Whale watching in Tenerife: Best Responsible tours

Are you looking for an unforgettable experience in Tenerife? Do you want to see whales and dolphins in their natural habitat and learn more about them? If you answered yes, then Whale Watching in Tenerife is the perfect activity for you!

Tenerife is one of the best places in Europe to see these amazing marine mammals all year round. You can join a boat trip from Costa Adeje or Los Gigantes and get the opportunity to spot different species of whales and dolphins, such as pilot whales, bottlenose dolphins, sperm whales, and even orcas!

Although, not all whale-watching tours offer the same experience. Some are more respectful to wildlife and eco-friendly than others, and some offer better services and value for money.

I have personally joined several whale-watching tours in Tenerife when I worked as an Eco-tourism coordinator and surveyor for a Marine Mammal foundation that studies and protects whales and dolphins in Tenerife. Our job was to board tourist boats and survey dolphins & whales. During these few months on tourist boats, I learned a lot about the animals and their environment, but also which whale-watching tours are really the best to book while in Tenerife.

That’s why I created this ultimate guide to help you choose the best whale-watching tour for your needs and budget. In this guide, you will find:

• The Best Whale-Watching tours in Tenerife per location to depart from & most responsible tour companies
• Why is Tenerife the best European destination to go whale watching?
• How to choose a whale-watching tour
• The Best time of the year to go whale watching in Tenerife

Are you ready for this unforgettable adventure? Then read on and discover everything you need to know about Whale Watching in Tenerife!

Best whale-watching tours in Tenerife

Our Pick

Top pick: best Tenerife whale-watching tour

Don’t have time to read the whole article? This Costa Adeje 3-hour sailing trip is the best whale watching in Tenerife, with 4.5 stars from more than 2k+ reviews!

Check availability now!

Costa Adeje boat trips

The main place to join a whale-watching boat trip in Tenerife is Puerto Colon in Costa Adeje. It is a local harbour easily accessible from Los Cristianos and Playa de las Americas, near the beautiful Playa La Pinta and Playa Torviscas. You can take a bus to Puerto Colon or book with a boat company offering a hotel pick-up. The main companies I went with and would recommend are:

Tenerife Sailing Charters – Best Overall!

This is for sure the ultimate experience to live in Tenerife to see whales and dolphins. This 3-hour sailing tour leaves Puerto Colon on a daily basis at 9:45 AM, 1 PM and 3:50 PM and costs about €60 per person with champagne, snack and unlimited drinks! Contrary to other tours on large catamaran, this tour takes you on a small sailboat which accommodates max 11 persons. You can also privatise the boat if you are a 10 persons group!

Check availability and price for this tour below:

White Tenerife – Best larger boat!

If sailing on a small boat is not for you (eg, you are seasick), this eco-friendly whale-watching boat is one of the best to see whales and dolphins in Tenerife from the Costa Adeje. You can choose between their 3-hour tour (which leaves at 10:30 am and 3 pm) or their 5-hour tour (10:30 am). It is one of the best whale-watching boats in Tenerife for families.

Eden Catamaran – Small, relentless and good people

Eden is a small catamaran that can host 25 people max. The boat leaves every day at 11 am (2 hours) and at 1:15 pm (3 hours) from Puerto Colon. This boat doesn’t go too far out at sea but focuses a lot on spotting Pilot whales and Bottlenose dolphins. The captain will never give up!! After the first hour of watching the marine mammals, you will be given a sandwich and a drink while cruising towards a beach where you can swim and snorkel. However, I don’t recommend small boats if you are prone to seasickness.

The Royal Delphin – See underwater with the boat’s glass bottom

The Royal Delphin is a double-deck boat with a glass bottom that allows you to see the animals from below the surface (!) if the conditions are good enough. It can host up to 50 people and may feel overcrowded at times but the guides are knowledgeable and it is the only boat with the possibility to see underwater. Paella lunch and drinks are included. Depending on the day, they offer 2, 3 or 4.5-hour trips. Hotel pick-up is also available.

Check availability and price for this tour below:

FreeBird – Comfortable & large catamarans with sunbeds

They have the largest range of catamarans offering 3-hour trips every day at 10 am (€40) and a 4.5-hours tour at 1:15 pm (€54). These boats can go really fast (they don’t use their sails) and will cover a large area to find whales and dolphins. Drinks (alcohol or soft) and a sandwich are included, plus hotel pick-up and drop-off. You can also rent a sunbed for €10 when you board the boat, but make sure to be first to board to secure one. The longer tour will take to all the way north towards Los Gigantes and Masca. A unique experience.

