Which Andenes Whale Watching Tour Is Right for You?
| Tour | Duration | Group size | Best for | Rating | From | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Catamaran | 3–5 hours | Small–medium group | Families and first-time visitors, steadiest ride, Whale Pass guarantee | 4.3★ | $175 | Check → |
| Speedboat from Bleik | ~3.5 hours | Small group | Photographers, puffins and sperm whales on one trip, visitors with a car | 4.6★ | $204 | Check → |
Are Andenes whale watching tours family-friendly?
Yes: the catamaran from Andenes harbour is the family-friendly choice, with no published minimum age, a heated indoor lounge, a toilet, child life jackets and hot soup on board. An adult has to stay with each child for the whole trip, and strollers are folded and stored once the boat leaves.
The small boats are different. RIB trips from Andenes take children from 8 years and hand out thermosuits, and the open speedboat from Bleik is exposed to wind and spray for 3.5 hours, which suits older children who cope well with cold.
Which Andenes whale boat suits which age, with the trip length and the shelter each one gives:
| Boat | Leaves from | Length | Children | On board |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catamaran MS Alba (Arctic Whale Tours) | Andenes harbour | 3-5 h | No published minimum age | Heated lounge, toilet, soup |
| Large boat (Whalesafari Andenes) | Andenes harbour | 3-4 h | From 0 years | Indoor cabin |
| RIB (Whalesafari Andenes) | Andenes harbour | 1.5-2.5 h | From 8 years | Thermosuit provided, open boat |
| Speedboat (Bleik) | Bleik Marina | 3.5 h | Check the listing before booking | Open boat, coffee and muffins |
- Give children age-appropriate seasickness medicine before departure: none is handed out on board
- A light meal before the trip and time on the outer deck in fresh air both help
- Pack a full change of clothes for each child, as spray reaches the deck
- Book the morning or early sailing so a weather cancellation leaves room to rebook
Source: Arctic Whale Tours family guide, Whalesafari Andenes, Whale Watching Andenes.
What is the best month for whale watching in Andenes?
June, July and August are the best months for whale watching in Andenes: sperm whales are in the Bleik Canyon, the full summer timetable runs, and the midnight sun lasts from about May 22 to July 21. Sightings stay steady across May to September, so there is no single peak month for sperm whales.
Pick July for midnight-sun evening sailings, and May, late August or early September for fewer people on board. September brings roughly double the rainfall of the summer months, and the main season closes in mid-September.
How the Andenes whale watching year breaks down, by what you see and what runs:
| Months | Whales | Daylight | Boats running |
|---|---|---|---|
| May | Sperm whales | Midnight sun from about May 22 | Summer season opens |
| June-July | Sperm, minke and pilot whales | Sun up all night until about July 21 | Full summer timetable, busiest |
| August-September | Sperm whales, dolphins | Long evenings, wetter in September | Season ends mid-September |
| October-April | Sperm whales, orcas mostly further north | Short days, polar night in midwinter | Reduced winter sailings |
Source: Arctic Whale Tours, Visit Norway, Whalesafari Andenes.
Is it better to go whale watching in the morning or evening in Andenes?
Neither is better for the whales: sperm whales feed in the canyon at any hour, so sea state matters more than the clock. In summer the midnight sun keeps evening sailings in full daylight, which is why the Bleik speedboat runs at 10:00 and at 21:00.
Book the morning sailing if your time in Andenes is short. If wind or swell cancels it, the evening or next-day departure is still open, and the Whale Pass on the catamaran can be used on any free seat that season.
Source: Bleik speedboat listing, Arctic Whale Tours.
Can you see orcas on Andenes whale watching tours?
Rarely: orcas are an occasional bonus on Andenes summer tours, and the trips are built around sperm whales. The reliable orca season in Norway is winter, when herring draws orcas, humpbacks and fin whales into the fjords around Tromsø, Lyngen, Skjervøy and Alta from October to late January.
If orcas are the goal, plan a winter trip from Tromsø or Skjervøy and keep Andenes for sperm whales in summer.
Source: Visit Norway, Whalesafari Andenes.
