Kleinbaai is well know for it's Shark Cage diving industry and this small town is just half an hours drive from Abalone Guest Lodge.

Boats leave from Gansbaai to Dyer Island where the Cape fur Seal colony has established themselves. Seals are an attractive food source for the Great White Shark. These trips last about 3-4 hours and they start early in the morning as this is the best time to view them.

The Hemel and Aarde Valley, situated a mere 6km outside of Hermanus is host to some of the best wine in South Africa.

With Boutique Wine Estates like Bouchard Finlayson who has just received an award from the 2008 edition of the Platter wine guide that voted the Bouchard Finlayson Tête de Cuvée Galpin Peak Pinot noir 2005 as the only Pinot noir to be awarded this prestigious 5-star rating and has been selected out of over 6000 wines to receive the prestigious and esteemed Platter 'Wine of the Year 2008' award.

In fact, 6 out of the 9 wine estates in this area have received numerous awards from various organizations. Two of the 9 wine estates in the Hemel and Aarde Valley offer either lunch or lunch and dinner.

La Vierge, a new wine estate to the valley, offers both, with Jazz bands on a Sunday, Newton Johnson offers superb lunches, with spectacular views over the valley and great wine, be sure to try their Rose wine called Felicité it's so popular they are running low!

Hermanus, built along the shores of Walker Bay near the Southern most tip of Africa. Magnificent mountains watch over the town which is home of the Southern Right Whale.

Nature lovers from all over the world visit Hermanus to view these magnificent creatures from the best land based whale-watching destination in the world.

These Giant creatures can be seen within 2 meters of the shore. Walker Bay has a "no go" area for boats which makes this perfect for whale breeding.

Boat based whale watching is offered by a limited number of companies. Booking is essential. Hermanus is also the only town with a Whale Crier who is in fact the only Whale Crier in the World.

He alerts guests to a whale sighting by blowing on his Kelp horn. He is a very knowledgeable and readily shares his knowledge with visitors

Abalone is situated only 300 meters from the Hermanus Golf Course that has just upgraded themselves to a 27 hole golf course.

Arabella Sheraton Golf Course situated 23km outside of Hermanus a drive worthwhile for the golf enthusiast. Abalone Guest Lodge also offers storage for golf clubs that can take so much space in your bedroom

During the Whale season horseback whale watching can be arranged. Leaving Hermanus you ride all the way along the shore to Gansbaai on the 'plaat ' to view the whales from there. Other trips include Beach Rides, Fynbos Rides and Vineyard rides.

Sea Kayaking is very popular especially during the whale season. Leaving from the Old harbour to the open waters viewing the whales from much closer . Seals and dolphins have been known to join you along your journey.

Fernkloof nature reserve a 5 min drive from Abalone Guest Lodge offers great hiking trails with spectacular views over Walker bay and you are surrounded by amazing birds, dassies "rock rabbits" and fynbos.

There is a variety of routes that you can take ranging from 1 hour up until 5 hours. They are uniquely designed giving you a variety of scenery and experience. Guided tours are also available from Billy an enthusiastic Hiker and Nature Lover that can tell you everything from birds, fynbos, the history of Hermanus and the animals that can be found.

Following a personalised cellar tour and barrel tasting, you'll be introduced to the fine art of wine blending - with the emphasis on different styles such as a typical Bordeaux, Cape or Rhone blend. This enriching experience culminates in the exciting challenge of creating your own, individual blend.

Paintball

We are renowned for having some of the best fields to play in and have hosted games from 8 players to 250 players!!!

We know how to let you have an experience you will remember for years to come!! Tree houses - Camps - Bridges etc etc we have it all on our field!!

As well as braai facilities if you require such services.

Zipline Tours

High above the ground (8 to 10 Meters) the 2 guides will allow you to glide from platform to platform with only the local eagles and birdlife noise echoing in the forest.

The 9 to 12 platform slides range from 20 meters to 120 meters and with a safe breaking system you control the speed you travel at. So it could be a fast adrenaline experience or it could just be a slow easy glide high above the ground. Come and experience something different but forever memorable.

Quadbike Drives

Mountain and Vineyards Drive +- 1h30

Hermanus Stargazing Trip +- 3 hours

Sun Downers & Sunset Ride +- 2H00

Abseiling

The water might be a bit chilly, but there's numerous of great surf spots all around Hermanus.

Xelant Diving diving school is based in Fisherhaven, about fifteen minutes from the harbour of Hermanus. Our motto is 'Professional with safety first' with the emphasis on personal attention and flexibility. Xelant Diving provides all the efficient training and equipment you need. Xelant Diving is member of NAUI Worldwide Diving Courses and Scuba Schools International SSI. With Alex Rossell it has one of the most experienced instructors in South Africa at your service.

Hermanus is generally a relaxing place to fly, although the thermals and wind-shears can sometimes be quite strong. Wild life spotted while flying includes: local deer, monkeys and baboons, blue cranes, buzzards, crows, swallows and at certain times of the year whales can be seen breeching in the bay.

