The orcas and humpbacks winter in the fjords around Skjervøy. Start your tour right there, or take the bus from Tromsø and let the operator handle the road.
The short answer
You can start at the harbour in Skjervøy on a 3–4-hour boat trip, or book a day trip from Tromsø that includes the bus, about four hours each way with roughly three hours on the water. The harbour tours include no transport from Tromsø, so they suit you if you stay in Skjervøy or drive the roughly 160 km yourself. The Skua Nature Group heated boat takes children from age 6, while most of the RIBs require a height of 140 cm.
From Tromsø
From Skjervøy
Pick a day, or the first and last day you are in Tromsø. We check the booking calendar of every whale tour on this page and show which boats still have places.
In the whale area: 3 h
In the whale area: 3 h
In the whale area: 4 h
In the whale area: 3–3.5 h
In the whale area: 3 h
In the whale area: 3 h
In the whale area: 2.5–3 h
In the whale area: 3 h
In the whale area: 3–3.5 h
In recent winters the herring, and with it the orcas and humpback whales, have wintered in the fjords around Skjervøy, a fishing town northeast of Tromsø, about 160 km and four hours away by road. There are two ways to go whale watching here: start in Skjervøy itself on a 3–4-hour boat trip if you are staying in town or driving up, or book a day trip from Tromsø that includes the bus. Both are below, followed by a table with every route to these whales.
Each boat below stands out on one point. Every tour on this page follows further down.
A covered, heated boat with an outside deck, so you need no special suit. Three to three and a half hours with a captain and a nature guide, hot drinks and snacks included, from age 6.
Four hours on the water, longer than the other harbour tours. Heated cabin, flotation suit, a hydrophone when the situation allows, and a hot drink with waffles. Meet at 09:30 in Skjervøy.
The bus-and-boat day from Tromsø with a covered, heated boat instead of an open RIB, so no special suit. About four hours by bus each way and three to three and a half hours on the water, from age 6.
An open 12-seat RIB, about three hours at sea, with or without the bus from Tromsø. A hot drink, sandwich and muffin on shore afterwards; from age 14 and 140 cm.
Each boat with the same facts: duration, time with the whales, what is included. Open a card for the full tour details.
Max. 12 guests · ~3 h at sea · book with or without the bus from Tromsø · from age 14.
Frozen Frontiers runs the same RIB trip in two versions: meet the crew directly at the harbour in Skjervøy, or book the option with a scheduled bus from Tromsø, about four hours each way. Either way you spend roughly three hours at sea in an open 12-seat RIB, searching the fjords where the herring winter, and warm up on land afterwards with a hot drink, a sandwich and a muffin.
The limits are strict: minimum age 14, minimum height 140 cm, and the operator advises against the trip for people prone to seasickness or with low fitness. The boat is fast and exposed, so dress in as many warm layers as you can under the suit.
Two options: meet the crew at the harbour in Skjervøy, or take the scheduled bus from Tromsø, run by a partner company. The exact meeting point for your option is sent after booking.
Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.
RIB · 3 hours · thermal suits provided · from age 6 and 120 cm.
Explore 70 Degrees runs a three-hour RIB trip straight from its base in Skjervøy, without a transfer from Tromsø. Thermal suits, life jackets, mittens and goggles are provided, and the crew searches the fjords for orcas, humpback whales and fin whales.
With a minimum age of 6 and a minimum height of 120 cm, it has the lowest entry limits of the RIBs that start in Skjervøy. Like every open boat in the polar winter, it is cold and can be bumpy.
Strandveien 70, 9180 Skjervøy. No transfer from Tromsø.
Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.
4 hours · heated cabin and outside deck · hydrophone · hot drink and waffles.
Dervola Adventure meets its guests at the office by Skjervøy marina at 09:30, hands out warm flotation suits and heads into the fjords for about four hours. The boats have a heated cabin and seats both inside and outside, so you can warm up between sightings and keep camera gear dry.
When the situation is right, the crew lowers a hydrophone so you can hear the whales as well as see them. A hot drink and waffles are included, and the boat is back at the marina around 14:00.
Havnegata 16, 9180 Skjervøy (Skjervøy marina). No transfer from Tromsø.
Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.
3.5 hours · covered heated boat for about 12 · no suit needed · nature guide on board.
Skua Nature Group takes about a dozen guests out of Skjervøy on a covered, heated boat. You stay warm in the cabin without a special suit and step out onto the deck whenever there is something to see or photograph. A captain and a nature guide are on board, and the crew gives photography tips along the way.
