Orca watching works best in a handful of places where killer whales follow a predictable food source: herring in the Norwegian fjords, salmon and seals in the Salish Sea, tuna in the Strait of Gibraltar and sea lion pups on the beaches of Patagonia. This orca watching guide shows where to see orcas, in which months, and which orca tour to book in each place, with real prices and ratings from the tours we list.
The short answer: go to Tromsø in Norway in November or December, or to the San Juan Islands and Victoria between May and August. Both have tours built around orcas, and in Washington one operator sells an orca-only trip with a sighting guarantee. For every other whale and destination, start with our guide to whale watching tours worldwide.
Where is the best place to go orca watching?
The best places to go orca watching are northern Norway in winter and the Salish Sea between Washington and British Columbia in summer. Alaska, the Strait of Gibraltar and Península Valdés follow, each with a shorter or less reliable window. The table compares the places where the tours on this site run, with the months orcas are most likely and what draws them there.
| Where | Best months | What the orcas hunt | Tours from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tromsø, Norway | November to December (October and January good) | Herring in the fjords around Skjervøy | $210 |
| Anacortes and the San Juan Islands, Washington | May to August | Salmon (residents), seals and porpoises (Bigg's orcas) | $119 |
| Victoria, BC | May to August | Bigg's orcas moving through Haro Strait and the Strait of Juan de Fuca | $131 |
| Vancouver, BC | May to August | Same Salish Sea pods, a longer crossing from Granville Island | $158 |
| Seward, Alaska | May to June for orcas, season May to September | Pods feeding along the fjord walls | $166 |
| Juneau, Alaska | June to August | Orcas on roughly 15% of tours, humpbacks on almost all | $108 |
| Tarifa, Spain | About six weeks each summer | Bluefin tuna off Barbate | $38 |
| Península Valdés, Argentina | March to April and from October | Sea lion pups at Punta Norte, hunted from the beach | $70 |
| Kaikōura, New Zealand | September to November, occasional all year | Occasional visitors, seen on sperm whale trips | $101 |
Which orca tour should you book?
The tours below are the ones built around orcas or running in the strongest orca waters on our list. Ratings and review counts are each listing's own figures.
| Tour | Boat and length | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anacortes: Orca-Only Guaranteed Whale Watching | Search for orcas only, sighting guarantee | $199 | 4.6 (37 reviews) |
| Anacortes: Whale and Orca Boat Tour | San Juan Islands half day | $119 | 4.8 (452 reviews) |
| Orcas Island: Whale and Orca Guided Speedboat Tour | Small speedboat from Orcas Island | $119 | 4.7 (55 reviews) |
| Victoria Zodiac Boat Whale Watching Adventure | Open zodiac from the Inner Harbour | $150 | 4.7 (963 reviews) |
| Vancouver: Whale and Wildlife Watching with Free Photos | Covered wildlife boat | $185 | 4.8 (2,404 reviews) |
| Tromsø Whale and Orca Safari, All-Inclusive | Up to 50 guests, lunch included | $264 | 4.6 (1,717 reviews) |
| Tromsø: Skjervøy RIB Whale Watching Tour | Fast RIB to the Skjervøy herring grounds | $338 | 4.8 (1,278 reviews) |
| Kenai Fjords National Park Glacier Cruise with Lunch | Full-day fjord cruise from Seward | $265 | 4.9 (860 reviews) |
On a budget, the Anacortes whale watching tours at $119 are the cheapest serious orca trips on the list. For a once-in-a-lifetime winter trip, the Tromsø whale watching tours combine orcas, humpbacks and the chance of Northern Lights on the same day.
What time of year is best to see orcas?
The best time to see orcas is November to December in northern Norway and May to August in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Orcas go where their prey is, so the right month changes with the place.
- Winter (November to January): Tromsø and the fjords north of it, where orcas and humpbacks follow the herring inshore. Andenes also sees occasional orcas from October to March.
- Spring (March to May): Península Valdés, where orcas start rushing the beach at Punta Norte for sea lion pups, and Seward, where orca activity peaks in May and June.
- Summer (June to August): the Salish Sea around Seattle whale watching tours, Anacortes and Victoria, Juneau, and the short tuna season in the Strait of Gibraltar.
- Autumn (September to November): Kaikōura's best orca chances, and the return of the Punta Norte hunting season from October.
How rare is it to see an orca?
Seeing an orca is common in the right place and month, and rare everywhere else. In Juneau, orcas appear on roughly 15% of whale watching trips, while humpbacks show on almost every one. In the San Juan Islands in summer, sightings are dependable enough that an Anacortes operator sells an orca-only guaranteed tour. The famous Southern Resident orcas are a small group: NOAA Fisheries counted 74 whales at its latest census, and they are listed as endangered.
What US states have orcas?
Orcas live off Alaska, Washington, Oregon and California, and NOAA Fisheries also records them in the Gulf of Mexico and the North Atlantic off the southeastern US. For a tour, Washington and Alaska are the two states where orcas are the realistic goal rather than a lucky bonus. California and Oregon trips focus on gray, blue and humpback whales, and orcas there are an occasional extra.
Resident or Bigg's: which orcas will you see?
NOAA Fisheries separates North Pacific orcas into three types, and they behave differently in front of a boat.
| Type | Diet | Where tours meet them |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | Mainly fish, especially salmon. Southern Residents prefer Chinook salmon. | Washington's inland waters in spring, summer and autumn |
| Bigg's (transients) | Marine mammals and squid: seals, sea lions, porpoises, dolphins and other whales | Coastal waters of the Pacific Northwest, including Haro Strait off Victoria |
| Offshores | Fish, including sharks | Mostly more than 9 miles offshore, rarely on tours |
An adult orca can reach 32 feet and about 11 tons, according to NOAA Fisheries, and orcas are the largest members of the dolphin family.
How close can boats get to orcas?
In Washington, federal rules keep every vessel at least 200 yards from Southern Resident orcas and out of their path within 400 yards, and Washington State requires 1,000 yards. That is why good Salish Sea tours carry long lenses and hydrophones rather than promising close passes. Pick an operator that cuts the engine near the whales and limits time with each group.
Source: NOAA Fisheries, Killer Whale.
Planning around a month rather than a species? See whale watching season by destination, or the best places for whale watching for every species.
For humpback, blue and gray whale trips beyond the orca regions, TourWhaleWatching.com lists tours in every destination with their best months.
Orca watching FAQ
Where is the best place to go orca watching?
Tromsø in northern Norway from November to December and the Salish Sea around Anacortes, the San Juan Islands and Victoria from May to August. Both have tours built around orcas.
How much does an orca tour cost?
Orca tours from Anacortes start at $119, and the orca-only guaranteed trip costs $199. Victoria tours start at $131, Vancouver at $158 and Tromsø winter trips at $210.
Are orcas whales?
Orcas are toothed whales and the largest members of the dolphin family. They are also called killer whales.
Do wild orcas attack humans?
There is no record of wild orcas deliberately attacking people. Since 2020, orcas in the Strait of Gibraltar have interacted with sailing boats and sunk three of them, but these encounters involve boats, not swimmers.
Can you see orcas in California?
Yes, but as an occasional sighting. Dana Point lists orcas among its species and a Monterey Bay operator runs dedicated killer whale trips, but no California tour on this site is built around orcas.