The 8 Best Dolphin & Whale Watching in Lisbon

1.Tagus River Cruise to the Ocean & Dolphin Watching

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 3,019 reviews · from $38Our pick

Cruise from Estação Fluvial Sul e Sueste along the Tagus and out to the Atlantic with a live guide in English, French, or Portuguese. You’ll pass Belém Tower, Christ the King, Bugio Fort, and beaches near Cascais while searching for wild dolphins. Drinks are included, but sightings are never guaranteed.

“everything went Well. Guide was very friendly and told us a lot about lisbon history also. we saw dolphins, which can't Be guaranteed in trips like These, but we were lucky. would reccommend!”

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2.Dolphin Watching with Marine Biologist

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,853 reviews · 3 hours · from $76

Join SeaEO Tours at Doca de Santo Amaro for a three-hour RIB boat trip led by marine biologists such as Bart, Sara, Sid, or Cidonio. Look for dolphins, porpoises, sunfish, seabirds, and other wildlife, then return past Belém Tower, Jerónimos Monastery, and the Discoveries Monument.

“Extremly good value for your money!!! Everything was perfect. We saw a lot of dolphins, it was amazing!”

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3.Dolphin Watching with Marine Biologist – Small Group

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 867 reviews · 3 hours · from $61

Set out from Doca de Santo Amaro with a marine biologist and skipper for a three-hour search for wild dolphins, whales, seabirds, and sunfish. You’ll learn about local marine life, support cetacean monitoring, and return past Lisbon landmarks on a fast, scenic boat ride.

“I booked this trip after reading the reviews and I couldn’t fault this experience at all! All the staff were extremely knowledgeable, professional and passionate. We were around 3/4 through our trip and hadn’t seen any dolphins, I must admit I wondered if it wasn’t going to be our day but the staff tried their best to locate them by approaching other fishing boats with radar to see if they had seen any. They both said no, they hadn’t even seen many fish!! Anyway, on the way back our luck turned around and we saw a pod of around 30 dolphins which was just incredible. We stayed with them for…”

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4.Dolphin Watching with a Marine Biologist – Ocean Safari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 812 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $62Top rated

Join SeaEO Tours at Doca de Santo Amaro for a three-hour ocean safari with a marine biologist and crew. Ride an 8.5-meter RIB beneath the 25th of April Bridge, pass Belém landmarks, head toward Bugio Lighthouse, and search for dolphins in the Tagus and Atlantic. Expect jockey seats, wind, spray, and wildlife.

“It was an experienc that my wife and I will always remember. We planned it a day after her birthday and we could not have planned anything better. I would recommend this to any traveller who are visiting Lisbon and I have listed the positives below (there were no negatives): 1. The Crew: SeaEO team is just brilliant - they know what they are doing and are both friendly and professional. They knew the conditions would be rough during our booked time so they offered to have us join an earlier slot ensuring everyone's saftey. Our group had kids and the crew made sure they constatly spoke to them and…”

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5.Dolphin Watching Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 801 reviews · 2 hours · from $53

Join Dolphin Bay in Setúbal for a two-hour catamaran trip led in English and Portuguese by marine biologists. Look for resident dolphins, learn how the crew protects them, swim in the bay, and peer through two underwater viewing rooms. A welcome Moscatel drink is included.

“The boat was really nice and comfortable. The employees were marine biologists so they knew the dolphins from studying them . I also like how environmentally conscious they were ! Great trip I highly recommend this tour boat .”

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6.Arrábida Natural Park Dolphin Watching Boat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 212 reviews · 2.5 - 7 hours · from $58

Meet guides such as Marta, Mario, or Jessica in Sesimbra for a 2 to 3-hour dolphin search aboard a semi-inflatable boat. Expect marine-life guidance, Arrábida’s cliffs and coves, a regional pastry, and sometimes Moscatel wine. Central Lisbon transfers are available on selected options.

“Had a great time with lots of dolphins and fun on the speed boat”

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7.Arrábida Dolphin Watching Boat Tour with Biologist

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 197 reviews · from $63

Set out from Sesimbra with marine biologist Catarina and a STCW-certified crew to search for dolphins, whales, seabirds, and other marine life. The 3-hour trip also visits Praia da Mijona, Ribeiro do Cavalo Beach, caves, and clear water for swimming or snorkeling when conditions allow.

“It was a wonderful experince. Our guide found the dolphins pretty fast and we cruised with them for about one hour. We also visited some caves near by and our guide had interesting information about them.”

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8.Dolphin Watching Speedboat Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 156 reviews · 2 hours · from $76

Join Dolphin Explorers at Cascais Marina for a two-hour speedboat search for wild dolphins, whales, porpoises, and seabirds. Guides João and Rui are known for clear wildlife explanations and careful boat handling. Morning trips usually offer calmer seas, but schedules depend on weather and ocean conditions.

“Wonderful tour with a courteous and knowledgeable crew. They knew where the dolphins were, and there were many, coming right up to the boat.”

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