The trip lasts about three and a half hours. Hot drinks and snacks are part of the package, and the operator advises seasickness medication in advance for anyone prone to it.
Skua Nature Group whale-watching base, Skjervøy (2XPM+98X, 9180 Skjervøy). No transfer from Tromsø.
Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.
Max. 12 guests · 3 hours · Arctic suits and boots provided · from 140 cm.
This is the Skjervøy-only version of the Arctic Explorers RIB safari: you meet the skippers at the boat club in Skjervøy, get a safety briefing and Arctic suits, and spend about three hours in the fjords with a maximum of 12 guests. The RIB is fast enough to follow the whales between spots.
No transfer is included. If you need the bus from Tromsø, Arctic Explorers sells the same trip as a full day from Tromsø (listed further down this page).
Skjervøy Båtforening, Strandveien 92, 9180 Skjervøy. No transfer included.
Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.
Time in the whale area, how you get there, the boat, food and the age and height limits, taken from the listings. For tours that start in Skjervøy, the whole boat trip counts as time in the whale area.
| Tour | In the whale area | Whole trip | Getting there | Boat | Food and drinks | Age and height |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whale Safari by RIB, from Skjervøy or Tromsø | 3 h | 4–12 h | Skjervøy, or bus from Tromsø | Open RIB, thermal suit | Hot drink, sandwich, muffin | From 14, at least 140 cm |
| Skjervøy Whale & Orca RIB Tour | 3 h | 3 h | Meet in Skjervøy | Open RIB, thermal suit | Not included | From 6, at least 120 cm |
| Whale Watching in a Heated Cabin Cruiser | 4 h | 4 h | Meet in Skjervøy | Boat with heated cabin | Hot drink and waffles | Not stated |
| Orca & Whale Watching by Heated Boat | 3–3.5 h | 3.5 h | Meet in Skjervøy | Covered heated boat | Hot drinks and snacks | From 6 |
| Skjervøy RIB Whale Tour (no transfer) | 3 h | 3 h | Meet in Skjervøy | Open RIB, thermal suit | Hot chocolate and campfire meal (per highlights) | At least 140 cm |
| Skjervøy RIB Whale Safari (full-day from Tromsø) | 3 h | 12 h | Bus from Tromsø | Open RIB, thermal suit | Hot drink and sandwich | From 14, at least 140 cm |
| Magic Skjervøy RIB Whale Safari | 2.5–3 h | 12 h | Bus from Tromsø | Open RIB, thermal suit | Baguettes, biscuits, hot drinks | At least 140 cm, up to 120 kg |
| Skjervøy RIB Whale Tour from Tromsø | 3 h | 12 h | Bus from Tromsø | Open RIB, thermal suit | Hot drinks and snacks | At least 140 cm, not advised under 12 |
| Orca & Whale Watching by Heated Boat, from Tromsø | 3–3.5 h | 12 h | Bus from Tromsø | Covered heated boat | Hot drinks and snacks | From 6 |
From the GetYourGuide listings, checked in October 2026. The length of the whole trip is the operator’s figure and can change with the position of the whales.
An early bus, about four hours each way and roughly three hours on the water: a 12-hour day. The Frozen Frontiers RIB above can also be booked with the bus from Tromsø.
Open 10-m RIB · ~12-h day, ~3 h at sea · bus from Scandic Ishavshotel at 05:00 sharp.
This is the trip for people who want maximum time close to the whales and are willing to pay for it, in money and in stamina. Arctic Adventure Tours starts the day early: the bus leaves the Scandic Ishavshotel in Tromsø at 05:00 sharp for the roughly 160 km drive to Skjervøy (about 4 hours each way), where the open 10-metre RIB launches right at the herring grounds. In return for the ~12-hour day you get about 3 hours at sea in a small open boat, exactly where the orcas and humpbacks hunt; the bus is back in Tromsø around 17:30. Thermal suits, boots and goggles are provided, and the operator recommends bringing your own snacks.
Check whether it suits you before booking: a RIB is an open boat in the polar winter, with a minimum age of 14 and a minimum height of 140 cm, and the trip is not suitable for pregnant women or people with back problems. It is colder, bumpier and more physical than the catamaran and ship options, and like every tour here, it comes without a sighting guarantee.
Bus departs from the Scandic Ishavshotel, Tromsø, at 05:00 sharp
Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.
