Meet humpback whales and southern right whales on their journey along the Garden Route

When the South African winter begins, the sea off Knysna becomes a stage for two of the most impressive marine mammals: southern right whales and humpback whales. From June to November they move into the sheltered bays of the Garden Route – to calve, to mate and to stay. A boat trip at this time is more than just wildlife watching – it is an encounter with size, grace and wildness.

You can recognise southern right whales by the distinctive callosities on their head, their dark skin and the absence of a dorsal fin. They particularly like to stay in the bay between Buffalo Bay and Brenton on Sea. There, mothers nurse their calves close to the shore – sometimes for weeks. In the midst of this calm a back surfaces again and again, a blow rises, a calf rolls through the water beside its mother.

Humpback whales often put on an even more spectacular show: with their long pectoral fins, powerful breaches and the slapping of their tail flukes on the surface of the water. Their songs fill the depths of the ocean – complex melodies whose meaning we still do not fully understand. Hundreds travel along the coast, often in groups, often full of energy.

The tours start from the harbour in Knysna. Whether you are watching a breaching humpback whale or a quiet southern right whale mother with her calf – this outing will stay with you.