Whale watching in the polar night

When is the polar night in Tromsø in 2026-27?

From about 27 November 2026 to 15 January 2027. The sun's last appearance is around 26 November, and it is back above the horizon around 16 January.

The dates are astronomical. In town the mountains hide a low sun for longer, and Visit Tromsø notes the sun is usually not visible from central Tromsø "until later in January". Before and after the polar night the days are short too: on 15 November the sun is up for about four hours, and by 31 January it is back to almost five.

The times below are calculated for central Tromsø with standard solar formulas, in local winter time. Civil twilight is the bright part of the day, when you can read outdoors without a lamp. Nautical twilight is the deep blue before and after it.

How much light will I have on a whale watching boat?

Enough. The big boats leave in the dark around 08:00 and reach the whale area in the brightest hours, about 10:30 to 13:30 in December.

Brim Explorer sails at 07:30, 07:45, 08:00 or 09:00 and is back between 16:30 and 17:30. Destination Tromsø puts the sailing time to the whale area at about two hours, depending on where the whales are. Leave at 08:30 and you arrive around 10:30, inside the bright part of the day. The trip home is in the dark, which is when guests sometimes catch the northern lights from the deck.

On the Skjervøy RIB trip the bus leaves Tromsø at 05:00 and you spend about three hours on the water before a late-morning or midday return to the harbour. Skjervøy is a little further north, so the light is a shade dimmer. Guests who went in January 2026 liked it. Molly, on MS Alba on 12 January: "Our trip was during Polar Night, so the views and colours of the sky were incredible."

How do I photograph whales in the polar night?

Use a fast shutter and accept high ISO. Moving whales from a moving boat need about 1/1000 s, which in blue light means ISO 3200 to 6400.

The light is soft and low, so cameras struggle. What works:

• Shutter first. Set shutter priority at 1/800 to 1/1250 s and auto ISO. A grainy sharp orca beats a clean blurry one.
• Wide aperture, mid zoom. A 70-200 mm f/2.8 or a 100-400 mm at its widest. On the big boats the whales may be 100 m off; on a RIB they can surface close.
• Shoot RAW. Blue twilight gives strong colour casts that are easy to fix later.
• Phones: turn night mode off for whales. It holds the shutter open and smears anything that moves. Keep it for the scenery.
• No flash. It lights up spray and snow, not a whale 50 m away.
• Batteries: carry two and keep the spare in an inside pocket. Cold drains them fast.

Shoot from the outdoor deck, not through salty lounge windows, and wipe the lens often.

How cold is a whale watching trip in December and January?

Colder than the thermometer says. Tromsø averages about -2 °C in December and -3 °C in January, and on deck the wind of a moving boat adds to it.

Met Norway's 1991-2020 normals for Tromsø give a daily mean of -1.7 °C in December and -3.0 °C in January, with average lows of -3.9 °C and -5.3 °C (climate table). Out at sea it often feels much colder: a catamaran cruises fast, and you will stand still on deck for an hour or more while the whales feed.

On the big boats you bring all your own warm gear and retreat to a heated lounge between sightings. On a RIB the operator lends you a flotation suit, boots, mittens and goggles, and there is nowhere to warm up until you land. Wool base layers, a warm hat and two pairs of gloves make the difference. Our packing list for whale trips goes item by item.

Is the polar night a good time for whale watching?

Yes. The polar night covers the most reliable weeks of the season, from late November to mid January.

The whales do not care about the sun. They follow the herring, and last winter the strong reports ran from November to about 20 January. Daphne, on MS Alba on 11 January 2026: "We saw dozens of killer whales around us and several humpbacks." The trade-off is a short window of light and a long, dark ride home. For the season outlook and what changed with the herring, read our 2026-27 season post.

Frequently asked questions