Silent Whale Watching by Hybrid-Electric Boat from Tromsø
Badge of Excellence
Tromso, Norway
- 7 to 9 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
·
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Get the chance to observe humpback whales and orcas while causing minimal disturbance to their environment during a whale-watching cruise on a boat with a silent hybrid-electric engine. The boat features two indoor saloons with panoramic windows and three outdoor decks to increase your chances of spotting the majestic mammals.
- Onboard guide enhances your whale-watching experience
- Choose whether to soak up the sun outside or stay cozy inside
- Wi-Fi onboard keeps you connected during the tour
- Café onboard provides food and drinks for purchase
What's Included
- Live guide
- Boat Cruise with panoramic windows
- Cafe with food & drinks for purchase
- WiFi on board
- Restroom on board
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Brim Explorer Tromsø - Meeting Point ToursKaigata 6, 9008 Tromsø, Norway
Meet 15 minutes before departure at the pier to the side of Skarven Kro Restaurant in Tromsø (Kaigata 6). IMPORTANT: Please check the departure time on your ticket to board the correct boat marked with the same departure time. The activity provider has 4 different boats.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Lyngstuva (Pass By)
Skjervoy (Pass By)
1
Kvaenangen Municipality
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
The Arctic Cathedral (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour is bookable up to 2 hours before the tour
- The whales migrate and are only around Tromsø between late October until end of January.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 140 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
From start to finish the tour was excellent. It is a long way to reach the whales, but we still had around an hour watching them. The crew were really knowledgeable and presented information in a way that's really easy to understand. We saw a pod of orcas, some humpback whales and a fin whale. We even saw northern lights on the way back. The crew is watching out for interesting things and let's you know straight away. I definitely recommend this tour. Even if you don't see any whales or the northern lights, the arctic scenery is spectacular.
Reviews
4.5
based on 1,031 reviews
Review summary
Last 12 months
127 reviews
Select a theme to learn more
Travelers praise the tour for extensive whale watching opportunities and stunning Arctic landscapes, including fjords and northern lights, enhanced by knowledgeable guides and informative presentations. The modern boats offer spacious, warm cabins with comfortable seating and amenities like snacks and Wi-Fi. While communication and planning are generally clear, some note late departures and crowded boarding. Food quality and value receive mixed reviews, with many finding costs high relative to included offerings.
Was this helpful?
Traveler reviews summarised by AI
Sort by: Most insightful
Our initial booking was cancelled due to storms, but several alternatives we're offered. Communication from the operator was excellent. The boat is clean and comfortable, staff are friendly, helpful and attentive. Clear updates were given along the way at every stage. Lots.of information was given about the whales in the area, their behavioural traits and lives. We were lucky to see several pods of orca and a number of hump back whales. In addition there were interesting seabirds, though sadly we failed to notice a passing sea eagle. Participant safety was prioritised, and potential hazards and alternative plans made clear before sailing so that travellers had the option of sailing at a later date. A speaker system on deck would be helpful in identifying sightings to those outdoors on a different deck, otherwise excellent all round.
There is no whales and I suggest to refund 50% of the money
The trip was longer than it should and very crouded
Magical experience! Crew was friendly and helpful. Was able to see whales plus northern lights on the way back
Expected to go to skjervoy instead ended up much further out in opposite direction, took 5 hours to get there, boat wait 5 mins and went to leave then another boat in front turned as they saw a whale, ours turned we literally saw a tail then the boat turned & went really fast we all thought they were heading to see more whales but instead we had a n extremely rough boat trip home on blue route. No explanation as to why they literally moved off quickly as soon as we saw a whale. A bit disappointed considering it cost €180. However the fjords and scenery on the way were amazing. So I did enjoy it, but would I have paid €180 to sail for 5 hours stop for no more than 10 mins & turn back, no I wouldn’t.
The crew were amazing, kept us updated on timings, sightings of whales. Unfortunately the ride there was very bumpy so take seasick tablets
A quality company providing this trip with a very modern boat. We didn't see any Wales on our day, but it is getting towards the end of the season when the Whales move on out of the local feeding areas following the herring as they migrate, so we were just unlucky. The views were still incredible on the tour and we got to see a good display of the Northern Lights as we headed back towards Tromso.
