Hermanus Whale Festival: Visit the world's only eco-festival!

Are you an outdoor or wildlife enthusiast? You'll find you fit right in with those celebrating the Hermanus Whale Festival in South Africa, an event dedicated to honoring the beauty of the local whales!

Curious about the festival and what to expect? This blog has the scoop on all the essential details! Learn more about this meaningful festival to decide whether it's a must-attend event for you.

What Is the Hermanus Whale Festival?

While it's a festival, the annual Hermanus Whale Festival is nothing like what you picture when thinking of stereotypical festivals like Burning Man or Coachella. Unlike the big music festivals, this is an eco-marine festival!

The Hermanus Whale Festival is a celebration of the time of year during the migration of Southern Right Whales. You'll need to travel to Hermanus, South Africa, to watch these beautiful animals return to the coast of Southern Africa, usually around September or October.

As the only eco-marine festival in the world, most of the activities and vendors focus on raising awareness on how to protect whales and other marine wildlife.

Why is the Hermanus Whale Festival Celebrated?

The first Hermanus Whale Festival was celebrated in 1992, but its inspiration dates further back. In the 1930s, a Southern Right Whale was beached on Hermanus' coast, and locals came together to help return it to the ocean.

When the whale reappeared on their coast later, the village celebrated its return and continued to uphold the tradition. Locals named the whale Wendy, so if you're at the festival and hear "Wendy the Whale" talk, you'll know the story!

The Hermanus Whale Festival not only celebrates the return of Wendy but also acts to educate visitors on the importance of preserving wildlife. In addition to Hermanus whale watching throughout the festival, you can also learn about marine wildlife and how to help contribute to marine preservation.

On top of learning, enjoy the upbeat atmosphere and different shows within the celebration, like Whales and Wheels classic car show, a spectacular street parade, vibrant markets, and great food vendors!

When is the Hermanus Whale Festival?

The Hermanus Whale Festival takes place over one weekend at the end of September or early October every year. The 2023 festival will take place from September 29th to October 1st. Every year, the festival welcomes around 100,000 tourists over the entire weekend!

What Happens at the Hermanus Whale Festival?

In addition to whale watching at Hermanus, the festival has several attractions for visitors of all ages. Some exciting features of the festival include the following:

• A popular street parade
• 10km fun run (additional cost to join)
• A Music Marquee with live music, DJs, and bands
• Arts and crafts tent with work of local artisans
• Lots of children's activities, including rides
• Whales and Wheels: Vintage Car Show
• Eco-Marine tent, also known as eco-marine village, with educational marine displays and activities for opportunities to learn about marine wildlife

In line with the eco theme, the Hermanus Whale Festival has partnered with local restaurants to reduce the usage of plastic straws. Also, stallholders will no longer offer balloons during the festival to reduce waste that can be dangerous to wildlife.

The organizers of the Hermanus Whale Festival pushed for this partnership as a part of their "Clean and Green" initiative.

How to Get to the Hermanus Whale Festival

The Hermanus Whale Festival takes place in Hermanus, a small city on the southwestern coast of South Africa. The closest airport is Cape Town International. From there, you have a couple of options for getting to Hermanus.

Your first option is to take a shuttle to Cape Town train station and board a train to Strand. After taking public transportation, you can take about an hour's taxi ride to Hermanus.

The second option for travelers is to take a taxi directly from Cape Town Airport to Hermanus. The taxi ride alone will take a little over an hour in total.

Taking a taxi can be a little more expensive but quicker. Driving also ensures you will get directly from the airport to your destination in one go, without buying multiple transport tickets.

Hermanus Whale Festival Accommodations

If you've come to South Africa for the celebration of the return of the Southern Right Whales, you'll need a place to stay nearby. You want to be able to spot the whales whenever they make an appearance!

Since the city is a hotspot for tourists during the Hermanus Whale Festival weekend, there are many places to stay. However, book in advance to guarantee you can get a room!

If you're looking at cheaper options like hostels, 3 are within 1km of the city center. For an eco-friendly hostel in a historic home, check out Zoete Inval Travellers Lodge.

If you'd prefer to stay in the center of town, then Zzzone is your best hostel option. Lastly, if you love complimentary breakfast during your stay and still want proximity to excellent whale views, check out The Surf House.

Whether you're solo backpacking with your essentials or planning a family trip, there are options for your different needs. Even in a small city, the popularity of the Hermanus Whale Festival means that they are used to having many tourists, at least for the one weekend!

Things to Do in Hermanus

While the Hermanus Whale Festival is a massive highlight of visiting Hermanus, don't forget to do some other exploring of the city! The Hermanus Cliff Path gives you stunning views along the coast, and while you may spot a whale, it's worth it for the views even if you don't.

If beaches and nature reserves are your thing, being by the coast has advantages. You can visit Grotto Beach, Voelklip Beach, and Fernkloof Nature Reserve.

Hermanus is also home to several wineries and vineyards, so you can explore those by booking a wine tasting to try some South African wine!

Top Tips for the Hermanus Whale Festival

If you're headed to see whales in Hermanus, here are a few things to remember to ensure you have a great experience!

• Pack for all kinds of weather—whale watching takes place outdoors and on the coast, so be prepared for wind and rain
• If you're hoping to photograph the whales, bring a proper camera with a zoom feature and take quick-fire photos to catch them
• Bring binoculars to see the whales
• Book your accommodation well in advance
  

Let's Have a Whale of a Time!

Now that you've heard about everything the Hermanus Whale Festival offers, you should be itching to experience it! Not only can you learn about an important topic, but you can also have lots of fun partaking in all the various celebration activities.

Who wouldn't want a unique experience like the Hermanus Whale Festival? If you haven't started planning a trip to South Africa yet, now is the time! This sounds like a job for Pilot, especially if you want to have everything in one place when planning travel...