, between June and November. The timing could be a good, or even critical, thing, to be aware of, really because outside those months your odds of seeing whales drop drastically. What’s also important is, actually, the weather; the tour isn’t just all too awesome in stormy weather. Lastly, if you are wanting the boat tour make sure that it fits well within that, really because they can get canceled in bad weather for some fairly clear safety reasons. This is, perhaps, because it isn’t pleasant battling rough seas, especially just hoping for killer whale sightings, basically.!

Be careful when deciding what vendor to use to view the whales. You may want to check ratings and, similarly to checking vendor, verify certifications before paying.

What Else is Worth a Good Consideration. Maybe Some Alternatives

If whale watching turns out to not be up to what you were hoping or you, also, have the guts for even killer adventure, consider some alternative sea ventures. For instance, Gansbaai, close-ish to Hermanus, is, actually, known as, what? Being the Great White shark capital, where cage diving trips are available for you to look these crazy predators in their beady eyes. Otherwise, going further along that Garden Route delivers crazy beaches, rainforests, and those loads of outdoor activities you just may very well enjoy.

All-in-all, if, by the way, getting close to a whale or whales from a boat or even off shore or from the shore is something that grabs your attention, and you also might love pretty driving or touring, I have come to tell you that I think, clearly, that the “Whale Route Full Day Tour” might well actually just be an killer treat, but then it also could be if you are wanting that whale and only that whale at times or when seasons don’t meet, that it might come as that slight and bitter disappointment to know that those beautiful cetacean behemoths are just in their mind frames. At the end of the day though if the conditions meet, do go get yourself that peek!

Key things to, like, remember from the review:

• The Whale Route trip brings awesome coastal scenery near Cape Town.
• The Town of Hermanus provides really, awesome whale watching from shore.
• Boat trips can bring seriously killer close whale experiences, or a dud experience for that matter too.
• Actually, you get penguins, you get Botanical Gardens, a wide bunch of add-ons adding flavor
• Keep your eyes out for whale season (June to November) and weather conditions. You really must though!.