The verdict
Best places to dive with orcas
Orcinus orca
The most reliable place to dive with orcas is Scapa Flow, from April to June.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January: 2 of 10 at peak | February: 0 of 10 at peak | March: 1 of 10 at peak | April: 3 of 10 at peak | May: 2 of 10 at peak | June: 2 of 10 at peak | July: 2 of 10 at peak | August: 1 of 10 at peak | September: 2 of 10 at peak | October: 0 of 10 at peak | November: 2 of 10 at peak | December: 3 of 10 at peak |
Most sites at peak Some at peak Possible only
Based on 3,282 OBIS records of orca (Orcinus orca) within 60 km of 30 dive destinations.
Top destinations to dive with orcas
Ranked on how reliably they turn up, then on how long the record runs.
| # | Destination | Country / area | Season | Reliability | Evidence | Dive type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scapa Flow | Scotland | Apr–Jun | Near-guaranteed | 26 of 32 years | Day boat |
| 2 | Narvik wrecks | Norway | Nov–Jan | Near-guaranteed | 16 of 20 years | Day boat |
| 3 | Puget Sound | USA | All year | Near-guaranteed | 19 of 26 years | Shore |
| 4 | Vancouver Island | Canada | Jul–Sep | Near-guaranteed | 17 of 24 years | Day boat, Shore |
| 5 | Alaska | USA | Jun–Jul, Sep | Near-guaranteed | 18 of 30 years | Day boat |
| 6 | Monterey | USA | Apr–May | Likely | 13 of 32 years | Shore |
| 7 | Lofoten / Skjervoy orcas | Norway | Nov–Dec | Likely | 11 of 27 years | Snorkel |
| 8 | Silfra | Iceland | Mar–Apr | Likely | 7 of 18 years | Shore |
| 9 | Catalina Island | USA | Dec–Jan | Likely | 11 of 32 years | Shore, Day boat |
| 10 | Sea of Cortez / La Paz | Mexico Pacific | All year | Likely | 10 of 30 years | Liveaboard, Day boat |
Also on record at Loreto / Sea of Cortez North, Guadeloupe, Peninsula Valdes, Western (Isabela/Fernandina), Galapagos, Cornwall, Cabo San Lucas, Farne Islands, Poor Knights, Madeira, Channel Islands, Cape Town / False Bay, British Virgin Islands, La Jolla / San Diego, Cabo Pulmo, Galapagos Central, Sesimbra / Berlengas, Tasmania, Cano Island / Drake Bay, Newfoundland and St. Lucia.
When to dive with orcas
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scapa Flow | Jan: Possible | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Peak season | May: Peak season | Jun: Peak season | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Narvik wrecks | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Possible | Mar: Not common | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Possible | Nov: Peak season | Dec: Peak season |
| Puget Sound | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Vancouver Island | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Peak season | Sep: Peak season | Oct: Possible | Nov: Not common | Dec: Possible |
| Alaska | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Peak season | Jul: Peak season | Aug: Possible | Sep: Peak season | Oct: Not common | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
| Monterey | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Possible | Apr: Peak season | May: Peak season | Jun: Possible | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Possible | Nov: Not common | Dec: Possible |
| Lofoten / Skjervoy orcas | Jan: Possible | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Not common | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Possible | Nov: Peak season | Dec: Peak season |
| Silfra | Jan: Not common | Feb: Not common | Mar: Peak season | Apr: Peak season | May: Not common | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Not common | Sep: Not common | Oct: Not common | Nov: Not common | Dec: Possible |
| Catalina Island | Jan: Peak season | Feb: Not common | Mar: Not common | Apr: Possible | May: Not common | Jun: Not common | Jul: Not common | Aug: Not common | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Not common | Dec: Peak season |
| Sea of Cortez / La Paz | Jan: Possible | Feb: Possible | Mar: Possible | Apr: Possible | May: Possible | Jun: Possible | Jul: Possible | Aug: Possible | Sep: Possible | Oct: Possible | Nov: Possible | Dec: Possible |
Peak season Possible Not common
Orca month by month
- January
- Last peak month at Narvik wrecks. Also good at Catalina Island.
- February
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Narvik wrecks.
- March
- Season starts at Silfra.
- April
- Season starts at Scapa Flow. Also good at Monterey and Silfra.
- May
- Last peak month at Monterey. Also good at Scapa Flow.
- June
- Season starts at Alaska. Also good at Scapa Flow.
- July
- Season starts at Vancouver Island. Also good at Alaska.
- August
- Best at Vancouver Island.
- September
- The one peak month at Alaska. Also good at Vancouver Island.
- October
- Off-peak everywhere. Your best chance is Narvik wrecks.
- November
- Season starts at Narvik wrecks. Also good at Lofoten / Skjervoy orcas.
- December
- Season starts at Catalina Island. Also good at Narvik wrecks and Lofoten / Skjervoy orcas.
What to expect in the water
Water temperature and the suit to pack at the top sites, in the months orcas are there.
| Destination | Season | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scapa Flow | Apr–Jun | 8–11 °C | Drysuit |
| Narvik wrecks | Nov–Jan | 4–8 °C | Drysuit |
| Puget Sound | All year | 8–14 °C | Drysuit |
| Vancouver Island | Jul–Sep | 13–14 °C | Drysuit |
| Alaska | Jun–Jul, Sep | 11–13 °C | Drysuit |
What else you'll see with orcas
Animals at their peak in the same places and months.
Diving with orcas: common questions
- Where is the best place to dive with orcas?
- The most reliable place to dive with orcas is Scapa Flow, from April to June.
- When is the best time to dive with orcas?
- April, December, when 3 of the 10 best-evidenced destinations are at their peak. It varies by place: Scapa Flow peaks April to June; Narvik wrecks peaks November to January; Puget Sound peaks All year.
- What wetsuit do you need to dive with orcas?
- At Scapa Flow from April to June, the water is 8 °C to 11 °C, so bring a drysuit.
- How many places can you dive with orcas?
- besttimetodive.com has orcas on record at 30 of the destinations it scores. Not an exhaustive list — these are the sites we hold verified data for.