Whale watching & Northern Light Sailing in Norway
- Vessel: Valiente
- Where: Tromsø, Norway
- Duration: 5 days
- Embark: Tromsø, Norway - 6 December 2023, 16:00
- Disembark: Tromsø, Norway - 10 December 2023, 16:00
Enjoy whale watching and northern lights in Northern Norway with expedition yacht Valiente.
Join expedition yacht Valiente for a whale watching holiday in Northern Norway. This time of year is perfect for watching the Northern Lights with the winter months plunging into polar night.Â
This voyage is great for the adventurous couple or solo traveller looking to meet like-minded people on an expedition sailing adventure of a life time!
- Fjord sailing
- Arctic circle exploration
- Whale Watching
- Private cabins
- Northern Lights
- Sail area & highlights
- Gallery
- Life on board
- Sample menu
- Travel planning
- The boat
- FAQs
- What's included
- Boat schedule
YOUR SAILING AREA
Norway, Lyngen Alps
Northern Norway, and especially the area around Tromsø, is famous for the Aurora Borealis and this a great time of year to watch them. From Tromsø to Lyngen, Skjervøy, Ringvassøy and Reinfjord, Valiente will sail to discover historical fishing settlements, anchorages and small harbours free from light pollution.
The northern fjords here are also where the herring call their winter home, attracting many orca and humpback whales for winter feeding. Over the past few years, the main wintering area of the herring has moved from Tromsø to Skjervøy, but nobody knows exactly where the feeding frenzy will take place this year. Luckily we are ready to spend the necessary time at sea to get to wherever the whales and herring are!
The winter months here are called the polar night where the sun rises above the horizon briefly each day – if at all. This is not only a good thing for catching the Aurora, but it also makes all the light we actually get during the day super beautiful. Imagine a day with three hours of continuous sunrise/sunset among some of the most stunning landscapes our beautiful coastline has to offer!
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Meet Valiente in the harbour of Tromsø, getting to know fellow guests and crew before setting sail to Grøtsundet with beuaitful views of the Lyngen Alps. Spend some of the night underway as you watch our for your first sightings of the northern lights!
After an exciting night of Aurora-hunting, enjoy a relaxed breakfast as we begin our search for the spawning grounds of the herring and hopefully find some whales. Later, we sail to the roadless village of Reinfjord, where they have a long history with fishing, and where we also spend the night. Maybe we will also manage to catch our own fish for dinner this afternoon!
Sail through the Lyngen Alps, a beautiful part of Northern Norway with spectacular fjords and mountain scenery. We should hopefully spot whales today as we sail towards the famous Hamnes Handlested on Uløya. Here they have heated up the sauna and jacuzzi for us so all is set for a swim in the sea underneath the stars!
Spend our last full day together exploring the archipelago north of Tromsø, where we aim to have a landfall, hike, and enjoy a bonfire on the beach. We anchor away from the city lights, around Ringvassøya or Kvaløysundet, for our last night – hopefully with an Aurora-show in the sky!
Valiente
Guest berths: 12 Rig: Gaff
Expedition boat Valiente is a 70 foot steel boat designed to withstand tough arctic conditions, but with comfort and high standards maintained along the way.
She sails very well with a simple rig and has a lot of space on deck for guests and crew. Valiente has ample space in the saloon and wheelhouse with 360degree views. Below decks there is a well equipped galley. The boat has five guest cabins, with the 3 doubles having an ensuite and shower.
Valiente is very well equipped for trips and expeditions including; RIB light boat, two folding kayaks, big tanks for both water and diesel, water-maker, generators, safety and rescue equipment and communication equipment.
She spends her summers sailing in Norway, Svalbard and offering expedition sailing adventures to Greenland, Iceland, Jan Mayen and the Faroe islands.
Deck plan

LIFE ON BOARD VALIENTE
Your ticket price will include the skipper and first mate (co-skipper) Along the way, sailing or on motor, Valiente will include all participants in the sailing. Generally, she sails at all times of the day, and everyone onboard will be running watches of 4 hours on and 8 hours off. When on anchor, there will be rotation shifts with one anchor guard awake, so that the rest can sleep.
