The 4 Whale Watching Tours That Earn Their Price

1.Ísafjörður: Westfjords Whale Watching Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 173 reviews · 3 hours · from $115Our pick

From Ísafjörður, join guide Tom and an experienced captain for a three-hour search for humpback whales in the Westfjords. You may also see minke whales, dolphins, orcas, and puffins while learning about marine life and ethical whale watching from a sturdy boat with toilets and indoor seating.

“Saw lots and lots of whales, even jumping out of the water. Customer service gets 5 stars for fully refunding an earlier booking that got messed up by our cruise ship schedule. They are good people. This is definitely the whale tour you want!”

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2.Kenai Fjords Orca Quest Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 137 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $165Top rated

From Seward, cruise Resurrection Bay and Kenai Fjords National Park for about four hours while your captain tracks recent orca sightings. You can hear whale calls through a hydrophone, borrow binoculars, and watch for humpbacks, otters, puffins, sea lions, eagles, and more. The trip runs in all weather, so dress warmly.

“We seen many or orcas . A mom and her baby. Some even showed off for us. The orcas followed the boat that studies them and jumped out of the water swirling and then jumping up and down. Very active. The kids on the boat were so excited.”

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3.Alta: Alta Fjord Whale Watching Tour

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

Set out from Fiskerihavna for four hours on Alta Fjord with a captain and up to seven other people. Look for sperm whales, orcas, hourglass dolphins, and porpoises. Warm coveralls, boots, wool socks, mittens, headwear, coffee, tea, and biscuits are available.

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4.Alta: 3.5 Hour Fjord & Whale Watching Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 8 reviews · 3h 30m · from $231

Set out from Alta for 210 minutes aboard MS Åhav, guided in English or Norwegian by a certified skipper and guide. Watch for humpbacks and orcas near herring grounds, warm up with coffee, tea, and snacks, and use the enclosed windows or decks for photos. Guide Manon has earned special praise for her enthusiasm.

“It was an insane experience. We got to see some humpbacks, a pod of orcas, eagles and many other birds. Especially seeing the whales was undescribable. There ist just something majestic about them. We also felt like we kept a good amount of distance to the animals to not disturb them. Our guide was able to spot them from a pretty far distance and told us where to look. All in all, it couldn't have been better and we would definitely do this again.”

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