Whale Watching Knysna: Encounter Whales in their Natural Environment

Experience the awe-inspiring beauty of whale watching in Knysna. Encounter Southern Right and Humpback whales in their natural environment, surrounded by picturesque scenery.

Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Ocean Odyssey Whale Watching Knysna - Guests will check in at our reception where they are required to sign an indemnity form. Once all guests have checked in our crew will start preparing them with life jackets. Once every one is ready they will be given a briefing on the tour they will be departing on and what to expect. A safety briefing will be given by the skipper once all guests have boarded the boat before departing.
What's Included
  • Local guide
  • Bottled water
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Witnessing whales in their natural habitat imprints an unforgettable experience on your heart- Knysna tops the chart for the ideal locations to make this happen!
As the only licensed operator in Knysna for close encounters with marine life, our crew is genuinely dedicated to showcasing our abundant aquatic creatures and our breathtakingly picturesque…

Location
Ocean Odyssey Whale Watching Knysna
Long Street
Travel down Long street, over the white little bridge and make your way on to Thesen Island. Just before you reach the traffic circle at the end of Long st our shop is located on the left hand side (Opposite The Time Machine and next to Diana Loon Boutique)
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.7
(61 Ratings)
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Alanoud_a
Aug 26, 2024
Incredible 😍 - Don’t miss it when u r in the city it was awesome 🥰 one of the best sight i have ever seen. The sea and the whale even the staff were friendly
Review provided by Viator
Candice_s
Aug 19, 2024
Family Day Out - Thank you, an amazing day out seeing the whales. Your staff are friendly, and knowledgeable. Will definitely recommend. Exciting going through The Heads aswell.
Review provided by Viator
Sophiaa584
Aug 4, 2024
Great experience - A great experience... the boat trip alone was adventurous, our skipper Johannes mastered the waves at Knysna Heads great, but watching the whales was unique.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jhb_newbe
Dec 2, 2023
Highlight of our holiday - This trip was well worthwhile. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable. There were 5 couples on the boat, and although the sea was rough we felt safe. We were very lucky to spot a humpback whale with calf who breached several times for us. Also saw 2 different dolphin pods
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mariehsweden2018
Nov 28, 2023
Don’t miss this! - Fantastic experience where we saw whales and dolphins. The captain and the staff where great! Well worth the money, the whole arrangement is great!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Janabm54bg
Nov 11, 2023
Incredible to see humpback whales up close - The tour was well organised and staff were friendly. You are not guaranteed to see whales, as nature can't be planned! But the skipper and watchers worked hard to ensure we saw whales. We saw a couple of singular whales at a bit of a distance, then right near the end of the trip we found a whole group of humpbacks. The skipper gave us a longer trip to allow us to view them properly at a close distance and follow them for a good amount of time, which was greatly appreciated. An amazing experience, would definitely recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
771oliverf
Oct 25, 2023
Whales are awesome creatures - Wasn’t sure about going initially due to the cost and thinking it was unlikely to see any whales, but how wrong i was….the trip was worth every penny and the whales really didn’t disappoint, not just humpback whales but seals and dolphins too. A great fun boat ride experience which does require some seaworthy tummy, so eat sensibly and take some ginger tablets if you are prone to seasickness. The big ocean is choppy and boats rocks !! I would absolutely recommend this trip with Ocean Defender to anyone who visits Knysna. The best thing I did on my holidays whilst staying here.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nab92
Oct 13, 2023
Whale watching in Knysna - Great experience from beginning to end. The team were incredibly helpful when booking and really welcoming when we arrived. The briefing before we left was informative and safety was a priority. We saw two Humpback Whales with their calves as well as a Southern Right Whale, also with her calf (we saw all of these several times). We also saw a pod of dolphins just relaxing near the shore, a few seals who were interested in our boat and an Albatross. Our guide was really informative and we learnt a lot about the whales, dolphins, seals and their lives along the coast of South Africa. The team were really concerned about the welfare of the animals and their space was always respected. Would certainly recommend. This company also have a great coffee shop when you return which is well worth a visit!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Thalitatv
Mar 9, 2024
It's worth trying to see the whales up close! - We took the tour with Ocean Odyssey to see the whales, a really cool experience and worth the price to try to see the whales. The tour begins with a visit to the coast of the mountains and then the search begins. Unfortunately, it is a trip that luck needs to be in your favor. We only managed to see two whales and they didn't come very close to the boat. Still, it was really cool and a different experience. We were able to see other species of marine life too.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nokuthula_m
Oct 20, 2023
You really are having... - You really are having close encounter to the whales. Had a pleasure of having a snowboarding baby whale, doing tricks for us. I really recommend to just make sure you dress warm and motion sickness is real so prepare yourself if you know that you have that issue.
Review provided by Viator
From $82
up to 15 guests
1 Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).