Responsible whale watching with small groups from Tromsø

This tour is conducted by Arctic Whale Tours. Our whale safari departs daily from Tromsø from November to January.

With us you normally reach the whales within 2 hours. We run responsible whale watching with whale guarantee.

1st of November 2022 - January 2023*
We take you on a full day whale safari from Tromsø to the feeding grounds of killer whales (Orcinus orca) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) as they gather in the fjords of Northern Norway for their yearly feast on Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus).

We strive to provide our guests with an unforgettable, safe, informative and inspirational day out at sea, while giving wildlife the respect and space they deserve and require. We follow international whale watching guidelines, and our utmost priority is to do our best to minimise our effect on wildlife. Our crew are passionate professionals, who have many years of experience and are at their happiest out at sea. Small group sizes, friendly, welcoming crew and respect for wildlife are all things you can expect from us.

Latest meeting time and place: Check-in at 08:15AM (08:15) at our boat MS Sylvkallen, harbour side of Scandic Ishavshotel,
Tromsø. Our boat is under the Scandic "tower".

Departure: 08:30AM (08:30) from the harbour by Scandic Ishavshotel, Tromsø. Check-in at 08:15AM (08:15).
Duration: 6-7 hours. We are typically back in Tromsø between 15:00 (3pm) and 16:00 (4pm), although this may vary depending on weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances.
Included: Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, biscuits and light soup lunch.
A selection of wine and beer available for purchase.
Guiding: Qualified, experienced guides for the duration of the trip.
Please note: Departure times may be subject to last minute changes due to weather conditions or passenger demand. Full terms and conditions below.

The journey to the feeding grounds takes approximately 2 hours, during which you can relax and take in the beauty of the ocean, mountains, fjords and polar night of Northern Norway. You will be taken care of by our friendly and experienced guides, who have many years of first-hand knowledge of the nature and wildlife of Northern Norway. Our guides will be looking out for other wildlife as well, including other cetacean species such as harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) and white-beaked dolphins (Lagenorhynchus albirostris), and birdlife such as all common seagull species, little auk (Alle alle), common eider (Somateria mollissima) and white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla).

Whale Guarantee
Our safari success rate is around 99%, but occasionally, it happens that we fail to spot any whales (we are dealing with nature, after all). For such rare days, we have a whale guarantee: If we do not see whales, guests who are interested can join another safari free of charge (winter season in Tromsø or summer season in Vesterålen). In this case, guests need to contact our staff in order to organise a new trip (subject to availability, not redeemable for cash/refund).

Our rates include the following:

• Full day whale watching tour
• Multilingual naturalist guide for the duration of the safari
• Light warm lunch snack
• Coffee, tea, hot chocolate & biscuits

What to bring

• It's nice and warm inside, but cold out on the deck! Please dress in warm winter clothes. We are 350km north of the Arctic Circle. A hat, gloves, thermals and winter shoes are a must.
• Binoculars if you want
• Camera
• Extra food, snacks, water and soft drinks
• A smile and a sense of adventure!

Arctic Whale Tours terms and conditions

• Check in begins half an hour before departure
• We reserve the right to cancel the tour at any point before departure due to weather and/or other unforeseen circumstances. In case we cancel the trip prior to departure, full refund will be given to customers.
• Any cancellation by Arctic Whale Tours will be done by text message and/or email. Please check your phone and email the evening prior to your trip.
• Minimum number of passengers: 10-30 (We reserve the right to cancel a departure if there are less than 10 persons on the tour)
• Length of safari: on average 6-7 hours although this can vary depending on weather conditions, and/or location of whales, and/or other unforeseen circumstances. Arctic Whale Tours AS hold no liability for any inconvenience and/or disruption to travel plans in case the length of the trip is shorter or longer than described due to unforeseen circumstances outside our control.
• Prices include local taxes.

*the whales will arrive in the area some time in November, and the end of season in January depends on when the whales leave the area. This varies from year to year, and is not in our control.