Life on board a sailboat is social and pleasant, but for some it can be perceived as quite intimate and crowded, which one should be prepared for. On our trips everyone participates in the operation of the sailboat and everyone is considered crew. We would like to get to know you well and hope that you will get to know everyone else on the boat as soon as possible. It requires some patience, generosity, and an open mind to thrive, but the new acquaintances and completely raw nature experiences will take your focus as soon as you become comfortable with life at sea.
Accommodation on the boat is part of the fun. The accommodation is generally in shared cabins, some of which have a double bed and some of which have bunk beds. Figuring out who sleeps where can be a bit of a puzzle, but we do believe we’ve gotten quite good at it. Let us know if you have any special needs or reservations.
We have plenty of heating and good food on the boat, but not always abundance of fresh water. This means it will not be possible to shower every day, but more or less every other day we are either in a harbour with fresh water or we sail through a place where we can borrow showers or enjoy a sauna. A morning swim in the sea is free and is available all year round!
What’s included
- All inclusive (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks. soft/hot drinks)
- All bedding (pillow, sheets & duvet) and wash towel
- Full crew plus tuition
- Marina and fuel fees
- All tender trips to and fro the boat
- Lifejacket
- Fishing equipment
- Use of the on board small sailing dinghy for extra practice!
What’s not included
- Alcohol
- Wetsuits
- Waterproofs > Guests can rent oilskins from us for 500NOK per trip, per person
- Swim towel
- Any flights
- Transit hotels
- Travel to and from the boat on the day of joining/leaving
- Travel insurance
- Sailing Insurance (Please read our Sailing Insurance page for more information)
- Crew tips
- Personal expenses
- Any meals ashore
Travel insurance notes
As this is an active adventure holiday, we advise that everyone has the appropriate personal accident travel insurance whilst onboard in addition to standard travel insurance which would cover you in the time between making your booking and departing for your adventure. These policies can sometimes be combined so please check with your travel insurance provider.
Please read more information on our Insurance guidelines page.
This voyage will be not more than 12miles offshore.
FAQ
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Are all meals included?
Yes, all meals and soft drinks are included. Guests work on a rotation basis to cook together onboard.
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Do I need to tip the crew?
Tips are not mandatory but are welcomed by the crew!
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Can you cater for dietary needs?
Yes - please specify at time of enquiry
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What language is spoken onboard?
English/Norwegian
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What are the sleeping arrangements?
3x double cabins, 1x twin bunk cabin, 1 x quad bunk cabin
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How many toilet/showers does she have?
5
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Is there WIFI?
No
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Can I charge my phone/Camera?
12v charging under sail, 220 EURO 2pin when connected to shore power/generator
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Are there life jackets provided?
Yes
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Are Waterproofs provided?
Guests can rent oilskins from us for 500NOK per trip, per person.
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Do I need sailing experience?
No, absolutely not! Just a lust for adventure.
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Will I be sea sick?
Everyone reacts differently but we recommend if you are at all worried to take some medication 24 hours before departure.
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Is bedding included?
Yes, all bedding and a towel is provided
Travel Planning
From: Tromsø, Norway
To: Tromsø, Norway
To see where the ports are, along with your likely sailing area, please view the sail area & highlights.
Getting There
Tromsø Airport (TOS) is about a 20 minute bus journey operated by Troms Fylkestrafikk running every 20 minutes or Bussring hourly into Tromsø. Alternatively a taxi is about 10 minutes.
Indirect flights go to Tromsø Airport (TOS) from;
- London Gatwick (LGW) w, Norwegian Air
- London Heathrow (LHR) w, SAS
- London Stansted (STN) w, Ryanair, Scandinavian Airlines, Norwegian Air
- Manchester (MAN) w, SAS
TAXI
Tromsø Taxi AS – https://tromso-taxi.no/