The quick version
- RIB boats get close to the cliffs fast, while the hybrid electric round trip to Geirangerfjord takes 8.5 to 9.5 hours and runs from US$202.[1]
- Between April and August, more than 30,000 puffins come to the cliffs at Runde to breed.[2]
- Cruise ships dock right in town, a 2 minute walk from the port into the city, so a boat trip fits a port day.[3]
- The RIB coastal safari is limited to 12 participants, takes 1 hour and costs from US$105, with a live English-speaking guide.[4]
- The Seven Sisters waterfall is 410 meters tall in total and the highest of the seven streams has a free fall of 250 meters.[5]
| RIB coastal safari | RIB fjordsafari | Geirangerfjord cruise | |
|---|---|---|---|
| From | from US$105[4] | from US$157[6] | from US$202[1] |
| Duration | 1 hour[4] | 105 minutes[6] | 8.5 to 9.5 hours[1] |
| Rating | 4.87 from 8 reviews[4] | 4.88 from 150 reviews[6] | 4.75 from 758 reviews[1] |
| Guide | Live guide, English[4] | Live guide, English[6] | Audio guide on board[1] |
| Cancellation | Free up to 24 hours before[4] | Free up to 24 hours before[6] | Free up to 24 hours before[1] |
Your 4-hour journey starts from Ålesund harbor, where Art Nouveau buildings frame views of the open Atlantic. As MS Gamle Havstein sails toward fishing grounds near Alnes and Godøya, your crew shares stories about coastal fishing traditions while preparing equipment suited to current conditions.
Is a wildlife sea safari worth it in Ålesund?
On the water
Before and after the trip
What an Ålesund wildlife sea safari looks like
A wildlife sea safari from Ålesund is a few hours on the water looking for the things that live along the fjord edges: seabirds on the cliffs, white-tailed eagles working the ridge lines, seals hauled out on low skerries, and now and then a porpoise or a whale. You do not have to travel far to find them. Boats leave a harbour tucked into the town itself, and within minutes the streets are behind you and the water opens towards the islands and the long fjords. What you actually see depends on the season, the weather and how much time you have, so it pays to decide early whether you want speed and closeness or distance and comfort.
Two very different kinds of trip cover most of it. Small RIB boats run fast and low, so you feel every swell and get within photographing distance of bird cliffs and waterfalls before turning for home. Bigger fjord boats travel much further, with heated salons, open decks and commentary you can follow at your own pace. An Ålesund wildlife sea safari can be either, and plenty of travellers do one of each on a longer stay. Neither is a zoo: this is a working coastline, and everything you are looking at is wild and free to leave.
The trips differ in more than price. A RIB is a rigid inflatable with a powerful outboard, seating in rows and no cabin, so you are on the water rather than above it. A fjord boat is a passenger vessel with a saloon, toilets and a deck you can walk around, and it keeps going comfortably when the forecast turns grey. Take the RIB for closeness and a bit of adrenaline on a calm day, and the bigger boat for distance, shelter and a full day out.
RIB boat Ålesund: fast, close and bouncy
The RIB coastal safari is the short, punchy option. It runs for 1 hour, is limited to 12 participants, and costs from US$105 with a live guide who speaks English.[4] It is rated 4.87 from 8 reviews.[4] In that hour you cover a lot of water: out past the breakwater, along the islands, with pauses for photographs wherever the light and the wildlife allow. There is no cabin and no shelter, which is exactly the point.
The longer RIB trip heads for Hjørundfjorden and takes 105 minutes, from US$157, and is rated 4.88 from 150 reviews, again with a live English-speaking guide.[6] Hjørundfjord is the narrow, mountain-walled fjord south of Ålesund, with small farms and boathouses at the water's edge and peaks standing straight up behind them. The ride is built around the scenery as much as the wildlife, and the fast hull means you see a lot of it.
Both trips can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours in advance, and you can reserve now and pay later.[4][6] An open boat is cold even on a bright day, so wear wool, a windproof outer layer, gloves and a hat, and expect some spray over the bow. If you are prone to seasickness, a RIB is not the gentlest introduction to the sea.
Cliffs, waterfalls and cold, dark water on the run in towards Geiranger.
Bird cliffs, puffins and the Runde season
The seabird season is the high point of summer. Between April and August, more than 30,000 puffins come to the cliffs at Runde to breed.[2] Runde lies out towards the open coast and is a full day out from Ålesund by road and ferry, so most people treat it as a separate trip rather than something to bolt on to a port call.
If you only have one day in Ålesund, the birds you are most likely to meet are on the fjord itself: gulls and kittiwakes around the cliffs and fish farms, eiders and cormorants near the skerries, and the occasional eagle overhead. Binoculars help more than a long lens in most conditions. Stand on the sheltered side of the boat, brace against the rail and watch the water as much as the sky.
Timing matters as much as place. Seabirds are busiest early in the day, and cliffs look best in flat morning light. If you are booking a RIB, aim for a morning departure; if you are on a longer fjord cruise, take the first sailing you can and spend the rest of the day ashore afterwards. Bring a waterproof bag for the camera, because spray and sudden rain are both normal here.
