15 Standout Guided Whale Watching Tours Worldwide

1.Whale Watching Tour with Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 2,761 reviews · 3 hours · from $115Our pick

Join North Sailing in Húsavík for a three-hour whale-watching cruise on Skjálfandi Bay. Your English-speaking guide points out humpback and minke whales, dolphins, seabirds, and more from a traditional oak boat. Warm overalls, live commentary, hot chocolate, and a cinnamon bun are included.

“Great Guides, had a lot of fun and the female Guide (don’t remember her name unfortunately) did such a great job on commenting where to see the whales and gave many interesting Information.”

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2.Whale Watching Tour with Expert Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 2,422 reviews · 2 - 3 hours · from $87

Sail from Reykjavík’s Old Harbour into Faxaflói Bay aboard Andrea, Iceland’s largest whale-watching ship. An English-speaking guide points out minke and humpback whales, dolphins, porpoises, and seabirds. You get warm overalls, indoor seating, WiFi, a café, and a free return ticket if no whales appear.

“I booked this to celebrate my 40th birthday and was trying to manage my expectations that we might not see any whale. However, we saw a minke on the way to the feeding ground, then at least 3 humpbacks. The guide was really good at sharing interesting information, then pointing us where to look. You also get access to a folder with the photos the guide took. It was really incredible - a real bucket list thing ticked off!”

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3.Whale Watching Tour with Professional Guide from Reykjavik

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 744 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $97

Sail from Reykjavík’s Old Harbour into Faxaflói Bay for about three and a half hours. Guides such as Patrick and Joe share facts while the crew searches for humpback and minke whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, and summer puffins. You get warm flotation overalls, indoor cabins, WiFi, and a free return trip if no whales appear.

“What started as a bleak, rainy, windy day turned into a wonderful experience. There are complementary waterproof outfits you can use for this type of weather. I wasn't expecting to see anything but we persevered and the sun came out then so did the minky whale and humpback whales. Our guide was informative and kept us updated throughout. She also took pictures on her long lens camera which she uploaded onto the website for us as, try as we might, photos on mobile phones are a bit hit and miss.”

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4.Whale-Watching Boat Tour with Expert Guide from Reykjavik

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 651 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $86

Set out from Reykjavik’s Old Harbor into Faxaflói Bay on a 2.5-hour express trip or a 3.5-hour classic cruise. Your naturalist guide explains the wildlife while you watch for humpback and minke whales, dolphins, porpoises, puffins, and seabirds. Thermal suits, indoor seating, Wi-Fi, and a return ticket if nothing is seen make this a practical choice.

“Host was friendly; cordial; informative; knowledgeable; passionate. Went above beyond providing a small q/a session on the return ride back to the harbor.”

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5.2 Hours Guided Whale and Bird Boat Tour in Bay Bulls

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 557 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) Top rated

Cruise from Bay Bulls through the four islands of Witless Bay Ecological Reserve with a naturalist guide, watching puffins, murres, petrels, and other seabirds. Whales and dolphins are possible, not guaranteed. The family-run crew adds local stories, songs, fishing, and optional screeching in season. A shuttle from St. John’s may be added for CAD 35.

“Wonderful experience. The staff were knowledgeable and attentive. The sites were beautiful. The boat was clean. We had a great time.”

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6.Sunset Whale Watching Cruise with A Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 519 reviews · 3 hours · from $75

Meet Discovery Whale Watch at Monterey’s Fisherman’s Wharf for a three-hour sunset cruise. A marine biologist or naturalist, including guides such as Isaiah, Andrew, Kevin, or Maddie, explains whale behavior, migration, and conservation while the crew searches for humpbacks, gray and blue whales, dolphins, sea lions, otters, and sometimes orcas.

“This is great. Izaih and Matt are great. We were very lucky and saw 7 humpbacks!! However, sunset is best to do this aesthetically, but wrap up warm!!”

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7.Whale-Watching Cruise and Puffins Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 444 reviews · 3 hours · from $135

Join North Sailing in Húsavík for a 3 to 3.5-hour cruise across Skjálfandi Bay aboard a traditional oak boat. A guide explains whales and seabirds as you search for humpbacks, minke whales, dolphins, and puffins near Puffin Island. Warm overalls, hot chocolate, and a cinnamon bun help take the edge off Iceland’s cold sea air.

“Husavik Whale Watching Cruise was an amazing experience. On board the Dagfari we were wonderfully guided by Jess and Chris. Due to Chris' years of experience as a Whale watcher and Jess' background as a marine biologist, a Whale was spotted during the trip that approached the Dagfari very closely. This was a magical experience.”

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8.Whale Watching Tour with A Marine Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 348 reviews · 2h 30m · from $70

Board the 110-foot Princess Monterey or 100-foot Atlantis Monterey at Fisherman’s Wharf for a 150-minute wildlife cruise. A marine guide explains whale behavior as you search Monterey Bay for humpbacks, blue whales, gray whales, dolphins, sea lions, and seabirds. Choose heated indoor seating or outdoor decks, with limited upper-deck upgrades available.