Arrived to boat to be greeted with a rude lady what was directing people on the boat only asked if it was the right boat
Anyway took many hours to get there in Baltic conditions which was no problem
Until they started telling us information that basically they don’t think the whales are there now because they’ve left the area early
Why take my money selling it as a whale watching trip ? If you think we won’t have nothing to see we should of been given the chance to cancel
We eventually got to the area seen other boats looking seen a fin of a Orca out boat sound it didn’t want to follow it, so looked for others
It was really like our boat did not want to look at all seen 2 other fins sat around still in the boat nothing after 1 hour after also saying they don’t go anywhere near them or the fin you could see they said we will look for more which they did not They put the boat in full speed in the direction of home after a while again come on the mic saying we left early cause they’ve was shy today put that was NOT what the said they was doing
I just felt they know the whales have more or less and I mean less GONE
Yes it’s wildlife but the trip felt like a rip off excuses bad information because I was told season ends beginning of feb but 2 hours into a trip to be told we have very little chance of seeing them
That was before we even got there but yet they still take money of people
It’s a long trip and certainly not worth it
I’ve seen many animals in the wild on trips but this was dreadful and many other people felt the same about being misled I would certainly avoid
A wonderful experience on a lovely boat.
The boat was beautiful, clean, warm and the staff absolutely amazing.
They travel around as much as possible to maximise your chances of seeing whales and educate you on what types you may see.
Highly recommend this tour.
The boat and crew were nice. The trip starts with a long 3 hour ride to the whale spotting zone where you stay for 30 mins (the boat never stops though) and then you head back again 3 hours to the place where the boat was originally docked. We unfortunately only saw some orcas far away but we don’t blame it on the crew. For further improvements we strongly recommend that the crew either starts paying a bus to transport people to a dock where the trip on the boat is less hours to the whale spotting zone as the bus is faster than a boat and yes the views are nice on the boat but a lot of people get seasickness and 3 hours is a really long drive. Otherwise if this solution is not possible they should consider staying for longer periods of time at the whale spotting zone to give more chance to spot them (as the boat has no radar and the only way to spot whales is actively searching for them together with the crew relying solely on vision and the weather I really harsh, besides the extreme cold you get waves, the ground is wet and there’s a lot of wind) as we are paying for the chance to see different types of whales and not for a 6 hour ride on a nice boat. Also the lunch is not included for the 160€ we paid and we find that kind of sad. The 160€ only cover the trip. You can buy breakfast and lunch on the boat (lunch is pizza buns and soup) for around 350kr for 2 people. This trip could be a lot better.
The Brim is very comfortable and we entertained ourselves by playing cards and listening to the fascinating talks the crew gave on our way to the whale watching area. Once we arrived there a couple of other boats just sitting there waiting. Our captain passed them by and sure enough 10 minutes later we found a pod of Orcas. They were moving around quite a bit, but the Captain always seemed to be one step ahead of them so we basically had a solid hour of constant sightings.
Well worth the money and the time it took to transit to the area where the whales hang out.
Outstanding experience and the guides were amazing to (particularly the Australian guy but i can remember his name) We saw Orcas, Fin Whales and a hump back whales. Wrap up warm though as it chilly when you go outside! Good ans drink on boat was good ans toilets ok.
We did get to see some whales from roughly 400 yards. Was not really close enough to get the ideal pic. The boat ride was cool to see the views from a different perspective so I’m not gonna put all negative. But here’s where my positive ends.
We were told that it was not a full menu on Sundays. And even if it was a full menu, there really is no choice of a protein for food and if you leave before breakfast, don’t plan on having an actual meal until dinner time. Also, the soup was just OK and 185 NOK. You do the math. I’m sure this company is trying hard but really wasn’t that impressed for spending $400 plus having to pay for stale cinnamon buns, and an OK bowl of soup.
Basically, if you come on this boat and you don’t see any whales then you pay to have a boat ride with below par amenities.
Amazing experience. The boat and crew are fantastic - friendly, very organised, informative talks about the fjords and whales (which you can choose to listen/ engage with). The boat is very comfortable - I am nervous on boats but felt very safe. The ethical approach to whale watching is very important - we were able to approach whales silently and did not disturb them. The views and scenery of the journey to the feeding grounds is amazing - it is worth the money just for that. Highly recommend
Loved every minute. we saw orchas and more!