The Geirangerfjord round trip by hybrid electric boat
For many visitors the headline trip is the Ålesund to Geirangerfjord round trip on the hybrid electric boat. It takes 8.5 to 9.5 hours, costs from US$202 and is rated 4.75 from 758 reviews.[1] The boat is wheelchair accessible and carries an audio guide in Danish, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian and Spanish.[1] You can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours in advance and reserve now to pay later.[1]
The route runs out through Storfjorden and Sunnylvsfjorden, into Geirangerfjord past the Seven Sisters waterfall and the Friaren falls, then on to Geiranger before turning back the same way.[1] The Seven Sisters is 410 meters tall in total, and the highest of the seven streams has a free fall of 250 meters.[5] Geirangerfjord forms part of the West Norwegian Fjords, inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2005.[9] The distance from Ålesund to Geiranger is 67 miles (108 km).[10]
Because the day is long, this trip suits a full day rather than a quick port call, and you should check the start time against your ship's departure before you book. Starting times vary through the season, so check availability for your date.[1] Quiet electric running makes the fjord itself the soundtrack, which is worth something on a stretch of water this big.
from US$202
The hybrid electric round trip from Ålesund to Geirangerfjord takes 8.5 to 9.5 hours and carries an audio guide on board.[1]
Seals, eagles and other wildlife you may meet
Beyond the birds, the fjords hold harbour seals and porpoises, and white-tailed eagles are common enough along the coast that a sighting is a real possibility rather than a fantasy. Otters work the shoreline early in the morning and are shy. Whales are the wild card: minke whales, and now and then humpbacks or orcas, turn up in Norwegian waters in the right season, but nobody can promise you one and a sensible guide will not try.
The honest way to plan is to treat wildlife as a bonus on top of the scenery. Cliffs, waterfalls, abandoned farms on impossible slopes and the sheer scale of the fjord do not depend on luck, and they are the reason most people remember the day. That way you enjoy the trip whatever swims past. Photographs of animals taken at a distance, without chasing or crowding, also tend to be the ones worth keeping.
If wildlife is your main aim, choose a small boat with a quiet engine and a guide who knows the local skerries. A RIB puts you closer than a big ferry, and a smaller group means less noise and fewer people between you and the water. Whatever you book, ask what has been seen in the last few days; local knowledge beats any list of likely species.
Weather, clothing and the best months to go
Ålesund's average temperature is 2.8 °C in the coldest month, February, and 14.8 °C in the warmest, August.[8] Those are averages, and sea air makes them feel cooler, especially once a boat is moving. Pack a waterproof shell, a warm mid layer, a hat and gloves even in midsummer, and bring shoes with grip for wet decks and pier steps.
Summer gives the longest days and the calmest water, which matters most on small open boats. Winter is dark and dramatic, and the northern lights can be seen during moderate to strong geomagnetic activity, with the best viewing season running from late September through late March.[11] On land, the Norwegian Scenic Route between Geiranger and Trollstigen is always closed in winter and normally open from mid-May to October/November.[12]
Seasickness is worth planning for. If you know you are prone to it, take medication before you board rather than after, sit where you can see the horizon, and stay out in fresh air. The motion on a fast RIB is short and sharp; on a large fjord boat it is slower and easier to live with. Neither is unpleasant on a settled day, and settled days are common in high summer.
Planning your day ashore in Ålesund
Cruise ships dock at a spot right in the town, literally a 2 minute walk from the cruise port into the city, which makes a morning or afternoon on the water easy to fit around a port call.[3] Ålesund had 290 cruise ship arrivals in 2024, so on busy days the waterfront, the cafes and the popular departures fill up early.[13]
If you have time either side of your trip, the town is compact and walkable. There are 418 steps from the town park up to the Fjellstua viewpoint on Mount Aksla, and the view over the islands repays the climb.[14] The Art Nouveau centre you walk through was rebuilt after the fire that swept the town during the night of 23 January 1904.[15] A Hop On-Hop Off bus offers commentary in eight languages if you would rather ride than walk.[16]
Other water-based options include a 4-hour guided sea fishing trip that departs from Ålesund harbour and sails to fishing grounds near Alnes and Godøya.[17] If you are arriving by air, the Flybussen FB65 runs between the terminal and Ålesund sentrum in roughly 15 to 25 minutes, which makes a same-day arrival and an afternoon boat trip realistic if your flight lands on time.[7] The Atlanterhavsparken aquarium lists the adult ticket price as NOK 275, which is a useful fallback on a wet day when the boats stay tied up.[18]
From-prices of boat trips out of Ålesund
From prices per person
US dollar from-prices for each listing:[1][4][6][19]. Child rates are not published in these listings.
When to go for wildlife
How to plan your day
Choose the boat
RIB for speed and closeness, the hybrid electric round trip for a full day in Geirangerfjord, from US$202.[1]
Book before you sail
Check availability for starting times, reserve now and pay later, and remember free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.[1]
Dress for cold water
Average temperatures run from 2.8 °C in February to 14.8 °C in August, and it is always cooler on the water.[8]
Take the right kit
Binoculars, a waterproof bag for the camera and shoes with grip on wet decks matter more than a long lens.
Leave buffer time
Boats leave from a harbour a 2 minute walk from the cruise port, but be back well before your ship sails.[3]
Sail the Geirangerfjord on the hybrid electric boat
from US$202Reserve now & pay later
