The essentials
- RIB safaris to Skjervøy are limited to 12 participants, and a premium 24-hour cruise offers a small-group option.[1][2]
- The season runs roughly November through January, when orcas and humpbacks follow herring into the Tromsø and Skjervøy fjords.[3]
- Since around 2017, whales near Tromsø have usually gathered in the Kvænangen fjords near Skjervøy.[3]
- The high-speed catamaran safari runs 8 hours, and a Skjervøy RIB day runs 12 hours.[4][5]
- Winter in Tromsø averages around −4°C, and RIB operators provide full-length flotation suits over your own clothing.[6][7]
- Top choice High-speed catamaran from US$220 Duration8 hours[4]Rating4.61 from 3,768 reviews[4]Good to knowWheelchair accessible[4]Free cancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours[4] Check availability
- Skjervøy RIB safari from US$251 Duration3 - 12 hours[1]Rating4.78 from 136 reviews[1]Good to knowLimited to 12 participants[1]Free cancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours[1] See this tour
- Fast catamaran trip from US$210 Duration7.5 hours[8]Rating4.71 from 661 reviews[8]Good to knowLive tour guide: English[8]Free cancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours[8] See this tour
Orcas and humpbacks follow herring into the Tromsø and Skjervøy fjords roughly every November through January.
Our verdict on whale watching from Tromsø
Booking tips
Private Whale Watching Tromsø: What Is Available
Whale watching from Tromsø runs on shared boats rather than private charters, and the practical way to get a quiet spot at the rail is to choose a trip with a hard cap on numbers. The Skjervøy RIB safari is limited to 12 participants, a second RIB boat tour from Tromsø is also limited to 12, and a premium 24-hour cruise offers a small-group option.[1][2][10]
If you want the whole boat to yourself, Tromsø has private tours, but the ones that go on the water are fjord days rather than whale safaris. A private yacht and minivan fjord tour lasts 3 hours, is limited to 7 participants and starts from US$325.[11] Keep that kind of trip for scenery, and put your whale hours into a boat whose crew is out on the herring grounds through the season.
The high-speed catamaran safari is the strongest all-round choice: 8 hours on the water, a live tour guide in English, wheelchair access and free rebooking offered, from US$220.[4] Catamarans are stable and spacious underfoot, which helps a lot when the sea is lively and the day is long.
When the Whales Are Off the Tromsø Coast
The whale season runs roughly November through January, when orcas and humpbacks follow herring into the Tromsø and Skjervøy fjords.[3] It is all about the fish: the migration of Norwegian spring-spawning herring draws killer whales into northern Norwegian waters each winter.[12]
Since around 2017, whales near Tromsø have usually gathered in the Kvænangen fjords near Skjervøy rather than the waters closer to Tromsø.[3] That is a long run north of the city, and the day is built around the transit as much as the whales. Bring something to pass the time, and keep half an eye on the water on the way back as well; fins and blows can appear anywhere along the run.
Polar night season in Tromsø begins on November 27th and lasts until January 15th.[13] Expect blue twilight through what passes for midday in that window, and dress as if you were going out at night. Summer is a different picture: minke whales and porpoises are occasionally spotted during summer, although sightings are fewer than in the winter season.[14]
Orcas break the surface beside a whale watching boat in a still Arctic fjord.
Where the Boats Go: Skjervøy and Kvænangen
Most whale safaris from Tromsø head for Skjervøy, and the catamaran safari takes the same line: you start on the catamaran, run out to Skjervøy and come back to the catamaran.[4] That means hours on the water with the fjord scenery sliding past, plenty of time to scan for blows and a long horizon in every direction.
RIB safaris cover the same water from a much smaller platform. The Skjervøy RIB safari runs 3 - 12 hours depending on where you join, and it offers a choice of starting locations.[1] If you are already in the north, a Skjervøy RIB tour with no transfer from Tromsø runs 3 hours, from US$325.[15]
Operators such as Rødne Fjord Cruise run a whale safari from Tromsø as a round trip with no disembarkation during the trip, which gives a good picture of how these days work: you board, you travel, you watch, you come back.[16] Eat a proper breakfast, take seasickness precautions before you leave the quay, and treat the boat as your base for the whole day.
