Best of · NORWAY WHALE WATCHING TOURS

15 Norwegian Whale Trips Worth Flying For

36 tours  ·  from $182 a head

Orcas and humpbacks follow the herring into the fjords around Tromso and Skjervoy from late October to January, in three hours of blue daylight. These 15 are priced, timed and clear about the cold.

Tromsø: Whale Watching Tour by Hybrid-Electric Boat - Boarding beside Skarven Kro in Tromsø
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Tromsø: Whale Watching Tour by Hybrid-Electric Boat

1.Whale Watching Tour by Hybrid-Electric Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 4,217 reviews · from $195Our pick

Spend up to nine hours sailing from Tromsø toward Skjervøy, where herring attract orcas, humpback, fin, and sperm whales. Brim Explorer’s hybrid-electric catamaran has heated lounges, panoramic windows, Wi-Fi, and several viewing decks. Guides such as Connor, Bee, Adrian, and Ivan share whale facts and local stories while you search.

“Great trip in comfort in the warmth and with freedom of movement, we saw killer whales and whales top”

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Tromsø Whale Safari with MS Gabriele - The long run toward Skjervøy
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Tromsø Whale Safari with MS Gabriele

2.Tromsø Whale Safari with MS Gabriele

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 1,937 reviews · 6 hours · from $207

Sail from Tromsø toward Skjervøy on the warm, fast MS Gabriele, searching for orcas and humpback whales that follow the herring. Guides such as Lorenzo, Raul, and Bjørnar explain the wildlife in English. Watch from heated windows or three outdoor decks, with a bar serving drinks, snacks, and light meals.

“the staff were very efficient and the day was seamless. Great informative information given throughout, highly recommend the experience”

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From Tromsø: All-Inclusive Whale & Orca Safari - Meeting the boat in Tromsø
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From Tromsø: All-Inclusive Whale & Orca Safari

3.All-Inclusive Whale & Orca Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,221 reviews · from $186

Join Polar Adventures at 8 AM for an eight-hour cruise from Tromsø to Skjervøy. Guides such as Juan, Raul, Pedro, and Holly share whale facts while you search for orcas, humpbacks, fin whales, seabirds, and white-tailed eagles. The heated boat includes thermal suits, hot drinks, snacks, lunch, toilets, USB charging, and outdoor viewing decks.

“We saw orcas. The guide answered all our questions. It was a great experience for us. We had a hard time seeing whales. We only saw 1 or 2. The food they gave was also filling, everything was great.”

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From Tromso: Whale Watching in Magic Skjervoy - The 5:20 a.m. meeting in Tromsø
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From Tromso: Whale Watching in Magic Skjervoy

4.Whale Watching in Magic Skjervoy

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,207 reviews · 12 hours · from $356

Leave Tromsø at 5:20 a.m. for a scenic bus ride to Skjervøy, then spend 2.5 to 3 hours in a small RIB looking for orcas, humpback whales, and fin whales. Guides such as Kristina, Christina, Norbert, and Brigit have led recent trips. Warm suits, boots, food, drinks, photos, and return transport are included.

“We had a fantastic day out! We were ecstatic to see the orca after only 20 mins of travelling on the boat from the harbour. We were also surprised just how many orca we saw it was amazing. Several of the other boats got very close to a fishing boat in order to get a closer view of a humpback whale which is against the rules. We liked that Green Gold of Norway respected the rules and health of the mammals as shows are a sustainable and responsible tour operator. We were rewarded though as a pod of orca came right up to our boat of their own accord to…”

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Silent Whale Watching by Hybrid-Electric Boat from Tromsø - Reaching Skjervøy and the whale-feeding area
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Silent Whale Watching by Hybrid-Electric Boat from Tromsø

5.Silent Whale Watching by Hybrid-Electric Boat from Tromsø

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,017 reviews · 7 to 9 hours (approx.) · from $214

Cruise from Tromsø to the feeding waters near Skjervøy on Brim Explorer’s hybrid-electric boat. You’ll pass Lyngstuva lighthouse, learn about Arctic wildlife from the crew, and spend up to two hours searching for humpbacks and orcas. The boat is warm and comfortable, but the full trip can last nine hours and sightings are never guaranteed.

