Guide · Travel time

Best Time for Whale Watching in Tromsø

Orcas and humpback whales do not appear all year round. Here you will learn the best time for whale watching in Tromsø, why the season is so short, and how to plan afterwards.

Check availabilityfrom $209 · free cancellation

Editor's note: tromsowalbeobachtung.deUpdated on October 3, 20266 min read9 sources

This tour belongs in the guide Tromsø: Whale watching in a hybrid-electric boat 4.5 (6,644 reviews) 9 hoursHybrid-electric boatWheelchair accessible from$209per person Check availabilityFree cancellation up to 24 hours before the start

In short

01High season: Mostly from early November to late January; the exact period varies from year to year.¹
02Safest month: December is right in the middle of the season and therefore the safest choice if you only have one date available.
03At the edges of the season: October and February are uncertain; in March and summer Tromsø is not a whale area.
04Light: In mid-December the sun stays completely below the horizon, in mid-November it appears for around 3.6 hours.²
05Why winter: Orcas and humpback whales come in winter to feed on herring.³

Why the whale season is so short

The whales are not here because of Tromsø but because of their food. Orcas and humpback whales gather in the region during winter to feed on herring.³ As long as the herring overwinter in the fjords, the whales stay too. If it migrates further, the whales soon disappear as well. That is why there is no fixed date when the season begins or ends, but rather a window that shifts slightly each year.

Visit Tromsø describes this window as follows: mostly from early November to late January, with the exact period varying from year to year.¹ For your planning, this means you should not rely on the first or last day of this period. If you want to be sure, plan your trip so that it falls right in the middle of the season rather than on its edges.

The location of the whales has also changed. Since 2017, orcas and humpback whales feed mainly in the Kvænangen area, also in the fjords around Skjervøy.⁴ The boats therefore travel far out today instead of staying in the fjords right in front of the city. A whale watching trip from Tromsø is therefore almost always a full day on the water.

The annual cycle

When the whales come and go

Autumn

The migration begins

The humpback whales head south and stop along the coast of Troms and Nordland.⁵
Early November

The season begins

Most whale safaris from Tromsø are underway from early November.¹
Late November

The polar night begins

From late November to late January the sun stays below the horizon.⁶
December

Mid-season

The safest time for your booking, with twilight light.
Late January

The season usually ends

The exact timing varies from year to year.¹
Later

Further south

The humpback whales migrate to their breeding grounds in the Caribbean or West Africa.⁵

November, December, and January compared

The season begins in November, and the days are not yet completely dark. Midmonth the sun stands above the horizon in Tromsø for an average of around 3.6 hours.² This light helps with photography and makes the long trip more pleasant. There is still a risk, though: if the whales arrive later in a given year, the beginning of the month remains quiet.

If you plan a whale watching trip in Tromsø in December, you travel right in the middle of the season. For that you accept polar night: mid-December the sun does not rise above the horizon at all.² It is still light for a few hours though, because twilight colors the sky in blue and pink. The whales are not bothered by this, only your photos need more light then.

January is similarly dark, with polar night lasting from late November to late January.⁶ Toward the end of the month the light returns, and at the same time the season approaches its end. Early January is therefore often a good choice, late January already a small gamble.

Month by Month

Light, weather, and whale season throughout the year

Month	Daylight (h)	Darkness (h)	High / Low	Precipitation Days	Whale season
Jan	0	24	-1 / -5 °C	12	yes, until late January
Feb	7.1	16.9	-1 / -6 °C	10	uncertain
Mar	11.3	12.7	1 / -4 °C	11	no
Apr	15.9	8.1	4 / -2 °C	9	no
May	21.8	2.2	9 / 2 °C	7	no
Jun	24	0	13 / 6 °C	7	no
Jul	24	0	16 / 9 °C	8	no
Aug	18	6	15 / 8 °C	9	no
Sep	13.1	10.9	11 / 5 °C	12	no
Oct	8.7	15.3	5 / 1 °C	13	uncertain
Nov	3.6	20.4	2 / -2 °C	11	yes, from early November
Dec	0	24	0 / -4 °C	12	yes

Hours of daylight each at mid-month; temperatures averaged from daily highs and lows; precipitation days from 2.5 mm. NOAA, average 1991 to 2020.² Season according to Visit Tromsø.¹

Three months

November, December, or January?

More light

November

Season start

Sun around midday: 3.6 hrs.
Season: starts
Risk: later departure

Check dates

Safest choice

December

Mid-season

Sun around midday: 0 hours
Season: runs
Risk: Weather

Check dates

Book early

January

Second half of the season

Sun around midday: 0 hours
Season: usually ends
Risk: early end

Check dates

Decision helper

Which month suits you?

