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Swimming with Orcas & Humpbacks

An incredible ship-based safar with the unique opportunity to swim with, and photograph orcas and humpbacks in the wild Norwegian waters. Surrounded by icy fjords and imposing glaciers, this unforgettable trip offers you an opportunity to witness pods of colossal orcas and humpback whales. Leaving dry land behind, you’ll travel on our very own private chartered boat, the M/S Sjøveien, for the duration of your marine adventure. This gives you the advantage of versatility in your routing while sailing through the Norwegian waters due to her small size, is easily manoeuvrable. You’ll also have a chance to see the magnificent dancing Northern Lights.

Our expert team have been running whale trips to Norway for a number of years; almost the entire time in which orcas have been found migrating to these waters. In the past, our clients have remained close to land, watching and swimming with the whales during their hunts off the coast of Tromsø. However, this pioneering expedition will see you searching for Norway’s whales in a way that few others have done before: out on the water for days on end, on board your own expedition ship.

Norway Orca Family Above Credit Patrick Dykstra Bw

WHY BOOK this trip

Witness one of nature’s most incredible sites, the world’s largest orca aggregation
Swim along next to the immense orca and humpback whales as they feed on herring shoals
Learn tried and tested techniques of how to capture images of wildlife in their natural environment
When dusk falls, head up to the open bridge and keep an eye out for the famous Northern Lights

Day 1 - Arrive Tromsø

Upon arrival at Tromsø Airport, you’ll make your own way to the city’s port to board the M/S Sjøveien, your home for the next 6 nights. Embarkation will be between 4pm and 5pm. Take the chance to get to know your team, the M/S Sjøveien’s crew and your fellow passengers before you set sail for Arctic waters. (D)

Tromso

The majority of our Norway safaris travel during the winter months to make the most of the whale species that can be seen off the coast around Tromsø and the dog sledding adventures that can be had in the snow. If you feel like a casual coffee or something freshly baked, stop by Smørtorget for delicious pastries and local artwork in a friendly and relaxed setting. Koseverden is another option for fans of baked goods, boasting an impressive array of options along with a lunch menu and coffee from a local roaster. Read more about what to do in Tromsø.

Days 2 - 6 - Whale Watching

Your days at sea will be spent on the trail of orcas and humpbacks in the open ocean, tracking the movement of the pods as they hunt for huge shoals of herring. When you find the whales, you will head out in a 12-passenger dinghy to get closer to the water and, weather conditions permitting, you’ll be able to take to the water in small groups and swim alongside these magnificent mammals. There is no time limit on how long you can spend in the water, but it will depend on the weather, sea and light conditions as well as the behaviour of the whales themselves. Each day will vary and the exact itinerary will depend on the cetaceans’ locations. You may not find the whales every day, however when not actively swimming with the whales, you will be able to see the beautiful landscapes of Northern Norway and learn about the whales.

Big Male Orca B W Credit Patrick Dykstra

Day 7 - Tromsø

After arriving back into Tromsø and disembarking from the M/S Sjøveien after breakfast, your time with the whales will have sadly come to an end, but you will have undoubtedly made memories that will last a lifetime. Say your final farewells and begin your journey home. (B)

Orcas

Highly trainable, these beautiful creatures have controversially been featured in many aquarium shows, as well as blockbusters such as ‘Free Willy’ back in 1993. They have stable family groups of five to thirty, hunting together to bring down tasty prey that ranges from squid and fish, to seals and sea lions. They work together to tip animals resting on floating ice into the water, deliberately beach themselves to scare prey and even hunt other whales.

Please Note

We recommend arriving one day prior to the start of the trip where possible in case of flight delays or lost luggage, and we are happy to help you arrange an extra night in Tromsø. Please be aware that the destination for the 2025 trips may change based on the Orca’s location. We recommend to wait until February 15th 2025, before purchasing flight tickets or booking hotels, or considering purchasing flexible tickets.

Disembarkation begins after breakfast, we ask that you depart the ship before 9am so we can prepare for the next group.

