Alta whale watching, priced tour by tour
The three whale trips from Alta sit within a few dollars of each other, from ~$268 to ~$284 per person. The money buys different things, mainly time on the water and the extras that come with the seat. This guide sets out what each fare covers and what it leaves to you.
Three whale trips from Alta side by side
The table lists the three tours on our home page at their regular "from" price per adult on GetYourGuide. Sale prices often show lower on some dates, so read these figures as a ceiling rather than the final bill.
| Tour | From | Length | Boat and group | Start point | Included | Rating on GetYourGuide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| finnmark moods (our pick) | ~$268 | About 3.5 h | Heated cabin boat, up to 30 | Havneveien 24, Alta | Coffee, tea, biscuits | 4.9 from 90+ |
| Æventyr RIB | ~$284 | 3.5 h, about 1 h on the water | Open RIB, max 12 | Markedsgata 6, then a drive | Thermal suit, life jacket, shoes, goggles, gloves, hot drinks, snacks | 4.9 from 31+ |
| Alta Adventure | ~$279 | About 4.5 h, about 3 h on the boat | Partner cabin boat, up to 13 | Pickup, airport included | Pickup, warm clothes to borrow, coffee, cookies | 4.9 from 17+ |
You can cancel any of the three for free up to 24 hours before it starts, and GetYourGuide takes the booking now with payment later. Whales are never guaranteed on any boat, so that flexibility counts for more than a small gap in price.
Three small tours in one narrow price band
All three tours sit between ~$268 and ~$284, a spread too small to decide anything. What changes from one to the next is how long you spend at sea and what comes with the seat.
Æventyr's RIB at ~$284 is the dearest of the three and gives you the least time out there, about an hour. The cold sets that limit, because you sit in the open at speed.
Its fare covers a warm thermal suit with shoes and gloves to match. Goggles are part of the kit, and hot drinks with snacks come along. You pay for a group of 12 at most and for the full kit, not for extra minutes with the whales.
Alta Adventure at ~$279 spends about 3 hours on the boat within a trip of about 4.5 hours. It is the only one of the three with pickup, and the pickup points include Alta Airport.
Before you set off, its office lends warm outdoor clothes and keeps your bags. That saves buying gear you would wear once, which matters if you packed for a city break.
Our pick, finnmark moods' heated boat from ~$268, gives you the longest stretch at sea, about 3.5 hours with up to 4 on the itinerary. It is also the least expensive of the three.
What our pick includes, and what it leaves out
Sea Runner is a compact modern boat. Its seats indoors are heated, and it has its own toilet. Wi-Fi works on board. You stay inside while it runs at speed and step out to sturdy railings in calm moments near the whales.
Hot drinks come with biscuits, and anything more you bring yourself. There is no hotel pickup, so you make your own way to Havneveien 24 in Alta. The group can reach 30, though one reviewer still called it a small group.
It holds 4.9 from 90+ reviews on GetYourGuide and 5.0 from 20+ on Viator. Reviewers describe a young local company with a local captain, and the guides speak English and German. Our guide to the boat types sets it against the RIB.
About 3.5 hours on the fjord in a heated cabin
Sea Runner leaves straight from the harbour in Alta. There is a toilet aboard and hot drinks with biscuits. Bring your own lunch and your own way there.
Checking both booking sites
Each tour has one listing on GetYourGuide and one on Viator, and the two sites do not always show the same figure. On Viator the three fares sit almost level, so the gap between operators stays small on either site.
Reviews tell you more than the price does. GetYourGuide carries the bigger record for every tour, while Viator scores each one at 5.0 from a smaller pool. Alta Adventure has the fewest reviews on both, which means less evidence rather than a weaker trip.
Choose the site whose terms suit you, then compare the total once you have picked a date. The figure on the card can move with the day you choose and the size of your party.
Costs the listings leave out
The biggest one is getting to Alta. The town has its own airport with direct flights from Oslo, and the flight can easily cost more than the boat.
On tours 1 and 2 you also get yourself to the start. Havneveien 24 is at the harbour and Markedsgata 6 is in the town center, so where you sleep decides between a taxi and a walk.
Cruise guests can read our port day guide for the timing.
Seasickness tablets cost little at a pharmacy and help a lot on a choppy day. Pack a snack for the longer trips. Biscuits and coffee will not carry you through four hours in the cold.
The cost few people budget for is a second try. If the first trip is called off for weather or comes back without whales, a spare day lets you book again. Our page on days without whales sets out what each listing promises.
Booking terms that protect your money
Free cancellation runs until a day before each tour. On GetYourGuide you can reserve now and pay later, so nothing leaves your card on the day you book.
Alta Adventure's listing adds that weather cancellations by its guides are refunded in full. It needs at least 2 people and a booking one day ahead. When any operator cancels for weather, GetYourGuide normally offers a new date or your money back.
A sale price on GetYourGuide is a good reason to book early, since free cancellation lets you change your mind until the day before.
The season follows the herring, so the date you choose matters more than the fare. Our month-by-month guide helps you pick the weeks. To see where they feed, read why the whales come into the Altafjord.