Cost
Whale watching in Tromso: what seven safaris cost and what is in them
Two hundred dollars for a boat trip sounds steep until you count the hours. These are six to twelve-hour days in Arctic winter, with thermal suits, food and a crew who have been tracking the herring since October. Per hour on the water, the whole page sits in a narrow band.
Quick answer
A whale safari from Tromso costs between $204 and $378. Six hours on a converted vessel is the cheapest; twelve hours by road and RIB to Skjervøy is the dearest. The most-booked safari, nine hours on a hybrid-electric catamaran, is $214. Thermal or flotation suits are included everywhere; food is included on most. Nothing here charges a booking fee.
Whale safari prices, at a glance
- Cheapest
- $204six hours, converted vessel
- Most booked
- $214nine hours, hybrid-electric
- Fastest
- $214eight hours, high-speed catamaran
- Best rated
- $250RIB, 5.0 from 113 reviews
- All-inclusive
- $255eight hours, max 50 people
- Dearest
- $378twelve hours, road and RIB
- Per hour
- $23–$32across the whole page
- Booking fee
- Noneon any listing here
- Suits
- Includedthermal or flotation
- Cancellation
- Free to 24 hon all seven
Every trip, current fare
Every safari, and what it works out at per hour
The last column divides the price by the length of the day, which is the only fair way to compare six hours on a converted vessel with twelve hours by road and RIB.
| Safari | Length of day | Price | The boat | Cost per hour | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tromsø Whale Safari with MS GabrieleSix hours, a warm saloon, the cheapest day | 6 h | $204 | Converted vessel | $34.00 | 4.3 · 1,953 |
| Tromsø: Whale Watching Tour by Hybrid-Electric BoatNine hours, silent approach, 6,651 reviews | 9 h | $214 | Hybrid-electric catamaran | $23.78 | 4.5 · 6,651 |
| From Tromsø: Whale Watching Safari on High-Speed CatamaranEight hours, and the fastest run to the fish | 8 h | $214 | High-speed catamaran | $26.75 | 4.6 · 3,772 |
| Whale Watching RIB Safari at SkjervøyA RIB at Skjervøy, eye level with the animals | 3–12 h | $245 | RIB, Skjervøy | $30.62 | 4.8 · 136 |
| From Tromsø or Skjervøy: Whale Safari by RIB BoatA RIB that follows the herring, rated 5.0 | 4–12 h | $250 | RIB, flexible base | $31.25 | 5.0 · 113 |
| Tromsø Whale & Orca Safari – All-Inclusive (Max 50 pax)All-inclusive, fifty passengers maximum | 8 h | $255 | Large boat, max 50 | $31.88 | 4.6 · 1,721 |
| From Tromsø: Skjervoy Whale Watching RIB Boat TourTwelve hours north and back, by road and RIB | 12 h | $378 | RIB, full day north | $31.50 | 4.6 · 307 |
Where the money goes
Four things you are paying for that are not obvious
Distance, Norwegian wages, cold-water certification and a five-week season.
The distance. The herring are two to three hours north. Every safari here burns fuel and crew hours getting there and back, before anybody sees anything. That is the single largest cost in the ticket and it is the reason prices rose as the fish moved.
Norwegian labour. Skippers, guides and deckhands are paid Norwegian wages, and the better operators carry a marine biologist as a guide. There is no low-wage tourism workforce here.
Cold-water certification. Thermal suits for every passenger, survival equipment, certified vessels and crew trained for winter operations at 69 degrees north. Some of what you pay for is the reason nothing goes wrong.
A five-week season. These boats earn the whale part of their year in November, December and January. Outside that they run fjord cruises or sit still, and the winter has to carry the fixed costs.
Per hour it works out between about twenty-three and thirty-two dollars, which for a guided Arctic day with food and a suit is ordinary. It is a large single number and a reasonable rate.
What is not in the price
Five things people expect to be included
Small items, and all of them have surprised somebody.
- Getting to Tromsø
Flights and accommodation are yours. The quays and pick-up points are central.
- Food, on some listings
Most safaris include a hot meal; a couple do not. On a twelve-hour day the difference matters.
- A hat and gloves
Suits are provided everywhere and they cover neither. In December that is not a detail.
- Photographs from the operator
Some boats sell images afterwards. Never compulsory, never in the ticket.
- Any guarantee of a sighting
The one thing money genuinely cannot buy here.
If the number matters more than the comfort, the six-hour safari is the cheapest way to get out among the animals.
Compare every safari→Saving money without spoiling the day
Five honest ways to spend less
And one false economy.
- Take the six-hour safari
At $204 it is the cheapest way out among the animals, and the shortest day.
- Come in November or late January
Same season, lower prices across flights, hotels and boats.
- Eat before you sail
The safaris that include a full meal cost more; Tromsø has bakeries and a supermarket.
- Skip the operator photographs
Nice, and expensive. Your own frames from the rail will mean more.
- Do not book the cheapest trip when the fish are far
The false economy: a short safari that spends all its time in transit costs the same time as a long one and sees less.
Common questions
Whale safari prices, answered
How much is whale watching in Tromso?
From $204 for a six-hour safari to $378 for the twelve-hour day out to Skjervøy. The most-booked trip is $214.
Why is it so expensive?
The herring are two to three hours north, so most of the ticket is fuel and crew hours; Norwegian wages and cold-water certification do the rest.
Is food included?
On most safaris, yes — a hot meal and drinks. Check the listing, because a couple include only hot drinks.
Are thermal suits included?
Yes, on every safari on this page. On the RIBs it is a full flotation suit.
Is there a booking fee?
No. None of these listings charges one, and most allow reserve now, pay later.
What happens if it is cancelled?
You are offered another date or a refund. Every safari here can also be cancelled by you free up to 24 hours before.
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.