Max. 12 guests · 2.5–3 h on the boat · photos + orca documentary included.
Green Gold of Norway caps this RIB at 12 guests, the smallest group of the compared tours. The day follows the Skjervøy pattern: bus from Prostneset in Tromsø at 05:20, roughly 160 km to Skjervøy, then 2.5–3 hours on the water where the herring shoals, and the orcas and humpbacks that follow them, winter. Photos from the trip and access to an orca documentary are included.
Small open boat, big exposure, no guarantee: that is the deal of every RIB safari in this region. Note the limits: minimum height 140 cm, maximum body weight 120 kg.
Bus departs from Prostneset, Tromsø, at 05:20
Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.
Bus from central Tromsø · ~3 h on an open RIB · max. 12 guests · from 140 cm.
Arctic Explorers runs its Skjervøy RIB safari as a full day from Tromsø: an early bus through the fjords, about four hours each way, then a safety briefing, Arctic suits and roughly three hours on an open RIB with at most 12 guests.
It is a long and physical day. The operator asks guests to dress in wool from head to toe, bring their own food and drinks, and skip the aurora tour the night before.
Samuel Arnesens gate 5, 9008 Tromsø
Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.
Bus from central Tromsø · covered heated boat, no suit needed · max. 12 guests.
This is the Skua Nature Group heated-boat trip with the bus from Tromsø included. The bus leaves central Tromsø and drives about four hours to Skjervøy, where you board a covered, heated boat with an outside deck for three to three and a half hours with a captain and a nature guide.
It is the only bus-and-boat day trip from Tromsø that uses a heated boat instead of an open RIB, which makes it the warmer option for the 12-hour format.
Samuel Arnesens gate 5, 9008 Tromsø
Content taken from the operator's product page on the booking platform.
From the harbour in Skjervøy, by bus and boat from Tromsø, or all the way by boat from Tromsø. Sorted by review count; tap the price header to sort by price.
| Photo | Tour | Boat | Getting there | Duration | Price ↕ | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Whale Watching by Hybrid-Electric Boat
Brim Explorer ★ 4.5 (6,779 reviews) |
Hybrid-electric catamaran | All by boat from Tromsø | 8–9 h | €164 per person | Book now |
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Whale Watching by High-Speed Catamaran
Arctic Resorts ★ 4.7 (3,747 reviews) |
High-speed catamaran | All by boat from Tromsø | 8 h · ~2.5 h with whales | €171 per person | Book now |
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Whale & Orca All-Inclusive Cruise
Polar Adventures ★ 4.6 (1,724 reviews) |
Heated ship | All by boat from Tromsø | 8 h · departs 08:00 | €217 per person | Book now |
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Skjervøy RIB Whale Safari (full day)
Arctic Adventure Tours ★ 4.8 (1,291 reviews) |
RIB (open 10-m boat) | Bus from Tromsø, RIB from Skjervøy | ~12 h · ≈3 h at sea | €308 per person | Book now |
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Magic Skjervøy RIB Whale Safari
Green Gold of Norway ★ 4.7 (1,215 reviews) |
RIB (max. 12 guests) | Bus from Tromsø, RIB from Skjervøy | ~12 h · 2.5–3 h on the boat | €327 per person | Book now |
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Whale Watching by Fast Catamaran from the Waterfront
Helgøy Skyssbåt ★ 4.7 (689 reviews) |
Fast catamaran (max. 90) | All by boat from Tromsø | 7.5 h | €201 per person | Book now |
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Skjervøy RIB Whale Tour from Tromsø
Arctic Explorers ★ 4.6 (309 reviews) |
RIB (max. 12 guests) | Bus from Tromsø, RIB from Skjervøy | ~12 h · ~3 h at sea | €279 per person | Book now |
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Orca & Whale Watching by Heated Boat, from Tromsø
Skua Nature Group ★ 4.7 (261 reviews) |
Covered heated boat (max. 12) | Bus from Tromsø, heated boat from Skjervøy | ~12 h · 3–3.5 h on the boat | €315 per person | Book now |
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Whale Safari by RIB, from Skjervøy or Tromsø
Frozen Frontiers ★ 5.0 (115 reviews) |
RIB (12 seats) | Meet in Skjervøy, or bus from Tromsø | ~3 h at sea · ~12 h with the bus | €217 per person | Book now |
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Skjervøy Whale & Orca RIB Tour
Explore 70 Degrees ★ 4.3 (93 reviews) |
RIB | Meet in Skjervøy | 3 h | €240 per person | Book now |
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Whale Watching in a Heated Cabin Cruiser
Dervola Adventure ★ 4.7 (75 reviews) |
Boat with heated cabin | Meet in Skjervøy (09:30) | 4 h · back ~14:00 | €255 per person | Book now |
