4 Best Dolphin Watching Tours in Fuerteventura

Without a doubt, seeing dolphins on a boat tour is one of the best things to see and do in Fuerteventura, whether you're traveling as a couple, with friends, or with family. It's an exciting, educational, and accessible experience for everyone, allowing you to admire these incredible animals in the wild while sailing through some of the island's most beautiful landscapes. Here are the best options for doing so.

If you're looking for a boat trip that combines comfort, breathtaking scenery and a close encounter with marine wildlife, this dolphin watching tour in Fuerteventura is perfect for you. For around 90 minutes, you'll sail in a small group of around 12 people accompanied by an expert guide, ensuring a more peaceful, personalized, and environmentally friendly experience.

The tour will take you along the southern coast of the island, to iconic spots such as Morro Jable beach and Jandía Natural Park. From the boat, you'll be able to see dolphins, whales, and other marine species in their natural environment, all while enjoying the comfort of an air-conditioned boat with life jackets included.

Thanks to the small group size, this excursion is a unique opportunity to experience a special moment with marine wildlife, far from the crowds and with the constant attention of a professional guide who will explain all the details of Fuerteventura's marine ecosystem.

Details of interest

• Price: — from $81
• Duration: approximately 90 minutes
• Type of boat: air-conditioned boat for small groups (up to 12 people)

This boat trip around Jandía Bay is ideal if you are looking for a relaxed but exciting tour to see dolphins and whales in their natural habitat. For around 2 hours, you'll sail through Atlantic waters on a boat specially designed for marine sightings, guided by an expert who will tell you all about these fascinating animals.

The tour includes a drink on board (water or soft drink) and, if you wish, you can add a hotel pick-up and drop-off service for added convenience. As you move away from the coast, you will enjoy not only the proximity of the dolphins, but also spectacular views of the Fuerteventura coastline. Plus, with a little luck, you might even spot beluga whales, easily recognizable by their color and shape.

This is an ideal option for families or groups of friends who want to share a special moment at sea and learn more about the marine biodiversity of the Canary Islands without any logistical hassles.

Details of interest

• Price: — from $60
• Duration: approximately 2 hours
• Type of boat: comfortable boat with optional hotel pickup and expert guide

If you fancy combining dolphin watching with an active experience at sea, this type of excursion is ideal for you. It's a tour that combines the best of both worlds: watching cetaceans in the wild and a snorkeling session to discover the seabed of Fuerteventura from inside the water. It is one of the most complete and entertaining options for both adults and families.

The tour is conducted on larger boats, similar to tourist ferries, with a capacity for between 20 and 40 people. The excursion usually starts in the morning from the port of Morro Jable and lasts between 5 and 6 hours, allowing for a relaxed pace to enjoy both the sightseeing and snorkeling. On board, snacks and drinks are usually offered, with the option of purchasing alcohol at the boat bar, making the trip a very enjoyable experience in every way.

Details of interest

• Price: — from $75 per person, with snacks and drinks included on board
• Duration: between 5 and 6 hours, ideal for a complete experience
• Type of boat: large-capacity tourist boat, ideal for large groups and comfortable for activities such as snorkeling

If you are looking for a more intimate, relaxed, and luxurious experience to see dolphins in Fuerteventura, a sailing trip is undoubtedly the most special option. This type of outing is done in small groups of up to 8 people, aboard a sailboat that cruises the waters of the south of the island in complete tranquility. In addition to whale watching, the tour includes time to relax, stops for swimming and even the chance to snorkel in areas recommended by the captain.

The tour usually departs from the marina in Morro Jable, and hotel pick-up is often included if you are staying in the area. During the trip, you will enjoy drinks, sandwiches, and even a special snack, while the captain and his assistant take care of the navigation. With a little luck, you will see sea turtles, manta rays, and fish, as well as groups of dolphins riding the waves very close to the sailboat.

The leisurely pace, direct contact with the sea, and exclusivity of a boat with limited capacity make this excursion a truly memorable experience, ideal for families, couples, or small groups looking for something more than just a boat ride.

Details of interest

• Price: — around $80 per person, although this may increase during high season
• Duration: between 4 and 5 hours, including stops for swimming or snorkeling
• Type of boat: sailboat with capacity for 8 people, with bathroom and cabin

On the other hand, you will almost certainly be interested in knowing what types of dolphins and cetaceans you might encounter when participating in any of these tours through the waters of Fuerteventura.

That's why I'll also tell you about some of the marine species that are most commonly seen on these tours, which will help you identify them on your own as soon as you see them swimming on the horizon.

1. Bottlenose dolphins

This is the best-known species of dolphin and is characterized by being a marine mammal with enviable intelligence and a more sociable nature than other dolphins.

They tend to group together in families that stay together for as long as two or even three decades. They are easily identifiable by their fondness for swimming around boats and their grayish color. They are relatively large, with an average size ranging from 2.5 to 3 meters.

2. Orcas

It is commonly believed that orcas are found exclusively in the cold waters of the planet's polar regions. However, they are actually a migratory species, and groups of orcas can be seen swimming around Fuerteventura throughout the year.

They usually reach 9 or 10 meters in length and weigh around 5 or 6 tons on average. They are characterized by being very skilled predators, which allows them to have a diet based on fish, seals, squid, and even smaller sharks.

They live in groups of up to 40 individuals, but they may also spend periods of time swimming alone. They are easily distinguished by their skin, which combines a black base with several white spots.

3. Spotted and rough dolphins

Spotted dolphins are distinguished by their size, which is generally smaller than that of a bottlenose dolphin, and by their skin, which has small black and white spots all over its surface. They are just as sociable and also have a habit of playing with any boat that happens to be sailing near their family group.

Rough-toothed dolphins are skilled hunters that can be distinguished from other dolphins by their narrower snout and pink and white coloring on this part of their body, as well as on their belly and throat.

4. Sperm whales

Sperm whales are one of the most impressive marine mammals in the Atlantic Ocean surrounding the Canary Islands archipelago. They are quite large, easily reaching 18 or 20 meters in length, and 50 tons is an average weight for a sperm whale.

They usually feed on squid and fish at depths of up to 3 km and are commonly seen in groups of no more than three or four individuals because they live in small groups.

5. Humpback whales

It is not so common to see humpback whales on a tour of the waters of Fuerteventura, but there have been exceptions and, over the years, these encounters are becoming more frequent. They are known for being extremely friendly with other dolphins, other whale species, and also with boats that cross their path.

They are easy to identify by the outline of their hump, although their main distinguishing feature is their habit of performing acrobatic jumps above the water's surface before crashing back down, creating a huge splash.

There are no specific requirements to participate in one of these dolphin watching tours in Fuerteventura. The truth is that you will not swim with them in their natural environment for safety reasons and you will always remain on board the boat while it is sailing from one point to another for the same reasons.

However, one thing I cannot recommend enough is that you bring plenty of water and sunscreen with you. Sailing is the perfect opportunity to get sunburned, and being in the middle of the sea is an experience that makes you thirsty, according to most experienced sailors.

If you want to continue enjoying the sea of this beautiful island beyond the sandy coast , you can also participate in kayaking activities in Fuerteventura. These offer you the chance to have your own individual boat for short, safe trips.