Los Gigantes boat trips

Los Gigantes is a small village in the northwest of Tenerife, mainly known for its huge cliff called the giants (Los Gigantes in Spanish). There aren’t as many boat tours as in Costa Adeje, but they have the merit to offer beautiful views over the cliffs from the sea.

Third Element:

Third Element is a sailboat for up to 8 people offering a 3-hour tour at 10 am and 1 pm. They will use the sail if the condition is good – contrary to other companies which only use their engine. Snacks and drinks are included in the price, as well as snorkelling gear. They have a pick-up service from Los Gigantes and La Caleta. This is really ideal if you are staying near Los Gigantes.

HOW TO CHOOSE A whale watching tour?

Chose a responsible boat

Whale-watching tours are very popular in Tenerife and a lot of boats offer this excursion. It is important to know this activity is highly regulated by the local government and boat captains must have followed a specific course to be able to conduct a tour. There are in fact rules on how many boats can be around the animals, as well as how long they can stay nearby and how they must approach the pod.

Most boats are sailboats but only use the engine to travel. These can be intrusive to the wildlife lodging at the surface, so it is necessary that tour agencies follow the rules. I have seen some very bad behaviours from tours while at sea, and as tourists, we are all responsible to choose a tour wisely to not support these dishonest and disrespectful companies.

To help you choose your tour, Tenerife Turismo has created the “Blue Boat Flag” (Barco Azul) to recognise responsible companies and identify the boats which comply with local regulations. Make sure to look for this identification when you book your whale-watching tour in Tenerife.

All the tours I recommend in this blog post are regulated and well-known for leading by example. I have joined these boat tours multiple times and would not recommend them if I had not seen how they dealt with the animals and their guests.

Note | A few boats don’t have this Blue Boat flag but are certified under other internationally affiliated and ethical programs such as WCA (Whale Cetacean Alliances) and Friend of The Sea. You can also look at these prior to booking your tour.

what you should look for

Choosing the right whale-watching tour is an important part of the experience and can greatly impact the overall enjoyment of the trip. Here are some details you will always need to take into consideration when booking.

Tour Duration: Consider the length of the tour when choosing a whale-watching tour. Tours can range from a 2-hour to a full day, so make sure to choose a tour that fits your schedule.

Cost: The cost of whale watching tours can vary greatly, so it’s important to consider your budget when making a choice. Keep in mind that longer tours and tours on small or private boats will typically be more expensive.

Tour Operator: Research the tour operator before booking a tour. Look for operators with a good reputation and positive reviews from past customers. Make sure they have experienced guides and are dedicated to responsible whale-watching practices. In the below article, we have listed the whale-watching boat tours that we travelled with and can highly recommend.

Type of Boat: Consider the type of boat you want to go on. Some tours offer smaller, more intimate boats, while others offer larger boats with more amenities and of course a lot more people. Some boats will also have the capacity to go further to look for whales, when smaller ones may be limited. Make sure to choose a boat that fits your comfort level and the type of experience you’re looking for.

What’s included: always check if the tour provides hotel pick-up, food, drinks, etc. and chose what’s best for you and your family

Location: there are different harbours (which we will detail below) from where you can join a whale-watching tour in Tenerife. Chose the location that works best for you and doesn’t require too much travel.

The different harbours

There are 2 main harbours from where you can join a boat tour to go whale watching in Tenerife. Neither is better than the other, they are just located in different areas along the southern coast.

there are plenty of boat types and activities. You can choose to hop on small sailing boats or large catamarans with sunbeds and bow nets. You can also decide how long you wish to sail for as most companies offer 2 tours a day varying in length. Most tours leave for 2 to 5 hours.

The morning tours usually leave at 10 am and come back to shore around 1 pm to pick up the afternoon tour and sail until 4 or 5 pm. The afternoon tours are longer and are obviously more expensive. However, it is not because they are long that you will spend more time looking for whales and dolphins. These tours are longer because they go further up the coast to offer the opportunity to see Masca and the Gigantes cliffs from the sea.

In general, you will spend 1-hour watching whales and dolphins. Most days, the animals are easy to find within the first 30 min of the tour, but sometimes the captain will need to travel further away. No worries, the crew is usually aware of the whales’ location as all the boats in the area inform each other of any sightings by radio.

