Whale watching from Lofoten

Andenes is close to deep water off Andøya; Visit Lofoten describes it as the place in Northern Europe with the highest probability of seeing whales, and says providers there offer a 95% chance.

Andenes, Andøy (Vesterålen): Whale2Sea / Whalesafari Andenes and Arctic Whale Tours. Stø, Øksnes (Vesterålen): Arctic Whale Tours' full-day summer safari. Arctic Route runs a bus day trip from Svolvær to Andenes including a RIB safari. Winter orca and humpback trips listed on Visit Lofoten depart from the Tromsø and Skjervøy area, further north. Around Lofoten itself, the occasional minke whale, orca or porpoise may be seen by chance on other boat trips.

Andenes summer season: Arctic Whale Tours May–September; Whale2Sea peak season June–September (its home page gives the main summer season as May to mid-September, with some trips all year). Arctic Whale Tours' Stø safari runs June–August. Visit Lofoten's whale page gives the end of October to mid-January as the official season, humpbacks until the end of March, and a chance of orcas or porpoises from late May to September, without saying which area each applies to.

Whale2Sea RIB safari 1.5–2.5 hours; Whale2Sea M/S Reine 3–4 hours; Arctic Whale Tours Andenes safari listed at 4 hours on Visit Lofoten and 3–5 hours on its own site; Arctic Route bus trip from Svolvær about 14 hours (07:35–21:30), including a ferry each way and a 2–3 hour RIB trip. Visit Lofoten gives just over 3 hours' drive from Svolvær to Andenes; Arctic Route's timetable runs 07:35–12:15 (about 4 hours 40 minutes) including a 35-minute ferry and a photo stop.

Arctic Route trip: minimum age 8 and minimum height 120 cm; no food included. Whale2Sea RIB: from age 8; M/S Reine: all ages. Arctic Whale Tours' Andenes safari is described as family-friendly.

• Whale2Sea / Whalesafari Andenes (Whale2Sea AS / Hvalsafari AS): Departs Andenes (Hamnegata 1C). RIB safari 1.5–2.5 h from NOK 1,690; M/S Reine 3–4 h, May–September, from NOK 1,690; ticket includes the whale exhibition. Not a Lofoten departure.
• Arctic Whale Tours: Andenes summer safari May–September, mainly sperm whales, heated indoor seating; listed NOK 1,660; a 'Whale Pass' allows another tour free within 12 months if no cetaceans are seen. Also a Stø summer safari June–August. Not a Lofoten departure.
• Arctic Route (Best Arctic): Bus day trip from Svolvær centre (07:25 meeting) or Svinøya Rorbuer to Andenes with a RIB whale safari (up to 12 people) and return by 21:30; listed NOK 3,690. The only listed option that starts in Lofoten.

• Visit Lofoten: 'Whale watching safaris are no longer arranged from Lofoten.'
• Brim Explorer's Silent Whale Watching listing on Visit Lofoten departs Tromsø at 08:00, usually between November and January, and lasts 6–8 hours; it is not a Lofoten departure.

Where sources differ

• Visit Lofoten's whale page says providers offer a '95% chance' at Andenes, while Arctic Whale Tours states sightings can never be guaranteed.
• Drive time Svolvær–Andenes: just over 3 hours (Visit Lofoten) vs 07:35–12:15, about 4 hours 40 minutes including a ferry and a photo stop (Arctic Route timetable).