Whale Watching
by medium size boat
with Whale Guarantee
November 2023 to
January 2024*
Small group size boat with passionate professional crew
We take you on a whale safari from Tromsø to the feeding grounds of killer whales and humpback whales they gather in the fjords of Northern Norway for their yearly feast on Atlantic herring
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.
Period:
November 2023 - January 2024*
Prices
Adults (16+): 1850 NOK
Youth (11-15): 1650 NOK
Children (2-10): 1050 NOK
Infants under 2 years old: please contact us
Departure
08:30. Check-in at 8:15 at our boat MS Sylvkallen, harbour side of Scandic Ishavshotel, Tromsø. Our boat is under the Scandic "tower".
Duration:
Approximately 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, biscuits and light soup lunch. A selection of wine and beer is available for purchase.
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 memory card and battery
- Extra food, snacks, water and soft drinks - Sea sickness tablets if you are prone to sea sickness
- A smile and a sense of adventure!
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.
Our vessel for winter whale watching is MS Sylvkallen, a 17-metre monohull speed boat. A spacious deck, and a warm indoor lounge with seating make it a great vessel for whale watching. The boat is also available for private charters.
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
Whenever we set out to the sea, we always expect to see whales. However, as our product is based on nature and wild animals, it does sometimes happen that we do not succeed. For such rare occasions, we have our whale guarantee: In the unlikely event that we would not be able to see any cetaceans (includes all whale and dolphin species), passengers can join another available whale safari*, free of charge. In this case, the guests need to contact the reception and we will do a re-booking for them.
*subject to availability, not redeemable for cash/refund, not transferable to other persons
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 (We reserve the right to cancel a departure if there are less than 10 persons on the tour)
- Length of safari: on average 5-7 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.
- Whale guarantee is not transferable to any other person, or refundable for cash.
- Cancellation by customer: Free cancellation up to 24 hours prior to departure. 100% cancellation fee for any cancellations less than 24 hours to departure.
- 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.