Whale Watching Standard Tours &amp; Trips

Small Ship Cruise

Lodging level

Standard - 3 star

Physical level

Easy

Trip pace

Flexible schedule

Highlights

Cruise over natural anchorage of Tayvallich, once a famous Viking harbor
Explore Tobermory, one of the most picturesque towns in the Western Isles
Get an opportunity to see eagles, sharks, whales, porpoises and dolphins, as well as many types of seabirds

Themes

50 plus, Birding, Family Friendly, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Relaxing Retreats, Singles Travel, Small Ship Cruise, Sailing

What travelers are saying

"I had a simply marvellous and memorable experience aboard St Hilda with the Mull Odyssey cruise. Christophe and Kerry were fantastic, helpful , lovely people. Everybody was great company! The land and seascapes were quite amazing, the light and shade effects wonderful. I know and love the West Coast of Scotland, and this is a wonderful way of seeing it. Highlights were the peace of Iona, the puffins within a couple of feet on Lunga, the fantastic mountains of Mull reflected in the water.... I could go on for ever! Quite the best holiday of my life!"

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6 days From$1,196

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Around Spitsbergen

By Oceanwide Expeditions

none

4.8/5 Excellent

Small Ship Cruise

Lodging level

Standard - 3 star

Physical level

Easy

Trip pace

Flexible schedule

Visits

Spitsbergen

Highlights

Visit the Svalbard Museum
Visit a large colony of Kittiwake which nest in a canyon
Seeing Bearded Seal and Polar Bear.
Visit to Barentsburg, the only inhabited Russian settlement in Spitsbergen, or to Colesbukta, an abandoned Russian coal mining settlement.

Themes

National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"I booked an Antarctic Peninsula trip two years ago through Oceanwide Expeditions that I have been looking forward to for a long time. My goal is to scuba dive on every continent, so I added on the dive package and started training. I shelled out a few grand for a drysuit and other cold water diving gear (freeze resistant regulators, etc). I booked trips to bump up my number of drysuit dives so I’d be ready for Antarctica. Probably more important than the training was the financial outlay. I spent nearly $8500 USD on an 11 day Antarctic cruise that was supposed to depart in February. I spent another few thousand dollars on flights to, from and within Argentina and hotels throughout my trip. Mind you, I’m not exactly rolling in money; I’m an Army officer and I had to save up to afford this trip of a lifetime. I had to jump through a lot of hoops to get my international leave approved, but I got that done and was ready to fly to Buenos Aires on February 4th, and then on to Ushuaia to meet my ship my dives were logged, my gear was ready, my arrangements were made and my money was spent. On January 10th, Oceanwide sent an email informing all passengers that they were cancelling all of their itineraries for the season due to Omicron. I’ll admit, I was furious. I don’t want to get into a COVID debate here, but this trip has given me something to look forward to throughout the pandemic. I booked in March of 2020 while I was locked down during my last deployment as the world shut down for COVID. I was concerned about the trip, but Argentina eventually opened their borders as their vaccination numbers skyrocketed. It looked like the last impediment was out of my way, only to have the company pull the rug out from under me because of the mildest strain of this virus we’ve yet seen. The initial email offered to rebook passengers on next year’s cruises, but I had no interest in this for a few reasons- 1. As a service member, I don’t have the luxury of taking a month of leave whenever I want. I don’t know what obligations I will have a year from now. 2. I don’t trust that the world will be any better off in terms of government and corporate reactions to COVID a year from now. This isn’t going away, new variants will continue to emerge, so if the company is cancelling for the season over something as mild as Omicron, I have little confidence that whatever variant we see in February 2023 will be any better. 3. The company cancelled all itineraries in the 2020-2021 season and I’d imagine they did the same in the 2019-2020 season. They ran a couple in November-December 2021, but have cancelled for the rest of the 21-22 season. They have had no significant cash flow for nearly two years. I don’t want this company to hold on to my money for another year because I’m not confident this company will still exist in a year’s time. Here comes the really frustrating part- I replied to the initial email from their home office on January 10th explaining my position and requesting a refund. I received no reply. On 12 January I emailed the American office of the same company explaining the situation and again requesting a refund. I again received no reply. Between 14-16 January, I called both the American and home (Dutch) offices of the company. In both cases, the employees politely apologized and told me they’d look into it and get back to me. I never received any further communication. On 19 January, I emailed both offices reiterating my request for a refund and expressing my concerns at their lack of communication and requesting a response by the end of the week, or else I would pursue other means of recourse. I received no response. Last night, I again emailed both companies with a final good faith attempt to allow them to resolve the situation. I figured I’d give them the morning to respond, but they have not responded. It looks like I will have to dispute this through my credit card and bank and fight to get back my own money. TL;DR Oceanwide Expeditions accepted payment of $8500 for an Antarctica Cruise then cancelled the cruise and will not respond to any requests for refunds. This shady conduct is more than enough reason to avoid this company."

