The 11 Best Lisbon Dolphin Watching Tours

1.Tagus River Cruise to the Ocean & Dolphin Watching

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

Sail from Estação Fluvial Sul e Sueste along the Tagus and out to the Atlantic for a 2.5-hour dolphin search. Guides such as Anna, Barbara, and Telma have been praised for friendly commentary on Lisbon’s sights. Expect wine, beer, sangria, and soft drinks, but bring snacks and warm layers.

“Nice cruise with a very friendly guide. Boat was a bit small due to the lack of participants and not very comfortable. It was a nice overall experience to discover the surroundings of Lisbon on the water.”

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2.Dolphin Watching with Marine Biologist

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

Set out from Doca de Santo Amaro with SeaEO Tours on a fast RIB boat and a marine biologist such as Bart, Sid, Sara, or Cidonio. Spend up to three hours looking for dolphins, seabirds, sunfish, and other marine life, then return past Bugio Lighthouse, Belém Tower, and the Monument to the Discoveries.

“Amazing trip. Sid was fantastic and we saw loads of bottlenose dolphins as well as the rarer harbour porpoises. Great afternoon and so worth the money”

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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 skilled skipper to look for wild dolphins, whales, seabirds, and sunfish. You may hear guides such as Mariana, Vanessa, or Maria explain marine life and research as you travel from the Tagus to the open sea, then return past Lisbon landmarks.

“Great trip, we saw loads of dolphins at different points. The guide and skipper were friendly, informative and made us feel welcome. Mariana and Sebastio were great!”

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4.Dolphin Watching with a Marine Biologist – Ocean Safari

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

Set out from Doca de Santo Amaro beneath the 25th of April Bridge in an 8.5-meter RIB. A marine biologist, with guides such as Sid, Sarah, or Bart, explains dolphin behavior and points out Belem Tower, the Discoveries Monument, seabirds, and other sea life. Expect jockey seats, ocean spray, wind, and a real wildlife search.

“It was much chillier than I expected, but otherwise completely magical. We saw a common dolphin mama and her baby!”

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5.Arrábida Natural Park Dolphin Watching Boat Tour

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

From Sesimbra, you’ll search for wild dolphins with an English or Portuguese guide such as Marta, Mario, or Jessica. The semi-inflatable boat also passes Arrábida’s clear waters, beaches, and caves, with a regional pastry and drink included. Choose the longer option with transport from central Lisbon.

“our guides mario and Jose got us to the dolphins within 5 minutes. we never expected to see this many and so close! there were scraggy mothers with babies, groups of dolphins swimming and jumping in front of the boat, a couple mating tiny next to us, orbs playfully seeking us out and really curious. beautiful experience! we took a lot of photos and videos. After we were treated with a visit to some caves and took a dip in the bay of praia do cavalo where we were offered a glass of moscatel and a regional pastry. thanks for the great morning!”

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6.Dolphin Watching with Marine Biologist – Small Group

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 131 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $78

Set out from Doca de Santo Amaro with a marine biologist and skipper for about three hours on the Tagus and Atlantic coast. You’ll pass the 25 de Abril Bridge, Belém Tower, and MAAT while searching for wild dolphins. Sightings are never guaranteed, but the ride, ecology talk, and small-group setting make this more than a standard boat trip.

“Me and my friends had a blast during this trip. Our tour guide was amazing: she explained ecerything incredibly well amd was more that happy to answer our questions. I higly recommend this experience to anyone visiting Lisbon and that would like to learn more about dolphins, our oceans and how to protect them :)”

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7.Meet the Lisbon Dolphins – Dolphin Watching in Lisbon

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 118 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $78

Join Lisbon Dolphins at Doca de Santo Amaro for a three-hour search through the Tagus and, sea conditions permitting, the Atlantic. A guide such as Francisco explains dolphin behavior, species, and identification while you watch for dolphins, porpoises, whales, turtles, and seabirds. The boat carries up to 10 people and adds an extra search hour if needed.

“If you have the time, this is a must! This has to be my favorite excursion of all the excursions I have booked on here. Loved that it was a small group setting (10 people). We had a very knowledgeable guide and beautiful weather. It was really nice to get up and close with the Dolphins and see them play. Definitely an experience that we will never forget.”

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8.Lisbon Dolphin Watching Ocean Safari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 35 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $72

Travel from Lisbon’s Alcântara marina past Belém Tower and the Discoveries Monument, then out into the Atlantic on a high-speed RIB boat. Marine biologists, including Diogo, explain dolphin behavior while the crew adjusts the route to sea conditions and fresh sightings. The trip lasts about two and a half hours and carries no more than 16 people.

“What an incredible trip!!! 5 stars all round. We are a marine animal loving family so we jumped at the chance to go dolphin spotting in Lisbon and I am thrilled we booked with Seaview- Nautical events. From start to finish we felt welcomed, safe and informed. It was an awesome experience on the sea, travelling through the river into the ocean, and the dolphins….. oh the dolphins! We initially saw a female pod with babies and, once out in open water, encountered the braver males who showed off to us by leaping out of the water and coming very close to our boat. Our biologist, Diogo, was so informative…”

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9.Dolphin Route

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 25 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $54

Set out from Peniche at 9:30 a.m. with Atlantis Water Fun on a 1.5 to 3-hour coastal cruise for 8 to 14 people. Watch for bottlenose dolphins, seabirds, turtles, and sharks while passing Cabo Carvoeiro, Meia Via, and the cliffs toward Areia Branca. The boat can reach 30 miles per hour, but dolphin sightings are never guaranteed.

“El tiempo no fue el mejor, de hecho la actividad se pospuso al día siguiente, pero la experiencia mereció la pena.”

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10.Dolphin Watching in the Wild – Half Day

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 4 reviews · from $217

Travel from Lisbon to Setúbal with a private driver-guide, then join a shared two-hour boat trip on the Sado Estuary to look for wild bottlenose dolphins. The experience is offered in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, with hotel pickup and return. Filipa has earned special praise for her friendly service and clear English translation.

“The dolphins were great The young lady there was very good at making sure everything was translated into English for us..”

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11.Setúbal Private Tour – Including Dolphin Watching

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 3 reviews · from $221

Spend 8 to 9 hours with a private driver-guide from Lisbon, crossing the 25th of April Bridge to Setúbal. Stop at Christ the King, eat choco frito or fresh fish, then take the Vertigem Azul catamaran into the Sado Estuary for dolphin watching. The return route includes Serra da Arrábida, Sesimbra Castle, and Cabo Espichel.

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