Shogun Boat Tour Tenerife2h Whale Watching or 5h to Los Gigantes
Tour highlights
What's included
Included
- Whale and dolphin watching on the 2-hour or the 5-hour trip
- Water on board
- 5-hour trip: lunch of rice with vegetables, roast chicken leg, salad, bread and fruit
- 5-hour trip: soft drinks, plus beer and wine with lunch
- 5-hour trip: swim stop in a cove at Los Gigantes
- 5-hour trip: bus from the south of Tenerife or from Puerto de la Cruz, if you book that option
Not included
- Soft drinks, beer and wine on the 2-hour trip (sold at the bar on board)
- Gratuities
- Photos and videos
Full description
The Shogun boat tour in Tenerife: whale watching and Los Gigantes
The Shogun boat tour is a whale and dolphin watching trip from Puerto Colón, in Costa Adeje, on a 26-metre teak sailboat. You choose between two hours at sea with the whales and dolphins, or five hours that add the Los Gigantes cliffs, a swim in one of their coves and lunch on board.
The 2-hour trip
The short trip leaves Pontoon 14 at 10:00, 11:00 or 13:00, depending on the day, and goes out to find the pilot whales that live off the south-west coast all year. Bottlenose and common dolphins are often seen on the way. Water is included, and soft drinks, beer and wine are sold at the bar. You make your own way to the port.
The 5-hour trip
The long trip leaves at 12:00. The boat heads out to the pilot whales and stays with them for up to 30 minutes, then sails north to the cliffs of Los Gigantes and anchors in one of their coves, where you can swim in open water while lunch is served. It comes back along the coast, so you see the south-west of the island from the sea.
Lunch is rice with vegetables, a roast chicken leg, salad, bread and fruit, with water and soft drinks, and beer and wine with the meal. You can board at the port or book the trip with a bus: one option picks up at stops across the south of Tenerife, the other in Puerto de la Cruz.
Whales and dolphins off Tenerife
The waters off southern Tenerife stay between 17 and 24°C all year, sheltered by the Teide from the trade winds. Pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins live here permanently, and fin whales, sperm whales, orcas and spotted, common and rough-toothed dolphins pass through. The Shogun flies the yellow flag with the blue boat badge, the licence for whale and dolphin watching in the Canary Islands.
The boat
The Shogun is an oriental sailboat built entirely of teak, 26 metres long and 8 metres wide, launched in 1978 and refitted in 2008. It has two decks, plenty of shade, a large central table and three bathrooms, one of them fully accessible, and seats 135 passengers.
Practical notes
Board at Puerto Colón, Pontoon 14, at least 30 minutes before departure. Bring swimwear, a towel and sunscreen. Smoking is allowed only in designated areas, and it helps to avoid alcohol before boarding to reduce the chance of seasickness.
Booking and cancellation
Cancellation is free 48 hours or more before departure, and the deadline shown when you book is the one that counts. Within 48 hours there is no refund. If the Shogun boat tour is cancelled for poor sea conditions, you get a full refund or an alternative date.
Pickup & meeting point
Where to meet
Puerto Colón, Pontoon 14, Costa Adeje.
Free hotel pick-up from South Tenerife, Puerto de la Cruz.
5-hour trip only. Bus stop chosen during booking.
Arrive at least 30 minutes before departure. On the 5-hour trip you can instead choose a bus stop in the south of the island or in Puerto de la Cruz when you book.
Good to know
- Swimwear
- Towel
- Sunscreen
- Smoking is permitted only in designated areas on board.
- Avoid alcohol before boarding to reduce the chance of seasickness.
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 · 2 reviews
Everything went perfectly, and Carlos and Samuel deserve full marks. Seeing the whales was incredible, and I would go back without thinking twice.
Todo salió redondo y Carlos y Samuel se merecen un diez. Ver las ballenas fue increíble, y volvería sin pensarlo.
