Pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins live year-round about 3 miles off the southwest coast, so 2-hour trips at EUR 28 to 33 run in any month. Licensed boats fly the Barco Azul flag in Europe's first Whale Heritage Site.
Dark months are the peak for that species, light months are the rest of its season. October is marked.
| Species | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot whale | January: in season | February: in season | March: in season | April: in season | May: in season | June: in season | July: in season | August: in season | September: in season | October: in season | November: in season | December: in season |
| Bottlenose dolphin | January: in season | February: in season | March: in season | April: in season | May: in season | June: in season | July: in season | August: in season | September: in season | October: in season | November: in season | December: in season |
Peak In season
From canarygreen.org. Whales turn up outside these months too.
| Operator | What you get | From | Length | Group | Min age | Boat | If no whales | Cancellation | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Los RápidosIncludes Swim stop in a bay (Masca, Barranco Seco or Juan López) |
€28 per person |
2 hours |
12 seats |
12-seat boat; type not stated | Sightings guaranteed depending on sea conditions; no refund terms stated | Check dates | |||
2h Costa Adeje Whale Watching ExcursionIncludes Specialised tour guide on cetaceans, Beer, soft drinks and water |
€30 per adult |
2 hours |
Catamaran; size and capacity not stated | Not stated | Free cancellation up to 24 hours before; bad-weather cancellations get a new date or a full refund. | Check dates | |||
Excursion 2 Hours' Mini CruiseIncludes Specialised guides speaking Spanish, English, German and French, Hotel transport from Los Cristianos, Playa de Las Americas, Costa Adeje and La Caleta, Free Wi-Fi, Harbour dues, taxes and insurance |
€33 per adult |
2 hours |
Boat maximum 220 passengers |
Royal Delfin, 22.46 m catamaran, maximum 220 passengers, underwater viewing compartment for 26 | Not stated | Check dates | |||
Flipper Uno 2-hour tripIncludes Drinks (red wine, beer, soft drinks, water), Swim stop in a bay, Official whale watching guide |
€33 per adult |
2 hours (3 hours with lunch) |
Maximum 91 passengers |
Hand-built wooden boat launched in 1996, up to 91 passengers | Says it guarantees whales or dolphins, depending on sea conditions; no refund terms stated | Check dates |
From each operator's own website, checked October 21, 2026. How we compare.
Tenerife's whale trips leave from three harbors: Los Cristianos in Arona, Puerto Colón in Adeje and Los Gigantes in Santiago del Teide, according to the island's tourism board. Freebird boards at dock 10 or 15 in Puerto Colón and warns that parking there is limited, so drivers should arrive early. Royal Delfin uses dock 12 at 10:30 am on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, with hotel transport from Los Cristianos, Playa de las Américas, Costa Adeje and La Caleta.
In Los Gigantes, Flipper Uno sails from the marina, with its office on Calle Poblado Marinero, and its 12-seat Los Rápidos leaves at 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm. Los Cristianos is also the ferry port for La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma, and a base for whale watching trips. The pilot whales and dolphins live in a wind-sheltered strip about 3 miles off the southwest coast, between Tenerife and La Gomera.
Short-finned pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins live here all year, and the tourism board puts the chance of seeing them at nearly 100 percent. Canary Green calls both resident, and the IWC handbook names pilot whales, Risso's dolphins, sperm whales, Atlantic spotted dolphins and bottlenose dolphins as the species most likely on Canary tours. Freebird lists pilot whales, bottlenose dolphins and Atlantic spotted dolphins among its expected sightings.
Other species pass through. World Animal Protection counts 28 cetacean species in the island's waters, most of them migrants or seasonal visitors. The IWC handbook says the visiting species appear at different times of year, especially in May and June. The tourism board's 2014 count was 21 species seen off Tenerife, out of 25 recorded in the Canaries.
The IWC handbook says Canary Islands conditions allow trips all year, on about 8 days out of 10. Swell still changes from day to day, Freebird notes, and it suggests asking a doctor or pharmacist about motion-sickness pills before sailing. It decides weather cancellations from AEMET forecasts and offers another date or a full refund; a trip can also be canceled if too few people book.
Freebird tells passengers to bring sun protection, sunglasses, a hat, a swimsuit and towel, plus warm clothes on cloudy days, and rents two-person sunbeds at EUR 10, first come, first served. Wheelchairs cannot go aboard its catamaran. Royal Delfin's main deck takes manual wheelchairs up to 68 cm wide, though its underwater viewing room and upper deck are reached by stairs.
Start with the flag. Licensed boats hold an AROC permit to work the protected waters between Teno and Rasca and fly the Barco Azul flag, according to Canary Green. The group marks some operators as going beyond the minimum, with small groups and an educational focus. The Canary Islands' Decree 178/2000 regulates the activity, and in 2021 the Tenerife-La Gomera marine area became Europe's first Whale Heritage Site.
Freebird charges EUR 30 (EUR 15 for ages 4 to 11) for 2 hours from Puerto Colón, with a cetacean guide, beer, soft drinks and water included. It allows free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead and belongs to the Tenerife Whalewatching Quality Charter. Royal Delfin charges EUR 33 for 2 hours on a 22.46 m catamaran for up to 220, with an underwater viewing room for 26, guides in four languages and hotel transport. It claims 99 percent sighting success.
In Los Gigantes, Flipper Uno's hand-built wooden boat, launched in 1996, takes up to 91 for EUR 33 (EUR 23 for ages 2 to 11), with drinks and a swim stop. Its 3-hour trip with lunch costs EUR 40. The 12-seat Los Rápidos costs EUR 28 for adults and children alike. Flipper Uno promises whales or dolphins, sea conditions permitting, but states no refund terms.
from €28 per person
Los Rápidos and 1 more option
Boat hand-built in Tenerife from African and Brazilian wood, launched July 1996
from €30 per adult
2h Costa Adeje Whale Watching Excursion
Also sells a 3-hour trip (EUR 47) and a 4.5-hour Masca and Los Gigantes trip with lunch (EUR 62, or EUR 69 with a bus from Puerto de la Cruz)
from €33 per adult
Excursion 2 Hours' Mini Cruise
Operator claims 99% whale and dolphin sighting success
Prices and policies come from each operator's own pages, read on October 21, 2026. Seasons, rules and local details come from the pages below.