If something unusual is spotted somewhere, you can be sure your captain will do everything they can to get there (orcas, blue whales, etc.)

The rest of the tour is spent along the coast to see the beauty of the Tenerife coast. For the most adventurous, the boat will stop in a nice area where you can jump into the sea for a refreshing swim (even in winter, yes). You will be given snorkelling gear too but you can also bring your own. Each boat offer drinks (soft and alcoholic) as well as a snack (tuna or vegetarian sandwich) or a meal (paella).

Why is Tenerife the Best European destination to go whale watching?

A large diversity of marine species

Out of the 80 known cetacean species, about 20 have been observed in the waters of the Canary Islands. It is thanks to a year-long temperate climate, warm waters and the deep seafloors which are protected against the strength of the Atlantic Ocean that the islands attract so many marine mammals. There is, in fact, such thriving wildlife that the Teno-Rasca Marine Reserve protecting the west coast of Tenerife, was declared one of the most important conservation areas in Europe.

Bottlenose dolphins and Pilot whales live all year long in the waters between La Gomera and Tenerife. Depending on the season, many other whale and dolphin species travel close to the island. If you are lucky and join a great boat crew, you may have also the chance to spot big marine mammals such as Bryde’s whales, Fin whales or even a Blue Whale…!

• Resident species: Bottlenose dolphins and pilot whales
• Occasional species: Atlantic spotted dolphins, Bryde’s whales, Risso dolphins, Sperm whales
• Seasonal species: Common dolphin, Humpback whales, Fin whales
• Rare species: Orca (killer whales), Blue whales, Pygmy sperm whales

99% chance to see Pilot whales or Bottlenose dolphins

Between the islands of Tenerife and La Gomera, the seafloor can reach 2,000 m below the surface, which allows the Bottlenose Dolphins and Short-finned Pilot Whales to hunt large amounts of fish and their favourite treat: giant squids. Thereby, these two species can be found lurking around all year long. This an exceptional reason to go dolphin and whale watching in Tenerife any time of the year.

In fact, while Pilot whales hunt squid in the deep sea at night, they tend to relax at the surface during the day. Being part of the dolphin family, Pilot whales actually switch off one side of their brain to rest it while the other is in charge of keeping the animal breathing.

NEXT READ: The best outdoor activities in Tenerife for nature lovers!

Once the side that had been switched off is well rested, the Pilot whale does the same with the other half of its brain. During that time, the animal is lodged and can easily be spotted from boats and sometimes from the land.

Bottlenose dolphins on their hand, are usually spotted during the day near the fishing farms close to Los Cristianos. They hunt around in pods to catch fish (outside the nests) attracted by the farms’ food.

An affordable destination close to Europe

Tenerife is a 3 to 5-hour flight from any main city in Europe. The island is really well linked by low-cost companies such as Ryanair or Vueling for less than €50 one-way. You can find direct flights from cities like Dublin, London, Madrid, Lisbon, Milan, Brussels, Stockholm, Berlin etc.

Once on-site, the island is quite affordable to eat and drink but prices are a bit pumped up depending on where you stay. While you can have a great meal for a fiver or a pint for a euro, budget accommodation is unfortunately limited. We highly recommend booking well in advance or going as a group.

There is little accommodation for couples other than a hotel. Most apartments and short-term locations are for a minimum of 4 to 6 people. While it can get expensive to find a place to stay for 2 people, it gets cheaper the more you are. We have an article about the best places to stay in Tenerife, check it out here.

Whale-watching Tenerife ¦ best time of year

You can see pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins all year long in Tenerife.

However, the best time for whale watching in Tenerife and seeing migratory whales would be from November to February when Humpbacks, Fin whales and sometimes Blue whales pass by the coast of Tenerife. This doesn’t mean you will for sure see one of these species during your boat trip, but you will have more chances than at any other time of the year.

Sperm whales used to be seen all year long but since the arrival of the fast ferry linking La Gomera to Tenerife a few years ago, many individuals have been killed. It is believed that the survivors have left the area for a safer place, but it hasn’t been confirmed. Sperm whales are in fact complicated animals to follow as they can dive for more than an hour and as deep as 2,000 m. They are nowadays mainly spotted between the two islands, from March to April.

Regarding Killer whales in Tenerife, also known as Orcas, it is another story. You actually never know with these beauties! Their presence near the coast of Tenerife is actually rare and you would be very lucky to be on a boat and see one. If spotted, it is usually during springtime.

