Whale Watching Cruise from Galle & Mirissa
3.5

Whale Watching Cruise from Galle & Mirissa

By Summer Dew Tours
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Ages 4-80, max of 12 per group
Duration: 6h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Live guide: English
More


  • Hotel pick up and drop off from your staying hotel around Galle
  • Continental breakfast
  • Cruise fee
  • Wildlife department tax
  • Bottled water
  • Pills for sea sickness will be provided if need.
What's not included
  • Lunch
  • Gratuities


Start:Multiple pickup locations offered.
    Pickup details
    • Send us your staying hotel name and address to arrange hotel pick up.
    Hotel pickup offered
    During checkout you will be able to select from the list of included hotels.
      End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

        • Not wheelchair accessible
        • Stroller accessible
        • Near public transportation
        • Infants must sit on laps
        If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 11559P2

        • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
        • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
        • A maximum of 12 people per booking
        • There may be a supplemental transportation charge if booked for 1 person, contact tour operator after booking
        • A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
        • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
        • Toilet available onboard
        • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers

        • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

        If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 11559P2

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        About the operator
        Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
        • Summer Dew Tours
          69
          Galle, Sri Lanka
          Joined in April 2015
        • walawavalley
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Best Experience Ever.....
          Udawalawe is a wildlife paradise! Stunning views, elephants everywhere, and a truly magical safari. Thank you very much for this experience......
          Written December 12, 2024
        • angrowan06
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Safari
          Amazing experience.. lots of animals. Tour guide very knowledgeable. Definitely worth a visit. Lots of elephants & peacocks. Enjoyed our visit
          Written September 30, 2023
        • JKiraA
          0 contributions
          3.0 of 5 bubbles
          Tour was ok
          After reading a bunch of recent reviews, my friends and I were very enthusiastic about this trip. Whilst the transfer from our hotel was ok, we were disappointed with the jeep. It was pretty beat up compared to lots of others around. On top of that we weren’t offered a guide as mentioned in other reviews. Our driver wasn’t particularly chatty or informative. Throughout the trip we were reminded that we ‘were lucky’ to see elephants as it was dry season. Our driver did go deeper into the park than other companies though my friends and I are can’t agree whether this was to take up time or because he was genuinely trying to find us other animals. A nice little snack and tea were provided though and we DID end up seeing the elephants so 3 stars for that.
          Written March 9, 2020
        • Todgy M
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Experience of a lifetime
          We booked this tour before we left home,comes we’re excellent and it was a seamless experience. We were contacted when we landed on the first day and arrangements were made for collection the following day The driver that took us there and back Aditha was superb great guy Also a mention to our driver on the safari Ravi exceptional knowledge,we chose not to pay extra for a guide and used him,he knew his stuff and some,very knowledgable Last but not least the other Ravi who is the owner of the company,great commas and you have a good team there my friend Thanks for a great day we both loved it We saw lots of elephants including a family with a 2 month old baby,water buffalo many species of birds including eagles plus huge lizards and much more
          Written February 9, 2020
        • Roni-Marie G
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Wonderful adventure!
          This was truly a great experience for our family. Our driver was prompt and picked us up at 6am with a clean van full of waters. The drive was long but we saw the real Sri Lanka on the way. The safari was amazing and we saw tons of animals and of course elephants. Overall the trip was well organized and extremely pleasant.
          Written February 6, 2020
        • bkl808
          0 contributions
          2.0 of 5 bubbles
          Disappointing experience
          Very disappointing. Prepaid $1000 for 4 people and were presented with the smallest speed boat we’ve ever been on. Crew didn’t even greet us - no explanation or information given regarding whale watching at all. Became apparent their spoken English was poor, which was unexpected - we were hoping for a personalised, curated tour. Inadequate seating at the bow (only a shallow semicircular bench) so all of us were sitting uncomfortably sideways for the duration. Seas were choppy but the captain was still driving at full speed, oblivious to the fact that we were being completely drenched by waves over the bow. My eldest son and myself were clinging to the fibreglass hull and the side rails as there was nothing to else to hold on to, and my wife and youngest son sat either side of us and became seasick. My wife feared that we would fall overboard and was distressed and crying. Two brief sightings for a few seconds which disappeared as soon as the numerous double decker ferries packed with passengers made chase - the noise scares the whales away. Trip was terminated as it was intolerable. Even this was difficult to communicate to the crew. Non-refundable. The “continental breakfast” Ravi promised on the phone consisted of a small white sandwich with fish spread, a sad looking inedible ham roll and a juice box. Discovered later from our own car driver that the tour price charged was almost triple the local equivalent for a private boat. We have been whale watching in other countries and the experience was entirely different due to the boat and crew, and absence of giant ferries. Perhaps book a larger speed boat locally or join the hundreds of ferry passengers.
          Written January 26, 2020
        • danielkI5295DY
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Serene Experience
          Having been on a trip to The Safari park with them our driver suggested we may like to take this river trip. With just my husband and I plus our drive/guide and boat owner we spent a couple of hours along the river with just the birdsong to hear. The two men were extremely knowledgeable with eyes like hawks as they pointed out the multitude of birds along the river. Monkeys were also on parade and all in all a lovely way to spend a late afternoon. Not sure why this trip is not highlighted as one to take as it is surely a well kept secret.
