Guide to whale watching in Tromso (& the most ethical way to do it)
The Arctic city of Tromsø in Norway is famous for its Northern Lights and scenic landscapes but it’s also a fantastic destination for spotting whales in the wild. Going whale watching in Tromso is a one-of-a-kind experience and a wonderful opportunity to see these majestic giants with your own eyes.
The whale watching tour I did in Tromso was one of the highlights of my time there. The beauty of the snow-covered landscapes, the thrill of trying to find the whales and, eventually, the excitement of seeing these colossal mammals around our boat – it’s a nature lover’s dream.
This blog post covers everything you need to know to go on a Tromso whale safari, including the best time to see the whales, the different tour options and some practical things you should know. I’ll also go into detail about my preferred whale tour in Tromso and explain why it’s the most ethical option.
Disclaimer: I was a guest of Brim Explorer on this tour but as always, all opinions are my own.
Why is Tromso such a great place to see whales
The city of Tromso is located in northern Norway, well above the Arctic Circle, and is surrounded by pristine fjords. Every winter, large amounts of herring gather in these fjords to spawn, which in turn attracts lots of whales who come to feed on the herring. This phenomenon makes it one of the best places for whale watching in Norway. The Conde Nast Traveller magazine even lists Tromso as one of the best places in the world for whale watching.
The exact location where the cetaceans spend the winter varies over time as they follow the schools of herring. In recent years, they have been gathering in the Skjervøy area and Kvænangen fjord, northeast of Tromsø.
The whale spotting tours take you right into the whale territory, to the feeding grounds of orcas (also known as killer whales), humpback whales and other whale species. Therefore, your chances of spotting them here are very high. Nevertheless, sightings can never be guaranteed as wildlife is unpredictable.
The whales most commonly seen on Tromso whale watching tours are orcas and humpback whales. But there’s also a chance of seeing fin whales (the second-largest animals in the world), minke whales, harbor porpoises and even sperm whales if you’re lucky.
Best time for whale watching in Tromso
The whale watching season in Tromso runs from mid-October to the end of January. This is when the herring come to northern Norway’s coastal waters and attract various species of whales searching for their next meal.
Outside of this period, it’s still possible to see some whales in the waters around Tromsø, but your chances are much slimmer. Throughout the rest of the year, you can go whale watching in Andenes on the Vesterålen coast.
As the best time for whale watching in Tromso coincides partially with the Polar Night – a two-month period when the sun doesn’t rise at all – you might be wondering whether it’s too dark outside to see the whales.
The answer is no. Even though the sun won’t rise above the horizon in the Tromso region from about November 21 to January 21, there will still be enough light during the daytime to see the whales. The twilight will paint the sky with shades of orange, pink and purple, creating a gorgeous background to the white landscapes.
The best time to see whales in Tromso also happens to be an excellent time for seeing the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis. This makes November-January an ideal time to visit Tromso if you want to tick off these two bucket-list-worthy experiences in one trip. In case you’re wondering what else there is to do in winter, take a look at my Tromso itinerary post to find some inspiration.
Tip: If you’re planning to visit Tromso in December, book your whale watching experience well in advance. December in Tromso is the peak period for tourism and many tours and hotels get sold out quickly.
Tromso whale watching tours
There are many tour operators in Tromso that offer whale safaris. All of the tours will take an entire day (at least 8 hours) as it takes several hours to reach Skjervoy from Tromso.
You can choose between four different types of whale watching tours in Tromso:
- Tour on a high-speed catamaran
- Silent whale watching tour on a hybrid-electric catamaran
- Tour on a RIB boat from Skjervoy (with a bus transfer from Tromso)
- Overnight tour on a small cruise ship
We chose the Silent Whale Watching tour offered by Brim Explorer for a few reasons.
Firstly, it’s a company that’s committed to providing sustainable and ethical experiences at sea. Their Silent Whale Watching tours are carried out onboard modern hybrid-electric catamarans that are switched to silent electric engines when around the whales. This minimizes disturbance to the whales and other marine life that are sensitive to noise and vibration.
Furthermore, the tour follows a strict whale watching philosophy, which centers around minimal intrusion and prioritizes the well-being of the whales. This means that they don’t chase the whales or actively try to get very close to them. Instead, they let them feed in peace, which sometimes results in the whales coming close to the boat by themselves.
