Where and when to see whales and orcas in Norway? I tell you everything!

Seeing whales is a dream for many (many!) of us, and it’s not that difficult to achieve. If, like me, you come from mainland France or a country like this, you have to leave the country to see them. And Norway is one of the closest and most accessible destinations.

So yes, you can see them in Norway. Yes, you can see them all year round. But no, you can’t see them everywhere in the country. It takes a bit of planning, because the best chance of seeing them is on the north coast.

Let’s have a look!

SEE WHALES ALL YEAR ROUND IN THE VESTERALEN ISLANDS

Andenes is the main town on the Vesteralen Islands. The Vesteralen? It’s an archipelago located between the Lofoten Islands and Senja, much less well known than its two neighbors, but still a lot of fun!

It’s an archipelago that’s a bit like the end of the world, with lost villages, not too many people, a bit of a wilderness because there aren’t many tourists, and with a huge advantage: it’s the ONLY place in Norway where you can see whales all year round. That’s right!

That’s because of the Bleik canyon, an underwater chasm that descends to depths of over 2,000-3,000 m. These great depths are perfect for sperm whales, which dive to hunt squid and fish very low in the water column. By the way, you can also see them from Bleik!

In winter, orcas arrive following the herring, so there’s also a chance to see them, while in summer it’s mostly whales.

On the other hand, Andenes’ slight worry is its wind. Although you don’t have to go very far to see whales, expeditions are occasionally cancelled due to weather and waves. I was talking about a feeling of being at the end of the world, but here we are! So to hit the road for a day and bet everything on an outing is a bit ambitious. It can be done, but we’re not under threat of cancellation.

Especially as the Vesteralen are really nice to visit, and in summer you can see puffins too!

Who to go with

There are a few organizations that offer tours, some only in summer (as there aren’t many tourists in winter):

• Green Gold of Norway, offers RIB boat tours to see whales, orcas and puffins. The advantage of this type of boat is that you get up close and personal!
• Arctic Whales Tour, by classic catamaran from Andenes, also in summer.
• Whale2sea, (which has merged with Whalesafari) offers different types of outings (catamaran, traditional boat) all year round, and I believe they’re the only ones to do so in winter.
• Arctic Ocean Lodge, ah well, they’re new too, offering tours all year round! From Bleik, by RIB boat. Interesting stuff!

SEE WHALES AND ORCAS TROMSO AND SKJERVOY

Tromso is the most popular place to see whales and orcas in Norway! Some say it’s one of the best places in the world. That may be a bit of an exaggeration for the whales (but not untrue for the orcas!), although there are quite a few of them.

What’s more, it coincides with the arrival of winter, snow and the Northern Lights! Which is why whale watching is one of Tromso’s top activities. Well, Tromso is more like Skjervoy, a 3-hour drive away, as the cetaceans have migrated in recent years.

The best time to see whales and orcas is from late October to late January. Is this a fixed period? It can happen before, they can leave before or after. One year they left on February 8, the next on January 25. So it depends!

There are many companies and different types of boat for whale watching:

• the big catamaran, stable and comfortable, but quite crowded
• the RIB boat, refreshing but to get as close as possible to the animals
• the small boat, superbly practical but more expensive

As I was saying, although they can be seen around Tromso, the whales and orcas make their home in Skjervoy, to the east. You can get there either by bus or by boat. So, as well as seeing the whales, you can also enjoy a nice cruise! (and seasickness)

Who to go with

So I’m not going to give you the full list, as you’ll find all the whale-watching cruises in Tromso in the following article, but I will give you one or two examples by type of boat, with prices.

