Swimming with orcas, travelling from Switzerland

A trip organised from Switzerland

Discover Orca is based in Morges, in the canton of Vaud. That is not an administrative detail: it means someone reachable in your own time zone, conversations in French or English, prices quoted in Swiss francs, and an invoice with no surprise currency conversion.

I put the group together myself and I am on site for the whole trip. You will not be attached on arrival to an international group assembled at the last minute: the eight participants travel together and know each other before boarding.

Getting to Skjervøy from Geneva or Zurich

There is no direct flight between Switzerland and Arctic Norway. The route involves one connection, most often in Oslo, through to Tromsø airport. Allow a full day door to door from Switzerland.

From Tromsø there is still the journey to Skjervøy: about 2 h 15 by express boat, roughly 3 h 45 by car including a ferry crossing, or about 4 h 15 by bus. Timetables and ticketing are covered in our article on reaching Skjervøy.

One piece of advice I repeat to every group: arrive in Tromsø the day before your transfer rather than doing it all in one go. In winter a delayed flight is nothing unusual, and a hotel night costs less than a lost day of the trip.

The budget, in Swiss francs

The trip starts at CHF 1,800 per person. That covers accommodation in a whole house, the outings at sea, full equipment — drysuit, mask and snorkel — and a professional skipper and guide.

You cover flights from Switzerland, the transfer to Skjervøy, meals cooked together on site, and your insurance. I do not publish flight estimates: prices vary too much with booking date for any figure here to stay honest six months later. The full breakdown is in our article on the budget.

On site, