Flipper One Boat Tour TenerifeWhale and Dolphin Watching
Tour highlights
What's included
Included
- Boat tour from Los Gigantes (2 or 3 hours)
- Official cetacean observation guide
- Drinks on board
- Chicken paella lunch and fruit (3-hour tour only)
- Swim stop with a zip-line into the sea
Not included
- Hotel transfers
- Lunch on the 2-hour tour
- Gratuities
Full description
The Flipper One boat tour in Tenerife: whale and dolphin watching from Los Gigantes
The Flipper One boat tour is a whale and dolphin watching trip that sails from Puerto de Los Gigantes in Tenerife South. The boat itself is unusual: the Flipper One was built by hand in Tenerife from African and Brazilian morera wood, with a carved dolphin figurehead. You can choose a 2-hour or 3-hour trip, and tours run almost every day at 11:30 and 14:30.
What the tour is like
You sail out below the Los Gigantes cliffs and along the coast towards Masca, with an official cetacean observation guide on board. Whales and dolphins are often seen in these waters, and the guide explains what you are looking at as you go. Both trips include a stop to swim in a calm bay, with a zip-line for a quick plunge into the sea. The boat carries up to 91 passengers.
What is included
Drinks are served on board throughout both tours. The 3-hour tour also includes a chicken paella lunch and fruit. An official cetacean observation guide leads the trip and narrates in English, Spanish, German and French. You can read more about Tenerife's other boat excursions on the main site.
Where it leaves from
The tour starts at Puerto de Los Gigantes, on the west coast of Tenerife. There is parking at the port, so getting there is straightforward. Please arrive 10 minutes before departure so the boat can leave on time. You can find the exact spot on the Los Gigantes map.
Booking and cancellation
You choose your date, departure time and tour length during booking, and family discounts are applied at that stage. You can cancel free of charge up to 48 hours before departure. If you want to use the swim stop, you should be able to swim.
Pickup & meeting point
Where to meet
Puerto de Los Gigantes.
Arrive 10 minutes before departure. Parking is available at the port.
Good to know
- Swimwear
- Towel
- Sunscreen
Barco Azul is the licence the Canary Islands government issues for whale and dolphin watching. The boats that hold it fly this flag, and only they may go out to where the resident pods live and approach them.
Frequently asked questions
Reviews
Write a reviewReal reviews from travellers who did this activity: some left on this site, others selected from public reviews online.
Reviews on CanaryVIP: 5.0/5 · 1 review
I was not expecting much, but the trip turned out well. The crew working on the boat were relaxed and decent people.
Nem számítottam rá, hogy ennyire jó lesz, de a program bejött. A hajón dolgozó csapat pedig kifejezetten laza és rendes volt.
The crew greeted us in several languages and came round with soft drinks, beer and sangria once we were under way. Dolphins and whales turned up quickly and we sat with them long enough for everyone to get a look. Later there was a simple chicken paella and bananas, then an anchored stop for swimming and the rope swing.
The crew never stopped through the whole trip, handing round drinks and jokes, and telling us which animals usually show up in that stretch of sea. The swimming stop was one of the best parts. I recommend it without reservation.
La tripulación no paró en toda la salida: repartían bebida y risas, y nos explicaron qué animales suelen aparecer por la zona. La parada para bañarse fue de las mejores. Lo recomiendo sin reservas.
The dolphins came not in ones and twos but in whole pods, two different species, some of them running alongside the hull. On the way the guys lifted a turtle out of the water, plastic cutting into its neck, freed it and released it. Clear water to swim in and a cheerful crew: it all beat our expectations.
Дельфинов встретили не по одному, а целыми стаями, двух разных видов, и часть из них шла рядом с бортом. По пути ребята вытащили из воды черепаху, у которой шею стянул пластик, освободили её и отпустили. Купание в прозрачной воде и весёлая команда — всё оказалось лучше, чем мы ждали.
Seeing the dolphins from that close was something special, and afterwards we swam below the steep cliffs.
A trip that worked from every angle. They treated us as individuals, stayed on top of what we needed and the food was excellent. I would recommend them without hesitation.
Una salida redonda. Nos trataron de forma muy cercana, siempre pendientes de nosotros, y la comida estuvo excelente. Los recomiendo sin dudarlo.
Brilliant sunshine and a handsome old sailing vessel, though I had hoped for actual sailing and the engine ran the whole time. Wildlife-wise: pilot whales with calves, hammerhead sharks and a turtle, but no dolphins that day. We swam off Los Gigantes; the crew were pleasant, and my only regret was the French commentary, short and hard to follow.
Grand soleil et beau vieux gréement, même si j'espérais naviguer à la voile et que le moteur a tourné tout du long. Côté faune : des globicéphales avec leurs petits, des requins-marteaux, une tortue, mais aucun dauphin ce jour-là. Baignade au large de Los Gigantes, équipage agréable ; seul regret, les commentaires en français, brefs et peu compréhensibles.
Friendly, attentive treatment throughout the outing, and everything ran as it should. A good experience.
Trato agradable y atento durante toda la salida; todo funcionó como debía. Una buena experiencia.
Pilot whales and a handful of dolphins came our way, and the crew were friendly and funny with it, explaining things in four languages. The drinks stayed cold, the paella was wonderful and there was even a pirate brew to try. Swimming near Masca and dropping in off the swing was great, and I would go again.
A wonderful sail on a pirate ship, with dolphins to show for it. The staff were so friendly that they turned it into something out of the ordinary, and the children loved swimming near Los Gigantes and throwing themselves off the trapeze.
The combination is what makes it: a spectacular pilot whale sighting, good paella, a jump into the sea for anyone who fancies it and the volcanic cliffs in view the whole time. Drinks are part of it, with or without alcohol, and they round things off with a curious little tipple to taste. Recommended.
Omar answered every question I had beforehand and put my mind at rest, which set the tone. The crew are professional and good company, they keep to time and talk you through the marine mammals as they appear, and we were lucky enough to see a pygmy killer whale, which is a rare visitor here.
Very fun and it was easy to get to the port from our Airbnb in Los Gigantes
Gloriously kitsch and good fun, run by staff who are hospitable in a genuine, warm way. There was no shortage of soft drinks, beer, water, paella and bananas, most people got in for a swim off the boat, and even the toilet was clean and pleasant.
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