Spain · DOLPHIN & WHALE WATCHING
Pilot whales live off the south Tenerife coast all year, which makes this one of the few places you can book it without a season. The 15 below compare boat size, no-chase policies and how long you actually spend on the water.
Sail from Los Cristianos aboard Travelin Lady, a purpose-built eco-yacht with low emissions and a steady hull. Guides such as Ines explain whales, dolphins, and turtles in four languages. You’ll visit the Cave of Love and may swim or snorkel before returning to port.
“It was great! We saw a group of dolphins and pilot whales, amazing!”
Join Costasol Cruceros aboard the New Magic for a 100-minute catamaran trip from Benalmádena. Your captain and crew search for dolphins along the Costa del Sol, while you enjoy shaded seating, music, bar service, underwater viewing windows, and a possible summer swim.
“We absolutely loved this trip!! The captain knew exactly where the dolphins were and ensured that we had lots of time to see them. I would recommend sitting at the front of the boat as we had the best view! Would book again next time we come! Highly recommended”
Join Flipper Uno at Los Gigantes Port for a two-hour cruise through the Teno-Rasca Whale Sanctuary. Look for pilot whales and dolphins, hear local facts from the crew, admire Masca and Los Gigantes cliffs, then swim in Juan López, Masca, or another sheltered bay.
“Absolutely brilliant and the stopped to have plenty of em time to see the whales hammer head shark great experience and finished off with a cold beer and a swim”
Cruise from Morro Jable aboard the modern Magic Dolphin, with guides speaking English, Spanish, and German. Search for wild dolphins, pilot whales, turtles, and flying fish, then stop for a swim near Jandia. Drinks, a toilet, and optional resort pickup are included.
“It was amazing! Carolina our tour guide made us all welcome and was a great vibe for the trip. It is uncertain whether you will see dolphins or whales so we were so lucky to see striped dolphins ❤️ overall an amazing experience, definitely recommend to everyone”
Sail from Puerto Colon with guides such as Lucy, Danny, and Tony to find resident pilot whales and dolphins near Tenerife’s southwest coast. Choose two hours for wildlife watching or three hours for a Playa Espagueti swim and snorkeling stop. Drinks, equipment, and a sighting guarantee are included.
“Both Dani and Toni (hopefully correct names) were helpful with taking photos and searching for the whales and helping the guests around the boat. They definitely make the trip 10x better. We saw both pilot whales and dolphins. It’s an amazing thing to see them in their natural habitat. Open sea is often choppy so be prepared with sea sick tablets and candles.”
From Morro Jable, you’ll ride a high-speed boat along Fuerteventura’s south coast with guides such as Mauricio, Cesar, and Cristina. Look for dolphins and pilot whales, then stop for 30 minutes of snorkeling and a cold drink. Hotel pickup and return transport from the south are included.
“Amazing. Dolphins are beautiful and the captain made experience even better.”
Cruise Southern Tenerife aboard a small yacht with up to 11 people, guided in English, French, German, or Spanish. Watch for pilot whales and dolphins, stop to snorkel in a quiet bay, and enjoy sandwiches, fruit, beer, wine, champagne, soft drinks, and water.
“Real nice tour, our captain/guide (Max) was great. Dolphins and whales were really close to viat!”
Sail from Puerto Colón on a three-hour Monte Cristo Catamaran cruise. Your crew searches for pilot whales and dolphins, serves tapas, beer, soft drinks, and champagne, then stops for swimming and snorkeling. Pickup is available from hotels in southern Tenerife, with space for no more than 24 people.
“There was a small mix up with the pick up but it was promptly corrected. We had the rare opportunity to see hundreds of dolphins who were extremely active. Then we wandered a little further and got to see pilot whales. It was so amazing. The staff and the boat were all great. I would definitely repeat this trip.”
Set out from Puerto Rico aboard Spirit of the Sea, a 97-person catamaran with a glass-bottom viewing area. Your multilingual crew searches for dolphins, whales, turtles, and other cetaceans along Gran Canaria’s southwest coast, with return transport and a free second trip if no cetaceans appear.
“staff were lovely saw dolphins, glass bottom boat was not what I expected as you had to go below deck to be able to see the glass bottom, which I was led to believe was tiny cramped and very hot, I am disabled so couldn't get down the very steep narrow steps. lots of people also jumping up blocking your view when you did spot the dolphins. but managed to catch a glimpse of two. won't do it again”
Join biologist guides John, Ion, or Monie for a two-hour whale and dolphin trip from Puerto Colón, Costa Adeje. The eight-meter RIB carries no more than 10 people, uses a hydrophone to hear cetaceans, and sends free wildlife photos afterward. Expect pilot whales, dolphins, turtles, and sea views, but sightings remain wild and never guaranteed.
“Great trip with very friendly & knowledgible pilot. Saw pilot whales & an enormous number of flying fish which was unexpected. Would thoroughly recommend. Also provided high resolution photos of sightings after the trip.”
Sail from Los Gigantes with David, Jamie, Eileen, and a small group of up to 10. Look for pilot whales, dolphins, turtles, and seabirds, then stop to swim and snorkel beneath the cliffs. Cava, wine, beer, fruit, sandwiches, and multilingual guiding are included.
“Really knowledgeable crew and guides who cared about the local wildlife and environment . Even stopped to pull an old net out of the water - saw pilot whales , turtle and a dolphin fish that jumped out of the water - sandwiches were lovely and drink provided . Was one of the nicest boats in the harbour - really nice experience would recommend”
Leave Puerto de Alcúdia before sunrise for a three-hour catamaran trip along Mallorca’s north coast. Watch for wild dolphins, see the sky brighten over the sea, and enjoy a small breakfast on the return journey. Bring a warm layer, sunscreen, and a camera.
“Sunrise and dolphin watching tour, brilliant, got to see lots of dolphins and seeing them in their natural environment and the sun rising was magical. would highly recommend this tour! A nice breakfast provided to eat on the way back.”
Set out from Puerto Rico at 10:15 for a 2.5-hour dolphin and whale cruise with Líneas Salmón. Guides speak English, Spanish, and German. Watch for bottlenose and Risso’s dolphins, whales, turtles, and flying fish, with guide Mario often helping guests spot wildlife.
“Excellent experience. We saw some dolphins and some flying fish. The whole trip was very well organised. We truly enjoyed every second of it. Many thanks to Super Mario and his colleagues. 😆❤️”
Set out from Fuengirola Port on a 15-meter yacht with a skipper and multilingual crew. Look for wild dolphins, pass Calaburras Lighthouse and Torrequebrada Beach, then swim or relax with cava, beer, soft drinks, water, and savory snacks. Crew members may include Nando, Gabriel, Dylan, or Toni.
“Great experience, great meeting new people and the captan and guide were amazing”
Sail from Puerto Colón with a multilingual guide such as Johan or Anita, watching pilot whales and dolphins in Tenerife’s Teno-Rasca Whale Sanctuary. Choose a three-hour Diego Hernandez Bay trip or a 4.5-hour cruise to Masca and Los Gigantes, with lunch, drinks, a swim stop, and underwater viewing windows.
“It was wonderful, very kind&friendly people, it’s obvious they love their job! The lunch however can be better, only meet-rice-salad, no other option as fish of vegetarian.”
Pick a city, a coastline or a kitchen.
