Right now, our beautiful stretch of Eastern Cape ocean is witnessing one of the most wonderful
natural annual events: the migration of whales. Each year, these majestic mammals transit our
waters on their journey from Antarctica to the fertile seas off Mozambique and Madagascar. Along
the way, females give birth to their calves, and one of the ideal places to watch this miraculous circle
of life is on a boat trip in Algoa Bay, Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha), the gateway to South Africa’s Garden
Route.
The usually calm and sheltered bay makes for a pleasant boat launch and experience for those
anxious about open seas, making it a popular family excursion. From the deck, one could get a really
close-up view of these massive, gentle citizens of the sea. Southern Right, humpback, Minke and
Bryde’s whales are all found here, and a couple of hours in their presence is nothing short of
spellbinding.
Often accompanied by the resident porpoises and dolphins, this is the sort of spectacle that really
has to be experienced in person – words cannot do it justice. (And add to this, the presence of one
of the most important penguin colonies, among numerous other sea birds – and you have the
makings of an incredible adventure.)
In fact, such is the prevalence of these cetaceans – an order of aquatic mammals comprising whales,
dolphins and porpoises – that Algoa Bay was designated South Africa’s second Whale Heritage Site in
June 2021, the fifth such site in the world! It is also commonly referred to as the ‘Bottlenose Dolphin
Capital of the World.’
With all this unbelievable marine diversity and activity going on, especially RIGHT NOW (the whale
migration season is typically June to December), it’s the perfect time to schedule a visit to the Cape
Recife Nature Reserve through the Behold Collection of properties in the Greater Addo area. Our
packages including elegant, luxurious but affordable family-friendly accommodation within the
expansive wilderness of Bellevue Forest Reserve, and guided land or ocean outings to the Cape
Recife Nature Reserve. See lions, elephants and giraffe on one day, whales and penguins the next – a
magical combination!
Speak to us today to plan your marvelous escape to experience all that our region has to offer.
