Orcas
2 places to see and hear orcas in the wild, in 2 countries from Norway to Spain: when each one peaks, where to go on your own, what it costs and what you will hear. Wild animals only, no zoos.
Best time, place by place
| Spectacle | Country | Peak | On your own? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orcas and humpbacks on the winter herring, Skjervøy | Norway | 10 Nov – 10 Jan | Guide, ranger or boat needed |
| Orcas hunting bluefin tuna in the Strait | Spain | 1 Jul – 31 Aug | Guide, ranger or boat needed |
Where to go, north to south
Orcas and humpbacks on the winter herring, SkjervøyWith a hydrophone: orca calls, whistles and echolocation from several pods carousel-feeding, humpback social sounds and feeding calls, the hiss of a herring ball being tail-slapped; above water, blows, tail-slaps and the roar of a humpback lunge; fishing vessels' sonar and engines.
Orcas hunting bluefin tuna in the StraitWith a hydrophone: orca calls and echolocation, pilot whale whistles, and the tuna-boat engines they hunt around. Above water: blows, and the shouts from the fishing boats.