Orcas and humpbacks follow the wintering herring north of Tromsø from about November to January. Ship days cost NOK 1,890 to 1,990 and aim to reach the fjords around Skjervøy in the few hours of midday light.
Dark months are the peak for that species, light months are the rest of its season. October is marked.
| Species | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orca | January: in season | February: not usually seen | March: not usually seen | April: not usually seen | May: not usually seen | June: not usually seen | July: not usually seen | August: not usually seen | September: not usually seen | October: not usually seen | November: in season | December: in season |
| Humpback whale | January: in season | February: not usually seen | March: not usually seen | April: not usually seen | May: not usually seen | June: not usually seen | July: not usually seen | August: not usually seen | September: not usually seen | October: not usually seen | November: in season | December: in season |
Peak In season
From visittromso.no. Whales turn up outside these months too.
| Operator | What you get | From | Length | Group | Min age | Boat | If no whales | Cancellation | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tromsø - Whale watching with comfortable and spacious boatIncludes English-speaking guides, mostly marine biologists, Free Wi-Fi, Toilets and heated indoor saloons |
NOK 1,890 per adult |
About 8 hours (08:30 to about 16:30) |
8 to 250 |
All ages; 0 to 2 free | MS Fjordjarl, 39 m conventional catamaran with heated cabin and outdoor decks | No guarantee; no money back if no whales are seen | Full refund more than 48 hours ahead, none within 48 hours; weather cancellations get rebooking or a refund. | Check dates | |
Tromsø - Silent Whale Watching by hybrid-electric shipIncludes English-speaking guides, mostly marine biologists, Free Wi-Fi, Toilets and heated indoor saloons |
NOK 1,990 per adult |
8 to 9 hours, depending on where the whales are |
8 to 135 |
All ages; 0 to 2 free | Hybrid-electric sightseeing ship with panoramic windows and three outdoor decks | None; operator says sightings cannot be guaranteed | Full refund if cancelled more than 48 hours ahead; no refund within 48 hours. | Check dates | |
Whale Watching RIB TourIncludes Bus Tromsø to Skjervøy and back, Warm flotation suit, boots, mittens, wool socks, ski goggles and life vest, Lunch |
NOK 3,500 per person |
Full day, about 12 hours (bus 05:30 to about 17:30) |
Up to 12 guests |
No minimum age; at least 120 cm tall | RIB, maximum 12 guests | Not stated | Free cancellation up to 24 hours; weather cancellations announced by 18:00 the day before, with refund or another day. | Check dates |
From each operator's own website, checked October 21, 2026. How we compare.
Tromsø trips start in one of two ways. Brim Explorer's ships leave the pier beside Skarven Kro restaurant at Kaigata 6, in the city center. Guests meet 15 minutes ahead for departures between 7:30 and 9 am, and boats return between 4:30 and 5:30 pm. Brim says its MS Fjordjarl needs 2 to 3 hours to reach the whale area near Skjervøy, then spends 1 to 2 hours there.
Arctic Explorers drives north instead. Its bus leaves Prostneset bus terminal, Samuel Arnesens gate 5, at 5:30 am (check-in 5:15), reaches Skjervøy for the RIB, and is back in Tromsø around 5:30 pm, about 12 hours in all. It suggests a seat on the left going north and on the right coming back for views of the Lyngen Alps. Guests can also drive to Skjervøy and meet the boat there.
The whales come for herring. Visit Tromsø says orcas and humpbacks used to be seen just off Tromsø, but since 2017 they have fed on herring around Kvænangen and the fjords near Skjervøy. Because the herring shift from year to year, both the place and the timing can change. The tourism board gives the usual season as early November to the end of January.
Operators sell trips earlier than that: Brim Explorer from October 1 and Arctic Explorers from mid-October, both through January 31. Besides orcas and humpbacks, Arctic Explorers sometimes sees fin whales, and Brim Explorer lists fin and sperm whales too. The Institute of Marine Research describes adult herring wintering northwest of Vesterålen and in fjords farther in, before spawning along the coast in spring.
Fishers share the fjords with the whale boats, Visit Tromsø notes. Under Norway's 2019 regulation on whale safari, whale watching boats must keep at least 0.2 nautical miles (370 m) from a vessel that is fishing or from set gear. Swimmers, divers and paddlers must keep 0.4 nautical miles (740 m) away. The regulation also bans any whale safari that disturbs the animals.
From about November 27 to January 15 the sun stays below the horizon in Tromsø, though a few hours of twilight light the landscape around midday, according to Visit Tromsø. Brim Explorer times its arrival at the whales for that light. The ride north can be wavy, Brim warns, and it suggests bringing seasickness pills. Its heated saloons have panoramic windows, but the outside decks call for wool layers, a hat and gloves.
Arctic Explorers supplies a flotation suit, boots, mittens, wool socks, ski goggles and a life vest. It asks guests to wear two or three very warm wool layers and to bring dry clothes for the ride home, because spray can soak inner layers. Its RIBs have no toilets. Weather cancellations come by 6 pm the evening before, and the company says 20 to 25 percent of its whale tours are canceled each season.
Brim Explorer is the big-boat option. Its MS Fjordjarl, a 39 m catamaran for up to 250, sails daily from November 1 to January 31 for NOK 1,890 per adult. The hybrid-electric silent ship starts October 1 and costs NOK 1,990, or NOK 2,189 from December 11 to January 10. Brim says about 15 percent of that trip runs on the electric engine, switched on near the whales.
Both Brim ships carry guides who are mostly marine biologists, plus a café and bar. Brim refunds in full only when you cancel more than 48 hours ahead and does not promise whales, though it reports sightings on 95 percent of departures last season. Arctic Explorers takes 12 guests per RIB or RBB and says they get about 3 hours in the feeding areas, against 20 to 60 minutes on large boats.
Arctic Explorers charges NOK 3,500 with the bus from Tromsø and NOK 2,900 for guests who meet the boat in Skjervøy, rising to NOK 4,000 and NOK 3,400 from December 24 to January 4. Lunch is included. There is no minimum age, but everyone must be at least 120 cm tall to fit the flotation suits; shorter children are pointed to the big-boat trips. It reports whales on about 98 percent of tours since 2015.
from NOK 1,890 per adult
Tromsø - Whale watching with comfortable and spacious boat and 1 more option
Silent trip runs daily 1 Oct 2026 to 31 Jan 2027; MS Fjordjarl daily 1 Nov 2026 to 31 Jan 2027
from NOK 3,500 per person
Whale Watching RIB Tour
Season 17 October to 31 January
Prices and policies come from each operator's own pages, read on October 21, 2026. Seasons, rules and local details come from the pages below.