Whale Watching Tenerife – Everything you Need to Know (2023!)

Would you like to see whales and dolphins in their natural habitat? Then doing a whale watching tour in Tenerife is the perfect activity for you!

Located in the Canary Islands, Tenerife is a Whale Heritage Site and one of the best places in the world to see whales and dolphins.

They say there is a 99% chance to see whales and a 60% to see dolphins, which are pretty good odds if you ask me!

I recently did a catamaran whale watching cruise in Tenerife with P&O Cruises, as part of a trip to showcase all the amazing shore experiences they offer on a Canary Islands cruise.

For me, it was one of the most fun and exciting excursions you can join.

In this article I have outlined everything you need to know about going whale spotting in Tenerife, including what types of whales you can see, when the best time to do it is, and some practical insight from our experience.

What are you waiting for? Read on and start planning your whale and dolphin spotting cruise in Tenerife!

About Tenerife

Tenerife is the biggest island of the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago located just over 100km off the coast of Africa.

It’s blessed with year round sunshine and warm weather, which makes it one of the most popular European winter sun destinations.

Many travellers flock to Tenerife in winter, and storm the southern locations of Los Cristianos, Las Americas and Costa Adeje. However the beaches and resorts aren’t the only thing to discover on this Spanish island.

What I love most about Tenerife is the huge variety of things to do.

Tenerife is home to Mount Teide, the highest peak in Spain (3,715m), the cute and colourful towns of La Laguna and Masca, as well as the stunning Rural Park of Anaga.

The warm waters that surround Tenerife make it a great place also to go whale watching, one of the best things to do on the island.

I had the opportunity to try this experience with P&O Cruises, and I couldn’t have been more excited.

Tenerife is also a popular stop on many Canary Islands cruises, and rightly so! P&O Cruises visit Tenerife on their Fly-Canaries Cruise, and discover this gorgeous island through their epic Tenerife shore experiences.

Whale watching is amongst the most fun and unique shore excursions you can join.

From the Tenerife cruise terminal in the north of the island you’ll be taken to the south, where you will board you catamaran and get ready for this amazing experience!

Click here to learn more about the Fly-Canaries Cruises to Tenerife by P&O Cruises!

Is Tenerife a good place to go whale watching?

Of course! Simply put, it’s actually one of the best places to do so! Tenerife was actually the first place in Europe to be nominated Whale Heritage Site. 

There are many factors that contribute to these perfect whale spotting conditions. Marine mammals are attracted by the year-long temperate climate, warm waters and deep seafloor between Tenerife and La Gomera.

The seafloor between the two islands is over 2,000 metres deep, meaning it’s protected against the strong Atlantic Ocean currents, and it allows pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins to hunt fish and squids at any time of the year.

Discover the most popular Tenerife whale watching tours below!

 

Which whales can you spot in Tenerife?

One of the things that makes Tenerife such a great whale watching destination is the huge variety of whale species that you can spot.

Out of the 80 known cetacean species, 20 have been observed in the waters of Tenerife and the Canary Islands.

The most common whale that you will spot in Tenerife are bottlenose dolphins and pilot whales, the resident species of the island.

There are other whales that can be spotted on a whale watching tour in Tenerife, but these vary depending on the season.

Some of the seasonal species that can be spotted include Humpback Whales, Blue Whales, Fin Whales and Sperm Whales.

When is the best time for whale watching in Tenerife?

If you’re wondering if there’s a Tenerife whale watching season, you’ll be glad to hear the answer is no! One of the things that’s so great about whale watching in Tenerife is that you can do it all year round.

The time of year you do your whale watching tour will influence what marine life you spot, but you can rest assured that you will spot something.

For example bottlenose dolphins and pilot whales can be seen all year long. When we boarded our catamaran they told us there was a 99% chance to see pilot whales, pretty good odds if you ask me!

Migratory whales on the other hand can only be seen during specific times of the year.

For example, Fin Whales and Humpback Whales pass by the coast of Tenerife from November to February, and there are higher chances to spot them during these months.

From March to April you have higher chances to spot Sperm Whales, whilst Blue Whales can sometimes be seen from December to February.

Basically during the winter (maybe during a Christmas trip to Tenerife?) and spring months you’re more likely to spot migratory whales, but even if you’re visiting Tenerife in summer or autumn don’t worry, as there are still high chances to spot pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins.

Our catamaran whale watching tour in Tenerife

We did our whale watching tour with FreeBird Catamaran, a local tour company, as part of a P&O Cruises shore experience.

The catamaran sets off from Puerto Colon in the south of the island (one of the most popular areas to stay in Tenerife) and does a 3-hour tour.

The catamaran we did the tour with was super spacious, with a seating area at the back and sun-beds to lounge on at the front.