An enjoyable adventure, kept lively and run in several languages. The crew are friendly and attentive, there is a fair amount of sea life to see, and the swim happens in a bay off Los Gigantes.
Ein nettes Abenteuer, unterhaltsam und in mehreren Sprachen begleitet. Die Crew ist freundlich und aufmerksam, zu sehen bekommt man einiges an Meerestieren, und gebadet wird in einer Bucht vor Los Gigantes.
An excellent day out: an attentive, cheerful crew, dolphins, turtles and pilot whales, then a swim in the blue water by the Masca cliffs, using the boat as a diving board. On the plate: salad, vegetable rice, chicken, meatballs and a Canarian banana. The team speak at least six languages, Latin music plays, and you get your money's worth.
Excellente sortie : équipe aux petits soins et de bonne humeur, dauphins, tortues et globicéphales, puis une baignade dans l'eau bleue des falaises de Masca, le bateau servant de plongeoir. Au menu : salade, riz aux légumes, poulet, boulettes et banane des Canaries. Les animateurs parlent au moins six langues, la musique latine tourne et l'on en a pour son argent.
I’m giving the highest rating because the price paid was well worth a trip that exceeded all expectations: a comfortable boat, a smooth and pleasant ride, perfect weather, postcard-worthy scenery, enjoyable food and drinks, a delightful crew and "captain," and the chance to photograph fish, turtles, and pilot whales from just a few meters away!
We enjoyed the trip a great deal, and Captain Giorgio turned it into a proper show. We came across dolphins, and rays while swimming in the bay. From now on that Rammstein track will remind me of the captain dancing.
Nagyon élveztük a kirándulást, Giorgio kapitány igazi műsort csinált belőle. Delfinekkel is találkoztunk, az öbölben fürdés közben pedig rájákkal. A Du Hastról ezentúl a kapitány tánca fog eszembe jutni.
The whole thing was lovely from beginning to end. We were lucky with dolphins, and the crew worked to get everyone a sighting without crowding the animals, then we stopped for a swim, which improved it further. They are friendly and attentive and clearly want people to have a good day, so it is an easy recommendation.
A very good outing: the crew are lovely and make sure everyone is comfortable. The sangria was delicious, and we saw a few whales and some dolphins. My only regret is that we ran on the engine rather than the sails, probably because of the weather.
Très bon moment : l'équipage est adorable et veille à ce que tout le monde soit à l'aise. La sangria était délicieuse et nous avons vu quelques baleines et des dauphins. Seul regret, nous avons avancé au moteur plutôt qu'à la voile, sans doute à cause de la météo.
A good cruise for whale watching, on a distinctive ship with easy-going staff. The music runs nearly all the time, though this is still one of the less commercial options in the port. For a day at sea with cetaceans it is ideal; for quiet, less so.
Bella crociera per vedere le balene, con una nave caratteristica e un personale simpatico e alla mano. La musica va quasi sempre, però resta una delle proposte meno commerciali del porto. Se cercate una giornata in mare con i cetacei va benissimo; se cercate silenzio, no.
The staff were very attentive, and besides the whales a turtle and some flying fish turned up. The food is good and there is a lot of it, and in that heat the swim was doubly welcome.
El trato fue muy atento y, además de los cetáceos, salieron una tortuga y peces voladores. Se come bien y en cantidad, y con el calor que hacía el chapuzón se agradeció el doble.
There are many boat tour options in Tenerife but this one was really good, we recommend it!
A great day at sea, with plenty of dolphins and whales, and because the engine was cut we could watch them undisturbed. The food on board was excellent and we swam as well. Many thanks.
Ein großartiger Tag auf See: viele Delfine und Wale, und weil der Motor abgestellt wurde, konnten wir sie in Ruhe beobachten. Das Essen an Bord war klasse und schwimmen waren wir auch. Vielen Dank.
A big, comfortable boat with good staff and a cheerful mood on board: you can dance about at the front or sit quietly up top. The food and the cocktails were both good. It made a fine last day of our holiday.
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