Whale Watching · TENERIFE
The pilot whales in the strait are residents, so this is the rare coast with no season to plan around. The 15 below run from a thirteen-dollar eco-cruise to a private catamaran, most with a swim stop under the Los Gigantes cliffs.
Join Travelin Lady from Los Cristianos for a 90-minute, no-chase whale and dolphin trip on Tenerife’s purpose-built eco-yacht. Guides such as Ines explain the wildlife in several languages, with time for the Cave of Love and a swim stop if conditions allow.
“It was great! We saw a group of dolphins and pilot whales, amazing!”
Sail for two hours from Puerto Los Cristianos aboard the Bahriyeli, a spacious ketch with open decks and an inside salon. Government-certified guides explain Tenerife’s marine life in five languages while the crew searches without chasing animals. Dolphins and pilot whales are common sightings, with turtles also possible.
“the most fantastic experience, the guys are so knowledgeable and we were very lucky. they do great work, and this is very cheap, so please leave a tip!”
Cruise from Puerto Colón into Tenerife’s Teno-Rasca Whale Sanctuary on a fuel-efficient catamaran. The crew, including captains such as Carlos and Miguel, looks for pilot whales and dolphins, serves sandwiches and drinks, plays underwater sounds, and stops for swimming. Choose 3 or 5 hours.
“Superb eco-cruise experience! Few people on the boat, respect and silence when observing the whales (engine cut), which makes the moment magical. The two skippers were really friendly and passionate. I recommend it!”
Set out from Los Gigantes Port aboard the Masca Express for two hours of whale and dolphin watching, cliff views, and a swim in Masca, Juan López, or Barranco Seco. Spanish-speaking guides such as Alejandro help spot marine life, while your ticket includes one cold drink.
“Brilliant couple of hours in the water, professional crew who know their stuff. Highly recommended.”
Sail from Puerto Colon with guides such as Lucy, Dani, and Tony to find resident pilot whales and dolphins near Tenerife’s southwest coast. Choose two hours for wildlife viewing or three hours for a Playa Espagueti swim and snorkel stop. Drinks are included, and sightings are guaranteed.
“Fantastic trip. Lucy and the team were amazing and we saw bottle nosed dolphins and pilot whales. Thoroughly recommend this trip to anyone”
Join Neptuno Whale Experience Tenerife aboard the pirate-style Peter Pan from Los Cristianos. Expect a two-hour, Blue Flag certified wildlife trip with English, French, German, Italian, or Spanish commentary, common pilot whale sightings, seabirds, and a 15 to 20-minute swim stop if sea conditions allow.
“Great activity for both adults and children ( our children were 17 14 & 7 ) Great views of the coastline whilst following Whales / Dolphins. Take the opportunity to dive / jump into the sea its not the sort of opportunity you get every day.. Great value for money..”
Board Ragnarok at Los Cristianos Harbour for a two-hour whale and dolphin cruise. A multilingual English and Spanish crew guides you toward pilot whales and dolphins, with Viking costumes, music, shaded seating, a bar, toilets, and wheelchair access. Bring sun protection and allow extra time for traffic.
“The boat trip was very fun and we saw the dolphins and whales and it was amazing to watch those creatures in her natural habitat! The crew was amazing and very welcoming and funny. It was my baby first Bday and they sang a bday sonf for her and it was super cute!! Time was just perfect. Highly recommend it to everyone”
Sail from Puerto Colón with up to 11 passengers, guided by English, French, German, or Spanish-speaking skippers such as Guy or Maxi. Watch for pilot whales and dolphins, then stop in a quiet bay for swimming and snorkeling. Drinks, sandwiches, fruit, and hotel pickup within 10 kilometers are available.
“Love our guide guy, he is quite professional in every aspect of the driving. He saved me from the hard seasick by letting me sit on the tail of the boat, so my feet could soak in the water, and it's really helpful! We see the pilot whales and we try the swimming a little bit. It's totally worthy to join this trip!”
From Los Gigantes, you’ll ride a speedboat to search for pilot whales and dolphins, then stop for a 15-minute swim in Masca Bay beneath the cliffs. English and Spanish guides, a drink, insurance, and whale watching are included. Guides may include Juan Carlos and George.
“A fantastic experience. We observed many pilot whales from just a few meters distance. The crew was very friendly and accommodating. If you want to go and observe whales in Tenerife, this is the company to do it with.”
Join the 23-meter, two-mast Bahriyeli gulet from Los Cristianos for a two-hour wildlife sail. Marine-life specialists explain pilot whales, dolphins, turtles, birds, and other sightings while the crew keeps a strict no-chase policy. You’ll also see Mount Teide and Tenerife’s south coast.
“Very good trip, well worth going, saw plenty of dolphins and whales, very informative and helpful staff 👍”
Join Travelin Lady for a 90-minute sunset cruise from Los Cristianos. Guides such as Ines, Sergio, Cintia, and Fede explain the marine life in several languages while you look for pilot whales, dolphins, turtles, and more from a low, stable eco-yacht.
“It was an amazing trip, we got to see multiple dolphins, a sea turtle and even a hammer shark. Ines was an amazig guide, with her great sense of humor and her multy lenguage skills I am sure people got value for money, I know I did.”
Set out from Puerto Colón in Costa Adeje aboard an eight-meter rigid inflatable boat with no more than 10 people. Biologist guides such as John and Ion explain the marine life, use a hydrophone to listen underwater, and send free wildlife photos after the two-hour tour.
“Amazing experience. Our guide John was so informative. It was a smaller boat, so you felt closer to the pilot whales. We have gone on this trip twice in one week, it has been so good.”
Sail from Puerto Colón on the Royal Delfin catamaran, watching for pilot whales, dolphins, turtles, and other marine life. Anja and the multilingual crew explain Tenerife and the animals in English, Spanish, German, and French. Sixteen underwater windows let you watch below the surface, conditions permitting.
“We had a thoroughly enjoyable morning on this trip, where we saw plenty of short fin pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins. We chose this tour as it has a larger boat than many others. This meant we could walk around and look out of either side of the boat. We could also buy drinks, which were very cheap (tea and coffee). The glass bottom part of the boat didn't really work as it wasn't possible to see anything in the water, but this wasn't really a problem as we hadn't booked for that feature.”
Join David, Jamie, Eileen, or another member of the Third Element crew for a three-hour sailing trip from Los Gigantes. Look for pilot whales, dolphins, turtles, and seabirds, then swim and snorkel by the cliffs. The boat carries no more than 10 people and serves fruit, sandwiches, and drinks.
“Excellent day on the boat . Third Element is the great choice if you want to spend nice time spotting dolphins and whales . Definitely worth the money . Would choose them again .”
Join Flipper Uno at Los Gigantes Harbor for a 2 or 3-hour pirate-boat cruise. A multilingual guide explains the marine life as you search for pilot whales and dolphins, then head toward Masca and Los Gigantes for a swim, trapeze jumps, drinks, and optional chicken paella.
“Brilliant - the star 'outing' of our holiday. Saw only a few dolphins, but the staff were very friendly, the beers flowed, and the top-deck was THE place to be (altho a cushion is advised). Didn't get much time to swim, but I would thoroughly recommend this trip.”
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