• Brim Explorer, the latest comfortable electric catamaran, €160, the best value.
• Helgøy Skyssbåt, a slightly faster, slightly smaller catamaran with a very good reputation, 160€.
• Arctic Adventure, an inflatable boat for close encounters with cetaceans, 260€.
• Skua Nature Group, a very small boat but not inflatable, a great compromise! 320€

SEE WHALES AND ORCAS AT ALTA

We talk a lot about Tromso, but Alta is also a great place to see orcas and whales. Basically, it’s “the next fjord over” and a huge playground for cetaceans. From Alta, unlike Tromso, you don’t have to drive 3 hours (by boat or bus) to get there. They’re right in the Altafjord, which is super convenient!

Another advantage is that there are far fewer people, as the region is less touristy. But you can see just as many animals.

So if you’re on Norway’s north coast, there’s no need to go all the way to Skjervoy! Alta is good enough 🙂

We’re on the same schedule, from late October to late January.

Oh, and if you’re in Kvaenangen, between Alta and Skjervoy, it’s also a place where there are lots of whales and orcas!

Who to go with

Alta is quietly developing. Even if the region is not very touristy, the infrastructures and service providers are quite well present and allow you to really enjoy it:

• Icecube of Aurora, a funny little boat for a 4-hour outing, 220€.
• Finnmark Moods, a small, comfortable, heated boat, €210
• Sami Experience, a slightly larger boat with more space, 160€.
• Æventyr, to see whales from an inflatable boat,

Can we see them in other places (Lofoten, Bergen…)?

So just because there’s no agency doesn’t mean there aren’t whales and orcas. On the other hand, it does mean that there aren’t enough certainties to organize tours.

In the Lofoten Islands, for example, it’s not uncommon to come across orcas, and they usually stay quite often. But there used to be an organization that organized the tours, but not anymore, because there are never any fixed dates, or the orcas may only come a few times during the season.

Further south, on the other hand, you don’t normally see them. There are no whales in Bergen  or on the coast, barring a stroke of luck or an accident. It can happen, but let’s just say you really shouldn’t count on it. On the other hand, what you can see quite easily and all year round are dolphins and especially porpoises (mini whales that look like dolphins but without noses, super cute).

So no, if you go to other places, don’t assume you’ll see whales or orcas, it’s far too random.

Finally, when and where to see whales in Norway, when is the best time?

Here’s a quick rundown of when to see whales and orcas in Norway:

• All year round: you can see them in the Vesteralen Islands all year round, and that’s great. It’s just not super-easy to get to in the far north, but it’s worth it!
• From late October to late January: on Norway’s north coast, in Tromso (well, from Tromso, but they’re in Skjervoy) and Alta.

In conclusion

That’s it! Now you know everything! If you want to see whales and orcas in Norway, you have to make the most of it and go to the north of the country, either to the Vesteralen Islands all year round, or to the north coast between Tromso and Alta, from the end of October to the end of January. Otherwise, it’s mostly a matter of luck, but it’s important when planning your stay in Norway.

If you’ve seen whales in sanctuaries like Baja California, St. Lawrence, Vancouver Island… I’d say that in terms of whales, you won’t get much better in Norway. On the other hand, there are orcas! And that’s a rarer sight!

Personally, I’d say it’s a great experience, especially as it’s different every time. Will we see orcas or whales, or both? With or without snow? I’ve done it several times, at different times, on different cruises, and it’s always been fun, and I’ve never had the same experience. So go for it! It’s one of the must-do activities!

If you’d like to find out more about Norway and its various regions and activities, I recommend the following articles:

• How to prepare your trip to Norway – all the information you need to help you get to this superb country
• Where to go in Norway in summer – what are the best options, helping you choose between the fjords and Lofoten (classic!) and other itineraries
• What to do in Bergen – the superb Hanseatic villa will surprise you!
• 10 places to see in Oslo – Oslo is a nice, pleasant city.
• The most beautiful places in Norway’s fjords – an incredible region with superb fjords!
• Discover the Lofoten Islands – this large archipelago has some of the most beautiful fishing villages in the country, as well as stunning scenery!
• What to do in Tromso – the capital of the Northern Lights, but not only! A super-pretty town with lots to see and do

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