Signature Trip: Winter Whales of Norway
Snorkeling with wild Orcas and Humpback Whales in the fjords of Northern Norway! A bucket list experience with the highest 'WOW'-factor.
Snorkeling with whales & orcas is a dream for many people. At Waterproof Cruises & Expeditions we are committed to provide you the best possible experience in a sustainable way.
We offer various expeditions that are dedicated to whale watching and snorkeling with whales, in both cold and warm water. In Norway you can snorkel with orcas, while in Tonga you have the unique opportunity to swim with humpback whales and calves.
To ensure a great experience and safety of the whales and our guests, we only work with certified companies, expert guides and an experienced crew. It is our goal to offer a sustainable experience. Lectures will be given to learn about the whales and their environment, and participants receive clear whale watching guidelines and safety instructions before entering the water. We don't offer scuba diving on our whale watching voyages.
Rule number one when it comes to wildlife watching; Nothing is guaranteed! We will always do our utmost to offer you the best experience but cannot guarantee that all activities will take place as we’ve outlined in advance. We deal with wild animals in open water and unpredictable weather conditions. Therefor we ask all our guests to set realistic expectations and be flexible to make this experience a success.
During our trips it is our goal to go snorkelling as often as possible and being on a live-aboard vessel gives us the advantage that we can easily move around to find the best locations. Our guides are constantly on the lookout for orcas and whales. However, the animals are not always in the same spot and it might take some time to find them, the search is part of the adventure. Some days you might not see any whales or orcas at all. Don't let this get you down. Just enjoy the beautiful scenery, the facilities of the ship and the company on board. At night you always have a chance to see the northern lights and end the day with a beautiful aurora show.
On board the ship there will be maximum 16 passengers. However we will not take more than 6 guests into the water for snorkeling at once and one guide will always be on the water with the snorkelers. The behaviour of the whales will be assesed before going in. Snorkeling is only possible when the orcas are hunting for herring or when they are swimming at a low speed. In case the orcas show evasive behaviour, or the guides suspect an unsafe situation, snorkeling is not allowed. Every snorkeler is obligated to wear our orange high visibility hood which has a bright colored surface and reflective patches for good visibility and detection in the dark water.
In Norway there are several popular locations where large numbers of orcas return every year. However, these locations are often overcrowded by boats and snorkelers, which creates unsafe situations for people and animals. This is why we prefer to find orcas in other locations where we can enjoy snorkeling in a calm and non-intrusive way.
Since December 2019, new regulations apply to whale watching in Norway. The regulations have been drawn up by the Ministry of Trade and Fisheries to ensure that whale watching is carried out in a safe and sustainable manner that does not disturb the animals in their natural environment. At the same time, these new rules are designed to prevent snorkelers from being put at risk by getting close to moving fishing vessels.
It is therefore forbidden to come closer than 370m to fishing vessels with a ship, or zodiac. During snorkeling, a minimum distance of 740m must be kept to fishing vessels.
We are proud to partner with Norwegian Orca Survey to support the orca research in Northern Norway! Norwegian Orca Survey is a non-profit organization dedicated to researching and monitoring orcas in Norway. Using ground-breaking research methods and photo identification, they gather much-needed data for orca conservation. Anyone with a camera can play a part and help save orcas worldwide. By providing high-res photographs of orca dorsal fins, along with information on where and when the photos were taken, you can contribute to the long-term Norwegian Orca ID project.
To support the orca research, we donate an amount to Norwegian Orca Survey for every passenger that travels to Northern Norway with us.
About Norwegian Orca Survey »
For our snorkeling and whale watching expeditions we work with experienced guides that understand whale behaviour and who have spent many hours both above and below the surface close to whales.
Meet our team of experts & ambassadors »