          Written January 20, 2020
        • Pamela K
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Jostling Jeeps
          We spent five hours in the park Starting at 6 in the morning and it was fascinating. We saw a leopard, elephants and so many more animals and birds. Our driver/guide was excellent and I would highly recommend a visit. One thing which did amuse me was when an animal such as the leopard was spotted, the jeeps swarmed around. Wonder if you would describe it as a jostle if jeeps.
          Written January 18, 2020
        • VinnieLondon_SE2
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Great day out from Galle or Colombo
          Very well organised tour with good pre trip communication. Driver Abey picked up from Galle hotel at prearranged 0830...take the 0630 pick up in hotter months. Good 3 hour drive to park in comfortable sedan with good safe driving by Abey. Allow 3-4 hours for safari tour. You pick up jeep at Lizard tours where there are pre safari restroom facilities then around 10 minute drive to park with 2 stops for guide to pick up tickets etc. As well as great opportunity to see elephants up close in their natural habitat there are also lots of birds to see for bird watching enthusiasts as well as water and wild buffalo, monkeys, monitor lizards, jackals. Back to Lizard safari base after park tour to reunite with driver or at the elephant transit house (elephant orphanage) for 3.00pm feeding if you choose this add on (worth the 500 Rupees fee (around £2) as a nice end to day before 3 hour drive back to hotel in Galle or wherever you are staying. Well organised tour company.
          Written November 30, 2019
        • Paige_17
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Great experience!
          My friend and I booked this through viator.com 3 days before the trip because we wanted to go to Udawalawe National park before Ella from galle and only had one day to fit it in! Viator responded rapidly and gave us all the details. They suggested the 3:30 departure would be the best time to see the most animals. Our driver Abeysekra was very prompt to arrive at our hostel and drove us in comfort the 3 hours to Udawalawe from Galle. We got in the jeep on arrival at 6:30am and toured the park for nearly 4 hours. Both the driver and the guide we paid LKR1500 for were excellent. They gave us snacks part way through. We saw many elephants even with the hour of rain! The 2 hour drive from Udawalawe to Ella was smooth, Abeysekra stopped at the Ravana falls on the way for us to take photos. We arrived by 1pm. Overall the experience was seamless and I can’t credit our driver and national park team enough! Worth the money for the ease of and comfort of the journey, especially if short on time and don’t want to try to navigate the Sri Lankan bus system!
          Written August 23, 2019
        • JuliaCP29
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Fantastic experience
          We had transport from Ella which was very punctual, then transferred to the Jeep with Ravi our driver at Udawalawe. Even though it was dry season we still saw elephants as well as so many monkeys, water buffalo, mongoose, samba deer, crocodiles and a huge number of birds. We had an amazing morning tea provided with tea and coconut pancakes set up in a beautiful shaded camping ground where we could watch the crocodiles with no one else around. So amazing! We continued on to the Elephant Transit Home afterwards which was a real treat. Don’t bother with a guide they are a waste of money as your driver should be able to tell you everything you need to know.
          Written August 2, 2019
        • DavidDB60
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Great to see elephants in the wild
          2.5 hour trip in comfortable air-con car. The driver spoke good English and answered our questions. We went around the park at 9am (6am start from Galle) which was fine in rainy season. Saw lots of elephants plus buffalo, monkeys and birds. Crocodiles are hiding at this time of day so a 6am start is needed for these. Park is not crowded in rainy season. Had plenty of time close up with elephants. We didn't bother with a guide as our driver was very knowledgeable. Our driver stopped at nice restaurant (1000 SLR each for buffet meal) on way home and took us to fruit bat roost (1000s in 4 large trees), and was happy to stop when I wanted to take photos. This was a great trip. Arrived back at 4:30pm.
          Written May 5, 2019
        • 350Deborah_L
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Fantastic service
          Arranged the trip in U.K. before departing Ravi was easy to do business with. We paid our wonderful driver Abbi on the day. All was amazing and I could not fault any of this trip. We saw lots of animals, crocs elephants water buffalo birds. Our ranger was really good. We went to the orphanage and this was just perfect. Thank you all involved.
          Written April 27, 2019
        • PerthJayne
          0 contributions
          4.0 of 5 bubbles
          Very worthwhile
          The hotel pick up was very punctual (in fact, very early). After a 2 hour drive through pretty country, we were met by our Jeep driver/guide who was excellent. During our 3 hour safari (including a stunning lakeside tea stop courtesy of our driver), we saw many elephants (and babies), water buffalo, a huge variety of birdlife, crocodiles and a hippo. One male elephant came right up to the Jeep! Amazing experience which I will NEVER forget!! Highly recommended!
          Written April 25, 2019
        • Marc88G
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Incredible safari with the perfect guide
          Herds of elephants, water buffalo, exotic birds, magnificent scenery -- this safari had it all. Our experienced guide, Ravi Lakmal, made it all happen, and he did it with a sense of professionalism and fun. He picked me and our family of 6 up at our hotel in Galle in a well-equipped van. We traveled to the edge of Udawalawe National Park and stopped at an elephant orphanage. Seeing dozens of baby elephants being fed was only the beginning of what was to come -- the safari itself. We transferred to a jeep with a savvy driver who knew where the animals usually gathered. A typical experience was driving along a path with no animals in sight. Suddenly, around a turn, we would come up to a family of elephants grazing with a couple of babies. That was just one of the many experience that made the day so memorable. I had never been on a safari before. My expectations were high, and they were more then exceeded. Ravi was easy to communicate with, great to be with and was 100% reliable. He is one of the best guides I have ever found and couldn't recommend him more highly. My family and I can't wait to take the same safari again.
          Written April 19, 2019
        See all 69 reviews
        These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

        Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


        3.5
        3.5 of 5 bubbles12 reviews
        Excellent
        3
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        6
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        0
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        1
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        These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
        This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.

        Dave
        London, UK118 contributions
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        5.30am pick up by tuktuk, don’t think it quite matched a comfortable car collection, but as i’d never been on a tuktuk it was a great experience. Certainly wouldn’t drive here myself, it’s not for the faint hearted. Arrived in Mirissa for 7am and boarded the boat. The cruise itself was great and we were lucky enough to find whales within the first 30 minutes and then the next 2/2.30 hours were spent trying to guess where they would come up next. It was an amazing experience to see these fantastic creatures up close, but I couldn’t help thinking I wonder what the Whale thinks being chased by so many boats. However aside from the moral dilemma, this was a really well organised and knowledgeable tour, so if you want to see Whales why you’re in Sri Lanka I would recommend these guys and you’ll also get to a spectacular sunrise 😎
        Written January 19, 2020
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        Jukka
        1 contribution
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        Dec 2019 • Family
        Very good organization of the cruise, we had a Person to pick us up from Hikkaduwa. The actual cruise took around five hours plus travel to/from the hotel. The boat was very new one and the staff knew pretty well where to find the whales and What they where. We saw around 3-4 blue whales and dolphins as well on this trip, very good!
        Written January 2, 2020
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        2011tigger
        Cabries108 contributions
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        Dec 2017 • Family
        We went as a family on this trip and it was amazing to see not only the majestic and wonderful blue whales up close, but also lots of spinner dolphins and pilot whales. Very worthwhile trip - my only advice would be to pick a fast boat! We were on a slow boat, which did not matter once you were out where the whales were, however it took us at least an extra half an hour out and back adding an unnecessary hour in the heat!
        Written January 11, 2018
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Thank you very much for your comment. it is great for us. we are sorry about that you had an inconvenient situation with extra time. it happens sometimes because some days whales are moving away from the sea current. then we have to go bit far for find them. but most days we got to the shore around 10.30am.
        Written January 12, 2018
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Instant-Nids
        Singapore, Singapore157 contributions
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        Nov 2017 • Couples
        This was a beautiful experience. Ravi was excellent - was there right on time at 5.30 am to pick us up, and was kind to wait for us as we were running a bit late. He drove us to Mirissa, and told us a number of facts about Sri Lanka and the area during the drive, which we enjoyed a lot. We were on the boat by 6.40, and it sailed at 7 am.

