Newfoundland Puffin and Whale Watch Cruise: Witness Wildlife in Witless Bay Ecological Reserve

Embark on an incredible wildlife adventure in Newfoundland’s Witless Bay Ecological Reserve. Watch puffins, whales, and icebergs while enjoying entertaining commentary from knowledgeable guides.

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Gatherall’s Puffin & Whale Watch - Explore the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve, home to the Atlantic Puffin, millions of seabirds, and one of Newfoundland’s premier whale watching locations. This top-rated tour showcases seasonal wildlife and attractions, along with stunning coastal scenery year-round.
    Seasonal highlights (attractions & experiences…
What's Included
  • Transport Canada Marine Safety compliant safety equipment provided
  • Tours led by experienced, local guides
  • Complimentary on-site parking
  • Vessel equipped with washroom facilities
  • Pre-departure safety briefing for all passengers
What's Not Included
  • Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
  • Gratuities
  • Transportation available on request. Additional fee applicable. Contact vendor to add transportation
Additional Information

Best location. Best crew. Best tour boat. Cruise to the incredible Witless Bay Ecological Reserve for your chance to watch puffins, whales, and icebergs. Wildlife attractions vary with the time of year. Puffins nest May through to mid-September. Whale season peaks mid-June through mid-August. Whale sometimes sighted before and after peak period….

Location
Gatherall's Puffin & Whale Watch
Northside Road
Please check in with Gatherall's reception staff 30 minutes before tour time. Shuttle service available on select tours for additional fee. Shuttle MUST be booked at least 3 business hours in advance. Call / message us to confirm. Shuttle fee(s) payable at tour check in.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(762 Ratings)
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Sharick_va
Jul 12, 2025
Great couple hour trip with whales and puffins - We had a very close experience with two hump whales for at least 20-30 minutes. The crew kept us busy with singe and background info on puffins and whales and other bird species. Weather was nice crew and captan did a great job in taking us very close to the bird sanctuaries and describing the life cycle culture and routines of the birds.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Curious37252321295
Jul 11, 2025
Worthwhile tour - The staff was great. The sites were wonderful, saw whales, dolphins, puffins and other sea birds. Don’t forget to bring your binoculars.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
23dustins
Jul 11, 2025
Friendly, fun and full of whales! - Wonderful experience! They picked us up from our hotel, during the ride she shared stories and history. Nice added bonus before we got to the boat. Staff was very friendly! And we saw whales! 10 out of 10 experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maira_a
Jul 10, 2025
Beautiful nature! - Fantastic, clean, organized, fun and we were blessed with wonderful sunny warm day. We saw so many puffins, humpback whales, dolphins and very unusual site of a male sperm whale. Tge capital and crew were amazing…..
Review provided by Viator
Dianefs845ip
Jul 10, 2025
We will definitely return. Fabulous. - Wow. We have been on many a wildlife cruise but never as much fun and as close an encounter with whales as today. It was foggy and cold and we almost cancelled but we really lucked out. Captain Al was very skilled at resting the boat in the whales’ space. He was in no hurry to get off to the next spot. And of course the puffins were the second stars of the show. Absolutely everywhere. We could even see them in the fog. The guide was delightful and kept us laughing as well
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oswald_b
Jul 9, 2025
Best time ever! - We saw a mother and calf humpback whales. Lovely gift shop there . Totally awesome experience! You should definitely plan to do this!
Review provided by Viator
Sandranr2425cn
Jul 9, 2025
Professional, knowledgeable and friendly team - This was an excellent experience from start to finish. The crew were friendly, knowledgeable and enhanced the experience by singing Newfoundland songs. The main thing is that the team knew where to search for Whales, spot them and explain about their migration, feeding and conservation. Similarly when the boat went out to Bird Island with all the amazing puffins and birds that share the island. The team were very good on safety aspects given that you are travelling out of the harbour into the sea. Sandra and Brian
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Don_m
Jul 9, 2025
Superb experience! - This trip was well organized with an amazing crew! We got to see the humpback whales and sea birds including the puffins! We had such a great time!
Review provided by Viator
Melissa_f
Jul 8, 2025
Amazing your! - Very entertaining, informative and we saw whales and puffins! Loved all the songs and info along the way!
Review provided by Viator
Shafali_h
Jul 9, 2025
It was a nice experience.... - It was a nice experience. The crew is friendly and knowledgeable. We spent a lot of time with whales and saw tons of puffins. My only negative is that they changed our tour time the day before. The only notification was a phone call, with no update to the app or by email. Also, no explanation was given. Boat was pretty full, so you had to navigate the people to see.
Review provided by Viator
From $88
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).