Aloe Guest House is found in the scenic town of Hermanus in the Western Cape, South Africa. Hermanus is only 1½ hours drive from Cape Town and is known as the best land based whale watching capital of the world. It is also the only town in the world with its very own whale crier.
Southern right whales visit Walker Bay from July to November where they mate and give birth. The whales are so plentiful many are seen close to shore, only metres from the well-known cliff paths of Hermanus. From December to June the whales spend their time in the cold polar regions of the southern hemisphere. The southern right whale was so named because it was considered to be the 'right' whale to catch.
Rich in oil and baleen (the large food filter plates which hang from the roof of its mouth) and a whale which floated in the water when killed, this slow-moving leviathan became one of the most ruthlessly hunted of all species of whales. Today, however, the only shots taken of these magnificent animals come from cameras and the whale population is slowly recovering.
Another impressive animal of the deep is found near Hermanus, namely the Great White shark. Long considered a “man-eater”, it is only now that these misunderstood predators are appreciated. Shark cage diving is an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime experience and most operators work from Gansbaai, only 40 km from Hermanus.
For those preferring to remain dry, a round of golf on the picturesque soon-to-be-completed 27-hole course at Hermanus Golf Club is an excellent way to spend the day. The course has breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and ocean. With its indigenous fynbos plants and rolling fairways, the Hermanus golf course is considered a “must-play” in South Africa.
The magnificent Arabella Golf Club at the Western Cape Hotel & Spa is set on the banks of the Bot River lagoon and is only 25 min from Hermanus. This course was ranked by Complete Golfer magazine as the number one golf course in the Western Cape and also featured in Golf Digest’s USA’s Top 100 courses outside of America in 2005.
Since 2003, the Nelson Mandela Invitational charity golf tournament has been played at the Arabella Golf Club. Golfing legends such as Jack Nicklaus, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Tim Clark, Lee Westwood and Sam Torrance, as well as celebrities Samuel L Jackson and Ronan Keating are only some of the players in this tournament. The Nelson Mandela Invitational is part of Gary Player’s initiative to raise funds for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Foundation and the Player Foundation.
Another popular outdoor activity is hiking. Hermanus has several nature reserves within easy driving distance. Fernkloof Nature Reserve is on the outskirts of the town and has 2000 ha of pristine mountain and coastal fynbos. Consisting of parts of the Kleinrivier Mountains, the reserve has a 60 km network of trails that accommodates most fitness levels.
Whether we are a destination or just a stopover, we hope to make your stay a pleasurable one.
