The 4 Best Tromsø Whale Watching Tours, Ranked (& Key Things to Know!)

In Tromso, by day, you can visit the incredible Ice Domes, dog sled through frozen landscapes with fjords in the background, or meet Sámi reindeer herders. When darkness falls, you have a chance to see the flashing aurora in brilliant hues of lime and possibly even fuchsia swirling overhead at night.

I’m ready to re-book another ticket to Tromsø just writing that.

Put simply, Tromsø in winter is one of the most magical destinations I can think of… and what makes it more magical? The chance to see some of Mother Nature’s most majestic creatures, the whale.

One of the main people flock to Tromsø in winter is to have a chance to go whale watching. It’s one of the best destinations in the world to see two of the coolest whales in their natural habitats, both orcas and humpback whales.

However, there are a lot of things that people don’t know about Tromsø whale watching (namely: you won’t actually see whales in Tromsø at all!), and this post is dedicated to demystifying that, so you know exactly what to expect on your tour.

I firmly believe that expectations truly set the course for how we experience something (and how much we enjoy it), so I want to make sure your expectations are accurately gauged to the experience, as there is often a disparity in how things are marketed vs. how things are experienced.

I’ve gone whale watching in nearly a dozen countries around the world, but to be honest, whale watching in Tromsø is quite different, so even if you’ve gone whale watching before in other places around the world, I think you’ll want to read this post!

I’ll go into my top 4 picks for whale watching tours in Tromsø in more detail below, but here’s a quick summary of what tour is the best for what kind of traveler, including wheelchair accessible and family-friendly options.

The Best Whale Watching Tours in Tromsø

Whale Watching From Skjervøy in a RIB Boat

Duration: 12 hours
Meeting Time & Place: 5:30 AM at the Scandic Ishavshotel in Tromsø (Fredrik Langes gate 2)
Group Size: 4 to 12 people
Accessibility: Not wheelchair accessible. Not suitable for pregnant people, people with injuries or mobility limitations, children under 4’6″, or people weighing over 265 lbs (120 kg)
Adventure Level: Moderate — the RIB is rather bouncy and intense!
🐋 Check Prices Here!

Why is this my top recommendation? It’s perfect for people prone to seasickness (me!), because you skip the 3-hour each-way boat ride on the rough open seas. Instead, this Skjervøy RIB boat tour includes a 3.5-hour bus transfer from Tromsø to Skjervøy, so you spend less time on the choppy ocean. In my opinion, that’s so much more comfortable than a 3-hour rough boat ride!

Once you arrive in the Kvaenangen fjord, the feeding grounds near Skjervøy, the waters are significantly less choppy. Still, you’ll probably still want to take some Dramamine so you can focus on the wonderful whale watching!

This tour also gives you more time out with the whales. It gives you a full 2.5 hours of whale watching as opposed to 1-1.5 hours that most other tours allow, for significantly higher chances of seeing the whales up close and personal.

Best of all, you get to travel in a RIB (rigid inflatable boat) that can carry no more than twelve people. This makes it one of the most ethical tour options since it is a less intrusive way to see whales in their natural habitat. Plus, the fact that the small boat means that you’ll get better views of the whales without having to fight or jostle for a better view the way you might on a big boat.

However, the downside is that these boats can sometimes be quite choppy and bouncy once they’re on the water, so they’re not the most comfortable. Since they’re lower to the water, you can sometimes get wet, which can be risky if you have pricy camera gear.

Another con is that it is a slightly more expensive tour due to the bus transfer and the very small boat size, but in my opinion, I think it’s well-worth it (especially if you are prone to seasickness like I am) so long as the cons of a RIB whale watching tour aren’t prohibitive for you.

Note that some of the other whale watching cruises in Tromsø claim to be 7-8 hours, but that really only allows for 1-1.5 hours of actual whale watching once you arrive at the Skjervøy area, since that’s about a 3-hour boat ride away.

This small group tour actually allows for several hours of whale watching, giving you optimal conditions to get the perfect view or the perfect photo! The tour also includes a lunch of sandwiches and hot drinks which will be served after the whale-watching cruise, before you return to Tromsø by bus.