Lovely heated inside and fabulous hot chocolate. Really lovely staff
This is a nine hour excursion where approximately 8 hours are spent traveling to and from the site through the fjords (which are breathtakingly gorgeous) and approx 1 hour "whale watching". There is not much they can really do to change that with location, dark days, and nature, but it really isnt much of a whale watch IMHO. If you are into just taking a scenic boat tour, this is great! Just know what to expect. I have been on other whale watches where we saw more activity because we were out longer at the actual site. Again, not much they can do about that, just be knowledgeable about what you are paying for. We saw a couple of whales breach the surface, nothing extreme. The tour guides were great at pointing those out.
Any food or drink is out of pocket. For 9 hours and over 200 USD per person, they could at least offer coffee and a light lunch as part of the experience. That was pretty sub-par.
Additionally, there is no wi-fi on the boat. Or should I say, you can connect to it but it is "without internet" so that was misleading from the listing.
There were A LOT of people on our boat. That takes away from the experience as everyone is vying for front spots to view the whales and you can get stepped over by others that are more aggressive. If I were to do this again, I would pay more for a smaller boat with less people.
Though it was a long journey it was worth it as we got the chance to see several orca groups and experience beautiful scenary and get lot of insights from the crew which are achooled biologiats and maritimers.
This was a really great day trip for us. It’s a very long trip out and back, but the boat is comfortable and the views along the way are stunning. We were fortunate enough to see some whales, and it is evident this company prioritises respecting the whales in their natural environment which was nice to see. The staff were engaging and shared lots of educational insights along the journey. The coffee and small food items on the boat were also quite yummy, although I’d recommend taking your own snacks as well.
Absolutely lovely experience! Great and friendly crew - really respected the Wild life in the water, very informative and delicious snacks onboard.
Several different boats leave, suggest earlier one as it takes 1.5 hours of travel to get out which gives time for it to get lighter out. Also get on the boat early, we got there 15 minutes before and the boat was already mostly full and we had to hunt for spots.
Most people brought snacks/water and some brought cards and games for the trip.
Going they explained the route, why we were going there, and how to look for the whales and what to expect for their behavior, among other things.
Coming back they also talked about more of the history, the definition of the arctic circle, and some other educational stuff. It was only 15-20 minutes at a time and then they went about their business.
The WI-FI was out on our trip. Otherwise the cabin was comfortable and provided paid food and drinks. If you want a free hot chocolate, just volunteer to be the person they demonstrate the safety floaty vest on.
We saw humpback whales and orcas. It was exciting to try to locate them and then watch dip and dive.
Overall, a good trip and we were happy we went.
We joined a whale-watching trip from Tromsø knowing in advance that sightings are never guaranteed and that sea conditions could be rough. The crew were very transparent before departure and even offered the option to disembark with a full refund, which was appreciated.
The trip lasted around 9 hours in heavy cloud, snow, and rough seas between the islands. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any whales, and the conditions were uncomfortable at times for some passengers.
That said, the crew were excellent — attentive to passenger needs and very informative, with talks and slide presentations that added value despite the lack of sightings. While nature didn’t cooperate, the tour was well managed and honest about expectations.
A fantastic trip! Lovely warm cabin on boat with room for everyone to sit. Very informative talks. Great snacks and drinks on offer to buy.
I was worried about it being rough but only a little choppy for about 20 minutes when in open water. I took sea sickness tablets and was fine. We saw humpbacks and orcas. A real bucket list experience. I cannot recommend enough.
The crew was excellent and attentive, especially around safety. They provided thorough and interesting information about geography (the landscape lit by an almost full moon was stunning) and specific whales in the area. We were able to see a pod of Orcas, a couple of humpbacks and a fin whale. The crew were awesome about pointing out where the whales were located. We even had a bonus - a brief aurora visit on our way back to port.
Our main disappointment was our inability to take the whale photographs we wanted. The deck was icy, the whales were a bit too far away and the waves against the ship made it difficult to stand still long enough to get good pictures. None of these things were in control of the crew. Managing your expectations can be challenging.
It’s great but it’s a very long day and we didn’t see any whales. Not the tour operators fault of course but best to be mindful of this. But we enjoyed the Artic scenery.
This was top of my list to experience whilst in Tromso, and it didn't disappoint. It's a long day, and weather and sea conditions can change quickly, so be prepared. On the day I went, the crew advised that the swell near Skjervøy (where the whales are often spotted) was between 1-2 metres, and gave passengers the option to get off and come back another day. As it happened, during the 3 hours journey to the site, the sea conditions had calmed and it wasn't too bad.
We saw a good-sized pod of Orcas, around 8-10 of them, and a couple of majestic humpbacks.