Another reason why we chose the Silent Whale Watching tour is that their catamarans have comfortable heated lounge areas. As I’m pretty sensitive to the cold, it was important to me that the boat had a nice warm indoor area, where I could hide from the freezing temperatures outside, which is something you can’t do on a RIB boat.
Also, we were confident that the whale tour with Brim Explorer would be a great experience, because we had already taken their Silent Trollfjord Cruise during our Lofoten Islands road trip, and had an amazing time.
Our Silent Whale Watching tour experience
We boarded the Brim Explorer boat in the center of Tromso and embarked on our whale watching trip at 8 am on a crisp morning. It was still dark outside but the big bright moon was illuminating the frozen landscapes around us as we started sailing towards Skjervoy.
After about an hour of sailing, the beautiful colors of twilight started appearing on the horizon. The snow-capped mountains against pastel pink skies created such a magical scenery that everyone headed outside on the deck to capture photos of this spectacular setting.
The trip to the area where you can see the whales takes 3-4 hours, depending on the exact location of the whales. During this time, you can relax in the catamaran’s heated indoor lounge areas without missing out on the views as the boat has panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows. There’s also a cafe where you can purchase drinks, pastries, sandwiches and soup.
Throughout the journey, Brim Explorer guides kept us entertained with interesting presentations about Tromsø and the geography and history of the area. We also learned about the different types of whales that we were likely to spot, their behaviors and how to identify the different species by their fins.
Eventually, we arrived at the whales’ feeding grounds in Skjervøy and heard our guides announce that whales had been spotted! First, we saw the whales’ blows – clouds of air when the whales exhale at the surface. Shortly after, we spotted a pod of 9 orcas showing off their tall black dorsal fins. It looked like a scene out of a nature documentary!
Other smaller groups of orcas as well as several massive humpback whales also made an appearance around our boat. As a cherry on top, we also caught a glimpse of a fin whale, the world’s second-largest animal.
After spending some time with the whales, it was time to head back towards Tromsø. On the way back, it will be dark outside, so you won’t be able to enjoy the views anymore, but if you’re lucky, you might see the Northern Lights instead.
Practical info about the tour
- The season runs roughly from mid-October to the end of January.
- During the season, there are daily tours, with several departures between 7.30 am to 9 am. The boat returns to Tromso between 5 pm and 6 pm.
- The price of the tour for an adult is about 2100-2300 NOK, depending on the date of the tour. There are discounted rates for kids and youth.
- The tour departs from the pier next to Skarven Kro Restaurant in Tromsø.
- The tour includes English-speaking guides.
- The boat is wheelchair accessible, but it’s best to inform the tour operator in advance.
Tromso whale tour route
On the map below, you can see the approximate route that the Silent Whale Watching boat takes to get to the area, where the whales gather to feed. As you’ll be sailing through fjords the entire way, you’ll be surrounded by scenic mountainous landscapes.
Final tips for your whale watching tour
Below are some things you should be aware of and tips on what to bring on your Silent Whale Watching trip:
- Dress warmly because it can get very cold out on the sea. Even though the indoor areas of the boat are warm, you’ll definitely want to spend time outside on the deck to take in the views and see the whales.
- If you tend to get seasick, bring some anti-nausea pills or a seasickness wristband with you. During our tour, the sea was really calm, but this is not always the case.
- Even though you can buy some food on the boat (pastries, sandwiches and soup), I recommend bringing extra snacks, because it’s a long day and you’ll likely get hungry.
- Getting photos of the whales can be tricky, since they move pretty fast and are some distance away from the boat. Use a camera with a telephoto lens to get the best shots and choose the right camera settings for low light conditions.
- As the journey back to Tromsø is quite long and in the dark, you might want to bring a book to keep yourself entertained. Or you can just take a nap like I did.
Seeing whales in their natural habitat, where they belong, is a beautiful experience. It’s a fantastic way to connect with nature and get to know the Arctic wildlife. And doing it with a reputable tour company that genuinely cares about the whales makes it even better.
If you have any questions about whale watching in Tromso, leave them in the comments below.
Want more Norway travel inspiration? Then take a look at my other guides:
- December in Tromso: What to expect
- How to spend 4 days in Tromso
- 5-day itinerary for the Lofoten Islands
- How to visit Senja Island
- Taking the Silent Trollfjord Cruise in Lofoten
… or check out my Norway page for all of my posts about Norway.
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Hi!
So when you saw them, was it great or a bit of a letdown because they were so far away?
Not a let down at all, it was very exciting to see them!