Whale, Dolphin & Penguin Island Cruise

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. We meet our guests at 8am and after a short briefing before we head out into PE's beautiful Algoa Bay on our twin-engine catamaran. The whale season begins in June when we see humpback whales moving along the coast as they head up the East coast of Africa towards their breeding grounds. Humpback whales can be seen in Algoa Bay from June to early December. They make their return journey from October, females with calves in tow. Southern right whales can be seen close in shore from July to September.

   4 h

2. Indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins are the most frequently observed dolphins in the bay and can be spotted all year round, in groups from 10-400. These playful dolphins are mostly found in shallow waters either near the beaches or around St Croix Island, and tend to come right up to the boat and ride along in the bow waves. Common dolphins are also a spectacular sight as they are seen in groups of 1000-2000, swimming along at great speeds. These dolphins are often spotted all year round further out to sea, especially on the bird island tours, as they follow large shoals of baitfish which move past the bay. We also get humpback dolphins in Algoa Bay, which usually occur in much smaller groups, anywhere between 1 and 20, and are most commonly seen during the summer months.

   Passes by

3. St. Croix Island is home to 12,000 endangered African penguins, the largest breeding colony found in Africa (though we have lost 70% in 10 years). It is here where you will get a close-up encounter with these comical birds. The African penguin’s breeding season reaches its peak between March and May, when you may be able to see the chicks from the boat. As well as African penguins, both St. Croix and Brenton Island are inhabited by the endangered African black oystercatcher, white-breasted cormorants and Cape cormorants. The St. Croix Island group, along with the Bird Island group, became part of the Addo Elephant National Park, allowing rangers to patrol the islands in aid of conservation efforts to protect the African penguin population. As they are Marine Protected Are-as, please note that you are not allowed to actually go on to the islands.

   Passes by

4. Next to the above-mentioned animals you have the opportunity to see of spotting white-breasted cormorants, Cape cormorants, bryde’s whales, minke whales, Cape fur seals, various species of sharks, Cape gannets and various species of pelagic birds including terns, petrels, skuas, shearwa-ters and albatrosses.

   Passes by

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 855 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Showing reviews written in English.

• 5A moment borrowed from the Sea.

  This was an extraordinary experience. Karen meticulously arranged everything and gave us really good advice. Once out on the sea, every moment was mesmerising. The crew made every effort to watch and observe the mammals, without rushing. The explanations about habitat and behavoliour were scientific and well researched. Thank you.

  suruchit2021October 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5A whale of a time

  Truly a once in a lifetime experience and would highly recommend this experience! Not only were the crew well informed on the animals, history and conservation of Algoa Bay, they were also welcoming, engaging with us every step of the way. The excursion lasted around 4 and a half hours with no delays- you will definitely receive your money’s worth! The boat ride itself was comfortable with ample space for all guests to move freely and view the beautiful creatures from all angles!

  Cruiser37428839768October 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Exceptional tour

  What an incredible experience out at sea. The tour guides were professional and friendly; and we had the opportunity to see lots of sea life while also enjoying the beauty of our coastline. Thank you for a memorable experience.

  K4384VEnicoledSeptember 2026via Tripadvisor

• 4Great experience

  Since this is end if season we saw very few wales, penguins, sea lions

  KishanValmikiSeptember 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Raggy chaters

  What an absolutely amazing experience with Raggy Charters! 🐋🐧 The whale and penguin boat trip was definitely one of the biggest highlights of our day. The team was incredibly professional, knowledgeable and passionate about what they do. You can really see that they care about the animals and the environment, which made the experience even more special. We had such an incredible time seeing the beautiful wildlife up close and learning so much along the way. The crew made us feel safe, comfortable and excited throughout the entire trip. I would highly recommend Raggy Charters to anyone visiting the area. This is an experience you definitely shouldn’t miss — **it’s an absolute must-do!** 🐋❤️🐧

  cindydO8842SLSeptember 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5A great way to see the local marine wildlife

  This was a really successful and enjoyable trip. We were lucky enough to see whales, dolphins and penguins during the cruise, which made the experience truly memorable. The highlight was definitely seeing the whales in their natural environment. Watching them from the boat was a great experience, and seeing dolphins as well made the trip even better. The penguins were another nice addition — seeing all three on the same outing was a real bonus. The crew were friendly and helpful, and the whole trip was well organised. Recommended if you are visiting Port Elizabeth/Gqeberha and want to see marine wildlife. We had a very good experience and would happily do this cruise again.

  Tourist15522262536September 2026via Tripadvisor

Know before you go

How it compares in Port Elizabeth

• Its from-price is 44% above the median of the 170 experiences we list in Port Elizabeth.
• It is shorter than most of them.
• By number of reviews it ranks 1 of 170.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Port Elizabeth

Port Elizabeth, also known as Gqeberha, is a sunny city on Algoa Bay in South Africa's Eastern Cape, with long beaches and wildlife parks nearby.

Port Elizabeth lies on Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape, and since 2021 the city has also been called Gqeberha, a name from the Xhosa language; the surrounding municipality is Nelson Mandela Bay. British settlers landed here in 1820. The Donkin Reserve, a hilltop park with a stone pyramid and a lighthouse, overlooks the centre, and Route 67 is a walk lined with public sculptures. Beaches such as Hobie Beach and King's Beach run along the bay.

Top-ranked sights in Port Elizabeth: Kragga Kamma Game Park, Donkin Reserve.

See all 170 experiences in Port Elizabeth