        Ravi had recommended we should sit on the upper deck for better views and we did that. Once the boat sailed, the crew gave us boxes of breakfast, with ham panini and fish and chicken sandwiches. They had some vegetarian options too. They also gave us some refreshments on the way back, which was a great relief in the heat!

        We were able to spot a couple of blue whales, a fin whale and 100s of dolphins (which were the prettiest). The crew was really hard-working, and kept looking at various spots till we found the whales. But they were really sensible and stopped at a safe distance to protect the whales, which we really appreciated. Also, sometimes, there can be a lot of waiting, but then the views are totally worth it. Just getting a chance to sail on the indigo Indian Ocean makes it completely worth it.

        We got back on shore at about 11 am and Ravi was waiting there to drive us back. He treated us to some king coconuts, which was really kind of him. We also spotted the famous fishermen on stilts in Koggala on the way back.

        Overall, a fun way to spend a morning in the beautiful south of Sri Lanka. Great sceneries on the way, and then on the boat.
        Written November 22, 2017
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Thank you and realy appriciate for the informative review. it is a great feedback on Tripadvisor to encourage us to go ahead with a better service for our guests. thank you again for joining us for whale watching cruise from Galle
        Written November 25, 2017
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Mohd Sham
        Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia4 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Aug 2019
        Blue Whales sure save the best for last!!!!!,

        About 2 hour away into the Indian Ocean, I got my first glimpse of a blue whale... two actually... a mother and her calf. It was just two sprouts of water into the air, one bigger than the other. Then it was over..

        Until the whales surfaced up again.. 3 more times in the space of 10-15 minutes between each surfacing. And I got to see parts of the whales. I was already satisfied.. and the boat started to head back..

        But the whales have one big surprise for us... maybe for me.... somehow it resurfaced right next to me..about 3 meters away from me...showing its mid-hump.. and then dived down..

        That was the best goodbye I got today... and it was from the largest animal on earth!!!!

        And to make things better.. our boat was then followed by a pod of Spinner Dolphins for a good 5 minutes..

        Amazing day indeed...
        Written August 20, 2019
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        Nibir A
        Dhaka City, Bangladesh11 contributions
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        I went on a whale watching cruise with summer dew tours and had a very pleasant experience...the driver was exactly on time and spoke good english...he was also very informative about the whales and other aspects of the tour...when we reached the harbour there were two types of boat...the driver managed the bigger boat for us and it was not very shaky during the journey...they gave us sandwich and juice for breakfast and also an anti emitic pill..inbprevious reviews i read that the boat would be jerking a lot but during my journey the boat was not wobbling a lot and it was only about 45min before we could spot the whales...we also watched dolphins on our way back...it 50$ per person for whale watching and 40$ more for hotel pickup and transfer
        Written February 12, 2019
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        owen d
        London, UK23 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Jan 2020 • Couples
        We got a bit unlucky having to wait around 3hours. Nevertheless, the crew persisted and we were able to see some dolphins and a blue whale. Our transfer driver Abey was very professional and warming
        Written January 23, 2020
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        Paulpb2
        13 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Did a safari to Yala and whale watching with Summer Dew Tours and they were brilliant for both, Ravi emailed me all the details with prices and was very quick to reply to all my questions, the driver was exactly on time picking us up from our hotel with private transfer and was very courteous and polite.
        Both trips are a must from the Galle/Koggala beach area, and after looking around online Summer Dew Tours are very reasonable, one place we looked at wanted over $120 for the whale watching we paid only $80 each and the boat was almost new and the crew stayed out longer to make sure we saw a whale.
        Overall a great experience.
        Thanks Ravi.
        Written December 12, 2019
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        tobi
        Herzogenrath, Germany6 contributions
        1.0 of 5 bubbles
        All whale tours are absolutely overpriced. But unfortunately you can see that everywhere on the coast in Sri Lanka at the moment.
        If the old prices don't return, there will be fewer tourists.
        Google
        Written October 5, 2023
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

        Whale Watching Cruise from Galle & Mirissa provided by Summer Dew Tours

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