The 13 Best Whale Watching Tours with a Guide

1.Húsavík: Whale Watching Tour with Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 2,761 reviews · 3 hours · from $115Our pick

Join North Sailing for a three-hour whale-watching cruise from Húsavík aboard a traditional oak boat. An English-speaking guide such as Laura, Sophie, Alice, or Christian explains whale behavior as you search Skjálfandi Bay for humpbacks, minke whales, dolphins, puffins, and other seabirds. Warm overalls, hot chocolate, and a cinnamon bun are included.

“We booked the tour from Húsavík and the day before the tour we got an email that the weather conditions aren't good. But we could reschedule our tour to Árskógssandur without any issue. The customer service was great. The tour guide was also great and we were able to see a whale even though it wasn't the best season to go whale watching. The humpback whale didn't have a name yet and my girlfriend got to name him because she came up with a funny name - Forest Hump. Overall I would highly recommend this tour!”

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2.Reykjavik: Whale Watching Tour with Expert Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 2,422 reviews · 2 - 3 hours · from $87

Sail from Reykjavík’s Old Harbour into Faxaflói Bay aboard Andrea, Iceland’s largest whale-watching ship. An English-speaking guide helps you spot minke and humpback whales, dolphins, porpoises, and sometimes orcas. Choose the roomy Classic cruise or the faster summer Express boat, with a free return ticket if wildlife stays hidden.

“Ania was an excellent guide. She was determined for us to see the Northern Lights, unfortunately they did not come out for us. Ania was very knowledgeable about the tour and you could tell she was unhappy that we didn’t get a chance to see them, but we do have a voucher that is good for two years if we come back.”

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3.Whale Watching Tour with Professional Guide from Reykjavik

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 744 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $97

Leave Reykjavík’s Old Harbour for a 3.5-hour search through Faxaflói Bay, where humpback and minke whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, and summer puffins may appear. Guides such as Patrick and Joe add lively commentary, while heated cabins, warm flotation suits, WiFi, and a no-sighting return ticket make this a practical choice.

“Do not see many whales Ramp on and off boat very slippery Wife fell and no one came to assist her No help at office except gave her a packet of Tylenol”

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4.Whale-Watching Boat Tour with Expert Guide from Reykjavik

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 651 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $86

Meet at Reykjavik’s Old Harbor for a 2.5-hour express ride or a 3.5-hour cruise into Faxaflói Bay. Your naturalist guide helps you spot minke and humpback whales, dolphins, porpoises, and seabirds. Thermal coveralls, heated indoor seating, Wi-Fi, and a second-chance ticket are included.

“Only one side of the boat could consistently see the animals because they kept turning the boat toward it rather than letting the animals pass on the sides.”

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5.2 Hours Guided Whale and Bird Boat Tour in Bay Bulls

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 557 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) Top rated

From Bay Bulls, your captain and naturalist guide cruise the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve for two hours, pointing out puffins, murres, petrels, dolphins, and whales. Expect local songs, clear wildlife commentary, and the optional chance to be screeched in. Bring warm clothes.

“We were accompanied by a knowledgeable guide, Noah, who even sang folk songs. We were blessed to have a sunny day. Too early for whales or Icebergs but just being on the water and observing seabirds in their natural habitat was well worth it!”

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6.Monterey: Sunset Whale Watching Cruise with A Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 519 reviews · 3 hours · from $75

Join Discovery Whale Watch at Monterey’s Fisherman’s Wharf for a three-hour sunset cruise led by a marine biologist or naturalist. Guides such as Isaiah, Andrew, and Kevin explain whale behavior, migration, and conservation while the crew searches for humpbacks, dolphins, sea lions, otters, and more.

“The most incredible trip ever. Surrounded by whales! Super friendly and helpful team, we booked and got delayed so they moved our trip back a day for us. 10/10”

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7.Húsavík: Whale-Watching Cruise and Puffins Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 444 reviews · 3 hours · from $135

From Húsavík, you spend about 3.5 hours on a traditional oak boat in Skjálfandi Bay, looking for whales, dolphins, and puffins. English-speaking guides, warm overalls, hot chocolate, and cinnamon buns are included. Guides such as Jess and Chris have brought marine science and years of whale-watching experience to past trips.

