13 Whale Watching Tours in Tromsø to Build a Day Around

1.Whale Watching Tour by Hybrid-Electric Boat

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

Join Brim Explorer for a nine-hour whale search from Tromsø to the herring-rich fjords near Skjervøy. Ride a heated hybrid-electric catamaran, hear clear explanations from guides such as Connor, Bee, Adrian, and Ivan, and watch for orcas, humpbacks, fin whales, and sperm whales.

“Very nice, beautiful setting. Orcas are a little shy and prefer to play with the small boats around them. Biut unless you would die to see orcas, I appreciated the beautiful setting comfortably seated in the big boat, even if the orcas are more far than on small boats.”

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2.Tromsø Whale Safari with MS Gabriele

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

Cruise from Tromsø to Skjervøy aboard the warm, fast MS Gabriele, guided in English by crew members including Lorenzo, Raul, and Bjørnar. Look for orcas and humpbacks, watch from large windows or three outdoor decks, and enjoy the Arctic scenery even when whales have moved on.

“Fantastic, it was an amazing experience and I would definitely do it again”

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3.All-Inclusive Whale & Orca Safari

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

Leave Tromsø at 8 AM for a heated boat ride to Skjervøy, where guides such as Juan, Raul, Pedro, or Holly may help you spot orcas, humpbacks, fin whales, and seabirds. Expect fjord views, a packed lunch, hot drinks, thermal suits, and a long return ride.

“Great experience. Juan, the main guide was amazing and did a very good job giving a lot of information about orcas and whales. It is very very important to take with you pills for seasick otherwise you will have a bad experience. However the views are astonishing”

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

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

Cruise from Tromsø toward Skjervøy aboard Brim Explorer’s quiet hybrid-electric boat. You’ll pass Lyngstuva lighthouse, search Kvænangen for humpbacks and orcas, and return past the Arctic Cathedral. Expect 7 to 9 hours, cold weather, paid food, and no guaranteed sightings.

“The Brim is very comfortable and we entertained ourselves by playing cards and listening to the fascinating talks the crew gave on our way to the whale watching area. Once we arrived there a couple of other boats just sitting there waiting. Our captain passed them by and sure enough 10 minutes later we found a pod of Orcas. They were moving around quite a bit, but the Captain always seemed to be one step ahead of them so we basically had a solid hour of constant sightings. Well worth the money and the time it took to transit to the area where the whales hang out.”

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5.Tromsø Whale Safari with MS Keiser Wilhelm

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

Sail from Tromsø on the comfortable catamaran MS Keiser Wilhelm, guided in English by crew such as Mario. Expect 6 to 8 hours at sea, open-deck whale watching, Arctic fjord views, and a chance to see orcas, humpbacks, fin whales, minke whales, or sperm whales.

“this was a really good day, the guide chatted about the whales and their habitat and their seasonal ways. Myself and my sister managed to see plenty of Orka's and on our way back, we didnt expect to see any but two Humpback whales which made our day, and got some superb picture's. we took our own snacks, although there was some available onboard. The boat had plenty of seats and was not a problem to get photos and the views were spectacular, definatly worth the trip.”

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6.Whale Watching RIB Safari at Skjervøy

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

From Tromsø or Skjervøy, you’ll ride a fast RIB into the whale-rich waters around Skjervøy with an English-speaking guide and up to 11 other people. Expect flotation suits, warm boots, goggles, and sweeping fjord views, plus possible sightings of orcas, humpbacks, and fin whales.

“Words can’t describe how amazing this tour was. Our tour guides were amazing, kind and very helpful. This tour is worth every penny and recommend it to anyone visiting Tromsø. We managed to see 30+ orcas up close and 3 humpback whales. Stunning scenery and amazing people.”

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7.24hr 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, combining a Northern Lights chase, whale watching, meals, talks, and a cabin overnight. You may see orcas, humpbacks, and fin whales, but cloud cover can erase the lights.

“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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8.Skjervøy: Whale Watching with RIB Boat and Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 109 reviews

Join Reisafjord Xperience AS in Skjervøy for a three-hour RIB safari with local guide Viktor. Look for orcas, humpback whales, and sometimes fin whales while learning about whale behavior. Warm suits, boots, hats, goggles, and life jackets are supplied, but bring good gloves and neck protection.

“Great experience to be on the small powerful boat close to nature and see all the animals in crazy beautiful surroundings. Very friendly and capable tour guide as well.”

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9.Orca and Whale Watching comfort heated boat Trip

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

Travel from Tromsø to Skjervøy by scenic bus, then join Captain Jacob and guide Philippe on a small-group whale safari. The covered, heated boat has an outdoor deck, toilet, underwater cameras, and room for wildlife photography without bulky suits.

“Really fantastic experience, Philip and Captain Jacob are very friendly and I can feel their passion for the whale. We have some chances to see the whale very close. Even though the weather was not perfect, we still have a wonderful memory of chasing the whales. Highly recommend!”

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

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

Meet Explore 70 Degrees in central Skjervøy for a three-hour RIB trip into Arctic waters. Your English or Norwegian guide provides thermal suits, mittens, goggles and a life vest while you search for orcas, humpbacks, fin whales and sperm whales. 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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11.Whale Safari in Tromso

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 63 reviews · 6 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $182Best value

Sail from Tromsø toward the fjords and whale grounds on a comfortable catamaran with an English-speaking guide. You may see orcas and humpback whales, with guides such as Lorenzo, Mario, Raul, or Eide sharing useful facts along the way. Bring warm layers, snacks, and motion-sickness medicine.

“Great day out, Mario and the team were fantastic. Super knowledgable and friendly! Managed to see a few different groups of orcas and the northern lights.”

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12.Skjervøy: Orca and Whale-Watching comfort heated Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 27 reviews · from $301

Join captain Jacob and environmental guide Filippo for a 3.5-hour whale safari from Skjervøy. The covered, heated boat offers a steady ride, outdoor terrace, toilet, hot drinks, night vision camera, and hydrophone, with chances to see orcas, humpbacks, minkes, and fin whales.

“This was a last minute booking as we had a free day and didn’t want to miss another opportunity to see the Orcas. Not only are we glad we booked due to the vast amount of Orcas and Humpbacks we saw, but we’re also extremely glad we booked with Filippo and Jacob. Both were extremely friendly, really enthusiastic and also very knowledgable. The boat was really comfortable and a nice touch is the addition of a nice hot drink. We saw around 4 pods of whales, each with around 10-15 Orcas in as well as numerous Humpbacks. They came pretty close as well. Incredible experience and Jacob and Filippo were…”

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13.Snorkeling with Orcas In Norway, 4 days All-Inclusive expedition

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · from $3,542

Set out from Tromsø aboard the catamaran Arctic Eagle for a four-day whale expedition toward Skjervøy. With guides Nick and Håkon, you can snorkel near orcas and humpbacks, fish, watch Arctic scenery, and sleep aboard the boat. Meals, snacks, thermal suits, and gear are included.

“We had a magical time viewing and snorkeling with humpbacks and orcas. Beautiful landscapes and the loveliest crew. Food and accommodations were excellent and gear was brand new.”

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