Catamaran, RIB or Hybrid-Electric Boat
Catamarans are the easiest introduction to Arctic whale watching. The high-speed catamaran safari takes 8 hours, has a live English-speaking guide, is wheelchair accessible and offers free rebooking, from US$220.[4] The faster, more comfortable catamaran option runs 7.5 hours, from US$210.[8]
RIB trips are the small-group end of the market, and they put you low and close to the water at speed. The Skjervøy RIB safari is limited to 12 participants and runs 3 - 12 hours, from US$251.[1] Another Skjervøy RIB tour, also limited to 12 participants, runs 12 hours, from US$391.[10] On these trips, operators provide full-length flotation suits, often called drysuits or immersion suits, to wear over your own clothing.[7]
If a quiet engine matters to you, look at the hybrid boats. The hybrid-electric whale watching tour from Tromsø runs 9 hours, is wheelchair accessible and starts from US$209.[17] Brim Explorer's silent whale watching tour uses a hybrid-electric ship that operates silently in electric mode to keep disturbance to the ocean and its inhabitants low.[18] MS Alba's responsible whale watching cruise runs 8 hours, from US$215, with free rebooking offered.[19]
from US$220
High-speed catamaran safari: 8 hours, wheelchair accessible, free rebooking offered, 4.61 from 3,768 reviews.[4]
What a Whale Safari from Tromsø Costs
From-prices for whale watching out of Tromsø begin at US$209 for the catamaran whale watching trip and US$209 for the hybrid-electric boat tour.[9][17] The high-speed catamaran safari starts from US$220, MS Gabriele's whale safari from US$211 and the all-inclusive whale and orca safari from US$264.[4][20][21]
RIB and long-distance days sit higher. The Skjervøy RIB safari starts from US$251, the 12 hour Skjervøy RIB boat tour from US$338, and the Magic Skjervøy whale watching day from US$356.[1][5][22] For a longer outing, the premium 24 hour northern lights and whale watching cruise starts from US$681.[2]
Every figure here is a from-price, so the date you choose decides what you pay. Booking terms are broadly similar on the larger listings: reserve now and pay later, and free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.[4] Whale watching trips out of Tromsø run with live tour guides in English.[19]
How Crews Find Whales, and How Close They Get
Crews find whales in more ways than one. It is common to find a lot of birds flying overhead where whales are, feeding on herring pushed to the surface by humpback whales, and crews also use radar and sonar to detect large obstacles in open water.[18]
Approach matters as much as finding them. Tromsø's whale watching guidelines ask boats to approach whales slowly, at less than 5 knots when within 300m, at constant speed, from the side and slightly to the rear.[23] These guidelines are voluntary best practice rather than direct government regulation, and they shape how close a careful skipper will take you and from which angle.
Quiet hulls help with that. Brim Explorer's silent whale watching tour uses a hybrid-electric ship that runs silently in electric mode, designed for Arctic whale watching with minimal disturbance to the ocean and its inhabitants.[18]
Clothing, Children and Comfort on Board
The average winter temperature in Tromsø is around −4°C, and it can vary considerably, particularly when travelling inland on a northern lights tour.[6] On the water, wind and spray add bite, so think in layers rather than one heavy jacket.
RIB passengers get the bulky gear provided: full-length flotation suits, often called drysuits or immersion suits, worn over your own clothing.[7] Bring a warm base layer, a hat, gloves and footwear you do not mind getting damp, and keep cameras and phones in a dry bag.
Children can join the Arctic Whale Tours winter whale watching cruise from Tromsø from age 1, and under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.[24] Wheelchair accessible whale watching options are available too, including the high-speed catamaran safari.[4] Seasickness tablets, taken well before you board, are a sensible precaution on any open-water day.
Whale safari length by boat
Durations as stated on each GetYourGuide listing.[4][5][8][17][19][20]
From-prices per person by boat type
From-prices in US dollars from these tour listings.[1][4][17][19]
When to go whale watching from Tromsø
Planning your whale day
Choose your window
The season runs roughly November through January, when orcas and humpbacks follow herring into the Tromsø and Skjervøy fjords.[3]
Pick the boat
RIB safaris keep groups small, while the high-speed catamaran safari is wheelchair accessible.[1][4]
Block out a full day
The high-speed catamaran safari runs 8 hours and a Skjervøy RIB day runs 12 hours.[4][5]
Dress for the cold
Winter in Tromsø averages around −4°C, and RIB operators supply a full-length flotation suit over your clothes.[6][7]
Check the cancellation terms
The main whale watching listings offer free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.[4]
Ready to see orcas and humpbacks on the herring grounds?
from US$220Reserve now & pay later