By St Hilda Sea Adventures

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15 days From$6,250

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Skye and the Small Isles

preferred

5/5 Excellent

Small Ship Cruise

Lodging level

Standard - 3 star

Physical level

Easy

Trip pace

Flexible schedule

Highlights

Visit wild and remote Loch Scavaig on the Isle of Skye
Explore Tobermory, one of the most picturesque towns in the Western Isles
Visit Skye's famous Talisker malt whisky distillery

Themes

50 plus, Birding, Family Friendly, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Relaxing Retreats, Singles Travel, Small Ship Cruise, Sailing

What travelers are saying

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7 days From$1,155

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New England in the Fall

By Great Rail Journeys

none

4.2/5 Great

55 reviews

Group Tour

Lodging level

Standard - 3 star

Physical level

Easy

Trip pace

Balanced schedule

Visits

Boston

Highlights

Falmouth and Cape Cod
Martha's Vineyard
Downeaster Railway journey
Mount Washington Cog Railway
North Conway Scenic Railroad

Themes

National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Train & Rail Journeys

What travelers are saying

"This was their July 22 Cruise “Delights if the Danube” Absolutely awful company, great at taking your bookings and money but it then ends there. We paid a premium rate for what they listed as “Delights of The Danube” river cruise. They changed our ship, so we did not get what we paid for, and no pool as we originally specified. The drinks in the drinks package had very little choice. One draft beer is all that is available, and that is pretty poor as it is, you can’t even buy bottled beers or any other draught beer as that one is your only choice. Wines at meal times are either red, white or Rosa, no choice, just those three.The ship they put us on “boasted” a new wine bar, it didn’t serve any wines or beers at all the entire week, it wasn’t even stocked or manned, but it did have a kettle and tea or coffee !!!. The trips ashore are advertised to deceive you, this is appalling. Some of the trips are over two and a half hours each way on a coach, and the shorter ones are rushed, don’t be fooled by their misleading advertising. The train journeys are an absolute nightmare, even though we booked first class there and back. You have to rush between connecting trains while dragging your luggage with you, and the connecting times are tight, we felt so sorry for those less able who were severely stressed. On part of the journey we were told that 1st class was not available, we were put in filthy overcrowded carriages, with our luggage carriages away, and professional thieves operate on these trains. Some of our fellow passengers, on our cruise, were robbed on the way to the cruise and the way home. Great Rail offered us the paltry sum of £30 compensation for this. Once we got on the cruise we were excited, but that quickly changed, we spent the first two days moored up overlooking an industrial estate, yes an industrial estate, that’s what Great Rail advertise as a “Delight of the Danube”. When we complained and asked why are we on an industrial estate,we were told “because it’s cheaper than mooring up in a city or town”. We complained to the reps on the cruise, as did numerous others, only to be told that they don’t actually work for Great Rail, they are sub contracted free lancers, and that we would have to take it up with Great Rail upon our return. After numerous phone calls and e-mails we have been offered a derisory amount on one of their vouchers, which only benefits Great Rail, why would we want to go back with such an incompetent company? The communication with Great Rail is appalling once they have your money, be warned. Overall I have to say that Great Rail are appalling, amateurs playing in a market they simply don’t understand, their advertising is very misleading, that’s putting it politely!! The tone of their responses are arrogant, they simply ignore many of the points raised, and they honestly don’t seem to care, they are all image and no substance."