“It’s great but it’s a very long day and we didn’t see any whales. Not the tour operators fault of course but best to be mindful of this. But we enjoyed the Artic scenery.”

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Bleik: Whale Watching by Speedboat with Puffins and Muffins - What the 3.5-hour trip feels like
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Bleik: Whale Watching by Speedboat with Puffins and Muffins

6.Whale Watching by Speedboat with Puffins and Muffins

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 326 reviews · 3h 30m · from $199

Join Green Gold of Norway for a 3.5-hour RIB safari from Bleik Marina, a 10-minute drive from Andenes. With a maximum of 12 people, you search Bleik Canyon for sperm whales, orcas, pilot whales, puffins, seals, and sea eagles. Guides including Christina, Norbert, Bekka, and Katie share wildlife facts, take photos, and serve hot drinks and muffins afterward.

“We went in deep sea and spotted four sperm whales, which was pretty exciting. But, please be aware that we had to stay one and a half hour still in open sea and this caused several people to become sea sick. And you see the sperm whale not very close. Then we visited two spots for seals and sea puffins (where we also saw many sea eagles from distance).”

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Tromsø Whale Safari with MS Keiser Wilhelm - The long run toward the herring
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Tromsø Whale Safari with MS Keiser Wilhelm

7.Tromsø Whale Safari with MS Keiser Wilhelm

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 161 reviews · from $194

Sail from Tromsø’s Nerstranda Quay aboard the white catamaran MS Keiser Wilhelm for a 6 to 8 hour whale safari. English-speaking guides, including guides such as Mario on some departures, explain whale behavior as you search for orcas and humpbacks. Watch from large cabin windows or the open deck, with drinks and snacks sold onboard.

“The trip was amazing, saw whale and orcas.the crew was really good and informative. There was just some noise in the cabin which could be improved.”

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From Alta: Whale and Seabird Cruise - What the three-hour cruise feels like
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From Alta: Whale and Seabird Cruise

8.Whale and Seabird Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 136 reviews · 3 hours · from $220

Join an English- or Norwegian-speaking crew at Havneveien 24 for a three-hour Alta Fjord safari. Warm suits, indoor viewing, outdoor decks, coffee, tea, and biscuits are included. The autumn herring run attracts orcas, humpbacks, and fin whales, while sea eagles and seabirds add a second wildlife show. A Sami joik may finish the ride.

“We saw orcas & humpback whales! Lucky day! The boat was nice, with large windows for indoor observation (well heated & hot drinks were provided), and there are viewing decks as well. The orcas came right up to our boat 😄”

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Whale Watching RIB Safari at Skjervøy - The early departure from Tromsø
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Whale Watching RIB Safari at Skjervøy

9.Whale Watching RIB Safari at Skjervøy

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 136 reviews · 3 - 12 hours · from $251

Join a small group of up to 12 for a 2.5 to 3-hour RIB safari off Skjervøy. You may see orcas, humpbacks, or fin whales against snowy fjords. Guides such as Ina and Iver provide warm suits, boots, gloves, goggles, and careful wildlife viewing. Choose transport from Tromsø or meet the team in Skjervøy.

“Honestly the boat trip was amazing. They took such good care of us and made sure we were comfortable and warm. They were really good at getting us where we needed to be to see the orcas, and predicting where they were going to be. Amazing guides. The coach trip from Tromsø was also fairly painless. The coach was comfortable and the driver was very helpful”

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24hr Northern Lights & Whale Watching Cruise - Dinner, cabin check-in, and the first night at sea
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24hr Northern Lights & Whale Watching Cruise

10.24hr Northern Lights & Whale Watching Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 114 reviews · 22 hours to 1 day (approx.) · from $1,214Top rated

Join Norwegian Travel for a 24-hour cruise from Tromsø toward Skjervøya. You’ll enjoy a three-course dinner, warm cabin, onboard talks, breakfast and lunch, then spend about 3.5 hours watching humpback whales, fin whales, and orcas. Northern Lights sightings depend on clear skies.

