Orca Safari - an Arctic Holiday brought to you by Shenfield Travel

Thanks to an extraordinary phenomenon of nature, you can take a trip to witness close up some of the world’s most magnificent creatures, orcas, or killer whales, in their natural environment – and still be home for bedtime.
Our destination is the fjords to the fare north on Norway, and one area in particular where every year large numbers of orcas congregate. From there we will set off by ocean-going boat to witness these extraordinary creatures close at hand, amid the spectacular scenery of the fjords where we are almost certain to also witness sea eagles. There is also the option to see the orcas closer still, from the sea-level vantage-point of an inflatable craft. And for the really intrepid, we even offer an opportunity to swim with the whales.

Our destination is Tysfjord, deep inside the Arctic Circle, where every October vast quantities of Spring-breeding herring accumulate. They are followed by an estimated 600 to 700 orca whales which enjoy feeding upon the huge herring shoals, while White-tailed Sea Eagles also take their share of the herring bonanza. On an orca safari in Tysfjord you are more than a passive spectator; you become part of a unique natural phenomenon. Welcome to one of nature’s most fantastic experiences.

Main Safari:

Everybody takes part in our main safari. The price includes flights to Norway and a trip aboard a large whale-watching guide boat that is dedicated to tracking and monitoring the orca. With a little luck we will see the fins of the killer whales appear on the surface as they hunt the herring. At times they play and their curiosity brings them close to the boat’s gunwale, and we are able to watch whole families with male, female and calf. There is a guide and scientist on board, answering your questions. Whilst on board we will serve you with soup and bread and a hot drink, there will also be snacks available to purchase onboard but we recommend that you bring refreshments with you.

When we have finished the main safari you will get free time to spend in the historical port of Narvik. You may want to wander around one of the two shopping centres, find a cosy restaurant for a meal or join our excursion to the war museum. We transfer you back to the airport by coach from Narvik, which takes just over an hour. If we are lucky and the skies are clear we will stop on route for a chance to witness the astonishing phenomenon of the aurora borealis, the most spectacular light show on earth.

Zodiac Safari:

You will climb down the steps of the main boat to board a Zodiac rafting boat, climb down the steps of the main boat to board and take in the elements from sea-level, getting much closer to the whales and indeed they have been known to surf in the waves that the Zodiacs create. Before boarding the Zodiacs you will be supplied with waterproof clothing. This excursion will last approx. one hour.

Snorkelling Safari:

For the most intrepid, there is an opportunity to opt instead to actually swim with these magnificent creatures! Details as in the zodiac option but if weather conditions allow, you are equipped with a dry suit and snorkelling gear so you can swim at the water’s surface and meet with the whales in their own environment. Snorkellers must be aged 16 or over.

Please note this is a nature product and as such there are many factors that effect our optional excursions. It may be that the weather is too choppy to board the Zodiacs or simply that the orcas are swimming too fast to enable you to be able to snorkel with them. These factors are outside our control. We are only able to offer you the opportunity to experience this extraordinary part of nature close up, the rest is up to nature. Please be aware that if on the day you are unable to snorkel or (less likely) go on the Zodiacs we are unable to offer refunds on these excursions.

Departure Dates

Airport	Departure Date
Manchester	11 November
Humberside	12 November
Exeter	18 November
Glasgow	19 November
Bristol	25 November
Birmingham	26 November
Leeds-Bradford	02 December
Stansted	03 December

Useful facts about orcas.

The creatures: Orcas belong to the sub-order of toothed whales and are members of the dolphin family. The average weight of an orca is around 4 tonnes and they can reach six to eight metres in length. It is believed that female killer whales can live up to 80 year old and females up to 60.

Distribution: Orcas are the most abundant of the whale species and inhabit all the oceans of the world. Their distribution is limited by pack ice and they prefer cooler waters.

Diet: Orcas are to predators in the ocean. Their food preferences vary according to their locality. In Norwegian waters Norwegian Spring-spawning herring is the main type of prey for the killer whale. Other prey includes marine mammals (other whales, seals, sea lions and walruses), fish, squid and occasionally sea birds, otters and penguins. A killer whale consumes up to 100 kilos daily.

The orca dive lasts from one to four minutes. Sound travels faster and further through water than air and in the underwater world where light usually does not penetrate very far from the surface, hearing becomes a very important sense. Killer whales, as all other dolphins, rely very much on sounds for communication and for obtaining information about their environment. They produce a variety of vocalisations including calls, whistles and echolocation clicks, Whistles are pure tone sounds used mostly during social contexts. The calls are made of several short clicks so close to each other that they appear to be a continuous sound.

Each pod has a repertoire of discreet calls that is unique to the group. Echolocation clicks made by Killer whales are rapid signs used for navigation and detection of objects in the whales’ surroundings. By producing a click and waiting for the echo, a whale can estimate with amazing accuracy the distance and the density of the object that reflected the echo. This finely tuned system allows the Killer whales to find their way and their food independently of whether it is light or dark.

Behaviour: Orcas are highly social and live in groups called pods. Pods consist of males, females and calves and have a female dominated hierarchy. There are three types of Orca: residents, transients and off-shores. Resident pods can consist of between five and fifty individuals and tend to have relatively small home ranges. They feed on fish and hunt using echolocation. Transient pod size varies from one to seven individuals. They have a much larger range and hunt mammals such as other dolphins, seals, sea lions and even whales. They use echolocation less that residents, probable because their prey can hear the clicking sounds. Off-shores were only recently identified. They live a lot further out to sea than residents and transients and probably feed on fish.