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If you want to go whale and dolphin-watching in Gran Canaria, you’re in luck because this Canary Island has the perfect conditions for this activity.
There’s no doubt that seeing dolphins in Gran Canaria is a unique experience you’ll never forget. While most travelers go to Tenerife because it’s considered one of the best Canary Islands to see cetaceans, Gran Canaria is another prime destination. It’s more common to see dolphins here rather than whales, but it’s still an amazing place to go whale-watching in the Canary Islands.
To help you find the best Gran Canaria dolphin tour, I’m sharing the top tour in the area, as well as the best time to see dolphins in Gran Canaria. By the end of this guide, you’ll have all the info you need to enjoy one of the most popular activities in Gran Canaria!
Best time to see dolphins in Gran Canaria
First, the dolphins in Gran Canaria live in the warm waters all year round, as do many other cetaceans. So, there is no best time to see dolphins in Gran Canaria, and you can find whale-watching boat tours any time of year.
Of course, keep in mind that while there are dolphin tours in Gran Canaria throughout the year, cetaceans are wild animals that move freely, so their movements are unpredictable.
Best time to see dolphins in Gran Canaria
If you have your heart set on seeing dolphins and whales in Gran Canaria, don’t worry because the companies that organize these tours have years of experience. This means they’re able to accurately predict which areas are most likely to have cetaceans, even if they can’t be 100% sure.
I don’t want to discourage you from going whale-watching in Gran Canaria though! Whenever we’ve taken this type of tour, we’ve managed to see dolphins and whales, so I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful experience.
Best dolphin tour in Gran Canaria
For the best dolphin-watching in Gran Canaria, I recommend this cruise in a glass-bottom boat. This is the excursion we took, and it was an incredible experience, especially since we were able to see the seabed without having to get in the water.
This Gran Canaria dolphin cruise begins in Puerto Rico, in the southern part of the island. From there, the boat travels around the southwest coast of the island in search of dolphins and whales. During the tour, your guide will tell you all about the cetaceans and marine species that live in the Canarian waters.
Best dolphin tour in Gran Canaria
The day we took this tour, we were lucky enough to see many species of common and bottlenose dolphins. While we didn’t see any whales, it was a fantastic excursion, and we were able to see whales when we took a whale-watching tour in Tenerife.
- Highlights: See whales, dolphins, and other marine animals in a glass-bottom boat
- Starting point: Puerto Rico, Mogán, Gran Canaria
- Duration: About 2-3 hours
- Price: $38.15
- Description: This Gran Canaria dolphin trip in a glass-bottom boat takes you to an area that’s often frequented by cetaceans. The tour includes expert explanations of the marine life and seabed by a marine biologist, as well as onboard refreshments.
Where to go whale and dolphin-watching in Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria’s dolphin-spotting tours depart from Puerto Rico, a beautiful tourist town that’s part of the Mogán municipality in the southern part of the island. From here, the tours travel along the coast, to the area with the highest probability of seeing cetaceans.
Where to go whale and dolphin-watching in Gran Canaria
As I’ve already mentioned, while the movements of these wild animals are unpredictable, these Gran Canaria whale-watching tour companies have many years of experience, so their predictions are very good. Besides, many cetaceans live in the area permanently, so no matter when you travel to the island, you can enjoy this activity.
Best of all, you don’t have to stay in Puerto Rico to take this tour since it’s super easy to travel around the island. When we took the tour, we were staying in a rural accommodation in Gran Canaria, and it didn’t take long to get to Puerto Rico.
Types of dolphins and whales in Gran Canaria
Now that you know which is the best tour for dolphin-watching in Gran Canaria, I’ll tell you which species are most commonly found here. I’ll also give you some identifiable features so you can easily spot them.
Dolphins in Gran Canaria
It’s much easier to see dolphins in Gran Canaria than whales, so during your tour, you’re sure to see several dolphin species. The common and bottlenose dolphin are popular here, and we saw these two types of dolphins during our excursion.
Dolphins in Gran Canaria
During your dolphin boat trip in Gran Canaria, your guide will tell you about these cetaceans and point them out to you. To identify them yourself, you should know that the common dolphin is slender with a yellowish color on its side. These dolphins can be up to 8 feet long and weigh 175-240 lbs.
On the other hand, the bottlenose dolphin in Gran Canaria measures 8-10 feet long and weighs between 330 and 1,430 lbs. Compared to the common dolphin, the bottlenose dolphin has a bulkier appearance.
Pilot whales in Gran Canaria
Pilot whales are cetaceans that actually belong to the dolphin family. Although they’re less common than the bottlenose and common dolphin, you may see pilot whales during your Gran Canaria dolphin-watching tour.
Pilot whales in Gran Canaria
These cetaceans can be up to 16 feet long and weigh between 1 and 2 tons. They’re dark grey in color and have a spot on the dorsal fin and belly. Without a doubt, this is an incredible dolphin in Gran Canaria that you should keep an eye out for during your tour!
Other cetaceans in Gran Canaria
Occasionally, you can see sperm whales in Gran Canaria, and this is one of the most impressive species since they can measure up to 65 feet long. Humpback and blue whales are sometimes spotted here, and on rare occasions, you may even see orcas in Gran Canaria.
If you spot any of these whales and cetaceans while dolphin-watching in Gran Canaria, consider yourself super lucky!
Other cetaceans in Gran Canaria
With that, you have all the information you need to enjoy an amazing dolphin tour in Gran Canaria. I hope you take the time to do this activity and fully enjoy seeing these impressive creatures.
Of course, if you have any questions or you want to share your experience, leave me a comment below. Until then, happy dolphin and whale-watching in Gran Canaria!