Witness the giants of the deep crashing through the water with their fellow species, with mating groups of up to ten whales. Flights depart from Hermanus and cover areas from Hangklip to Cape Agulhas. Our record is 135 whales in a 15 minute flight.

Abagold offers comprehensive farm tours to the general public at their Sea View farm. The tours are conducted on weekdays at 11 am. The tour starts with a brief introduction to the history of the abalone industry in South Africa (and the history of Abagold) through the various stages of breeding, growth and cultivation techniques used to the processing and marketing of cultivated abalone. The 45-minute tour shows aquaculture as it is run on a day-to-day basis.

With the complete restriction on abalone poaching this tour offers a unique opportunity to see these intriguing animals up close and learn all about them.

There are two Museums located on market square the Whale house and De Wet's Huis.

A Southern right whale carcass that has been cured and treated is displayed inside the whale house. A Unique audio-visual presentation about the whales is also shown at the Whale House. Shows daily during whale season at 10:00 and 15:00.

This beautiful little historic cottage use to be a school. The sepia coloured photo displays inside takes you on a journey through time, from where Hermanus started only as a small fishing village.

Fernkloof Nature Reserve offers hikers a choice of 60km of graded walks and trails. From Aasvoelkop in the north to Piet se Bos on the Cliff Path in the south, paths take you up mountains, down valleys and along the coast. From most vantage points there are magnificent views of Walker Bay and its visiting whale population (June to December). There are four colour coded trails, which are clearly indicated by signboards and colour coded markers on the ground. All trails start and end at the Visitor Centre.

This rocky outcrop in the centre of town offers splendid views of Hermanus CBD. A pathway leads one around the koppie to the summit where the graves of Sir William and his wife can be found. Sir William was the General Manager of the Cape Railways in the 1900's. Hoy's koppie also allows you to get an up-close view of beautiful fynbos plant species. Archaeologist has also found some evidence of our earliest inhabitants Khoisan people in klipgat cave on the southern side.

The penguin colony at Stony Point Betty's bay is one of four mainland colonies in South Africa and declared a municipal nature reserve in July 2002. Since then this important seabird colony has grown in size due to the breeding of both the endangered penguins and cormorants. The best time of day to view them is in the late afternoon, when the penguins return from fishing.

This lovely garden is situated in the centre of the coastal fynbos where the flora is at its richest. It encompasses mountain slopes with wind-clipped heathlands, deep gorges with relict forests, flats and marshes with restios, sedges and bulbs, as well as dunes adjacent to the beach with specialised salt-adapted plants. The Garden is renowned for its waterfalls and amber pools.

A visit at any time of the year will prove a delight. We look forward to welcoming you to this little piece of paradise. The garden is open 365 days a year.

The Perlemoen (Abalone) Green Flag slackpacking trail, centred around South Africa's famous Great White shark cage diving and whale watching capital of Gansbaai, basically consists of three days' hiking (with alternative shorter as well as self-catering options). The trail provides fascinating insight into the area - famous for its shipwrecks and infamous for its Perlemoen (abalone) poaching! This is a trail for whale watchers, fynbos lovers and cultural enthusiasts with wide open beaches, intimate coves for swimming, sea cliffs with pounding waves and limestone caves.

On Day 1 the trail hugs the coast from De Dam to Buffelsjag (15km) with the option of walking to Pearly Beach (another 7 km). On Day 2 the trail follows the beach to Franskraal (12 km) or for the fit to Kleinbaai (15km). Day 3 runs from Gansbaai, along the rocky coast, with its caves and excellent whale watching, to Die Plaat (8km).

An additional fourth and fifth day can be added with exciting activities like an Ocean Trip by rubber duck to view the thousands of seals around Dyer Island or an Inland Trip consisting of a guided walk through the renowned indigenous Platbos Milk wood forest as well as a quad bike or 'tractor with trailer' ride to the top of Franskraal Mountain.

Stanford is a wonderful village with excellent wines (including 5 star ones!!!) and most of the wines are made by the farmer/owner. Most of them remotely located and that guarantees some magnificent sight viewing. Wine farms are Bosch Rivier, Raka, Brunia, Vaalvlei, Misty Mountains, Springfontein, Stanford Hills and Sir Robert Stanford Estate. Hope we didn't forget one...

Brewery Tours:

Available Wednesday to Friday through advanced booking.

Times: 11h00 or 15h00

Wine & Beer Tasting:

Available in the restaurant and bar, Monday to Sunday.

Times: 10h00 to 17h00

The Klein River winds gently down to the Hermanus Lagoon through scenic countryside against a stunning mountain backdrop. There are 129 bird species recorded as being resident here best seen early in the morning or towards sunset.

Klein River Cheese offers an array of twelve exceptional South African cheeses.

Committed to producing a healthy and as far as possible natural product, the cheeses contain pasteurized cow's milk, free of hormones and antibiotics; non-animal microbial rennet and no colourants.