Check availability for the RIB boat excursion to Skjervøy here!

Silent Eco Whale Watching Tour by Hybrid Electric Catamaran

Duration: 9 hours
Meeting Time & Place: 8 AM at Kaigata 6 (near Skarven Kro Restaurant)
Group Size: 100+
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
Adventure Level: Relaxed
🐋 Check Prices Here!

This eco-friendly whale watching trip option is one of the most responsible whale watching tours in the Tromsø area, focusing on offering whale watching tours that minimize their impact on the whale populations.

Noise and vibration from traditional engines have been studied by marine researchers and found to be a disturbance to whales; to combat this and make the endeavor more eco-friendly, this company uses a hybrid engine that switches to electric-only when the boat is in the vicinity of whales.

Its whisper-silent engine means that this boat is less likely to disturb or frighten the whales: a win-win for the whales who get to enjoy more peace and quiet while doing important feeding and for you, who are more likely to see the whales since they’re less likely to be startled. This is shown in their whopping success rate: they boast a 95% chance of seeing whales on one of their tours.

On board, there are indoor lounges with hot drinks and meals for purchase (including free refills on coffee) which you can enjoy while you take the 3 to 3.5 hour boat trip out to Skjervøy. Once there, you have about 1-1.5 hours to enjoy whale watching.

As a company, Brim Explorer is also very mindful of its guests: in the rare events that the weather ends up being too bad to safely reach the whale watching area, they let people either rebook for another day free of charge or offer a full refund.

I experienced this care personally when I booked this tour on my trip to Tromsø in February 2020. They were honest that the whales had already left for the season and offered to refund us the whole tour or change our tour to the fjord and bird cruise (offering a refund of the price difference). I appreciated that they didn’t waste our time on a long boat ride with no chance to see the whales just to make more money.

Check availability for this silent engine whale watching cruise!

All-Inclusive Whale Watching & Birding Cruise

Duration: 8 hours
Meeting Time & Place: 8:00 AM at the Polar Adventures tour office
Group Size: Maximum of 58 people
Accessibility: Suitable for families with children older than one (no infants)
Adventure Level: Relaxed — great for kids, family, and elderly people
🐋 Check Prices Here!

This all-inclusive 8-hour whale safari tour is my top family-friendly recommendation from Tromsø. It’s not the cheapest of the whale watching tours, but it does offer the best combination of affordable price to a relatively smaller group (some of the larger boats can have more than a hundred people on it).

On this whale watching tour run by Polar Adventures (who I trusted with my Northern lights tour and were absolutely fantastic), you’ll make your way to the waters around Skjervøy in a comfortable mid-size boat, led by an expert guide who can identify all the incredible life you’ll see as you navigate the waters — which takes about 3 hours to reach the whale watching area.

On the way through the Tromsø fjord, you’ll have the chance to see sea eagles, guillimots, harbor porpoises, eider ducks, cormorants, and of course — humpback whales and killer whales once you get out to Skjervøy.

Along the tour, they’ll incorporate some citizen science, so as you make your way out to the spot where all the whales hang out for the winter, you’ll also learn about why these species pick this particular part of Northern Norway: particularly, the plethora of herring and plankton-rich waters which make it a great place for whales to pack on the calories before making their arduous, thousands-of-miles-long migrations.

One good thing about this boat as opposed to other options like the RIB tour is that the boat is large enough so that there is a comfortable heated indoor area when you need to breathe life back into your fingers. Of course, there’s also a sizable outdoor deck with seating, where you can sit and keep an eye out for whales and other Arctic wildlife.

You’ll be treated to snacks, hot beverages like tea or coffee, and you’ll have access to a thermal suit so you can whale watch comfortably, no matter what the weather! Note that this tour does not include a full lunch, but it does have unlimited snacks and hot drinks.

Check availability for this whale safari tour here!

Fjord Cruise & Whale Safari

Duration: 8 hours
Meeting Time & Place: 8:30 AM at Strandgata 5
Group Size: Up to 144 people
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
Adventure Level: Relaxed
🐋 Check Prices Here!

