ORCA SAFARI
Lofoten Adventure offers Orca safaris and Snorkeling with the orcas from Skjervøy in Troms. We have daily departures from 30.10.2023 till 21.01.2024, except for the period 18.12 to 28.12.
The Gulf Stream blesses us with the mildest winter climate in Norway.
There is no ice in the fjords and huge schools of Norwegian herring are hiding here during winter. The immense fish stock is the reason why the orcas, hump back whales and fin whales are coming here to hunt. Norway has the biggest stock of orcas in the world, about 2000 individuals. The safari takes place in big rib boats and gives us a unique opportunity to experience the animals up close.
Meet at our base camp at Havnegata 16 in Skjervøy 09:00. We will give a lecture about the whales and a security briefing before the safari. We will provide you with wind and water proof floating suits.
YOU NEED: Warm winter clothes, winter shoes, hat, scarf and gloves. We suggest that you have woolen underwear too.
A water proof bag for the camera is also good to have.
DURATION: ca 4 hours
PRICE: NOK 1800,-
“An orca can be up to 7 metres in length and weigh up to 4-5 tons”
FAQ
There are a few options for arriving at Skjervøy.
From Tromsø:
– Driving from Tromsø takes about 3.5-4 hours but this can vary depending on the conditions.
– You can take the Hurtigruten boat from Tromsø to Skjervøy and return the same route. It takes around 4 hours and offers food and drink on board and comfortable lounge areas. Details here: https://www.hurtigruten.no
– There is an express catamaran boat that departs from Tromsø to Skjervøy, and returns on the same route. Please note the express catamaran does not run this route on Saturdays. It takes about 2 hours. You can find details here: https://fylkestrafikk.no/menu/plan-your-journey/routes-and-travel-search/timetables/express-boat/
– There is a bus departing from Tromsø early in the morning (usually around 5:30am) and arriving at Skjervøy around 9.30-9.45am in time for the whale tour. It also returns to Tromsø, departing Skjervøy around 1pm-1.30pm from close to the harbor. Please check the latest timetables and information before booking. You can find details here: https://booking.bestarctic.com/en/to-do/2015819/whale-route-skjervøy/showdetails
We are based by the harbor in Skjervøy. The address is Strandveien 90, Skjervøy. You can find it down the road that runs down to the harbor, past the Co-op Extra (small supermarket).
There is generally plenty of free space for parking if you have a car.
Yes, we have a toilet and we recommend you use it before starting to get into the drysuits!
We generally ask that you arrive at around 9am. However, if you are taking the morning bus from Tromsø or Reisafjord then you can arrive at around 9.30 when the bus arrives into Skjervøy.
If you plan to leave after the trip e.g. to return to Tromsø or Sørkjosen, you can take the Arctic bus, which departs from close to the harbor at around 1-1.30pm. We expect to finish the tour in time for guests to catch the bus.
Daylight is limited in northern Norway in the winter, so we run the tour during the lightest part of the day, and even in late November once the sun does not rise, there is enough light to see the whales above and below the water during this time. Of course the weather conditions can make it a little lighter or darker day-by-day.
Accommodation on Skjervøy tends to book up fast, so we suggest you book well in advance if you wish to stay on Skjervøy overnight. Below are some options for staying on Skjervøy:
Maritim Hotel: https://hotell-maritim.no/
Skjervøy fiskecamp: https://skjervoy-fiskecamp.com/Home
På Hjørnet Gjesterhus: https://www.pahjornet.net/
There are also various options available on Airbnb
We give you a dry suit which has built-in boots and seals around the wrists and neck. We recommend you do not wear a watch, or jewelry, or anything too bulky around the neck. Lots of thermal or woolen thin layers are best e.g. leggings/ long johns. We give you a thermal under-suit to wear under the drysuit to keep you warm.
We also provide a thick hood and gloves. The hood is semi-dry and the gloves are very thick wetsuit material, so your hands get wet but the gloves help to hold the heat from your hands.
We will give you waterproof overalls with a hood, which you can wear over your normal clothing including your jacket. We suggest you bring waterproof shoes/boots, and thick woolen gloves and a hat. It may rain/ snow during the tour and there can be spray from the sea depending on the conditions.
Yes absolutely! We recommend that you bring a small waterproof bag with you to protect any electronic items that are not waterproof, as there can be rain/ snow and spray from the sea.
The skipper and crew are there to help you to have a great experience with the whales and so we do not generally take photos. Many guests share photos between one another and you are welcome to bring a camera or phone on board (ideally in a dry bag as noted above) to capture some images or films of the whales.