Tip us what matters to you

See whales as safely as possible More daylight for photos Combine whales and northern lights Travel in February or March instead

December

Mid-season from early November to late January.¹

November

In mid-November the sun is still above the horizon for around 3.6 hours.²

December or January

From late November to late January it is polar night, the sky stays dark for long.⁶

Plan other experiences

For whale watching in Tromsø in February it is usually already too late, the season usually ends in late January.¹

Season: generally from early November to late January. The exact period can vary from year to year.

Visit Tromsø Region ASTranslated from English · Source 1

October and February: the edges of the season

Many people ask about whale watching in Tromsø in October. In autumn the humpback whales begin their migration south and have in recent years stopped along the coast of Troms and Nordland for longer periods.⁵ Exactly when they arrive in the fjords, however, is not fixed. A trip in October can succeed, but this month does not guarantee a good chance.

It is similar at the other end. The season usually ends in late January.¹ In February there may still be occasional sightings, but you are then at the end of a period that looks different each year. Guests who traveled late in the season report beautiful fjord days without whales in their reviews.

So if you travel in October or February, book a tour with free cancellation and keep an eye on the situation. You can cancel the tour on this page free of charge as long as it is at least 24 hours before departure, and you do not pay until later. That way you stay flexible in case the whales leave earlier this year or arrive later.

Checklist

Clarify before booking

Date

Travel preferably between early November and late January
Plan the whale safari early in your stay
Reschedule for free up to 24 hours before

Equipment

Warm layers for wind on deck
Hat, gloves, and scarf
Seasickness remedy if needed

Cost calculator

What the whale safari costs you

Calculate the starting price for your travel group.

Hybrid boataround 9 hoursfrom $209 Catamaran8 hoursfrom $220 RIB from Skjervøy12 hoursfrom $338

people 2

Total from$417

from per person $209

Check availabilityfree cancellation

The from prices come from GetYourGuide and are converted at the ECB rate. What you actually pay is shown at the booking step.

Video

Tromsø: Orcas and northern lights

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And in March? Honestly, not really

March is also often searched for after whale watching in Tromsø, mostly by travelers who want to combine northern lights and whales. Honestly, March falls outside the usual season, which mostly ends in late January.¹ By midmonth the sun is already above the horizon for around 11.3 hours.² For northern lights it is still dark enough, for the whales it is simply too late.

After their time in the north, the humpback whales continue to their breeding grounds in the Caribbean or West Africa.⁵ Anyone traveling to Norway in March should therefore not make the whale watching trip the main reason for their trip. A fjord excursion in bright daylight can still be beautiful, but the whales will mostly be absent.

This is not bad news but a planning aid. If the whales are important to you, move your trip to December. If March is more important to you, plan other experiences and save yourself the disappointment on the water.

How to tell if the season has started

Because the start shifts each year, it is worth checking fresh reports before you book. The providers in Tromsø usually report very quickly through their channels when the first orcas and humpback whales appear in the fjords. The latest reviews of a tour also tell you a lot: if recent guests write about sightings, the season has arrived.

Another good sign are reports of large herring schools. Orcas drive the herring into tight balls just below the surface and keep them together with powerful sweeps of their tail flukes and air bubbles.⁷ Where this feeding is observed, humpback whales are usually not far away. Since 2010 the Norwegian humpback whale catalog in the region has recorded almost 900 different animals.⁸

Conversely, you should be cautious if the latest reviews only tell of fjord trips without whales. This typically happens at the end of the season. Then it is smart to choose an early date during your stay and keep the free cancellation in mind.

Cold and weather during whale season

The winter temperature in Tromsø averages around minus 4 degrees.⁹ On the water it feels colder because wind and chill add to it. The good thing is that modern boats have warm interiors; but you stand outside on deck especially when the whales surface, and that is exactly when you do not want to be freezing.

Precipitation is frequent during these months. In December it rains or snows on average 12 days with at least 2.5 millimeters of precipitation.² That also means wind and waves. In very bad weather trips can be canceled or shortened, and some guests get seasick on the way.

Therefore, plan more than one day on which you could do the whale watching trip if possible. If one date is canceled due to the weather, you have a backup. And pack clothing with which you can stand on deck for an hour even on a windy day.

How to plan your trip

If you have the choice, travel in December or the first half of January. Then you are right in the middle of the season, and a missed day is easier to make up. November is a good choice for anyone who wants a bit more light and can accept a small remaining risk.

Book the whale watching trip early in your stay, not on the last day. If a trip is canceled, you still have time for another attempt. The tour on this page is around 9 hours according to the offer and costs from $209 per person. For such a long day it is worth to go well rested and well fed on board.

And finally: whales are wild animals. Even in the best week there is no guarantee that they will show up near the boat. The right travel time significantly increases your chances, but it does not replace a bit of luck on the water.

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