By Adventures within Reach

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10 days From$2,914

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Antarctic Peninsula Expedition

preferred

5/5 Excellent

54 reviews

Small Ship Cruise

Lodging level

Standard - 3 star

Physical level

Easy

Trip pace

Flexible schedule

Visits

Ushuaia

Highlights

Glaciers galore
Stunning icebergs the size of skyscrapers
Soaring coastal mountains (up to 9,186 ft./2.800m)
Abundant wildlife found nowhere else

Themes

National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"Just got back from an incredible adventure. Bhutan was more than I could have ever expected. There was an abundance of good travel karma throughout the trip. The guide, Bhim, was great, very accommodating, and personalized the trip in many amazing ways, and though him I got to know the people and the culture close up and personal. The whole thing went off without a hitch. Bhutan was the most amazing place I have ever been."

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10 days From$5,550

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Garden Route + Wine

By Hotspots2c

none

5/5 Excellent

19 reviews

Small Group Tour

Lodging level

Standard - 3 star

Physical level

Moderate

Trip pace

Balanced schedule

Visits

Garden Route

Highlights

Wilderness Canoe: Evergreen temperate forests merge with rocky beaches to touch the warm Indian Ocean. Lagoons and strings of shining lakes beg to be explored. Canoe on streams in the Wilderness National Park and watch the bird life while you glide over the water on your encounter with Mother Nature; or follow the shady footpaths that wind through a wonderland of giant trees into the forest
Myoli Beach: This stretch of white beach starts at the Sedgefield Lagoon mouth - an unspoiled paradise with the Indian Ocean’s warmer waters. Nothing happens quickly in this ‘Slow Town’ - a small town community focused on celebrating local arts & crafts and a natural way of life. Situated between Knysna and Wilderness - this beautiful seaside village is surrounded entirely by lakes, fynbos covered dunes and forests.
Knysna Heads: A lively, popular holiday town nestled between forested mountains and sea, and curves around a big lagoon. Walk to The Heads, where the sea crashes between two massive sandstone cliffs.
Tsitsikamma Hike: Spend time in lush green paradise as we explore the marine reserve with its unique combination of ancient Outenique Yellowwood forests and wild dramatic coastal landscape. Walk along forest trails to a suspension bridge and find a quiet spot from where to absorb the living splendour. Look out for inquisitive vervet monkeys & array of bird life in dense vegetation.
Addo Bus Safari: Explore the third-largest national park in South Africa - a world of diversity; varied landscapes of fauna and flora - in our guided tour bus. The lush vegetation provides protection and food to support the most dense population of wild elephants on the planet. Home to over 500 elephants and also lions, buffalo, black rhino, spotted hyena, leopard, a variety of antelope and in the marine section, great white sharks and southern right whales, which means that Addo is one of the few reserves in the world that can boast having the Big 7.

Themes

Culinary & Wine, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife

What travelers are saying

"Thank you Nev Siya for our amazing 4 days garden route tour- including: penguins, caves, safari, elephant walks, bunjee jump, wine tasting. You’re the best (guide, driver and friend)!!"

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7 days From$600

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Discover New Zealand

By Mercury Holidays

none

4.1/5 Great

10 reviews

Group Tour

Lodging level

Standard - 3 star

Physical level

Easy

Trip pace

Balanced schedule

Visits

Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Queenstown, Wellington

Highlights

Dolphin spotting on a magical 'Hole in the Rock' cruise
Visit the Waitomo Glowworm Caves
Experience Maori culture at a Hangi Feast and performance
Breakfast cruise on Lake Rotorua
Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu

Themes

Cultural, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Photography

What travelers are saying

"Straight forward to book on-line. Any problems are dealt with on telephone & the staff are very helpful."

By San Juan Island Outfitters

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17 days From$4,213

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2 & 3 Day Classic Kayaking Tour

none

Group Tour

Lodging level

Standard - 3 star

Physical level

Moderate

Trip pace

Full schedule

Visits

San Juan Islands

Highlights

Stuart Island is one of the most northwestern islands in the San Juan archipelago and is only accessible by private boat or sea kayak
Jones Island State Park has great hiking and walking trails, rocky shorelines for tide-pooling, and epic view of the San Juans and sunset
Explore the San Juan Islands

Themes

High Adventure, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Overland Journeys, Rafting, Kayaking, Canoeing

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3 days From$639

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Peninsula Valdes Sea Wildlife

By Say Hueque

preferred

4.5/5 Excellent

Self-Guided / Independent Tour

Why we love them

They have extensive knowledge of Argentina and the surrounding region and their specialists have visited the destinations they send travelers to.

