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Knysna Tours
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Observing whales in their natural environment leaves a feel-good mark on the soul- Knysna the best places to do this! As Knysna’s only permitted close...
2 hours • Free Cancellation
2 hours • Free Cancellation
2 hours • Free Cancellation
4.7 (80)
from
$116
$116
Recent tour reviews
75afnanf, Jul 2026
Best experience ever
It was amazing we met three whales , dolphins and seal . Riding speed boat it self was amazing.. you must try it all
StephanieS7382, Nov 2025
Whales and dolphins
Very nice staff, have seen whales, Define and seals. The life jackets are there. I would recommend putting on a jacket as it can get fresh (and a little wet depending on the swell)
LOANNE_L, Nov 2025
Whale of a time
We saw a beautiful whale, two different types of dolphins, seals and lovely sights. The team was lovely.
Roam53643864634, Nov 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fantastic experience with Ocean Odyssey Knysna!
The tour was a highlight of our stay. The team is professional, friendly and superbly organised – you always feel safe and in good hands.Best of all: We actually saw whales because the crew remained incredibly persistent and engaged. Their patience and dedication were absolutely worth it and made the trip unforgettable.The coastal landscape, the exciting information and the great atmosphere on board completed the experience perfectly. Clear recommendation!
Oliver_Q, Nov 2025
Trusted provider
The tour started as planned. When we left the bay we already saw the very high waves. After a good 10 minutes the skipper stopped the boat and said it was already very extreme conditions and we would probably not see any whales. For this reason, he would advise termination.
The group agreed and so it went back. Once on land we learned that we can arrange a new appointment or get a part refunded. Few expected that.
SvenMerseburg, Oct 2025
Must have in Knysna!! We will repeat.
Very big cinema, what you experience and see on the sea. The passage of the Heads alone is worth the experience and Johannes alone makes the boat tour on the coast a very big experience. Great team, very nice and fair.
Unfortunately we didn't see whales, but a huge dolphin school (almost in the boat) and many seals accompanied us for a long time. The permanent view of the coast is fantastic. Travel tablet for vulnerable is recommended. We were outside in calm seas, but the sight from land is deceptive. Many thanks to the entire team. Great!
Anne S, Oct 2025
Lifetime Experience. Wonderful tour.
This trip exceeded our expectations. Friendly , professional staff from the get go. The onboard tour guide was knowledgeable & informative & towards the end of our time, when we were yet to spot Whales(although plenty of Dolphins, birds & a sea Lion) & were inbound to shore, immediately turned the boat round & raced to where a radio communication had informed a sighting.
We were able to witness a close encounter with a humpback & her calf.
We also went through caves & cliffs.
Thoroughly enjoyed our morning. Thank You.
Malcolm_T, Oct 2025
A great whale watching experience and a must do in Knysna
A great experience to see whales in their natural habitat- although rather choppy waters we got to enjoy watching humpback whales fin & tail slapping but best of all breaching- we highly recommend
!
Suzanne C, Oct 2025
Excellent!
Lovely boat and really committed staff - we saw humpback whales with calves. Obviously no-one can guarantee sightings but we couldn’t have done much better!
Avaug, Oct 2025
Whale Watching
This is a great trip, the team goes above and beyond to ensure you have the best experience but they treat the animals with great respect and keep a sensible distance especially from the whales. The business has a great cafe for coffee after the boat trip.
Cybele T, Sep 2025
Excellent Whale watching cruise
Skipper Johannes and Reagan had a tough day weather wise, but their tenacity and guile ensured we saw a humpback at close quarters.
A great affordable activity from the vibrant Thesen Island.
O6502JJrebeccar, Sep 2025
An unforgettable experience!
The team was professional, knowledgeable, and made the entire whale watching tour truly special. We saw incredible sightings up close and learned so much. Everything felt safe, well-organised, and full of wonder. Highly recommend this company to anyone visiting South Africa!
Thank you!
Rebecca and Stuart (UK)
168lenh, Aug 2025
Great experience, highly recommended
We had a great trip with our guide Johannes.
Great expertise and a lot of fun. We were lucky and had great sightings.
Really worth it!!
carladU462ZV, Aug 2025
Amazing experience
Such an amazing experience- well worth the boat travel queasiness! We saw humpback whales, many playful dolphins and some very chilled sunbathing seals. The company was very well run and I would highly recommend.
400joannec, Aug 2025
Wow! Super sea adventure
Found this company via a hotel we were staying at in Wilderness and booked through ‘Get Your Guide’. The staff contacted me a couple of days before the trip to say that the Skipper had advised that we move our booking to the day before due to weather/sea conditions.
The safety briefing and Skipper made all passengers feel safe and we were fortunate enough to see hundreds of dolphins, penguins, sharks and whales up close.
They are the only licensed tour operator in Knysna which means that they can get within 50m of the animals. The best part was seeing the whale ‘breach’!
MattwalesNorthWales, Jul 2025
You cannot make an appointment with a whale, so we were so thrilled to have seen 8 during our two hour experience. The lady in the booking office was quite offhand when we arrived saying we had to wait for the captain to return as he was checking out the conditions out at sea. Thankfully there is a coffee shop. However once the trip was confirmed everyone became super nice, fitting us out with a life jacket each and going over safety procedures. A quick walk via the public toilet and we were on our boat, a 25 seat flat-base powerboat. Everything was calm until we reached the area where the lagoon met the sea. The boat bounced from wave to wave, spray was flying and the ride began, separating the men from the boys, sea sickness was a thing that thankfully happened to others.
Once out to sea there was a "spotter" who occupied a raised position so that he could get a better vantage for spotting these massive but elusive creatures. We saw a Southern Right Whale plus calf and six Humpback Whales that were so close you could hear them calling to each other. This was one of the most magical experiences of my life. Kinda explains how much I spent in the gift shop!
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