January
Whale watching in Tromso in January: light coming back, herring thinning out
January is the last month of the whale season and the month when the light returns. The sun comes back over the horizon around the 15th and the days lengthen fast after that. The herring, meanwhile, are starting to disperse, so the boats sometimes travel further and the odds slowly soften through the month.
Quick answer
January is the end of the Tromso whale season, and the light comes back during it. The sun returns around the 15th and daylight climbs from two hours to six by the end of the month. Sightings are still good early on and soften as the herring disperse. The town is quieter than December, prices ease, and safaris start at $204.
January, at a glance
- Sun returns
- ~15 Januarythe end of the polar night
- Daylight
- ~2 h → 6 hand climbing fast
- Whales
- Good early, thinning lateras the herring disperse
- Crowds
- Quieter than Decemberexcept around New Year
- Temperature
- Around −4°Cthe coldest month, and still mild
- Aurora
- Excellentlong dark evenings
- Cheapest safari
- $204six hours
- Booking
- A few days aheadoutside the New Year week
- Best for
- Light and valueif you can accept slightly lower odds
- Cancellation
- Free to 24 hon every safari
The return of the sun
What changes when the light comes back
First half for whales, second half for light — and ten minutes more sun every day.
Tromsø celebrates the return of the sun properly — there is a whole festival around it, and school children are let out to see it. Around 15 January the disc appears over the southern horizon for the first time since November, and from then the days lengthen by about ten minutes a day, which is fast enough to notice.
For a whale safari that means the trip stops being a twilight expedition and becomes an ordinary winter day out. By the end of January there are five or six hours of usable light, which makes photography easier and the long transits less monotonous.
The trade is the fish. Norwegian spring-spawning herring start to leave the wintering grounds in the second half of January to head for the spawning grounds further south, and the whales follow them out. Early January is usually as good as December; late January is more variable, and some operators start winding the safaris down.
If you have a choice inside the month, take the first half for the animals and the second half for the light. Both are legitimate reasons and neither is wrong.
Booking January
Five practical notes
The quiet end of the season, and often the best value in it.
- Book the first half for the best odds
The herring are still concentrated and the whales are still there in numbers.
- Avoid the New Year week for prices
Everything in Tromsø is expensive between Christmas and about the 3rd.
- Expect longer transits later in the month
As the fish disperse, boats travel further to find animals.
- The cold is real but not extreme
January is the coldest month here and it averages around minus four. Dress in layers under the provided suit.
- Do the aurora too
The evenings are long and dark all month, and the odds are as good as they get.
If you want the highest sighting rates rather than the light, that is late November and December.
December in detail→January in Tromso beyond the boats
Five things that fill the second half of the season
The month is quieter, cheaper and better lit than December.
- The return of the sun
Around the 15th, and the town marks it properly. Worth being there for.
- Northern lights
Long dark evenings all month and some of the best odds of the winter.
- Dog sledding and reindeer
Full season, more daylight than December, and easier to book.
- The Lyngen Alps
A day trip east for the mountains, and the drive is spectacular in winter light.
- Cheaper flights
Outside the New Year week, January is the best-value month of the whale season.
Common questions
January in Tromso, answered
Is January good for whale watching in Tromso?
The first half usually is, with sightings comparable to December. Later in the month the herring start to disperse and the odds soften.
When does the sun come back?
Around 15 January in Tromsø, after which daylight increases by roughly ten minutes a day.
Is it colder than December?
Marginally — January is the coldest month here, averaging around minus four, which is mild for the latitude.
Is it cheaper than December?
Yes, outside the New Year week. Flights, hotels and boats are all easier in the second half of the month.
Can you still see orca in late January?
Often, but the animals follow the fish out. Ask the operator where they are finding whales that week.
Is the aurora good in January?
Very. Long dark evenings all month, and safaris that return after sunset frequently see it.
Go deeper
More on Tromso whale watching
Whale watching from Tromso
What the season is, what you see and how the day runs.
The verdictWhich safari is best
Seven safaris ranked, and which suits which traveller.
SeasonSeason and sightings
November to January, and why the dates move with the fish.
OrcaOrca in Tromso
Family groups, herding herring, and where to see them.
SkjervoySkjervoy safaris
Why the boats sail three hours north, and what it buys.
SilentThe silent boat
What a hybrid-electric hull changes when you approach a whale.