Lodging level

Standard - 3 star

Physical level

Easy

Trip pace

Flexible schedule

Visits

Patagonia, Puerto Madryn

Highlights

Enjoy awhale-watching tourin Argentina. Get close to the stunning Southern Right Whales and learn all about these incredible animals.
Explore Península Valdés Natural Reserve declared a UNESCO World Heritage.
Go on apenguin tour and visit Punta Tombo the largest colony of Magellan penguins in South America.
Best time to travel: From October to April.

Themes

National Parks, Nature & Wildlife

What travelers are saying

"Just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you and your team for a fantastic holiday in Argentina! We loved the country and the people. The highlights for us was Iguazu Falls, the wine tour & the little hotel in Mendoza and the Glacier trekking. The Glacier was amazing!!! All flights were on time and your guides were always there to meet and great. Please pass on a special thank you to Carla who looked after us in BA and kept in touch all through our travels. Thanks again to Lujan, who did a fantastic job putting it all together and we will recommend you and your company to all our friends & family."

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-26%$1,843

4 days From$1,365

Health Safety

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Best of Alaska

By Intrepid Travel

premier

5/5 Excellent

Small Group Tour

Why we love them

They’re very committed to sustainable and responsible tourism and contribute to important initiatives like climate action.

Lodging level

Premium - 4 star

Physical level

Easy

Trip pace

Balanced schedule

Visits

Alaska, Anchorage, Chugach Mountains, Denali, Denali National Park, Kenai Fjords National Park, Seward, Valdez

Highlights

Head out on an Alaskan safari for a unique chance to see moose, caribou, grizzly bears, Dall sheep and wolves in their natural habitat in Denali National Park.
Take a boat cruise on Resurrection Bay to Kenai Fjords and look out for orca whales, porpoises and puffins before enjoying some free time to hike or relax.
Discover Seward, one of Alaska's oldest and most scenic communities, then take a short hike to the tongue of Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park.
Sit back and take in stunning views along the dramatic coastlines of the Turnagain Arm from Anchorage to Homer, then from Seward to Denali National Park, while someone else does the driving.
On the way to charming Talkeetna, take a breath in Girdwood, where you’ll hop on the Alyeska Aerial Tram to the top of Mt Alyeska and see some incredible views of seven glaciers and the valley below.

Themes

50 plus, Cultural, High Adventure, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife

What travelers are saying

"We joined the Intrepid “Real Italy Food Tour” and enjoyed it thoroughly. Our tour guide, Micol, was very knowledgeable and provided us with lots of good information. It seems Micol knew many of the staff of the venues we visited, including the pasta making class we attended. Our group of 11 travelers was extremely compatible, which greatly added to the fun and enjoyment."

By Real New Zealand Tours

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-39%$6,753

10 days From$4,118

Health Safety +

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21 Day Grand Tour Discover Real New Zealand

Local Expert

Verified by Travelstride as locally operated and in the top of their field for customer reviews, local knowledge, and safety.

5/5 Excellent

40 reviews

Self-Guided / Independent Tour

Why we love them

They are dedicated to providing personalized, authentic, and sustainable travel experiences that showcase the best of their country.

Lodging level

Luxury - 5 star

Physical level

Easy

Trip pace

Balanced schedule

Visits

Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Fiordland National Park, Pacific Ocean, Queenstown, Rotorua, Tasmania, Wellington

Highlights

All inclusive tour package prepared by New Zealand based specialists so you sit back and relax
An exciting itinerary will be customised to suit you - let us help plan and perfect your dream vacation
We offer self-drive trips (rental car) we arrange all your accomodations, activities, attractions (you select) we book your car (fun, freedom, independence, flexibility) you set the pace each day or, select a private driver trip (fully guided) or, escorted coach tours (daily commentary).
Either way, you will have an awesome time on our wonderful 21 day Grand New Zealand Tour with Real New Zealand Tours.