This whale-watching tour is one of the only tour operators in Tromsø to offer a second-chance guarantee. This means that if you didn’t see any whales on your tour, you can book a second tour absolutely free (so long as there are spaces on the upcoming tours, but these are quite large boats).

This whale-watching boasts some of the fastest vessels in the area, meaning that they can reach the site faster and offer more viewing time than some other companies offer. According to their itinerary, they can reach Skjervøy in under 3 hours, giving you a full 2.5 hours of whale watching.

Along the way to Skjervøy, you can take shelter in the heated indoor area, admire the fjord views through panoramic windows, purchase some snacks (coffee and tea are included), and warm up while you wait to reach the main whale area. 

However, one thing to note is that this is one of the larger vessels, and they sometimes use a boat that can fit as many as 144 passengers  — making it potentially cramped and overcrowded, especially when a whale is spotted and everyone clusters in one area. 

Another negative is that they don’t seem as mindful of their guests as other companies. Reading reviews, it looks like in the past, they have refused to cancel tours even after whales have left the Skjervøy area for the season and only told travelers once they’re on board and have no alternative. While they offer a second-chance guarantee, that doesn’t do you any good if the whales have already migrated out of the area for the year!

Personally, this would be my last choice for a tour. I would only book it if the other options were sold out, or if I really wanted the second-chance guarantee. 

Book your whale watching catamaran cruise here!

Key Insights about Whale Watching in Tromsø

There is a very limited window for whale watching.

Whale watching tours in Tromsø typically operate from the last week of October through to the first week of February. However, I don’t recommend coming before November, as the whales may not even arrive by the end of October.

Additionally, as the climate changes, the whales are leaving earlier and earlier each year. The season used to run until early February, but now, whales are leaving as early as the end of January.

The period from mid-November to mid-January is the most certain for whale watching sightings (and this is the only time period I would feel confident in booking). But also, be aware that you will also be dealing with the least amount of light at this time as nearly all of this time is polar night in Tromsø!

You will have limited (but beautiful!) daylight hours for whale watching.

While November to January is the best time for whale watching, these months are also the time with the fewest hours of daylight in Northern Norway, including a long stretch of polar night, the period where the sun does not rise above the horizon… at all, for weeks at a time.

In Tromsø, the official polar night period lasts between November 27 and January 15, but because of the mountains surrounding the city, that means you usually won’t see the sun rise between November 21 to January 21 — yes, that’s two whole months without a proper sunrise!

However, while you won’t experience a true sunrise or sunset, you will get more of the twilight hours that offer beautiful pastel light — what Norwegians fondly refer to as “cotton candy skies,” which resemble a sunrise or a sunset despite the sun never quite making it up above the horizon.

So, what does this mean for you as a traveler? While I haven’t been to Tromsø during its actual polar night, I have been during the dark season in Svalbard and let me tell you: despite the absence of a sunrise, the light is really beautiful. You can see quite easily and it really looks like daylight despite there being no sun in the sky: think of the lovely pastel light quality just before sunrise, and that’s what you’ll see.

So don’t expect pitch blackness — you will absolutely be able to experience whale sightings without any artificial light like lanterns or headlamps! Think pretty pinkish-purple pastel skies with whales playing and feeding in the distance. It’s pretty magical, right? That said, on your way to and from Tromsø to Skjervøy, it may be fairly dark.

Prepare your camera for low-light photography.

You will want to get comfortable with whatever camera you are using before you leave for Tromsø, especially photographing in low light settings! Photographing wildlife can be hard in lower-light settings because you need a fast shutter speed to capture their movement… but that also means the photos can turn out rather dark.

I suggest a minimum shutter speed of 1/500 so that your image is not blurry, but 1/1000 is even better if possible. From there, you’ll need to balance aperture and ISO. I recommend having the highest aperture possible on your camera (aka, the smallest “f number”), and then picking the lowest possible ISO that will also allow you still have enough light and a fast enough shutter speed to capture the whales.