Whale Species & Best Months in Andenes
| Species | January–March | April–June | July–September | October–December | Likelihood |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sperm Whale | Present | Present | Peak | Present | Seen on most trips |
| Minke Whale | — | Present | Common | — | Common in summer |
| Orca | Occasional | — | — | Occasional | Rare off Andenes |
| Humpback Whale | — | Rare | Occasional | — | Occasional |
What to Expect on the Day
Depart Andenes Harbour
Andenes is a fishing village of about 2,500 people at the northern tip of Andøya. The catamaran check-in is the black reception container behind the red harbour buildings near Hamnegata 75, close to the Gryllefjord ferry quay. Arrive well before departure for the briefing. Whale safari guests of Whalesafari Andenes also get free entry to its Whale Exhibition in the village.
Over the continental shelf
The boat heads northwest from Andenes harbour into open water. Within a few kilometres the seabed beneath the boat drops from 200 to 1,000 metres at the edge of the Bleik Canyon, and the ride out takes roughly 15 to 50 minutes depending on where the whales are. The change from shallow coastal water to deep ocean shows in the wave pattern and the colour of the sea. The guide explains how the canyon holds squid all year.
Sperm whale search and sighting
Sperm whales breathe at the surface for 8-10 minutes between dives of around 45 minutes. The crew lowers a hydrophone, an underwater microphone, to hear the echolocation clicks of diving whales and predict where they will come up. The blow is the first visual cue: a bushy spout angled forward and to the left, visible from 1-2 km away. The whale rolls at the surface between breaths before arching its back and lifting its fluke for the next dive.
Fluking, the iconic moment
Before every deep dive, a sperm whale raises its fluke high above the surface as it angles steeply downward. This is the signature image of a sperm whale trip: a broad dark tail, notched and scarred, rising against the sky before it disappears. The fluke pattern is unique to each animal, and researchers use it to identify individual whales that return to the canyon year after year.
Return past the Andøya coast
The return to Andenes gives views of Andøya: a flat plateau island with the mountains of Langøya and Hinnøya to the south and the open Arctic Ocean to the northwest. From about May 22 to July 21 the sun stays above the horizon all night, so evening departures sail in full daylight. In winter the Northern Lights can appear over the sea on the way back.
Watch: Humpback Whales in Andenes
What to Expect on a Whale Safari | Andenes, Vesterålen
What to Bring and What to Leave at Home
✓ Bring
- Full waterproofs: wind and spray at 69°N are cold in every month
- Thermal base layers and a fleece mid-layer
- Warm hat, gloves and scarf, even in July
- Waterproof boots with warm lining
- Seasickness tablets: open ocean beyond the shelf can be rough
- Camera with telephoto: sperm whales surface at unpredictable distances
✗ Leave at home
- Any clothing that is merely water-resistant, not waterproof
- The idea of warm weather: summer air on the water sits around 8-14°C
- A stroller in use on board: it must be folded and stored
Where Tours Depart From
| Port / Area | Details |
|---|---|
| Andenes Harbour | Hamnegata 75, 8480 Andenes, Norway. The catamaran checks in at the black reception container behind the red harbour buildings, near the Gryllefjord ferry. Parking is close to the harbour. No public transport links Andenes directly with the big Norwegian cities. |
| Bleik Marina (speedboat only) | Bleik, 8481 Andøy, Norway. A 10 km, 10-15 minute drive south of Andenes along the west-coast road. There is no bus, so you need a car or a taxi. The speedboat leaves from the small marina below the village, with Bleik beach and the puffin island of Bleiksøya in view from the quay. |
How to Choose an Ethical Tour
What ethical operators do
- The catamaran operator follows Norwegian responsible whale watching guidelines
- Hydrophones locate whales by sound, so the boat does not chase blows across the canyon
- Engines idle when within 100 m of a surfacing sperm whale
- Report any stranded or entangled whale to the Norwegian Coast Guard
Red flags to avoid
- Approaching within 50 m of a surfacing sperm whale: it needs clear space to breathe
- Flying drones or using underwater drones near diving whales
- Several boats surrounding the same whale at once