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Small-Boat Whale Watching
Njord Adventures ★ 4.8 (74 reviews) |
Fast boat (max. 36) | All by boat from Tromsø | ~7 h · departs 08:30 | €226 per person | Book now |
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Whale Watching on the MS Alba
Arctic Whale Tours ★ 4.7 (53 reviews) |
Catamaran MS Alba | All by boat from Tromsø | ~8 h · ~2 h with whales | €155 per person | Book now |
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Whale Expedition: 24 Hours at Sea, All-Inclusive
Destination Tromsø ★ 4.9 (48 reviews) |
Expedition ship with cabins (max. 50) | Overnight by ship from Tromsø | ~24 h · ~4 h with the whales | €407 per person | Book now |
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Orca & Whale Watching by Heated Boat
Skua Nature Group ★ 4.9 (46 reviews) |
Covered heated boat (~12 guests) | Meet in Skjervøy | 3.5 h | €250 per person | Book now |
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Skjervøy RIB Whale Tour (no transfer)
Arctic Explorers ★ 4.7 (29 reviews) |
RIB (max. 12 guests) | Meet in Skjervøy | 3 h | €221 per person | Book now |
Seat prices for each whale trip come live from GetYourGuide and include taxes and booking fees, so checkout shows the same amount.
The tours that start in the harbour come in two kinds. The heated boats from Skua Nature Group and Dervola Adventure have a warm cabin and an outside deck. On the Skua boat you need no special suit; on the Dervola boat you get a flotation suit and can still go inside whenever you like. They are the choice if you get cold easily, want to keep camera gear dry or travel with children: the Skua boat takes guests from age 6.
The RIBs from Arctic Explorers, Frozen Frontiers and Explore 70 Degrees are open, fast and low on the water: closer to the sea, colder and bumpier. Arctic Explorers and Frozen Frontiers require a minimum height of 140 cm, and Frozen Frontiers also a minimum age of 14. Explore 70 Degrees takes guests from age 6 and 120 cm, but has the most mixed guest reviews of the tours on this page, so check its current rating in the table before you book.
None of the harbour tours include transport from Tromsø. Skjervøy is about 160 km from Tromsø by road, and Frozen Frontiers puts the drive at roughly four hours. One guest whose RIB day from Tromsø was cancelled rented a car at Tromsø airport, drove up and found the roads cleared despite fresh snow. Before you hire a car, read the winter rules on tyres, reflective vests and road closures in the guide to getting around Tromsø. Plan for darkness, snow and fixed meeting times: Dervola Adventure, for example, meets at its office at 09:30. If you would rather not drive, the Frozen Frontiers RIB has a bus option from Tromsø, and every tour in the second block includes the bus.
Open RIBs are the first boats to stay in port when wind and snow pick up. Two guests quoted below describe the same pattern: their RIB trip was called off for weather, once the night before and once when they were already in Skjervøy, and they switched to a heated boat that did go out. Late in the season the whales can also move further out to sea: one January 2026 guest on the Arctic Explorers day trip from Tromsø was told the day before that the group would go out on a larger boat instead of the RIB. All Skjervøy tours on this page can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before departure.
The bus-and-boat trips leave Tromsø early. Arctic Adventure Tours departs at 05:00 sharp from the Scandic Ishavshotel, Green Gold of Norway at 05:20 from Prostneset, and Arctic Explorers and Skua Nature Group from Samuel Arnesens gate 5 in the centre. The drive takes about four hours each way, with roughly three hours on the water in between. Skua Nature Group is the only operator in this format with a covered, heated boat; the others use open RIBs with thermal suits. Pack food and drinks: the day is long, and several operators recommend it. The full RIB picture is on the RIB safari page. If a 12-hour day with eight hours on the road puts you off, the catamarans and the heated ship sail from Tromsø to the same whales.
Destination Tromsø runs a different format: the expedition ship MV Quest leaves Tromsø in the evening, sails north overnight and spends the morning, about four hours, in the whale area off Skjervøy before heading back. You sleep in a private cabin with its own bathroom, dinner, breakfast and lunch are included, and the crew wakes you if the northern lights appear. The operator advertises a high success rate and offers a free daytime whale tour if no whales are seen; a sighting is still not guaranteed. It costs more than a day trip, but includes a night on board and all meals.
