Norway : The Ultimate Whale Watching Adventure

For that once-in-a-lifetime experience in getting up close to the planet's largest mammals

In the far North above the Arctic Circle, the fishing village of Andenes presents a unique location for a wildlife adventure unparalleled in Northern Europe. With its short distance to the deep oceanic waters, this is the only place in this part of the world where you can see the giant male sperm whales, only an hour’s journey from the shore. Pristine and contrasting wilderness of the open sea, cacophonic bird rocks, open marshland and jagged peaks under the magical colours of the Midnight Sun offer the perfect backdrop to this unforgettable phenomenon. Why not combine your whale watching with a seal and bird safari and perhaps some deep sea fishing to make the most of this spectacular destination?

 

Itinerary

Day 1 - UK to Andenes

On arrival at Evenes airport, pick up your car rental for a 2 to 2.5 hours scenic drive to Andenes. Overnight bed and breakfast at your chosen accommodation.

Day 2 - Whale Safari

After breakfast at the hotel, take a short walk to the Whale Centre where your wildlife adventure starts with a fascinating guided tour of the Whale Centre and a multi media show (duration 1 hr). Your Whale Safari is a guided boat trip (3 to5 hrs) where scientists from many different countries make you feel part of a special research project. A light meal is served on board. From experience, whales are spotted on 95% to 99% of our safaris and our guarantee is that we will give you a free trip* at another time if you are unfortunate not to see whales on this occasion. * Offer is for whale safari only and does not include flights or accommodation Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3 - Day at Leisure and Optional Activities

Following breakfast at the hotel, the day is at your leisure to explore more of this enchanting arctic destination. We higly recommend our Northern Wildlife Safari to discover the stunning coastal scenery on a boat adventure in search for seals and puffins. Please see below for more information. Meals included: Breakfast

Day 4 - Andenes to UK

After breakfast, drive to Evenes airport for your return flight to the UK. Meals included: Breakfast

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Prices

Norway - The Ultimate Whale Watching Adventure - Prices From:
Dates	The Ultimate Whale Watching Adventure
	Adult	Extra Nt (Adult)
25/05/2009 - 15/09/2009	£1,083	-
Notes
Prices are per person, based on two adults sharing.

Prices for single travellers:

Norway - The Ultimate Whale Watching Adventure - Prices From:
Dates	The Ultimate Whale Watching Adventure
	Adult	Extra Nt (Adult)
25/05/2009 - 15/09/2009	£1,354	-
Notes
Prices are per person.

What's Included?

• Return scheduled flights from London to Evenes via Oslo
• All airport taxes and passenger security charges
• 3 nights accommodation at the Norlandia Andrikken Hotel
• Whale safari on day 2 including entrance to the Whale Centre, exciting guided tour of the Whale Centre and a multi media show (duration 1 hr), guided boat trip (3 to 5 hrs), a light meal onboard the boat and a visitor certificate (Please note that these safaris are subject to weather conditions and can be cancelled for safety reasons at the discretion of our expert guides.)
• 4 days car hire based on a standard economy car (VW Polo or similar)

What's NOT Included?

• Meals except where indicated
• Fuel

Optional Excursions

Northern Wildlife Safari

Join us on a thrilling boat safari to a Ramsar-approved nature reserve with Norway’s biggest colony of common seals. See the fantastic coastal
landscape with white beaches, steep cliffs and majestic mountains on the way to a bird sanctuary with tens of thousands of auks and gulls, the most renowned of which is the puffin. A large number of sea eagles also frequently observed in this area. Continue to the seabird colony on the island of Bleiksøya, one of Norway’s most famous bird cliffs. About 80,000 puffins and more than 6,000 kittiwakes may be found nesting here. Other species include cormorants, razorbills and guillemots. White-tailed sea eagles are normally seen on every trip.

Season: 25 May – 15 September.
Departures: daily at 09:00, 12:00, 15:00 and 18:00.
Departure location: Stave
Duration: approximately 3 hours.

Item	Price	Available From	Available To
Northern Wildlife Safari	£101.00	25 May 2009	15 Sep 2009
Northern Wildlife Safari	£77.00	01 May 2008	15 Sep 2008

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Our Mighty Fine recommendation… Why not spend a couple of nights in Oslo on your return journey to make the most of your visit to Norway? For more information on Oslo, please take a look at our City Breaks offers.

Accommodation:

Norlandia Andrikken Hotel
The hotel is centrally situated in the centre of Andenes, just a few minutes walk from the Whale Centre. The 73 comfortable guest rooms all offer private facilities, TV and telephone. Hotel facilities include a restaurant serving traditional Norwegian food and local specialities, a bar and nightclub.

 

 

Lankanholmen Sj¢hus
Only a 10 minute walk from the Andrikken Hotel, the Lankanholmen “fishermancabins” enjoys a great location overlooking the harbour. The 13 cosy cabins all offer 2 bedrooms (total 4 beds), a bathroom with shower and WC, kitchenette with a microwave oven and a living room with TV and telephone. Next to the cabins, you will find 5 spacious high standard apartments with two bedrooms, a bathroom with shower and WC, a living room with TV and telephone, and a kitchenette with a microwave oven. There is a mini-market in the reception located in the same building.

 

The Whales:

Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus)
Life span: 65 – 70 years
Size: Male: 20 m. Female: 12 m
Weight: Male: 45–75 tonnes Female 15-20 tonnes
Birth weight/length: 900 kg/4 m
Staple diet: larger fish and cephalopods
Distinctive features: Biggest of the toothed whales. Dark grey in colour. Visibly slanting spout. The sperm whales observed off Andenes are all males.

 

 

Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata)
Life span: 40-50 years
Size: 9.5 m
Weight: 6 – 8 tonnes Male and Female
Birth weight/length: 450 kg/3 m
Staple diet: smaller shoal fish such as herring and capelin
Distinctive features: the most common of the baleen whales along the Norwegian coast. Dark coloured back, lighter on both sides. Rarely spouts. Does not reveal tail fin when diving.

Killer Whale (Orcinus orca)
Life span: 80 years
Size: 9m
Weight: Male 6 tonnes, Female 4 tonnes
Birth weight/length: 180 kg/2.4 m
Staple diet: fish and other marine mammals
Distinctive features: clearly contrastin

Other Whales:

Pilot Whale (Globicephala melaena)
Average length 5.5 m, maximum 8.5 m. Males distinctly larger than females. Blunt skull with large forehead. The dorsal fin is set forward on the back and sweeps backwards. The body is elongated but stocky in the tail fin. Prefers the open sea. Can be seen in schools of some tens to hundreds of individuals.

Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)
Average length 1.5 m, maximum length approx. 2 m. Small species with rounded head and poorly demarcated beak. Small, triangular dorsal fin (very characteristic). Common, particularly along the coast. Normally seen alone or in small groups.

Humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae)
Can be up to 19 m in length and weigh up to 40 tonnes. Baleen whale. Dark back, with long, knobbly pectoral fins. Small dorsal fin positioned on a hump. Distinctive spout. Often reveals tail fin when diving deep. Light markings underneath. Known for its song. Common along the Norwegian coast.

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