Whale and dolphin watching

Species in the Strait

The waters of the Parque Natural del Estrecho are a migration route for whales and dolphins. More than 1,900 marine species live there, including the loggerhead turtle, dolphins and harbour porpoises.

These species can be seen all year round:

• common dolphin
• striped dolphin
• bottlenose dolphin
• pilot whale

Orcas are about in July and August. At certain times of year, sperm whales and fin whales join them.

Season and weather

Turmares sails daily from March, weather permitting. firmm also sails daily in season depending on the weather, and from 8:00 shows online whether the day's trips are going ahead. When the season ends in autumn varies from operator to operator.

On the Strait of Gibraltar, two winds rule the weather: the easterly Levante and the westerly Poniente. How they are spread over the year is described under Weather.

Distance from the animals

In Spain, under Royal Decree 1727/2007, boats must respect a mobile protection area with a radius of 500 m around whales and dolphins:

• Approaching closer than 60 m is banned.
• No more than two boats may be between 60 and 300 m, and none if single adults with calves or calves on their own are there.
• No more than two further boats wait between 300 and 500 m.

Within the protection area, boats travel at no more than four knots. They approach in the animals' direction of travel at an angle of about 30 degrees, never head-on, from behind or across their path. They do not reverse except in an emergency and do not circle the animals. If an animal surfaces closer than 60 m, the engine is put in neutral or stopped and the propeller stays still. Sonar and echo sounders are switched off.

Touching, feeding and throwing objects into the water are banned, as are cutting across the animals' path, splitting up groups or passing between mother and calf. Noise and swimming or diving in the 60 m zone are also prohibited. If the animals show signs of distress, the boat leaves the protection area.

Boat trips from the port

firmm has its office at Calle Alcalde Juan Núñez 10 in the port of Tarifa, to the right of the diving school. You meet an hour before departure for an introduction of about 30 minutes, given separately in German, English and Spanish; for the early trips, half an hour beforehand is enough. firmm offers two-hour trips throughout the season and three-hour trips only in July and August, while orcas may be around. Bookings are taken only a few days in advance online or by phone, you pay at the port office on the day of the trip, and you can cancel free of charge until departure. If a trip brings no sightings, firmm gives you a free ticket for a two-hour trip. Two boats are used, one for up to 100 people with underwater viewing and one for up to 60. firmm stays no more than 15 minutes with any group of animals.

Turmares has its office and meeting point at Calle Alcalde Juan Núñez 3, Local 12, with a waiting room and toilets. Departures are at 12:00 and 16:00 and depend on the tides and the weather. Turmares offers two- and three-hour tours; on the longer one, your chances of seeing whales and orcas are better. It runs three boats, including the largest with a glass bottom and a quiet hybrid boat for small groups. Turmares keeps to the distances, directions and speeds of the Royal Decree and to the rules of the ACCOBAMS agreement.

There is no parking at the port. How to get to Tarifa is covered under Getting there.

On board

firmm welcomes children of all ages, but pushchairs are not allowed on board. Each boat has one wheelchair space in calm seas. You cannot take part from the seventh month of pregnancy or if your pregnancy is high-risk. Dogs, smoking, food and drones are not allowed on board, and there is a toilet.

On Turmares boats, feeding, touching, throwing objects and shouting are banned on board, and minors must be accompanied by adults. Turmares recommends sun protection, a hat, a jacket and sturdy shoes, and if you are prone to seasickness, medication before boarding.

Report injured or dead marine mammals to the maritime service of the Guardia Civil or the Armada, the Spanish navy, or call 112 giving your location.

Other things to see in Tarifa include the old town with the Castillo de Guzmán el Bueno and Isla de las Palomas. More is described under Things to do, hotels and holiday flats under Where to stay, and wind and weather for the trip under Weather.