Where Can You See Whales and Puffins in Norway?

Norway has excellent whale watching and excellent puffin colonies, but they don't automatically overlap — most of the country's best-known puffin cliffs, like Runde or Røst, have no organized whale safaris at all. Vesterålen is the exception. On our Summer Whale Safaris from both Andenes and Stø, puffins are part of the seabird life you may see over the course of the same trip, alongside sperm whales and other marine wildlife. This guide covers where that overlap actually happens, when to time it, and where to go if puffins — not whales — are the main goal.

Quick answer:

• The clearest place to see both whales and puffins on the same trip is Vesterålen, on our Summer Whale Safaris from Andenes and Stø
• Puffins are present at their colonies roughly late April through late July or early August, so June and July give the best realistic overlap with whale sightings
• Our winter Whale Safari in Tromsø (November–January) doesn't feature puffins — they've already left the coast for the open sea by then
• Norway's largest dedicated puffin colonies — Runde, Lovund, Røst, and Gjesværstappan — are worth a visit for birds, but none run organized whale-watching safaris
• Neither sighting is ever guaranteed, but our Whale Pass gives you a free rebooking if no whales or dolphins are seen

Vesterålen: the one place in Norway to realistically see both

Both of our Vesterålen safaris put puffins on the wildlife list, not just whales. The Summer Whale Safari from Andenes lists "a variety of seabirds, including puffins and white-tailed eagles" among the species you may encounter alongside sperm whales, and the return leg passes scenic views of Bleik Island — known locally as Bleiksøya, one of the region's seabird cliffs — and its coastal birdlife. The Summer Whale Safari from Stø goes further still: the tour is built around whale, bird, and seal watching together, sailing toward the waters around the Anda Nature Reserve, home to one of Northern Norway's most important seabird colonies, where puffins during their nesting season are one of several species you may spot from the boat, alongside white-tailed eagles, kittiwakes, razorbills, and fulmars.

Neither safari lands on the bird islands themselves — Anda Island and Bleik Island are observed from the boat — and, as with whale sightings, birdlife can never be guaranteed on any given day. But of the three of our departures, Andenes and Stø are the two where puffins are genuinely part of the trip, not an afterthought.

Timing: when both whales and puffins are most likely

Puffins don't stay at their Norwegian colonies year-round. They typically arrive from late April, build up through May, and are at their most reliably visible from late May through July, before most birds leave the cliffs by mid-August as chicks fledge and head out to sea for the winter. That general window matters for planning: the Stø safari runs June 1 through August 31, and the Andenes safari runs May through September, so a trip booked in June or July sits squarely inside the puffin window, while a safari booked in early May or in September has a real chance of whales but a much lower chance of puffins, since the colonies are either not yet fully active or already emptying out. 

What about the winter safari in Tromsø?

Puffins aren't part of it. Our Winter Whale Safari from Tromsø, running roughly November through January, lists seabirds like white-tailed eagles and auks among what you might see — auks being the wider seabird family puffins belong to — but puffins specifically aren't featured, and for good reason: by November, puffins have long since left their breeding cliffs and spend the winter dispersed far out at sea, well away from where any boat trip would realistically encounter them. The winter safari's focus is squarely on orcas and humpback whales following herring into the fjords, not birdlife.

Other great places to see puffins in Norway, if whales aren't the goal

If puffins are the priority rather than whales, several Norwegian colonies are larger and more famous than anything near Vesterålen — worth knowing about for a complete picture, even though none of them pair with an organized whale-watching safari:

• Runde, on the Sunnmøre coast near Ålesund, is often cited as Norway's largest puffin colony, with a season running roughly April through August
• Lovund, in Helgeland, hosts an estimated 200,000–300,000 puffins, with birds traditionally arriving around April 14th each year
• Røst, in Lofoten, has long been one of Norway's most important puffin sites, though it has seen a sharp population decline in recent decades
• Gjesværstappan, near the North Cape, draws tens of thousands of puffins and is typically visited on a boat trip from the village of Gjesvær
• Hornøya, near Vardø in Varanger, has a smaller colony of roughly 7,800 pairs and is popular specifically with birdwatchers

Some of these areas also offer dedicated, puffin-focused boat trips for travelers who want a closer or longer look than a whale safari provides — worth asking about locally if birds are your main interest. Atlantic puffins are classified as Vulnerable on the global IUCN Red List, and several Norwegian colonies, including Røst, have declined sharply in recent decades, which is worth keeping in mind wherever you choose to view them: from a respectful distance, without disturbing nesting birds.

Putting it together

Plan your trip today

For the full details on each safari, see the Andenes whale safari, Stø whale safari, and Tromsø winter whale safari pages. If you're weighing Andenes against Stø more generally, our guide to where to go whale watching in Northern Norway covers both in depth, and our summer vs. winter guide explains why the two seasons involve such different wildlife. For what to pack, see our travel planning guide. 

Frequently asked questions about whales and puffins in Norway

Can you see puffins on a whale watching tour in Norway? Yes, on our Summer Whale Safaris from Andenes and Stø in Vesterålen. Both list puffins among the seabirds you may see over the course of the trip, alongside whales, dolphins, and other wildlife. Sightings of either are never guaranteed.

When is the best time to see both whales and puffins in Norway? June and July give the best overlap. Puffins are typically at their colonies from late April through late July or early August, which lines up with the early-to-mid part of both the Andenes and Stø safari seasons.

Are there puffins on the winter whale safari in Tromsø? No. Puffins have left their breeding cliffs for the open sea well before the winter safari season begins in November. The winter safari's wildlife is centered on orcas and humpback whales following herring into the fjords.

Where in Norway has the most puffins? Runde, on the Sunnmøre coast, and Lovund, in Helgeland, are among Norway's largest puffin colonies, alongside Røst in Lofoten and Gjesværstappan near the North Cape. None of these run organized whale-watching safaris.

Do I need to book a separate puffin tour to see puffins near Andenes or Stø? Not necessarily. Puffins are already part of the wildlife you may see on our regular Summer Whale Safaris from both locations, since each route passes seabird colonies. Dedicated, puffin-focused boat trips also exist locally for travelers who want a closer or longer look specifically at the birds.

Are puffins endangered in Norway? Atlantic puffins are classified as Vulnerable on the global IUCN Red List, and some Norwegian colonies, including Røst, have seen sharp declines in recent decades. It's a good reason to view them responsibly and from a respectful distance wherever you go.