RIB whale watching from Tromsø with a return bus
RIB whale watching from Tromsø can include the return road journey to Skjervøy, where the boat excursion begins. The 12-hour bus-and-RIB outing starts at Prostneset, Samuel Arnesens gate 5. A bus journey and a RIB excursion form one day, so the overall duration should not be read as time spent watching whales. Tromsø is the meeting city for this arrangement, rather than the place where the RIB enters the whale area.
The Prostneset outing includes the bus from Tromsø and back, guides, a warm changing room, flotation suits, mittens, balaclavas, boots and ski goggles. Sandwiches, tea, coffee and biscuits are included. A vegetarian sandwich is available on request; special dietary requirements need advance contact. The changing room is a land-based facility, so it should be considered separately from comfort aboard the RIB.
The RIB safari offered with a choice of Tromsø or Skjervøy departure includes the return bus only when the Tromsø option is selected. Its listed duration is 3 to 12 hours depending on the option. Travellers staying in Tromsø can choose the return-bus outing; travellers already in Skjervøy can choose the self-arrival RIB. For the wider boat comparison, read the whale watching tour guide.
Our picks: RIB whale safaris
Choose the return bus from Tromsø for a complete excursion, or select the optional bus on the other tour. If you are staying in Skjervøy, the self-arrival trip starts there.
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RIB whale safari with return bus
- Bus transfer from Tromso and back
- Warm flotation suits and mittens
- Fresh sandwiches
The tour bus takes you from Tromsø to the RIB excursion and back.
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Skjervøy RIB whale safari
- Thermal flotation suit
- Warm boots
- Mittens and wool socks
Make your own way to Skjervøy; a skipper and guide accompanies the boat.
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RIB whale watching with optional bus
- Flotation suit and life vest
- Warm boots
- Baguette and soft drink
The Tromsø bus is included only when that option is selected; otherwise meet in Skjervøy. Duration varies with the option.
Check availability →RIB safaris with distinct transfer arrangements
Choose a return bus from Tromsø, the Tromsø transfer option or a direct Skjervøy meeting point, with equipment specific to each outing.
Starting directly in Skjervøy
Skjervøy self-arrival changes the land arrangements rather than the seasonal wildlife context. The winter whale activity follows herring, and the position of the animals can change. Choose the arrival model around your base and available travel time, then consider the boat programme on its own terms.
The self-arrival RIB begins at Skjervøy Båtforening, Strandveien 92, and lasts 3 hours. Transport between Tromsø and Skjervøy is excluded from this product. Accommodation and flights are also outside its inclusions, making the departure point an essential part of the choice rather than a minor booking detail. Arrange the land journey separately if this is the boat that fits your plans.
The self-arrival equipment includes a thermal flotation suit, life vest, warm boots, mittens, wool socks and ski goggles, together with a skipper/guide. The separate optional-transfer safari includes goggles, a flotation suit, life vest, boots, mittens, a baguette and a soft drink. Keep those equipment and food lists attached to their own outings. The Skjervøy departure guide also compares boats with heated cabins.
Protective clothing and participation limits
RIB whale watching around Skjervøy requires attention to the chosen programme’s clothing and participation conditions. A borrowed flotation or thermal suit supplements warm clothing underneath. Equipment supplied for a particular RIB is not a reason to apply the same packing or access assumptions to every boat. Use the clothing and seasickness guide to separate your own clothing from loaned protection.
Regional RIB programmes apply different participation thresholds: one uses a minimum height of 120 cm, while another has a minimum age of 14 years and requires reasonable fitness. The latter excludes pregnancy and back or mobility problems. These are programme-specific conditions, not common limits for all the options on this page. Match the participation information to the actual outing, especially when travelling with children or anyone needing assistance.
Day length, toilets and changing conditions
The Tromsø bus-and-RIB day lasts 12 hours, whereas the direct Skjervøy RIB is listed at 3 hours. Compare those as different travel arrangements, allowing for the separate arrival journey in the self-arrival case. Around 4 hours by road between Tromsø and Skjervøy is a regional planning reference, not a promised transfer time or a public-transport connection. The arrival guide keeps the airport journey separate from the safari bus.
RIB toilet arrangements need their own check: a regional RIB programme explicitly operates without an onboard toilet. A changing room on land does not answer that question, and neither does a long overall tour duration. Wind, waves and animal positions affect the day’s operation and sightings. The season guide explains the winter context without promising whales on a particular departure.
RIB whale watching questions
Does every RIB safari include a bus from Tromsø?
No. The Prostneset bus-and-RIB outing includes transport from Tromsø and back, while the optional-transfer safari includes the bus only with its Tromsø option. The 3-hour RIB at Strandveien 92 is a self-arrival alternative in Skjervøy, so its land journey needs to be arranged separately.
How long is the self-arrival RIB excursion?
3 hours is the listed duration for the self-arrival Skjervøy RIB. That figure describes the excursion rather than a complete day from Tromsø. The separate journey to Skjervøy still needs space in the itinerary, while the bus-and-RIB outing from Prostneset has a listed overall duration of 12 hours.
Does the supplied flotation suit replace warm clothing?
No. A flotation suit on a Skjervøy RIB supplements the warm clothing required underneath. The exact loaned items differ between outings, so follow the chosen programme’s clothing instructions. Participation conditions also vary, and the presence of protective equipment does not establish that every child or traveller can join.