Themes

Cultural, Cycling & Biking, Hiking & Walking, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Rafting, Kayaking, Canoeing, Relaxing Retreats, Small Ship Cruise, Train & Rail Journeys, Trekking & Expeditions, Yoga, Meditation & Wellness, Sailing, Golf

What travelers are saying

"Geoff helped my wife and I to put together an itinerary that customized to our particular interests and preferences. At the outset he asked us where we'd like to go and, after a small number of iterations, together we were able able to craft an itinerary that met our budget, touched on much of the places we wanted, and did not have us staying at a different resort each night. Before leaving for our trip we were given our itinerary and confirmation #'s/vouchers/contact #'s for all of our activities and hotels captured in an easy-to-use app that made it extremely easy to transition to the next point of our journey. He and his assistant were quick to respond to any questions we had along the way as well. Overall, we had a great stay and highly endorse Geoff and RealNZ for anyone planning a bespoke trip to NZ."

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-12%$3,990

21 days From$3,500

Generous cancellation

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Philippines (Bohol & Cebu): in 6 Days, 1st Class Custom Tours

By Charlie The Traveler

Local Expert

Verified by Travelstride as locally operated and in the top of their field for customer reviews, local knowledge, and safety.

5/5 Excellent

Private Guided

Why we love them

Travelers report that traveling with CharlieTheTraveler is a life-changing experience, in the best possible way.

Lodging level

Luxury - 5 star

Physical level

Moderate

Trip pace

Full schedule

Visits

Apo Island, Badian, Bohol, Cebu City, Dumaguete, Manila, Oslob, Samboan

Highlights

Swimming with Whale Sharks
Swimming with Sea Turtles
Canyoneering & Cliff Jumping at Kawasan Falls
Climbing Waterfalls (a.k.a. Canyoning) at Aguinid Falls
Seeing Chocolate-Looking Hills

Themes

Cultural, Education / Learning, High Adventure, Hiking & Walking, Nature & Wildlife, Relaxing Retreats, Photography

What travelers are saying

"CharlieTheTraveler far exceeded our expectations. You took care of our every need and I feel spoiled. We did not have to worry about anything. We will definitely use CharlieTheTraveler again on a future trip. Thank you so much for your attention to detail."

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-12%$2,233

7 days From$1,959

Health Safety

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Antarctica Expedition & Wild Patagonia

By Across South America

Local Expert

Verified by Travelstride as locally operated and in the top of their field for customer reviews, local knowledge, and safety.

5/5 Excellent

65 reviews

Small Ship Cruise

Lodging level

Premium - 4 star

Physical level

Moderate

Trip pace

Balanced schedule

Visits

El Calafate, Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego National Park, Ushuaia

Highlights

Torres del Paine Luxury Camp
Walk on the Perito Moreno Glacier
Explore the "End of the world"
Nature at its best at the Small Luxurious Expedition Cruise to Antarctica.
Adventure in Antarctica: Ice-Camp and Kayak

Themes

Birding, Cultural, High Adventure, Hiking & Walking, Nature & Wildlife, Rafting, Kayaking, Canoeing, Small Ship Cruise, Trekking & Expeditions, Sailing, Photography

What travelers are saying

"I highly recommend Across South America for a memorable experience that is personalized for YOU."

Whale Watching One Week Top Itineraries

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-19%$19,926

21 days From$16,200

Generous cancellation

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Whale Watching Reviews & Ratings

5/5 Excellent

107 Reviews

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Average

Disappointing

Terrible

Eric

Oct 2019

Written on

A Close Encounter of the Orca Kind

I have been on this trip 3 different time, and each time has been unique, and so amazing. The guides were so great, and knowledgeable, the food was fantastic, and th...

Kimmie

Sep 2019

Written on

This was one of the best vacations I have ever gone on

This was one of the best vacations I have ever gone on. It was amazing to see the humpbacks slapping their tails and orca swimming by our base camp every evening. Bu...

Lin Teichman

Aug 2019

Written on

Best Trip Ever

This trip exceeded all expectations for a kayaking trip. Not only were the guides wonderful, the food amazing and the participants fun, but the sheer numbers of whal...

Michelle

Jul 2019

Written on

Incredible Kayaking with Orcas

If you're looking for an opportunity to kayak with whales, specifically orcas, this is an incredible adventure. Not only did we get the opportunity to see orcas from...

Jimbo

Sep 2018

Written on

Amazing Johnstone Straight Experience - Kayaking, Fun, Wildlife, great food, beautiful location

We recently took the Orca Base Camp trip with Sea Kayak Adventures. It was amazing. Yes its camping. We were well taken care of and got to paddle in this pristin...