I had done whale watching tours before in other countries, but always on tiny dinghies, so was very happy with a spacious catamaran for a change.

Click here to book your catamaran whale watching cruise in Tenerife!

Besides the whale watching experience, you also get a pleasant cruise out of it, where you can relax and soak in some sun.

We cruised along the coast of Tenerife for a bit, and then dropped anchor at Playa Diego Hernandez for a swim and lunch stop.

We stayed off the coast of Playa Diego Hernandez for a while, so that you have plenty of time to dive in and enjoy the Tenerife sea.

Check out prices & availability for your whale watching catamaran cruise in Tenerife in the calendar below!

 

It also gives you enough time to enjoy the local paella lunch, while taking in the unique rocky landscape of the coast. After lunch we cruised out at sea, and soon spotted a pod of pilot whales!

You obviously can’t get too close to the whales, as it’s a protect marine area, but you can still enjoy watching them swim past, their fins bobbing in and out of the water.

It was a magical experience to say the least. After spending some time watching these beautiful cetaceans swim past, we cruised back to Puerto Colon. Overall, it was an incredible experience which I can highly recommend.

Book your Tenerife whale watching tour below!

 

The best Tenerife whale watching tours

I’ve told you everything you need to know about whale watching in Tenerife, from what whales you can see to the best time to do so, now it’s time to actually choose the best whale watching tour for you!

I always suggest booking your tours on GetYourGuide, a tour booking platform where you can see reviews from other travellers, which gives you free cancellation up until 24 hours before.

Tenerife: Los Gigantes Whale Watching Cruise by Sail Boat

This isn’t the exact whale watching tour I did, but if I were to do it again, this is the Tenerife whale watching tour I would choose.

Most whale watching tours set off from Puerto Colon in Costa Adeje, or other ports in the south of the island, where most tourists are located. If you have a car and don’t mind travelling to Los Gigantes, I think this tour is better.

That’s because the dramatic cliffs of Los Gigantes make for a stunning backdrop, so even if you don’t see many dolphins or whales, you get to enjoy a wonderful cruise with epic scenery.

Click here to book your sailing boat whale watching cruise in Los Gigantes, or check out the calendar below to see prices & availability!

 

Tenerife: Dolphin and Whale Eco-Cruise with Snack & Drinks

This catamaran tour is very similar to the one we did. Setting off from Puerto Colon, it will take you on a wonderful catamaran cruise along the coast, searching for whales and dolphins.

It includes a swimming stop, food and drinks. There’s also the option to choose between a 3-hour and 5-hour cruise, the 5-hour one goes all the way to Los Gigantes, where you can cruise along the stunning cliffs.

It has over 2,000 reviews and an average of 4.7 stars out of 5, so you can rest assured that it will be a pretty awesome experience!

Click here to book your whale watching catamaran cruise in Tenerife!

Or check out prices & availability below!

 

Costa Adeje: Whale and Dolphin Tour with Underwater Views

Something a little different, this tour offers a boat with glass bottom and underwater windows, so that you can see the whales and dolphins from a different perspective. 

It’s also a more affordable tour, as it’s on a larger boat that carries more people compared to the catamarans and sailing boats. If you’re travelling on a budget or with a bigger group, it’s a great option.

It also sets off from Puerto Colon, and doesn’t include food and drinks. If you’re looking for a great budget whale watching tour in Tenerife, with an interesting spin, this is the perfect tour for you!

Click here to book your whale watching tour with underwater windows in Tenerife!

Or check out prices & availability in the calendar below!

 

Final thoughts on whale watching tour Tenerife

There you have it, the ultimate guide on whale and dolphins watching Tenerife! Have you been whale watching before? How did you find it? Let me know in the comments below!

I had been whale watching before in the Azores and Vancouver, but Tenerife was by far my favourite place to do so. 

In other destinations I had always done it with a dinghy or smaller boat, whilst this time it was on a comfortable and spacious catamaran.

Besides seeing pilot whales, we also went for a lovely cruise, with a tasty paella lunch and swimming stop. I enjoyed it as it felt like a more complete boat tour, where you can enjoy a bit of cruising beyond just the whale spotting.

A whale watching catamaran cruise is a unique experience, which I believe everyone should add to their Tenerife itinerary.

Seeing these beautiful cetaceans in the wild is simply breathtaking, and something which will stay with you forever.

If you’re planning a P&O Cruises cruise to Tenerife and the Canary Islands, you should definitely consider doing the whale spotting tour as one of your shore experiences.

Alongside hiking and surfing, it’s without a doubt one of the best things to do in Tenerife.

* Disclaimer: This blog post was sponsored by P&O Cruises, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Enjoyed reading about Tenerife whales and dolphins trips? Pin it!