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Whale watching and dolphin boat tours in Spain: what to do in Tarifa, Cadiz

See companies for whale and dolphin sightseeing in southern Spain and the Strait of Gibraltar

There are opportunities for tourists and visitors to Spain to see whales, dolphins and other marine wildlife on boat tours in Andalucía in the sea of southern Spain.

The best place to see whales and dolphins in Spain is in the Strait of Gibraltar in the southernmost point of mainland western Europe, where Spain is at its nearest to Morocco. The towns of Tarifa, Algeciras and the Playa de la Bolonia beach on the Costa de la Luz coast of Cadiz stands at the confluence of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, and that’s why it provides such great opportunities for seeing whales and dolphins in their natural habitat.

Why is the south of Spain such a good place to see whales and dolphins?

Where the two bodies of water meet, the warmer Mediterranean flows under the Atlantic because its higher salt content makes it heavier.

This causes currents which generate additional nutrients in the water, contributing to an ecosystem rich and varied in wildlife.

The whales and dolphins are attracted by the wealth of food available in this area, such as bluefin tuna. In fact, cetaceans like fin whales often use the Strait of Gibraltar as a pit stop to refuel on their migration to the Atlantic Ocean each summer, where they move when it becomes warmer.

What animals can you see on a dolphin and whale tour in the Strait of Gibraltar?

The animals you can see depend on how far out to sea you go. The tours, many of which leave from Tarifa, take either two or three hours, depending on how far out to sea they travel.

The further out you go, and the closer to Tangiers in Morocco, the more chance you have of seeing larger animals like orcas and the fin whale, the second largest animal in the world (behind the blue whale, which you won’t see here).

The whales you can see are orcas (killer whales), fin whales, pilot whales and sperm whales. The dolphins you can see are common dolphins, striped dolphins and bottlenose dolphins.

You may also see massive bluefin tuna when the Moroccan fishermen pull them in on their small motor boats and there is a chance you could spot turtles swimming in the sea too.

What kind of whale and dolphin tours are available?

There are various companies that offer boat trips out from Cadiz’s Costa de la Luz near Gibraltar to go and see dolphins and whales, some of which will have a tour guide to accompany the boat and give you information on what you’re seeing in English. Contact the tour company to ask for more info.

Some companies have fast boats that are better suited for going further out to sea and closer to the shore of Morocco to see whales and orcas. These tours normally take around three hours.

Others have glass-bottom boats so you can see the fish, dolphins and maybe even turtles under the water. These tours normally take around two hours.

4 dolphin and whale tour companies in Tarifa, Cadiz

Some companies you can go on whale and dolphin watching boat tours with are:

When is the best time to go?

The best time of year for seeing whales and dolphins is between May and September.

Most companies won’t go out on a boat tour outside of these months, and the boats will also not go out if the sea condition is bad, so it’s always a good idea to call them on the day you want to do the tour to make sure it is going ahead.

What to pack

When you go out on a whale and dolphin watching trip in the Strait of Gibraltar, you should take with you:

Water and food as they may not sell them on the boat
Seasickness pills for the boat
A camera to take great photos!

How much does it cost?

A whale and dolphin watching tour in Spain normally costs around 50-90 euros per adult, depending on the company.

What else can you do in Tarifa?

The region is also famed for its world-class beaches and excellent surfing conditions, so you can spend a day on the beach while you’re there, either sunbathing or trying sports like kitesurfing or windfoil.

Tarifa also has an important past as a pirate smuggling port and is the site of historical battles, so it’s a nice place to have a wander round and take in the ancient stone architecture.

Many people also choose the area for a camping holiday and there are dozens of campsites to choose from.

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