It’s almost that time of the year when whales start to migrate through KwaZulu-Natal’s Elephant Coast.
From around the end of May through September, whales start swimming up the coast past St. Lucia and iSimangaliso to Mozambique, then return between September and December to Antarctica.
The most common whales that make the journey are the humpback whale (famous for leaping out of the water) and the southern right whale.
If you’re in the area, you can spot whales at a whale-watching tower located at Cape Vidal and Mpenjati from June to November.
And if you can’t make it to the tower, use one of the numerous hiking trails to get to a vantage point along the coast, take a seat, and have some patience.
Although you can see whales from the shore, the best way to see them up close is from a boat.
Unfortunately, there aren’t many boats in the area to choose from, but one of the best is Advantage Charters.
They offer two-hour ocean tours where you can get as close as 50 meters to the whales for R850 per person.
You can contact them by calling Dannie Bennett at 035 590 1259, sending an email to advantage@zululink.co.za, or visiting the website at advantagetours.co.za.
To get there from Johannesburg, take the N2 freeway east to St. Lucia.
From Cape Town, take the N2 freeway through Durban and north to St. Lucia.
For up to date information on whale watching in the area, call the Whale Hotline at 083 910 1028.