Skjervøy was a fishing town long before it was a whale town. Its winter fame rests on the Norwegian spring-spawning herring, which in recent years have chosen the surrounding fjord system as their overwintering ground. Orcas herd the shoals, humpback whales lunge through them, and for a few months each winter the fjords hold a whale gathering dense enough that the whole region's whale-watching fleet works these waters. Where the herring winter next is the herring's decision, which is one more reason no operator promises sightings. The timing details are on our season page.
On good days several boats from several operators gather at the same shoals, and the guides visibly manage it. One guest on a harbour RIB in November watched her guide notice that the orcas were stressed by the number of boats and move the group to another spot, where they then spent more than an hour with several pods. Another, on a day trip from Tromsø, praised her skipper for refusing to approach when he judged too many boats were already around the whales. That restraint costs you a closer look on some days, and it is exactly what you should want from an operator working around feeding wildlife.
Guests on the harbour tours and the day trips, including the days when the weather or the whales did not cooperate.
“Booked this tour as we had previously had another RIB boat tour cancelled the night before due to bad weather/ snow. We’re very glad we booked this as it was an amazing experience. … Saw possibly 40+ orcas on this trip, swimming around the boat. Captain and team were great out at sea on a very snowy day. Only thing we didn’t get which we expected was hot drinks & snacks which was stated that it was included in the description. A hot drink would’ve been a good extra when it was very cold.”
“… We had booked a speedboat excursion, but they canceled it due to bad weather when we were already in Skjervoy. We decided to book with them. The boat isn't very big, which makes it similar to a speedboat experience, but you also have a heated cabin to protect you from the waves and in case you can't handle the cold. We spent all daylight hours at the whale spot and saw orcas and humpbacks. The staff was super friendly and gave us waffles and coffee when we arrived.”
“Amazing activity! The small boat is comfy and fast and also much nicer than being on a bigger boat as you are closer to the water. Honza, our guide, was very nice and knowledgeable and found the whales quickly. We saw many many orcas feeding on herring and also a few humpback whales. I would do it again immediately! :)”
“We went on the whale-watching trip knowing from the day before – thanks to the company's honest warning – that conditions were challenging and that it might be difficult to see whales. … In the end, we didn't manage to see any whales, and we also had to deal with quite heavy snowfall, but the experience was still very good, especially thanks to Iván, our guide. … Highly recommended for the upfront transparency and, in particular, for guides like Iván.”
“… Hans put the welfare of the whales first as he would not approach the whales if he felt there was too many boats around them … The boat ride and the views around you are absolutely breathtaking … 10/10”
Real traveller reviews from GetYourGuide.
Yes. Several tours on this page start at the harbour in Skjervøy: heated boats (3.5 and 4 hours) and RIBs (about 3 hours). None of them include transport from Tromsø, so they suit travellers who stay in Skjervøy or drive up.
By road it is about 160 km, roughly four hours by car. Without a car, book a tour that includes the bus: the Frozen Frontiers RIB has a bus option, and all bus-and-boat day trips on this page start in central Tromsø.
A heated boat if you get cold easily, bring children or carry camera gear: you can warm up inside and step out on deck for the whales. A RIB if you want to sit low on the water in a small group and accept cold, spray and a bumpier ride. RIBs have stricter limits (140 cm on most of them) and are the first boats to stay in port in bad weather.
The Skua Nature Group heated boat and the Explore 70 Degrees RIB take children from age 6, the RIB from a height of 120 cm. The Arctic Explorers RIBs require 140 cm, and Frozen Frontiers and Arctic Adventure Tours set a minimum age of 14. Each tour card lists the exact limits.
Roughly from mid-October to the end of January, while the herring winter in the fjords; one harbour operator names October to February. Late in the season the whales can move further out to sea, and no operator guarantees sightings. Our season page has the month-by-month picture.
Because that is where the whales are in winter. The herring have overwintered in the fjords around Skjervøy in recent years, and the orcas and humpbacks follow them. The catamarans sail there from Tromsø, about three hours each way; the RIB and heated-boat day trips drive about four hours by bus and launch the boat in Skjervøy.
Harbour tours, bus-and-boat days and the boats from Tromsø, every route in one table.
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