Did you know you can go whale watching from Finnish Lapland? This is a unique opportunity for visitors to the northernmost Finnish Lapland, Utsjoki, where we are just a short drive away from the shores of the Arctic Ocean.
You can now add a whale, marine mammal and bird watching adventure to your spring and summer stay in Utsjoki Lapland.
The whales, wildlife and birds are active in the Varanger fjord area from early spring to the beginning of July. Last whale watching tours of the season happen during the first week of July.
For a stress and hassle free fully guided whale watching adventure with Aurora Holidays choose the guided trip from Utsjoki:
- Transportation from Aurora Holidays to the active whale watching harbor ( Vadso or Vardo depending on the seasonal changes) and back to Aurora Holidays.
- Sightseeing and a knowledgeable guide for the drive to Norway and back.
- Whale watching excursion boat ticket – several hours on the Arctic Ocean looking for whales, other marine mammals and Arctic birdlife.
- Lunch and snacks for most dietary needs.
- This is a full day adventure, during which you can just relax, enjoy and whale watch while we take care of everything else.
This day trip is a true bucket list experience. After all, you’ve traveled this far to reach us at Aurora Holidays in Northern Finland, why not experience the natural wonders of Northern Norway too!
If you have a vehicle and would like to self drive and guide yourself to your whale watching tour in Arctic Norway, you can also just use our help in booking the boat tour ticket and purchase it via Aurora Holidays.
Read more on the specifics on the trip and Arctic Whale and wildlife watching below.
BOOKINGS and inquiries via e-mail contact@auroraholidays.net or just give us a call +358 40 7625 005
Whale watching adventure with Aurora Holidays - Departing from Utsjoki
We leave Utsjoki (Aurora Holidays) in a minibus early in the morning depending on the whale watching boat’s departure time and location of the day. Driving on the beautiful coastal route to the harbor, you’ll enjoy gorgeous scenery and enticing stories from the area by your driver and guide.
Depending on the schedule of the boat tour, you’ll enjoy a snack or a lunch before or after your adventure out at sea.
Once we reach our responsible Whale watching partners in Norway, you’ll be given a brief presentation on the trip ahead and the possible wildlife to be seen.
Then you’ll slip into all you weather appropriate layers and will then be fitted with outer shell overalls, lifejacket and goggles provided by the whale watching operators.
At the boat we’ll get settled and head out to sea looking for wildlife as we go.
The whale watching boat is an open RIB boat with saddle-like seats to keep you safe and steady in what can sometimes be a wild ride on the Barents Sea. The maximum group size for the tour is 10, which means you’ll enjoy great views and constant access to your whale watching captain and guide.
Your whale watching boat operators have a long experience operating in Arctic conditions and are very passionate and educated in the wildlife of the area. For your whale watching boat operators as well as to us at Aurora Holidays it is of utmost importance that any nature and wildlife activity is conducted responsibly and without causing unnecessary stress to the wildlife.
The area is very active during this season and there are plenty of different whale and dolphin species around. We mainly have the possiblity to see Fin, Minke, Humpback, Killer (Orca) and Sperm whales during the season. Pods of White beaked dolphins and Harbor porpoises are also quite common in the area. We can also possibly encounter seals and otters. And of course huge numbers of various seabirds from Kittiwakes to Puffins and Razorbills to White tailed eagles to name a few.
Naturally as we are dealing with wild wildlife and natural elements, any sightings are never guaranteed. But the odds for memorable encounters are very high.
After spending hours on the Arctic Ocean and your heart filled with wild adventure, we’ll get you out of your whale watching “uniform” and back into the comfort of our minibus and begin our return to Utsjoki. Depending on the timing of the day we might stop to enjoy a snack or lunch as well as stop and take in some of the most remarkable sights along the way back.
Drive time to the harbour depends on the departing harbor of the boat at that time, which is dependant on the location of the whales as it changes during the season; this means that the drive time can be around 1,5hrs to up to 3 hrs each way. Which is why it is great to just kick back and relax after a long day at sea while our driver and guide is behind the wheel.
NOTE:
- This trip can also be a vegan, vegetarian or gluten-free friendly.
- We can also work around possible disabilities.
- This trip doesn’t require a certain fitness level but we do spend quite some time outdoors in the arctic conditions.
BRING:
- Warm weather proof clothing and extra layers.
- Hats and gloves.
- Weather resistant shoes or a dry pair to change into in case.
- A top layer suit and life jackets are provided for the boat safari.
Disclaimer: All activities are dependent on weather condition and availability. Aurora Holidays reserves the right to make modifications to this trip at any time for health and safety reasons.
BOOKINGS and inquiries via e-mail contact@auroraholidays.net or just give us a call +358 40 7625 005