If you don’t want to fiddle too much with manual settings, you can set your camera on shutter priority mode (this is usually designated with an S on your camera) and that will adjust the settings once you set the shutter speed.

I also suggest setting up and familiarizing yourself with your camera’s autofocus, using a lightning-fast memory card, and enabling burst mode for snapping photos so that you don’t miss “the” shot when a whale is doing something epic!

Finally, it’s essential to shoot in RAW because you’ll be able to pull out more detail in post-processing, even if your photos look a little dark initially.

You’ll also want to bring extra camera batteries because cold weather will definitely zap your batteries faster than expected!

The boat ride is really long.

Many years ago, the whales would venture into the actual fjords of Tromsø and you could see whales in the vicinity. But with the herring caches being depleted in the area, the whales now congregrate and feed near the island of Skjervøy further north and closer to the open Atlantic.

If you are taking a large boat, this means you’ll need to spend about 3 to 3.5 hours on board to even reach the whale watching area…. and the same on the way back! You may, of course, get to see other wildlife along the way, but it is a long boat ride. Bring some entertainment to keep you busy, especially audiobooks or podcasts.

There is an option (which I prefer) where you can take a bus to Skjervøy by land, and then board a RIB boat to get up close and personal with the whales. This is more expensive, but I think it’s worth the extra cost because you’re in a very small group of maximum 12 people as opposed to many of the boats which have 100+ people on board.

As someone who is prone to seasickness (but still loves the ocean regardless), this is a better option as someone who tries to limit her time on board a boat. However, the RIB is definitely a rough ride and can be bumpy and choppy, so I’d still bring plenty of Dramamine for this one!

Arctic waters can be really rough!

The water in the fjord of Tromsø is pretty calm, but once you leave the more sheltered area and start to make your way towards Skjervøy, it can get really rough.

Many people report feeling seasick during their Tromso whale watching tour, so know that that’s a strong possibility. I recommend taking the strongest Dramamine you can handle while still staying awake (although you can definitely take a Dramamine nap on your way out — 3 hours is a lot of time to kill).

There are also natural remedies like ginger chews and seasickness bands, if your seasickness is on the milder end.

And again, a combination bus and small boat tour may be more appropriate if you are very prone to seasickness and prefer to limit your time on board.

Wear warm clothes for your tour!

While some of the tours will provide you a thermal suit that will keep you nice and toasty warm on your tour, you should still dress appropriately in warm base layers. I love my merino wool base layers from Kari Traa and swear by them for all my Arctic adventures; they even kept me warm on my trip to Svalbard.

You’ll also want wool socks and water-resistant snow boots, mittens (they are warmer than gloves!), a tight-fitting hat that warms your ears, and a scarf or neck gaiter to keep your neck warm.

Over all that, I suggest a pair of waterproof pants since the sea spray may be quite strong if there are any stormy weather or large waves, and you will be uncomfortable if you get wet! Finally, top it all off with a water-resistant hooded parka like this one pictured above (which was taken in the fjords around Tromsø while on board with Brim Explorer!)

The whales can be unpredictable.

Even if you are traveling in peak whale season, remember that whales are wild creatures and are not there for your entertainment. You are lucky to get to see them, and it is not a guarantee, like everything in nature!

There is a small chance that you might not get to see whales on your whale watching safari. If you’re especially worried about missing out on whales during your visit, you can book this tour which offers free rebooking if you don’t get to see whales on your particular outing.

Just be mindful that free rebooking doesn’t matter if the whales have already left for the season so this is a better option for peak whale season, not the end of January.

Opt for a smaller boat where possible.

As a general rule of thumb, the smaller the boat tour, the more enjoyable (and successful) your tour will likely be. RIB excursions are the best because these tours are limited to twelve people, and everyone will be guaranteed a great view.

There are some tours, such as the final one on my list (which I don’t really recommend unless it’s the only available option), that fit nearly 150 people on their boats. These tours can be stressful because people will all be trying to get the best view.

