Whale Watching

Tour Pricing

Essential Details

Experience Overview

Your whale watching adventure begins with an on-land briefing led by a whale specialist guide, who will outline the day's plans and provide fascinating information.

We then set sail from the Hermanus New Harbour to search for the ocean's "gentle giants." The friendly, knowledgeable crew are available throughout the tour to offer a personal touch and ensure a fantastic overall experience. The excitement is always high as everyone watches intently for the first sighting!

While we are in the presence of the whales, they are in charge—we enter their world. This allows us to spend unforgettable moments observing them in their natural habitat. Our onboard team will interpret the behavior of the whales (and any other marine life we encounter), keeping you informed and providing insight into these magnificent animals.

A videographer is aboard to professionally capture these moments, allowing you to simply relax, absorb the experience, and truly be in the moment.

Upon returning to land, you can browse local crafts and souvenirs, order your USB movie of the tour (which is ready upon return), or simply relax at the outdoor seating on the edge of the quay with reading material all about whales.

Critical Arrival & Logistical Instructions

• Arrival Notice: You are required to arrive at the venue strictly 30 minutes prior to your start time. This buffer is essential to handle mandatory check-in steps, including completing indemnity waivers and conducting safety briefings. For example, if your session is booked to start at 9:00 AM, you must be on-site and ready by 8:30 AM.
• Lateness Policy: To ensure the boat departs on schedule, bookings will be released if guests have not checked in at least 15 minutes prior to departure. Late arrivals risk forfeiting their booking and fees.
• Location Warning: You must go straight to the departure point in Hermanus. Do not go to Maitland / Cape Xtreme's offices. You will be at the wrong location and you will miss your booking/forfeit your booking entirely (no refund/reschedule).
• Time Slot Availability: Your selected time slot is a preference and is not guaranteed at the time of submission. Once we receive your request/booking, we will check availability and confirm your slot. We will either send over your official confirmation or immediately contact you with alternative times or dates if your preferred slot is not available.

Inclusions & Exclusions

• ✅ What’s Included: Guided boat tour in English with an experienced skipper and crew, and access to free Wi-Fi at the on-land guest area.
• ❎ What’s Excluded: A compulsory R5 cash fee per person is payable directly to the Harbour Authority upon entering the New Harbour, optional souvenir USB movie of your actual trip, motion-sickness medication and all items of a personal nature.
  

What to Wear & Bring

• Clothing: Dress in warm layers. It is always significantly colder at sea than on land; a windbreaker or warm jacket is essential. On sunny days, bring a hat or cap; on colder days, a beanie and gloves are highly recommended.
• Footwear: Wear sensible, flat-soled shoes with good grip. No high heels are permitted on the vessel for safety reasons.
• Essentials to Pack: Sunblock, sunglasses, and a camera. Due to the movement of the boat, tripods and binoculars are not advised, and drones/UAVs are strictly prohibited.
• Seasickness Prevention: If you are prone to motion sickness, please purchase and take preventive medication in advance. The operator is not legally permitted to stock or distribute pharmaceutical motion-sickness tablets, but they do sell natural alternatives (such as acupressure bands and aromatic inhalers) on-site.
• Accessibility Note: This marine tour is unfortunately not suitable for individuals with severely limited mobility. Please contact the team directly prior to booking if you have mobility concerns.

Weather Policy & Sightings Guarantee

• Weather-Permitting: All boat departures are highly weather-dependent. If sea conditions force a cancellation, you will be contacted via WhatsApp and/or email only. Please ensure the contact details you provide during booking are fully active in South Africa.
• Our Sightings Guarantee: While we boast an exceptional 99% success rate for whale and dolphin sightings, nature is unpredictable and sightings cannot be 100% guaranteed. If—on rare occasions—no whales or dolphins (cetaceans) are encountered during your trip, we offer you a 50% refund on your ticket price or the opportunity to join the next available tour for free.

Group-Based Cancellation Policies

Because boat seating capacity is strictly limited, cancellation policies are divided by group size. See more un this under Cancellation / Refund Policies.

Booking Terms & Cancellations

View our full Terms & Conditions online here: www.capextreme.com/terms

Cancellation / Refund Policy

WHALE WATCHING CANCELLATION POLICY
Please be advised that the cancellation fee & refund percentage (%) is applicable to the TOTAL tour/activity price LESS a less 5% transaction fee in the case of online or POS card transactions made for payment. This represents a direct bank processing cost and is not a revenue-generating charge.

Cancellation or changes - For Groups Smaller than 10 Guests:

• 15 days or more prior to tour date = 100% Refund
• 14-4 days prior to tour date = 50% Refund
• 3-0 days prior to tour date, late arrivals or “NO-SHOWS” = 0%/No Refund

Cancellation or changes - For Groups of 10 or More Guests:

• 15 days or more prior to tour date = 100% Refund
• 14-8 days prior to tour date = 50% Refund
• 7-0 days prior to tour date, late arrivals or “NO-SHOWS” = 0%/No Refund

Cancellation or changes - Private Charters:

• 30 days or more prior to tour date = 80% Refund
• 29-15 days prior to tour date = 50% Refund
• 14-0 days prior to tour date, late arrivals or “NO-SHOWS” = 0%/No Refund

❗️Late arrivals and/or no-shows for a tour/activity/time slot, regardless of the reason, unfortunately forfeit the full booking. Similar to booking an airline ticket; the plane will not wait for any passenger that is late. Please ensure you are on time for your booking.
❗️All transaction/transfer fees and/or forex conversion costs charged by the banks during the refund process will be billed to you (the client/booking holder)
❗️Refund and credit values are calculated in our local ZAR (South African Rand) currency. Transaction values in your own currency could be affected due to bank fees and currency exchange fluctuations.