Why the whales are near Skjervøy now
In older travel articles, the whales swam right past Tromsø. In recent winters the herring have stayed farther north, around Skjervøy and Kvænangen, and every tour now travels north to meet them. You get there by boat in about three hours, or by bus in about four.
Where the herring went
The orcas and humpbacks come for the Norwegian spring-spawning herring, which spend the winter in the deep northern fjords before moving out to spawn. A decade or so ago the shoals wintered close to Tromsø, in fjords a short boat ride from town. In recent winters they have settled farther north, around Skjervøy and the Kvænangen fjord. The whales followed the fish, and the tour boats followed the whales.
Nobody can say for sure where the herring will winter next. Scientists track the shoals, yet the fish have moved several times over the decades, so the feeding grounds may shift again. How the whales feed on the herring is in its own guide.
By boat from Tromsø or by bus to Skjervøy
There are two ways to reach the whales. The big boats sail all the way from Tromsø harbor. The bus tours drive you to Skjervøy first and put you on a small boat that starts close to the feeding grounds.
| Tour | From | Getting there | On the water near the whales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brim hybrid-electric boat | ~$196 | Boat, 3–3.5 h each way | 1–1.5 h |
| Rødne catamaran | ~$196 | Boat, about 2.75 h each way | About 2.5 h |
| Polar Adventures | ~$235 | Boat, about 2.5 h each way | 2–2.5 h |
| Arctic Adventure Tours RIB | ~$334 | Bus, about 4 h each way | About 3 h on an open RIB |
| Magic Skjervoy RIB | ~$353 | Bus from 5:30 am | 2.5–3 h on a RIB |
| Skua heated boat | ~$383 | Arctic Route bus | 3–3.5 h under cover |
The long sail from the harbor
The boat tours let you start in town at a civilized hour. Brim's hybrid-electric boat at ~$196 leaves between 7:30 and 9 am depending on the boat, and Rødne at ~$196 sails at 8:30 am, adding a 9 am departure from December 1. Our pick, the Helgøy Skyssbåt catamaran at ~$217, follows the same long-day pattern, leaving at 8:30 am and docking around 4 pm. You spend the ride in a heated lounge, watching the twilight over the islands.
The price of that comfort is time. Brim spends 1 to 1.5 hours with the whales after more than three hours of sailing, while Rødne allows about 2.5 hours in the whale area. The route crosses some open stretches, which can roll on a windy day, so read our seasickness guide if you are prone to it. For cruise passengers this is still the version that fits a day call, as our cruise guide explains.
The bus-and-boat tours
The Arctic Adventure Tours RIB at ~$334 sets the tone for this kind of day. You meet at 4:45 am outside the Scandic Ishavshotel by Prostneset, and the bus leaves at 5 am sharp without waiting for latecomers. About four hours later, after a ride with Wi-Fi and a toilet, the crew hands out a thermal flotation suit and the rest of the cold-weather kit, from boots to goggles, for about three hours on an open RIB. A hot drink with a light sandwich follows, and you are back in Tromsø around 5:30 pm. Bring your own snacks for the bus, and keep a camera in a waterproof bag, since it rides at your own risk.
The Magic Skjervoy RIB at ~$353 leaves the Prostneset bus terminal at 5:30 am, with meeting time at 5:20 am. It puts at most 12 people on each RIB for 2.5 to 3 hours, hands out suits with balaclavas, and serves baguettes with hot drinks afterward in a warm clubhouse. Photos are included. Riders need to be at least 140 cm tall and no more than 120 kg.
Skua Nature at ~$383 is the warm alternative. You ride the early red Arctic Route bus, signed "Whale Route Skjervøy," from the Prostneset bus platforms, and the guide meets you in Skjervøy. The boat is covered and heated, so no flotation suit is needed, and it has an open observation deck for when the whales surface. The captain also sails in Svalbard, the nature guide is an ethologist, and wildlife photographers on board help with camera settings. Our photography guide has more on shooting in this light.
Twelve guests, a heated cabin
Skua Nature takes at most 12 guests on a covered, heated boat out of Skjervøy from ~$383, with a nature guide aboard and photographers to help with settings.
Which route suits you
- On a cruise with a day call: a boat from the harbor. A bus that leaves before dawn and returns after 5 pm rarely fits.
- Most time with the whales: one of the Skjervøy tours, where the boat starts close to the feeding grounds.
- Small group without the cold of a RIB: Skua, with its heated cabin.
- Speed and spray: a RIB, if everyone in the group meets the 140 cm limit. RIB or big boat weighs the two.
- Young children: a big catamaran from Tromsø, with toilets and a lounge for the whole day.
On a RIB you sit in the open wind for hours, so our clothing guide is required reading even with the suit provided.
Skjervøy itself
Skjervøy is a small fishing town on an island in the far north of Troms, linked to the mainland by road, which is how the buses get there. On a whale tour you see little of it beyond the harbor and perhaps the warm clubhouse where the Magic Skjervoy crew serves baguettes. In the polar night, from late November to mid-January, the town gets only a few hours of blue and pink twilight around midday, and that is the window the boats work in.
If the herring move again
The shift north is a reminder that whale tourism here depends on fish nobody controls. With many boats gathering in one area, the way each crew behaves matters, which our guide to responsible whale watching covers. If the whales stay away on your day, compare the second-chance rules in what happens if you see no whales. The peak months remain December and January wherever the herring settle.