Top 9 Whale Watching Trips

1.Los Cristianos Respectful No-Chase Whale and Dolphin Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 12,782 reviews · 2 hours · from $29Our pick

Sail from Puerto Los Cristianos aboard the Bahriyeli, a large sailing ketch with open viewing decks and an indoor salon. Government-certified multilingual guides explain pilot whales, dolphins, turtles, and the local sea life. The strict no-chase policy leaves the animals in control of every encounter.

“It was a very good trip, the boat was clean and there comfortable. The guides were informative and helpful, the boat wasn’t full and this helped with getting a good view, I think it would be different if fill as sone seats were in the middle meaning it would be difficult to get a good view and as with many trips it was a ‘first come first served’ basis for seats”

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2.Tromsø Whale Safari with MS Gabriele

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

Cruise from Tromsø toward Skjervøy aboard the heated catamaran MS Gabriele, searching for orcas and humpback whales with guides including Lorenzo and Raul. Watch from large windows or open decks, enjoy the Arctic scenery, and receive a fjord cruise or refund if whale activity has ended.

“Great trip! The fjords were amazing, seen the whales also, but not very close. Great experience!”

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3.Auckland Dolphin and Whale Watching Eco-Safari Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,790 reviews · from $135

Spend about 4.5 hours aboard a 65-foot catamaran from Viaduct Harbour, watching for dolphins, Bryde’s whales, seals, blue penguins, and seabirds. Marine research scientists explain the Gulf and the conservation work supported by your ticket. Bring layers, sunscreen, and patience.

“We were very much excited at the potential to see a whale! Sadly, that did not end up being the case, but we were able to see a robust pod of dolphins with dozens of appearances at a time which lasted almost a half an hour. It was spectacular!”

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4.All-Inclusive Whale & Orca Safari

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

Set out from Tromsø at 8 AM with Polar Adventures for an eight-hour cruise to Skjervøy. Search for orcas, humpbacks, and fin whales with guides such as Juan, Raul, Pedro, or Huayupe, while enjoying heated cabins, outdoor decks, thermal suits, snacks, hot drinks, and lunch.

“We made such nice friends while witnessing one of this earth’s wonders.”

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5.Húsavík: Original Big Whale Safari & Puffins by Speedboat

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,221 reviews · 2 hours · from $175

From central Húsavík, you’ll ride a spacious 12-seat RIB across Skjálfandi Bay with guides such as Matteo, Carla, Jo, or Beatriz. Expect puffins from mid-April to mid-August, fast moves toward whale sightings, warm safety gear, and a lively two-hour search for humpbacks, dolphins, and possibly blue whales.

“We spent more than 2 hours on the water and saw many whales. The RIB boats are the way to go because you can quickly get to where the whales are and get closer than a large boat. Matteo was an awesome guide and was sure to let us know how special it was when a pod of bottlenose whales showed up immediately upon exiting the harbor, with a calf, and one of them jumped and breach the surface twice during the encounter. Then we spent the rest of the trip viewing multiple humpback whales. It was a great trip!”

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6.Dana Point Dolphin and Whale Watching with Underwater Viewing

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 788 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $99Top rated

Join Captain Dave’s crew for a 2.5-hour catamaran trip from Dana Point Harbor. Watch for dolphins, whales, sea lions, and birds while a naturalist explains the animals and their habitat. Only Manute’a has underwater viewing pods, so boat assignments matter.

“It was amazing! The girls, Marie, Hannah ane Daelyn, who took us out were very knowledgeable and just all-around nice and fun to talk to! Would highly recommend to anybody and would taste six stars if I could. ++++++”

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7.Original Big Whale Safari & Puffins Speedboat Tour from Húsavík

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 417 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $180

Set out from Húsavík with guides such as Clara, Victoria, Mario, and Nicoletta on a two-hour RIB safari. Expect fast coastal runs, warm protective overalls, whale searches in Skjálfandi Bay, and a visit to Puffin Island from April 15 to August 15, sea conditions permitting.

“This was an amazing experience. Clara was an enthusiast and knowledgeable guide. The captain was skilled in her job. It was fun to see them equally as excited about all the wildlife we encountered. We would definitely do this experience again if we returned to the area. The RIB is the way to go!”

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8.Up-Close Dolphin & Whale Watching Zodiac Adventure in Dana Point

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 353 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $99

Set out from Dana Point Harbor aboard a Coast Guard-certified Zodiac with a captain and marine naturalist. Captain Marie, Gary, Chuck, and other crew members have led memorable trips, often finding huge dolphin pods, gray whales, blue whales, seals, and sea lions.

“First time on one of the speed All Swell boats. So much fun and our Captain was great. Could handle the boat well. We didn’t see any whales but we saw a nice sized pod of dolphins, a Mola mola and a pod of bottle nosed dolphins that were quite large. A lot of fun, very enjoyable.”

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9.Open Ocean Safari and Whale Watching

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 178 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $215

Set out from Cabo San Lucas with Apex Ocean Divers for a four-hour wildlife safari across the Pacific and Sea of Cortez. Look for whales, dolphins, sea lions, sharks, Mobula rays, and marlin, then snorkel near Pelican Rock. Guides such as Nick, Rafa, Alex, and Kyla add local care and photo skills.

“I have to say, when I booked this experience I did zero research and chose it purely based on the pictures they posted. I really wasn’t sure if those photos were real or just clever advertising, but I took a leap of faith. Let me tell you — those pictures are 100% real and still don’t do justice to the moments we actually experienced. It was insane, to say the least. This was our first time doing a safari-style adventure on the water, but the fact that the rest of our small (!!!) group consisted of professional free divers and marine-life photographers with thousands of followers on social media speaks…”

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