“We very much enjoyed our puffin and whale watching trip. The crew took safety seriously and explained the boat and what to do if there was a problem. The guide was very informative and this kept us interested in the gaps between wildlife sightings. We were lucky enough to see a pod of dolphins and three humpback whales.”

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8.Monterey: Whale Watching Tour with A Marine Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 348 reviews · 2h 30m · from $70

Cruise Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary for 150 minutes aboard the Princess Monterey or Atlantis Monterey. A marine guide explains whale behavior, dolphins, sea lions, and seabirds while you watch from heated cabins, large windows, or the 360-degree outdoor deck. Food and drinks are available onboard.

“A nice trip out in to the ocean, great tour guide and crew. Good view of the wildlife, but after an hour of seeing the occasional whale it became a bit dull and everyone was waiting to go back. Would be better with a glass bottomed boat maybe. Also we were quite far from the whales for most of the time so you need a good zoom lens to get some good shots. Worth the trip”

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9.Guided Whale Watching Tour from Long Beach

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 335 reviews · 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $35

Join Harbor Breeze Cruises at Long Beach’s Aquarium Way for a 2 to 2.5-hour whale watching cruise. Naturalists and seasoned captains point out whales, dolphins, sea lions, birds, the Queen Mary, and port sights from a stable catamaran. Guide Zack has earned praise for his friendly explanations.

“Very cold and can get sea sick easy. The people running the ship were very good and tried to find whales for us. We did ot see any yet did see dolphins and seals.”

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10.Roseau: Guided Dolphin and Whale Watching Tour With Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 307 reviews · 3 hours · from $106

Set out from Roseau with a marine naturalist and captain such as Jeff, Beans, Michael, or Dwayne to search Dominica’s sperm whale sanctuary. Expect a three-hour trip on a small, open boat, bottled drinks, a hydrophone, ocean spray, and the chance to see whales and dolphins in the wild.

“Despite the boat ride being a bit bumpy as it was a windy day, our guide was great, knowledgable and did a great job at spotting the whales, explaining their behaviour and leading us close to them when they were about to jump. We saw about 6 sperm whales. A highly recommended experience.”

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11.Cape Town: Full Day Guided Hermanus and Whale Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 155 reviews · from $51

Travel from Cape Town to Hermanus in a group of up to 18, with coastal views, Rotary Way, free time for shore-based whale watching, an optional whale cruise, Hemel-en-Aarde wine tasting, and a stop at Peregrine Farm Stall. Guides such as Louis and Brahm add local insight.

“A beautiful drive; friendly, knowledgeable host; seeing whales (even from shore); nice group of fellow travelers - there was nothing in the day that I would change.”

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12.Guided Small Group Whale Watching and Swim Tour Tahiti

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 57 reviews · from $238

Join Wild Explorer Tahiti from Papeete Marina for a four-and-a-half-hour whale-watching trip limited to six people. Guide Teiki and the captain search for humpback whales from July to November, with swimming offered only when whale behavior and sea conditions are safe. Turtles, rays, coral gardens, and wreck sites add value.

“What can we say but WOW, INCREDIBLE, AMAZING EXPERIENCE! Teiki and captain Michael went way above beyond to insure we had the best adventure! We did three dives to see a mama humpback and her baby. Once in a lifetime memorRead more”

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13.Naha: Whale Watching with Pickup and English Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 52 reviews · 3 hours · from $30Best value

Join Cerulean Blue Okinawa for a three-hour whale-watching trip from Naha Miegusuku Port. A veteran captain leads the search, while an English and Japanese crew assists onboard. Use the multilingual smartphone guide for whale facts, and choose port check-in or pickup from 12 Naha stops.

“A very crowded meet up point. On board all were made to use life jackets but not all crew was using them. One crew member even on flip-flop foot wear! Spoken information quite poor. Nothing more them what I read from a Zanami island brochure.”

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