“Knowledgable guides gave informative talks on Northern Lights and whales, food good, cabins comfortable. Unfortunately overcast so no northern lights, but whale watching for 3.5hrs was exceptional. So so many orcas, as well as humpback and fin whales. We went for the whales so we were thrilled.”

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Skjervøy: Whale Watching with RIB Boat and Local Guide - Meeting at Strandveien 96
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Skjervøy: Whale Watching with RIB Boat and Local Guide

11.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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Tromsø: Orca and Whale Watching comfort heated boat Trip - Changing from bus to boat in Skjervøy
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Tromsø: Orca and Whale Watching comfort heated boat Trip

12.Orca and Whale Watching comfort heated boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 107 reviews · from $373

Travel from Tromsø to Skjervøy by Arctic Route bus, then board a covered, heated boat with Captain Jacob and guide Philip. Search for orcas, humpback, minke, and fin whales for about three hours, with outdoor viewing, underwater cameras, hot drinks, and photography advice. The small group is limited to 12 people.

“It was a very satisfying activity. The guide explained the knowledge of whales very carefully throughout the whole process and suggested the direction of whales for us at the first time. He even went to the second place to look for whales that were closer to us. In addition, the heated boat is very warm and provides hot drinks. I highly recommend this activity”

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Whale Watching RIB Boat Tour in Skjervoy from Tromso - Four hours through northern Norway
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Whale Watching RIB Boat Tour in Skjervoy from Tromso

13.Whale Watching RIB Boat Tour in Skjervoy from Tromso

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 102 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $365

Leave Tromsø before dawn for the four-hour trip to Skjervøy, where an English-speaking skipper takes you by RIB boat to search for orcas, humpbacks, fin whales, and more. Warm flotation suits, boots, mittens, sandwiches, snacks, tea, and coffee are included. Expect cold, spray, and a long but memorable day.

“Although an early start as it was January & a bit of a journey from Tromso to Skjervoy it was definitely worth it. You get all the gear to wear to keep you warm & dry on the RIB. We saw pods of Orca, they were feeding & came close to the boat. The crew give you chance to see them from both sides of the boat. We also saw 4 or 5 humpback whales that were resting. It was starting to get a bit choppy on the way back to the harbour so be prepared for a bumpy, wet but fun ride! An amazing experience that I will remember…”

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Skjervøy: Whale and Orca Watching Tour by RIB Boat - The RIB ride and the Arctic view
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Skjervøy: Whale and Orca Watching Tour by RIB Boat

14.Skjervøy: Whale and Orca Watching Tour by RIB Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 87 reviews · 3 hours · from $240

Meet at Explore 70 Degrees in central Skjervøy for a three-hour winter RIB trip along Norway’s Arctic coast. Your English- or Norwegian-speaking crew supplies thermal suits, life vests, mittens, and goggles while searching for orcas, humpback, fin, and sperm whales. The small group is limited to two people, but sightings are never guaranteed.

“Die Whalewatching Tour allgemein war einfach toll. Ich habe mir meinen Traum erfüllt Orcas in freier Wildbahn zu sehen. Unglaubliches erlebnis. Danke dafür”

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Andenes: Responsible Whale Watching with Classic Catamaran - A classic catamaran built for a long search
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Andenes: Responsible Whale Watching with Classic Catamaran

15.Responsible Whale Watching with Classic Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 86 reviews · 4 hours · from $183

From Andenes Harbor, you spend 3 to 5 hours searching Arctic waters for sperm whales, orcas, dolphins, puffins, and sea eagles. Local crew and marine biologists explain whale behavior in English, while a heated cabin serves soup, bread, tea, coffee, and biscuits. The tour includes outdoor viewing, safety gear, and a free rebooking if no whales are seen.

“Malgré une mer agitée, une sortie qui a tenu toutes ses promesses avec 3 baleines observées. Les guides étaient très bien et particulièrement la guide Française qui nous a permis de mieux comprendre les différents types de baleines. Les guides connaissent très bien leur sujet. Despite a rough sea, an outing that kept all its promises with 3 whales observed. The guides were very good and particularly the French guide who allowed us to better understand the different types of whales. The guides know their subject very well.”

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New in Norway Whale Watching Tours

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