The crew were great, informing us of the whales and region we sailed through, as well as giving a full safety briefing before setting off.
A truly memorable experience.
An amazing day with Brim explorer. The boat was really well run, drinks bar and snacks available, free refill coffee to keep everyone awake in the polar night! It is a long way to where the Orca’s are but absolutely worth it. Crew were great, really friendly. The boat journey was pretty much flat the whole way there with a short period of time that was bumpy, but we did have good weather so may be different in other conditions. Overall, would really recommend this trip!
It's really a great experience! Boat very confortable, staff very very kind...we are really happy for everything!
If the rating could go to 10 stars, it would be 10 out of 10. The boat was comfortable, the capitan very experienced and the guide crew was super-engaging: they kept providing very interesting, educative information with a slideshow throughout the trip at regular intervals. In addition to seeing a lot of whales, which was, of course, the highlight of the trip, we leaned a lot about them and marine life. Thanks a lot to the crew for this very memorable experience.
Saw a Finn whale, humpbacks and orcas. Boat v comfy. Cinnamon buns amazing! Quite a long journey but everything was clean and warm, so all good
Firstly, I don't really want to leave a negative review as the company, boat, staff etc. were really very good.
So the positives, the food (pizza rolls, sweet potato soup, coffee with free refills) was very good and no more expensive than the rest of Tromso. There is a limited selection though so I should really have brought lunch with me.
The departure point was easy to find, boarding was easy, plenty of comfortable seating, loads of outside deck space, the WIFI worked well (I had a teenager with me). The crew were great and the talks were interesting.
We were warned just before departure that there would be some rough seas and that we may need to turn back - passengers were offered a full refund if they didn't want to go, 50% off if we had to turn back. The first 2 hours were smooth, then there was about an hour of relatively rough seas, then another hour not too bad. We didn't need to turn back.
Now the negative - in my opinion, we left far too late to be in with a good chance of seeing whales. They know it takes 3.5-4 hours to reach Skjervoy where the whales "are", they know (even I worked it out after a couple of days there) that the best "daylight" is between 10am-12pm at this time of year, so why did we leave at 8am? It was already nearly dark again when we saw a glimpse of an orca dorsal fin, and then 30 minutes later when there was a humpback in the distance it was not really visible.
Honestly, it was disappointing - I was willing to travel for 4 hours each way for the opportunity for only an hour potentially viewing whales (obviously sightings are not guaranteed) but I would have expected this hour to be planned for a time when it is "light". I have been on many whale-watching trips in different parts of the world and this had the potential to be great (we were after all in the same area as orca and humpbacks - we just couldn't see them as we were too late).
Finally, a minor thing, it would be worth looking at the speaker system, as it was difficult to hear inside the main cabin at the back and impossible on the outside side decks.
The cabin was lovely and warm with comfortable seats. The trip out to where the whales were was over 3 hours and the sea was very choppy but we did see some whales. Didn't managed to get any photo's as they were to quick when they appeared but it was lovely to see them. And it was an added bonus seeing the northern lights on the trip back.
From
-10%
$207.32
per personWas $230.36
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Special Offer
Silent Whale Watching by Hybrid-Electric Boat from Tromsø
1,030
7 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$230.36
$207.32
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Explore Similar Things to Do
- Nature and Wildlife Tours
- Half-day Tours
- Bus Tours
- Outdoor Activities
- Private and Luxury
- Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises
- Tromso
- Nature and Wildlife Tours - Alta
- Half-day Tours - Alta
- Bus Tours - Alta
- Nature and Wildlife Tours - Kiruna
- Half-day Tours - Kiruna
- Bus Tours - Kiruna
- Nature and Wildlife Tours - Svolvaer
- Half-day Tours - Svolvaer
- Bus Tours - Svolvaer
Attractions in Tromso, Norway
- Polaria Aquarium Tours & Tickets
- Tromso Fjords Tours & Tickets
- Kvaloya (Sállir) Tours & Tickets
- Perspektivet Museum Tours & Tickets
- Lyngen Alps (Lyngsalpene) Tours & Tickets
- Sommaroy Tours & Tickets
- Polar Museum (Polarmuseet) Tours & Tickets
- Arctic Cathedral (Tromsdalen Church) Tours & Tickets
- Grøtfjord Tours & Tickets
- Prestvannet Lake Tours & Tickets
- Ersfjordbotn Tours & Tickets
- Roald Amundsen Monument Tours & Tickets