The 5 Dolphin Watching Tours in South Africa That Earn Their Price

1.Whale and Dolphin Watching Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 807 reviews · 2 hours · from $98Our pick

Join Southern Right Charters in Hermanus for a two-hour catamaran cruise with a whale specialist. Look for seasonal southern right and humpback whales, year-round Bryde’s whales, dolphins, and seals. Guides such as Ken and Jacques explain what you see, while the crew serves light refreshments and helps with photos.

“We saw hundreds of dolphins who kept and swam towards a Right Whale and her calf. The whales came to the boat and swam alongside providing a very memorable experience.”

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2.Whale, Dolphin & Penguin Island Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 687 reviews · from $185Top rated

Set out at 8am from Nelson Mandela Bay Yacht Club on a twin-engine catamaran limited to 20 people. Raggy Charters guides, including Jake and an experienced crew, search Algoa Bay for humpback whales, dolphins, seals, seabirds, and African penguins at St. Croix Island. The four-hour cruise runs once daily and supports tree planting to offset its carbon footprint.

“Every part of this trip was excellent. Staff friendly, real attention to safety, communication from booking and of course the wildlife The crew ensured we were all looked after and expertly navigated to ensure we could all see the wonderful nature Read more”

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3.Dolphin & Ocean Wildlife Kayaking Adventure ⚓️

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 57 reviews · 2 hours · from $37Best value

Meet guides including Vincent and Shanti at Truth Adventure HQ beside the Mouille Point Lighthouse. After a safety briefing, paddle stable surf skis along Cape Town’s Atlantic coast, watching for Heaviside dolphins, penguins, seals, whales, and sunfish. Return for showers and a smoothie, matcha, or coffee in the garden.

“Perfect! The guides were very experienced and the equipment was so high quality: both the paddles and the kayaks. As a former flatwater kayak athlete, I loved this experience! But I must say it's also perfect for beginners: it was my friend's first time in a kayak and she loved it too!”

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4.Durban: Whale and Dolphin Watching Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 45 reviews · 2 hours · from $102

Set out from Wilson’s Wharf on an 11-passenger boat with a whale guide such as Bennie, watching Durban’s Indian Ocean for humpback whales from May to November. You may also see dolphins year-round, plus birds, fish, turtles, sharks, or rays. The ride is weather-dependent and not suitable for pregnant people or anyone with back or mobility problems.

“It was so beautiful out on the ocean watching out and then also be rewarded by seeing dolphins and whales, which I hope we didn’t disturb but was all a really lovely sight to watch Thank you so much Silke”

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5.Dolphin and Marine Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 45 reviews · 1h 30m · from $46

Join Ocean Blue Adventures for a 90-minute boat trip from Plettenberg Bay. You may see Bottlenose and Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphins, seals, sharks, whales, seabirds, and Robberg Peninsula’s unusual rock formations. The outing includes a surf launch, live English or Afrikaans commentary, bottled water, and fruit.

“Witam,super przeżycie z tak bliskiego spotkania z delfinami i fokami. Niezapomniane wrażenia.Dziękuję. Pozdrawiam Jolanta”

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