Killer whales in Lofoten

Watching Killer whales (Orcas) from your camper with a coffee in hand? Your chances of experiencing this scenario will be pretty good in springtime in Lofoten.

Last year in May, almost once a day, a family of Orcas showed up in the Reine Fjord. In recent years, it has become more common for Killer Whales to be around Lofoten in springtime. I was on a fishing trip when suddenly a massive Orca appeared beside our boat. Just a few meters away, several other animals appeared. We reeled in our fishing lines and followed them with the boat for at least 20 minutes until they disappeared. It was a pretty impressive boat ride, and I regretted not bringing the camera on the fishing trip. Alex Conu, a Lofoten-based photographer and guide, was in the right place at the right time with his camera gear. He managed to capture some impressive pictures when the Orcas visited Reine. All the pictures in the blog post were taken by Alex Conu.

How to spot the whales yourself

If you are planning to do some self-guided whale watching, we recommend that you stay with your camper close to Reine for a few days. Ask locals or check social media to see if people have recently spotted or taken pictures of Orcas. The whales usually stay in the same area for some time and will return at least once a day. They travel in a big circle in the Vestfjord, chasing schools of herring. You can sometimes spot them in the Reine Fjord, but also along the coast up to the Flakstad Island. We recommend bringing patience and binoculars.

Previous Arctic Camper guests have spent some time spotting Orcas very successfully from this parking lot. From this location, you have a good overview of the waters outside Reine. Depending on how rough the sea is, you can easily spot the sharp fins or tails emerging from the sea.

If watching them from land is not enough, you may want to consider a sea kayak trip for a closer encounter with the whales. Ole Christian from Lofoten Outdoor and Sandro from Reine Adventure offer these types of kayak trips in Reine.