Spain · WHALE & DOLPHIN WATCHING
Pilot whales live off south-west Tenerife all year, which is why most of these run from the same few harbours. The 15 trips below differ on boat size, hours at sea and whether the operator keeps its distance rather than chasing.
Ethical eco-yacht whale and dolphin watching off Los Cristianos with a swim and snorkel stop, plus a Cave of Love visit. 90 minutes.
“Absolutely amazing staff who took us and our 2 year old on a wonderful cruise whale and dolphin watching. If you are wondering which whale watching tour to book, this is the one!”
Los Cristianos 2-hour whale and dolphin safari with a strict no-chase rule, licensed boat, multilingual guides, and conservation donations.
“We loved the fact that the staff seem to care about the sea life we were hoping to see. Having reached an area where dolphin and whales are often sighted the engine was cut. We saw both dolphins and a pilot whale which was amazing”
Benalmádena dolphin cruise on the New Magic, 100 minutes of Costa del Sol views, underwater windows, and likely dolphin sightings for $22.
“We enjoyed it a lot. We saw plenty of dolphins and the boat journey was wonderful.”
Eco-friendly catamaran whale and dolphin cruise from Costa Adeje, with drinks, snacks, underwater sound, and a swim in Tenerife’s sanctuary.
“The crew was very friendly, they translated everything in every member’s mother language. What it stayed with me - At some point they stopped to take some plastic from the ocean. We saw lots of dolphins and wales, even a sea turtle. Everything was very clean even in the bathrooms. Worth every penny 100%.”
Spot dolphins and pilot whales near Los Gigantes, then swim at Juan López or Masca with a cold drink included.
“fantastic boat trip on the masca express, our guide Alejandro was fantastic great knowledge of the whales and dolphins and sea life, spoke many different languages english was fantastic. we saw flying fish and pilot whales after our guides made sure that we saw atleast sone whales or dolphins. Then they made sure we got a quick swim in the sea before heading back to port. Highly recommend this trip”
A 2-hour dolphin and whale watching cruise from Morro Jable with drinks and a Jandia swim stop. Modern boat, friendly guides.
“Fantastic trip. Really knowledgeable guide, very entertaining skipper…and a load of dolphins as the stars of the show! Free drinks and a dip in Morro Jable’s crystal clear waters to round things off. Would recommend without hesitation!”
Near-shore Tenerife whale watching by catamaran with free drinks, an almost sure pilot whale chance, and a 3-hour snorkeling option.
“We had a great time on our whale watching tour. We saw some pilot whales and bottle nose dolphins. Mario and Tony were excellent guides. They gave great information about the whales in the area and were always making sure we knew which sides of the boat to keep an eye on. The swim spot was great with snorkels provided to have a look at the fish swimming below. Would definitely recommend this trip!”
Tenerife Peter Pan pirate ship whale and dolphin watching from Los Cristianos, ethical Blue Flag cruise with optional swim stop.
“Amazing experience. We loved the tour and they were up to their word and did not chase the whales. We watched the whales. Thank you.”
3 hours on a small yacht in Southern Tenerife to spot dolphins, whales, turtles, plus drinks, snacks and snorkel time.
“Max our guide was fantastic and gave us lot of insights about the region. Great value for money”
3-hour Monte Cristo catamaran whale and dolphin watch from Puerto Colón, with south Tenerife transfers and a tapas buffet.
“Great day on the boat- not too crowded and friendly staff. We saw lots of pilot whales close up which was what we hoped for. Nice lunch and swim too.”
A family-friendly dolphin cruise from Santa Ponsa on a glass-bottom boat, with onboard guide, stunning coast views, and optional swim time.
“10/10 experience! It was very well organised, the guides were so polite and funny! We saw lots of dolphins including 2 baby ones which was just amazing! It was a really relaxing journey and easy to find the jetty using the map attached on the app. I can’t recommend this experience enough and if we had time to do it again this trip, I 100% would! Thank you. :)”
150-minute cruise off Gran Canaria for dolphins and whales, with a live guide and a cash bar for refreshments.
“It was great we seen so many dolphins and crew was amazing. Well worth the money..”
Dolphin watching off Gran Canaria on the Spirit of the Sea. 2.5 hours with transfers, glass-bottom views, and a return voucher if no cetaceans.
“The overall experience was lovely! From hotel pick-up to the tour. Transportation was on time and prompt. The staff and the guides were very professional and I appreciate that they respected the animals habitat. I highly recommend this tour!”
Alcudia dolphin-watching cruise to Cabo Formentor and sea caves, with a swim at Es Coll Baix in about 3 hours.
“A fantastic trip!! We booked the 11am trip and we saw lots of dolphins!! they were amazing and came quite close to the boat. Lots of opportunity to take photos and a good amount of time spent watching them before we headed back. Cesaer our guide showed us some of the caves along the coastline and we stopped in a beautiful bay for a lovey refreshing swim. Cesear was brilliant at reassuring a very small boy who got a little scared in the boat to start with and he clearly loved it all in the end. Totally recommend! Thank you!”
2-hour sunset dolphin cruise from Puerto del Carmen with transfers, catamaran ride, mojito, snacks, and a shot at wild dolphins.
“This has to be one of the best boat trips I’ve been on - staff excellent - pickup was on time - we got food and drinks while on the boat - it was a great atmosphere and we got to see lots and lots of dolphins. The sunset was a bonus too ! I’d give this 10 stars if I could :)”
Every sort of day out, and the best-rated of each.