The Whales: Safety of our clients and the whales is top priority. The whales come to us, we do not chase or harass the whales. Our technique is to read the whale and its pattern and position the boat in the right spot with the engine off for the whale to come to us.

Dates & Prices norway

Year |Ship |

Dates and Prices for norway
Date	Ship	Passengers	Trip Length	Trip Style	Prices from
9 - 14 November 2024	M/V Kinfish	12	6 Days	SOLD OUT
14 - 19 November 2024	M/V Kinfish	12	6 Days	SOLD OUT
19 - 24 November 2024	M/V Kinfish	12	6 Days	SOLD OUT
01 - 07 November 2025	M/S Sjøveien	12	7 Days	Marine Biologist - Alessandro De Maddalena	7215
15 - 21 November 2025	M/S Sjøveien	12	7 Days		6755

Talk to a Norway Destination Specialist Today

Client Reviews

norway-killer-whales-charles-kuglen
Trip was phenomenal, outstanding experience overall. Surpassed his expectations in every aspect, had a fantastic time. Great group onboard, wonderful crew and service. Ship was very nice. Food was far better than expected, nice mix of meals. Great guides, they were fun, helpful and extremely knowledgeable. App and pre-trip communication were great, a lot of prep work that was very well done. More support from NWS than expected. NWS team were very helpful, even when members were out of office somebody would jump in and make sure the quick responses were maintained.
—Charles K, Swim with Killer Whales and Humpbacks, November 2023
5 out of 5
norway-killer-whales-michael-kitlica
Had a great trip, really good time. Great luck with whale sightings, especially a 'rad' last day with numerous humpbacks and killers whales. Excellent guides who executed everything well, clearly very knowledgeable and knew what they were doing. Loved the chef, very funny dude and good food. App and documents were great, no issues there. Felt supported by NWS, 24hr emergency contact was great.
—Michael K, Swim with Killer Whales and Humpbacks, November 2023
5 out of 5
NORWAY ORCAS - Chad Blackwell
This was one of the most incredible experiences of my entire life. I still can’t even believe that this is something I did. The whales were beautiful and getting a chance to swim with my favorite animal and an apex predator was life changing. The app was incredibly useful and I loved the daily countdown and individualized itinerary!! Lisa, Kayvon, and Sarah: I am so grateful for every single talk, instruction, for their experience, safety awareness, and love of the ocean and these incredible creatures we were able to see. They were all so passionate which gave space and fostered an environment of excitement and learning. Jasper, Willhelm, Patrick, Harold, Olaf, Alice, Emma, Jessica, Lynn, and Crista: The crew was incredible! I wanted to be a part of the crew. Haha! It takes a lot of people to run a ship safely and smoothly and the mix of these human beings together was a beautiful thing to witness. They were always willing to chat with us about the different components of the ship, their specific roles, and their lives off the ship. The food/wine on the Kinfish was top notch! Crista works magic in the kitchen. He had to create a vegetarian dish, a meat dish, and a gluten-free dish every single meal. I will be coming back. The Kinfish was home away from home. Thank you again to everyone who made this a possibility.
—Chad B, Swim with Killer Whales and Humpbacks, November 2023
5 out of 5
norway-killer-whales-stephen-s
Whole trip was amazing, incredible experience overall, no real complaints - Blown away by everything, team was awesome, ship was great, was not expecting such amazing food as this wasn't really mentioned much before attending, wonderful surprise - Felt lucky throughout the whole trip, from Northern Lights on the first night, plenty of whales throughout and a great final day - got everything that they wanted to see out of the trip - Loved the crew - especially Krista, Lynn and Olaf - Small group size of 8 passengers was lovely - Felt very lucky to have Sarah added to their departure, were so grateful her her being onboard, she was absolutely amazing
—Stephen S, Swim with Killer Whales and Humpbacks, November 2023
5 out of 5

Location
norway

Swim with Killer Whales and Humpbacks in Norway

Swimming with Orcas & Humpbacks