The 12 Best Norway Whale Watching Tours

1.Tromsø: Whale Watching Tour by Hybrid-Electric Boat

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

Review of Tromsø’s hybrid-electric whale tour, with whale sightings, fjord scenery, onboard comfort, timing, price, and practical tips.

“The boarding went smoothly, obviously there is a little bit of anxiety of people trying to find seats, you will share the tables with other people and that’s fine. We were lucky with great weather, the boat didn’t rock much, just on a small part of the way there. We got to see orcas and humpbacks, we had a great day! Make sure you wear warm layers to stay outside.”

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2.Tromsø Whale Safari with MS Gabriele

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

Review of Tromsø’s MS Gabriele whale safari, with orcas, fjords, Arctic scenery, practical tips, price advice, and honest limits.

“Great trip, received communication in advance that whales had left area so would be a different trip visiting an island. The boat was comfortable, our guide was informative and interesting and great scenery to view.”

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3.From Tromsø: All-Inclusive Whale & Orca Safari

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

Review of Polar Adventures’ Tromsø whale safari, with orcas, humpbacks, fjord views, meals, thermal suits, costs, and practical tips.

“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.From Tromso: Whale Watching in Magic Skjervoy

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,207 reviews · 12 hours · from $356

Review of Tromsø to Skjervøy whale watching, with orcas, humpbacks, RIB boats, Arctic scenery, practical tips, costs, and honest advice.

“We had a fantastic day out! We were ecstatic to see the orca after only 20 mins of travelling on the boat from the harbour. We were also surprised just how many orca we saw it was amazing. Several of the other boats got very close to a fishing boat in order to get a closer view of a humpback whale which is against the rules. We liked that Green Gold of Norway respected the rules and health of the mammals as shows are a sustainable and responsible tour operator. We were rewarded though as a pod of orca came right up to our boat of their own accord to…”

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

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

Review of Brim Explorer’s silent whale-watching cruise from Tromsø, with practical advice on whales, weather, comfort, timing, price, and value.

“The crew was excellent and attentive, especially around safety. They provided thorough and interesting information about geography (the landscape lit by an almost full moon was stunning) and specific whales in the area. We were able to see a pod of Orcas, a couple of humpbacks and a fin whale. The crew were awesome about pointing out where the whales were located. We even had a bonus - a brief aurora visit on our way back to port. Our main disappointment was our inability to take the whale photographs we wanted. The deck was icy, the whales were a bit too far away and the waves against the ship made…”

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6.Bleik: Whale Watching by Speedboat with Puffins and Muffins

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 326 reviews · 3h 30m · from $199

Review of Bleik’s 3.5-hour RIB whale safari, with orcas, puffins, midnight sun, practical tips, safety, and value at $199.

“Fabulous trip. All protection kit is provided, gloves, suit, boots and googles. Clear instructions are given. Christina and Norbert provided commentary on the birds and fish we were seeing. We didn’t see whales but did see a pod of dolphins. Puffin island was swarming with puffins and eagles. Throughly enjoyed my trip.”

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7.From Alta: Whale and Seabird Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 136 reviews · 3 hours · from $220

See orcas, humpbacks, fin whales, and white-tailed eagles on a warm, guided cruise through Alta Fjord with coffee and Sami joik.

“Really good trip would have given top marks if others had moved around the vessel a bit rather than hog the best view at the front. Perhaps crew should have given a bit more encouragement for some to move around. Overall facilities were fine and still managed to get some good photos. Thanks to the crew but left feeling other visitors were rude.”

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8.Whale Watching RIB Safari at Skjervøy

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

Review of Skjervøy’s whale watching RIB safari, with orcas, humpbacks, Arctic views, transport details, cold-weather tips, and value advice.

“It was an utterly unforgettable experience. The tour guide was respectful to the Orka’s at all times however ensured we captured the most phenomenal pictures. I would highly recommend this tour company.”

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9.Skjervøy: Whale Watching with RIB Boat and Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 109 reviews

Chase orcas and humpback whales from a fast RIB outside Skjervøy, with warm gear, local guidance, and Arctic scenery from October to February.

“In short: highly recommended! I’ve been to Tromsø whale watching 10 years ago and back then I had to say it can’t get better than this. Now the herring has moved further north east and with it the whales and the tourists. This year I wanted to give this experiance to my young daughters and I’ve booked a tour with Viktor. Everything about this tour was highly professional and we felt being in good hands. We got all equipment needed including boots, hats, googles, suits, etc. The weather was nice, we even got sunlight and the snow covered mountains in the distance couldn’t have been more beautiful. There was a…”

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10.Alta: Altafjord Whale Watching in a Heated Boat

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 80 reviews · 4 hours · from $262Top rated

Review of Altafjord whale watching in a heated boat, with orcas, humpbacks, Arctic scenery, practical tips, price advice, and family details.

“Brilliant. The captain and Valerie were great at making you feel relaxed and safe. Valerie was really knowledgeable and made sure everyone was happy. She was a natural hostess. Fantastic”

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11.From Alta: Small Group Whale Watching by RIB

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 28 reviews · 3h 30m · from $278

Chase humpback whales and orcas from Alta on a small-group RIB tour through Arctic fjords, with thermal gear, snacks, and expert guides.

“Es war eine wunderschöne Tour. Unser Guide hat uns dicht an die Wale gebracht. Wenn man Wale beobachten möchte, dann so :-)”

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12.Alta: Alta Fjord Whale Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 26 reviews · 4 hours · from $262

Review of Alta’s four-hour whale watching tour, with orcas, sperm whales, dolphins, warm gear, small groups, pricing, and practical tips.

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