Tenerife: Catamaran whale watching with buffet lunch
Full-day catamaran trip for whale and dolphin watching off Tenerife, with a buffet lunch included. Highest-rated whale watching experience on the island. 4.8/5 with 2,242 reviews.
4.82,242 reviews
Photo credits
- Martina Nolte, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, vía Wikimedia Commons · source
- Martina Nolte, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, vía Wikimedia Commons · source
- Martina Nolte, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, vía Wikimedia Commons · source
- Tony Hisgett, CC BY 2.0, vía Wikimedia Commons · source
- Zechen Li, Pexels License · source
- John Arellano Riera, Pexels License · source
- makabera, Pixabay License · source
- dassel, Pixabay License · es un rorcual/ballena jorobada, no calderón; usar con descripción genérica · source
Practical details
- Duration
- 5-6 hours
- Guide languages
- Spanish · English
- Mobile ticket
- No need to print
- Instant confirmation
- Right after booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- No
- Minimum age
- No restriction
- Pets
- Not allowed
- Cancellation
- Free up to 24h before
Highlights
- Highest-rated whale watching experience in Tenerife (4.8/5)
- Buffet lunch included — tapas, fresh fish, salads
- Full day at sea for maximum wildlife encounters
- Swimming stop in open Atlantic water
- Pilot whales resident year-round
Our take
If you are going to do whale watching in Tenerife, do it properly. The full day, the buffet, and the extra time on the water add up to the best version of this experience. Rated higher than any other whale watching tour on the island.
What's included
- Full-day catamaran trip (5–6 hours)
- Buffet lunch on board
- Swimming stop
- Whale and dolphin watching
Not included
- Transport to the port
- Alcoholic drinks (usually available to purchase)
Good to know
What to bring
- Swimsuit and towel
- Sun protection (5–6 hours on open water requires serious sun protection)
- Light windproof jacket
Not suitable for
- People prone to motion sickness on full-day sea trips
Things to keep in mind
- The buffet lunch sets this apart from 2–3 hour tours; this is a full day on the water
- 4.8 average rating with over 2,200 reviews — consistently the top-reviewed whale watching experience in Tenerife
- Book well in advance in peak season (June–August)
Meeting point
South Tenerife port (Costa Adeje area). Confirmed on voucher.
Exact departure port confirmed on your booking voucher. The trip departs from the south Tenerife coast. Allow 15 minutes to get to the port from the Las Américas or Los Cristianos resort area.
The experience
The best whale watching day in Tenerife
This is the premium whale watching experience in Tenerife: a full day on the water with a catamaran, a buffet lunch on board, and a swimming stop — and a 4.8/5 rating from over 2,200 verified travellers.
Why a full day makes a difference
Most whale watching trips run 2–3 hours. That is enough to see pilot whales, but the full-day format gives more time to find and observe animals without the pressure of returning to port. Encounters tend to be longer and more relaxed. The swimming stop adds a beach day element.
What to expect on board
- Morning departure and briefing by the naturalist guide
- Navigating into the Tenerife–La Gomera channel to find cetaceans — typically 30–60 minutes from port
- Time with pilot whales and dolphins — usually 1–2 hours of observation
- Buffet lunch served on the catamaran: local tapas, grilled fish, salads, soft drinks
- Swimming stop in open Atlantic water, clear and warm
- Return to port in the afternoon
Wildlife
The channel between Tenerife and La Gomera is home year-round to short-finned pilot whales — family pods of 10–30 individuals. Bottlenose and spotted dolphins are very common. The longer trip increases the chance of bonus sightings: sperm whales, loggerhead turtles, and occasionally blue whales in spring.
Accessibility
Limited. Requires boarding a catamaran. Not wheelchair accessible.
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before with full refund.
Frequently asked questions
What is served at the buffet lunch?
Why is this more expensive than other whale watching trips?
Related reading on our guides
→ Whale and dolphin watching in Tenerife: how to choose a boat
Guide to whale and dolphin watching in Tenerife: which species live here, where boats leave from, how to choose a responsible operator, when to go and what to bring.
→ What to see in Tenerife: Teide, La Laguna, Masca, Garachico and Anaga
Tenerife guide: Teide, La Laguna, La Orotava, Garachico, Masca, Los Gigantes, Anaga and the whales of the south. How many days, where to stay and how to get around.
→ Climbing Mount Teide: cable car, summit permit and stargazing
How to go up Mount Teide: the cable car to 3,555 m, the free summit permit, the Altavista refuge, the trails, altitude sickness and stargazing.
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