Imagine over a hundred people all wanting to be on the same side of one boat trying to get photos… it’s not fun. The smaller your boat tour, the easier it will be for you to see whales and get the photos you want to make memories of a lifetime!

However, RIBs aren’t suitable for everyone. Being small boats, they’re quite choppy and bumpy, and so they’re not suitable for people with certain health conditions, prior injuries, pregnancy, etc. or small children.

Some boat tours are more ethical than others.

On a similar token to above, these smaller boat tours are also generally more ethical. Loud engines (and loud crowds!) can spook the whales, and this is especially harmful to them as these months are a crucial period to their survival, where they must eat as much as possible before enduring unfathomably long travels across the globe.

RIB boats use very quiet engines and there are also tours that use silent hybrid engines to minimize the disturbance of whales while they are feeding, which is what I would recommend to travelers who don’t want or can’t take a RIB whale excursion.

There are regulations about whale watching in Tromsø.

Visit Tromsø has created its own whale watching guidelines for tour operators to follow, taking advice from AECO and the Norwegian Polar Institute. These guidelines were approved by reputable external bodies, such as OceanCare, the Tethys Research Institute, and WDC – Whale and Dolphin Conservation.

First, a boat should approach slowly as soon as the boat operator is within 300 meters of whales. Once you are 100 meters away, the boat should go at a minimal speed, and then idle completely when 50 meters away.

Boats should also move parallel to the whales, as opposed to behind, where whales may feel chased. Captains should also avoid approaching in a boat from the front, since whales may feel intercepted and have to change direction or interrupt their natural feeding patterns.

Book your tours early!

The smaller-group boat tours tend to book up pretty early since the capacity is limited and Tromsø is such a popular winter destination. For example, it’s only September as I write this update, and already there are some dates in December and January are that are fully booked up for the RIB excursions.

Book early — if you book with a company like Get Your Guide (who I used to book all my Tromsø activities — and honestly, virtually all my activities every time I’m in Europe), you can have free cancelation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. That way, you are not risking any lost money by booking ahead of time, even if your travel plans aren’t fully finalized yet.

Booking directly with companies means you’ll have a less flexible cancellation policy where you may only receive a credit or voucher instead of a full refund — and also often no support at all if you need to cancel with, say, a week’s notice — so I use Get Your Guide for extra cancellation coverage.

Don’t get your hopes up about seeing breeching whales.

Every post uses the same stock photos of whales for a reason… because a lot of whale watching is frankly, slightly disappointing if you are expecting to see a massive, full-size whale leaping out of the ocean against a gorgeous fjord backdrop.

I’ve gone whale watching more times than I can actually count and I’ve never yet seen a whale breech. While it absolutely happens, it’s really not as common as the photos make it seem!

You may get to see whales jumping a bit to feed as they chase schools of herring. But again, you may just get to see their tails, spouts, and backs. And that is amazing too!

Your whale watching tour may get canceled due to bad weather.

Remember, this is the Arctic Circle — weather is unpredictable and winter storms can blow in and be rather severe! If it is too dangerous to go out, your tour will be canceled and you will be refunded or offered a rebooking.

That’s why I would strongly suggest you book your whale watching near the start of your trip. This way, you can rebook if necessary if it gets canceled due to weather.

There are other alternatives if the whales leave early or if your tour is canceled.

As wild creatures, the whales — especially the orcas — may leave the waters of Norway earlier than anticipated, but don’t worry — there are lots of other wonderful things to do in Tromsø in winter if the whales leave early!

The most similar experience is this popular fjord wildlife cruise, which takes 5 hours to explore the waters around the Tromso fjord and look for sea life. I did this tour and I loved it!

We got to see harbor porpoises, a sea eagle, and all sorts of amazing Arctic sea bird life I’ve never seen anywhere else.

You can also go dog sledding or reindeer sledding, or do other adventure activities like snowshoeing, snowmobiling, etc., or Northern lights tours!

Allison Green

Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. Her blog posts merge her background as an educator with her experience traveling to 70+ countries to encourage ethical, meaningful travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. Now a full-time traveler, she has lived in Prague, Sofia, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area.