“The guide was excellent. Her knowledge was deep and she was a very entertaining speaker as well. This is an event worth booking.”

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9.Guided Whale Watching Tour from Long Beach

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 335 reviews · 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $35

Join Harbor Breeze Cruises at Long Beach’s Rainbow Harbor for a 2 to 2.5-hour whale watching trip aboard a stable catamaran. Aquarium of the Pacific educators and experienced captains explain the harbor, Queen Mary, port, and marine life. Look for gray, fin, and humpback whales, dolphins, sea lions, and seabirds.

“Whale watching is always a gamble so we took the morning 9AM tour for an better odd. I can understand why there are so many negative reviews about it. I am taking my time to write this review just to counter those 'bad luck' whale watchers. :-) This is my first time going out to watch whale so I didn't know what to expect. Also, reading those negative reviews while on the cruise going out doesn't help either. Once we reached outside the coast, we start seeing groups of dolphins passing by. According to our captain, that's a good start since whales normally follow them around cuz they know where…”

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10.Roseau: Guided Dolphin and Whale Watching Tour With Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 307 reviews · 3 hours · from $106

Set out from Roseau with Waitukubuli Adventure Tour Co. on a small boat through Dominica’s Sperm Whale Sanctuary. Guides such as Captain Beans, Jeff, Michael, and Dwayne search for sperm whales, pilot whales, humpbacks, and dolphins. Expect spray, a bumpy ride, life jackets, cold drinks, and a hydrophone for listening to whale sounds.

“Our captain did everything he could to find whales and at the very last moment we saw two cows and a calf plus many dolphins. Great trip.”

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11.Vancouver, BC: Whale Watching Tour with Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 270 reviews · 5 hours · from $152

Set out from Richmond’s Steveston village on a 3 to 5 hour whale watching cruise with Vancouver Whale Watch. Naturalists such as James and Kai explain the marine life while the captain searches for orcas and humpbacks. Modern boats, warm windbreakers, bathrooms, bottled water, and a whale sighting guarantee make this a well-equipped outing.

“10/10 - Amazing experience from start to finish! Levi picked us up right on time and was super friendly. On the water, Captain Ryan and naturalist Kai made the trip outstanding — we felt safe, learned so much, and got to see incredible whales up close. The whole team was professional, enthusiastic, and truly made the experience unforgettable. Highly recommend!”

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12.Full Day Guided Hermanus and Whale Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 155 reviews · from $51

Travel from Cape Town to Hermanus in a small group of up to 18, with an English-speaking guide such as Louis or Brahm. Expect a scenic coastal drive, shore-based whale watching, optional boat cruise, Hemel-en-Aarde wine tasting, and a stop at Peregrine Farm Stall.

“The coastal drive alone made the trip worthwhile but seeing the whales up close is something I will never forget. Our tour guides, Louis, wealth of knowledge was unbelievable and made the tour that much more interesting.”

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13.Skjervøy: Whale Watching with RIB Boat and Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 109 reviews

Join local guide Viktor and Reisafjord Xperience for a three-hour RIB boat safari from Skjervøy. You may see orcas, humpback whales, and fin whales feeding in Arctic waters. Warm suits, boots, hats, goggles, and life jackets are provided, but bring your own warm gloves and neck covering.

“In short: highly recommended! I’ve been to Tromsø whale watching 10 years ago and back then I had to say it can’t get better than this. Now the herring has moved further north east and with it the whales and the tourists. This year I wanted to give this experiance to my young daughters and I’ve booked a tour with Viktor. Everything about this tour was highly professional and we felt being in good hands. We got all equipment needed including boots, hats, googles, suits, etc. The weather was nice, we even got sunlight and the snow covered mountains in the distance couldn’t have been more beautiful. There was a…”

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14.Guided Small Group Whale Watching and Swim Tour Tahiti

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 57 reviews · from $238

Join Teiki and the Wild Explorer Tahiti crew for a four-and-a-half-hour whale search from Papeete Marina. Groups are limited to six, with wetsuits, masks, fins, snacks, and drinks included. If whale behavior and sea conditions allow, confident swimmers may enter the water. Otherwise, you’ll enjoy surface viewing and sheltered snorkeling with turtles, rays, fish, and coral gardens.

“This excursion must go to the top of your list. From the moment we stepped on the boat everything was first class! Our guide Teiki spent a lot of time giving the small group a great understanding of the animals. The safety training and care oRead more”

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15.Whale Watching with Pickup and English Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 52 reviews · 3 hours · from $30Best value

Set out from Naha Miegusuku Port for up to three hours searching for humpback whales in Okinawa’s winter waters. An English and Japanese crew helps with boarding, while a QR-code audio guide explains whale behavior in several languages. Choose port check-in or pickup from listed Naha hotels and city stops.

“the time for our tour was wrong. my tickets were wrong. bad customer service!!”

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