Finally, Blue whales. The largest animal on the planet is sometimes seen off Tenerife from December to February as they migrate from/to their feeding grounds in the north Atlantic to/from their breeding area near Cape Verde.

Note | wild animals are unpredictable and it is impossible to guarantee you will spot such and such animals during your time in Tenerife. Most tours will give you a free rebook if you don’t see any wildlife on your outing.

Where is Tenerife and how to get there?

Tenerife is one of the 7 islands of the Canary Islands found off the coast of Morocco in the Atlantic Ocean. Tenerife is the largest and most populated island, and also one of the most touristy with more than 6 million visitors per year.

The island is well prepared to receive holidaymakers, with many short terms offers to all-inclusive hotels, resorts and apartments. But what makes Tenerife such an excellent destination, other than the many outdoor activities, are the cheap and direct flights coming from the main European cities to both airports of the island on a daily basis.

Most of the international flights will land in South Tenerife near the main tourist area but you can also find direct flights to the northern Airport close to La Laguna if you prefer staying in this part of the island. Most European budget airlines such as Ryanair, Vueling and EasyJet fly every day, all year long to Tenerife for less than €50 one way. However, it would be wiser to book in advance your flight if you plan on travelling during any holiday breaks.

The transfer from the southern airport to Los Cristianos, Playa de las Americas or Puerto Colon takes about 20 minutes. You can either take a local bus, a taxi or a shuttle. Bus 111 leaves the airport every 30 minutes and costs less than €2 per person while a private transfer can cost up to €50.

Practical tips

• Book your whale-watching tour in advance. There are many companies that offer boat trips on the island. Online, it is easier to read reviews, compare prices, read reviews, and find the whale-watching tour that fits your needs.
• Even if the weather is generally warm all year long, cloudy and colder days can happen in the winter, so make sure to bring something to cover yourself such as a wind & rain jacket.
• Don’t forget to bring sunscreen (in any season), a sun hat and sunglasses. The sun is stronger at sea.
• If you suffer from seasickness I would recommend booking a larger boat. You will feel the swell a lot less.
• It doesn’t really matter which trip you book – morning or afternoon. The chances to see whales and dolphins are just as high. The morning tours are usually shorter but cheaper.

Swimming with dolphins in Tenerife

Swimming with dolphins in the wild is FORBIDDEN in Tenerife.

No organisation will ever offer this type of activity as it is illegal in Spain. If you see such behaviour from a boat crew, please report them to the authorities or one of the whale protection organisations (AWdF or Frontier). Some parks on the island (that we won’t make advertising for), offer paid tours to encounter dolphins in swimming pools. However, remember that these places capture these animals in the wild and keep them trained in small pools. This is not sustainable nor respectful to wildlife.

If you want to approach dolphins, we encourage you to take a kayaking excursion or a boat tour.

KAYAKING WITH DOLPHINS IN TENERIFE

Kayaking is one of our favourite ways to go dolphin-watching. There is nothing more rewarding than using your own arms and sweat to see animals in the wild. It is also more sustainable and responsible than renting a jet ski or joining a boat trip.

Kayaking has a low impact on the environment with zero noise or carbon pollution, and it is the less invasive way of transport to see the dolphins from only a few meters away.

You can go kayaking with dolphins directly from Los Cristianos. We booked for a 2 to 3-hour trip, where we had a few dolphins swimming alongside and below our kayak. We then went snorkelling with turtles at the end of the tour.

 Click here to read more about this activity or check availability and pricem belo.

Quick faq about whale watching in Tenerife

ARE YOU ON PINTEREST?

What about saving this post to your Pinterest board? Click on the photo to save this blog post for later.

We are also on the platform and we love pinning great travel tips. Follow Tales From The Lens’ boards to see our latest pins.

Don’t be shy, come say hi!

Follow us on Pinterest!

Please note │ This blog post may also include affiliate links to hostels or products we recommend, which means if you buy something following a link on this page, we’ll get a small commission. This will be of no extra cost to you but will help us continue running this blog. Thank you for your support.

About the Author

Jen is the Funder, Author & Photographer behind Talesfromthelens.com

Jen has lived for the past 15 years across Oceania and Ireland while also travelling in Latin America, North America, and Europe. She has visited more than 65 countries and set foot on every continent in the world! She is a coffee nerd, passionate about photography, wildlife, and outdoor activities.

For more info, check out the About page.