Snorkel With Orcas
Still to do
Slip into a dark Arctic fjord in a drysuit and watch orcas herd herring beneath you.
The adventure
In the polar night, the sun barely rises over the fjords north of Tromsø, and the light is a long blue dusk. Herring gather here in their millions, and the orcas come for them, along with humpback whales.
You slide off the boat in a thick drysuit, face in the freezing water, and wait. Then black and white shapes appear below: orcas circling a ball of silver herring, slapping it with their tails to stun the fish, then swooping in. Sometimes they turn to look at you. The cold is fierce and the water is dark, but seeing the ocean's top predator hunting a few metres away is something few people ever experience. And above, on a clear night, the Northern Lights.
Why it’s epic
- Orcas hunting herring with tail slaps.
- Humpback whales in the same fjords.
- Northern Lights in the polar night.
What it is
In winter, orcas and humpback whales follow the herring into the fjords of northern Norway, and licensed operators take small groups snorkelling with them.
How to do it
Book a snorkelling trip with a licensed operator in Skjervøy or Tromsø. Drysuits are provided; you need to be a confident swimmer.
Top tip
The polar night means little daylight, so trips run in the middle of the day; stay a few days in case of bad weather.
Need to know
- Only go with an operator following Norway's whale-watching guidelines.
- You must be a confident swimmer and comfortable in very cold water.
- Whale behaviour and locations change from year to year.
Plan this trip
- Rough cost
- £2,000 to £5,000 per person, including flights from the UK
- Time needed
- A few days
- Best time to go
- November to January
- Fly into
- TOS airport
Specialist snorkelling trips and Arctic Norway prices add up.
Make it happen
Why it’s on my list
Not done yet. If you’ve done it and have tips, tell me about it.
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