Marine life
Southern Right Whale
The southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) is a baleen whale, one of three species classified as right whales belonging to the genus Eubalaena.
Most records Jul to Nov
When Southern Right Whale sightings peak, from open records. Outside these months it is seen less often, not never.
Curve from 820 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Western Cape
Provinces where Southern Right Whale is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
767 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Southern Right Whale
Places to stay
10+ results in South Africa
Southern right whales spend the summer feeding in the Southern Ocean and come north in winter to calve in the sheltered bays of the Cape coast, close enough to shore that a cliff path beats a boat. They were hunted to near extinction by the whaling that gave them their name, the "right" whale to kill because they float when dead, and the population that returns to this coast every year is one of conservation's clearest recoveries.
The season runs from June to November, and August to October is the peak, when mothers and calves lie in the bays for weeks. Hermanus and Walker Bay are the best-known shore-based whale watching in the world, with the cliff path above the town giving a view straight down onto them. De Hoop, Gansbaai, False Bay, Plettenberg Bay and the Garden Route bays see them too, and permitted boat operators run trips from several towns.
They are unmistakable close up: no dorsal fin, a broad V-shaped blow and rough white callosities on the head that identify individuals. Pair a whale trip with spring fynbos flowers, the penguin colonies at Betty's Bay and Simon's Town, and the sea-rescue stations along the same coast.
- Which parks and reserves are best for the Southern Right Whale in South Africa?
- Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Southern Right Whale at stays in or beside De Hoop Nature Reserve. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
- Where can you see the Southern Right Whale in South Africa?
- The Southern Right Whale is most recorded in Western Cape (96% of records), based on 767 iNaturalist observations. 16 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Southern Right Whale on site or nearby.
- When is the best time to see the Southern Right Whale?
- Sightings of the Southern Right Whale peak from Jul to Nov, based on 820 iNaturalist records. You may still see it outside those months, sightings are just less frequent.
- What is the conservation status of the Southern Right Whale?
- The Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis) is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
- What is the Southern Right Whale?
- The southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) is a baleen whale, one of three species classified as right whales belonging to the genus Eubalaena.
- When is the best time to see southern right whales?
- June to November, with the peak between August and October when mothers and calves are settled in the bays. Outside those months the population is feeding in the Southern Ocean and you will not see them, although Bryde's whales, dolphins and seals stay on this coast all year.
- Where is the best place to watch whales from shore?
- Hermanus and Walker Bay, where a cliff path runs above the water for kilometres, and De Hoop Nature Reserve, which is quieter and just as good. Gansbaai, False Bay, Plettenberg Bay and the Garden Route bays all get them. Many stays on this page look directly onto whale water.
- Do I need a boat trip?
- No. The Cape is unusual in how close these whales come to shore, and the cliff paths are often better than a boat because you look down on the animals. Licensed operators run permitted boat trips for a closer view, and only permitted boats may approach. Sightings in peak season are frequent but never guaranteed.