Why the orca boats head for Skjervøy
Book an orca trip in Tromsø and you will spend much of the day going somewhere else. In recent winters the whales have fed in the fjords around Skjervøy, a fishing village well to the north-east. Every boat and bus heads that way. Here is why, how long each route takes and what that means for your day.
The orcas follow the herring
Orcas, also called killer whales, come to northern Norway in winter for one reason. The Norwegian spring-spawning herring spends the dark months in sheltered northern fjords, and the orcas feed on it, joined by humpbacks from about November.
In recent winters the herring has gathered in the fjords around Skjervøy, so the whales gather there too. Our guide to the herring and its hunters explains how the orcas feed.
The herring does not keep a fixed address. It moves between years, and in earlier winters it wintered closer to Tromsø, when the boats had a much shorter trip. Operators go where the fish are, and the start point in Tromsø stays the same even when the whale area shifts.
Where Skjervøy is
Skjervøy is a fishing village on an island north-east of Tromsø. Tromsø itself, the largest city in northern Norway, lies roughly 350 km (220 miles) inside the Arctic Circle on its own island, and the route to Skjervøy winds past fjords and mountains rather than running in a straight line.
That is why the travel time eats such a large part of the day, whether you go by water or by road.
For a visitor, the village matters mainly as the place where the whale watching happens. The bus tours board their boats there, and the boats from Tromsø spend their whale time in the waters around it.
You will see its harbor and houses from the water or the quay, but most trips do not leave time for a walk around, so treat it as the turning point of the day rather than a stop.
By sea from the Tromsø harbor
The three day boats sail all the way. Polar Adventures needs about 2.5 hours each way and Rødne Fjord Cruise about 2.75. Brim Explorer, the slowest, takes 3–3.5.
On a clear day the trip passes the Lyngen Alps, steep snowy peaks that rise straight from the fjords, and you may spot white-tailed eagles, which live along this coast all year.
Indoors there is a heated cabin or lounge. Brim and Rødne have Wi-Fi. Polar and Rødne list toilets. Long stretches of the sail are simply transit, so bring something to read or a charged phone, and save your energy for the deck.
The sailing time sets how long you stay with the whales. Rødne plans about 2.5 hours in the whale area and Polar aims for about 2–2.5 when conditions allow. Brim, with the longest sail, leaves about 1–1.5 hours. Polar Adventures, from ~$269, leaves at 8 am.
It returns about eight hours later. Rødne, from ~$225, leaves at 8:30 am, with a second departure at 9 am from early December.
By bus, then a small boat
The RIB and Skua tours drive north instead and spend their time on the water near Skjervøy. Arctic Adventure Tours, from ~$344, meets at 4:45 am outside Scandic Ishavshotel, and the bus leaves at 5 am sharp.
The bus has Wi-Fi and a toilet and takes about four hours each way. In between you get about three hours on the RIB. You are back in Tromsø around 5:30 pm.
The drive is long, but it means your time afloat starts close to the whales, with no hours of open-water sailing in between. Your fare covers the cold-water kit (thermal flotation suit, boots, goggles, mittens), and a hot drink with a light sandwich waits afterward.
The trip scores 4.8 from 1,200+ reviews on GetYourGuide. It is not for children under 14 or under 140 cm, and bring snacks for the bus.
Five in the morning, three hours on a RIB
Arctic Adventure Tours drives you to Skjervøy and puts you at sea level with the orcas. A flotation suit and mittens are supplied.
Skua Nature, from ~$353, uses a red Arctic Route bus from the Prostneset platforms with Wi-Fi and a toilet, then a covered, heated boat for about 3–3.5 hours. The group stays at 12 or fewer; the small-group guide compares it with the others.
Starting in Skjervøy
Some RIB operators also let you board in Skjervøy if you stay there, which removes the bus from your day.
That only makes sense if you have a reason to base yourself in a small village in midwinter, and it moves the long drive to the day you arrive. Check on the listing whether a Skjervøy start is offered before you book a room.
Driving yourself in winter
It is possible to drive from Tromsø to Skjervøy, but the road in winter means long hours of darkness and ice on the surface, with a ferry crossing to fit into the schedule.
Drivers who know winter roads do it; anyone who has not handled studded tires on ice should leave it to the bus. Weather can also close roads or stop the ferry, and you would still need a boat at the other end.
What the long transit means for your day
Tromsø sees no sunrise at all between late November and mid-January, the stretch known as the polar night. Even so, a few hours around midday glow with soft blue and pink light.
With the listed departure times, your hours near Skjervøy tend to fall around that brighter window. Expect to travel out and back in darkness, and dress for the deck rather than the lounge (see what to wear).
Orcas are never guaranteed near Skjervøy or anywhere else, and neither are humpbacks; our page on the best weeks to go helps with timing, and the price guide sets each route against its fare.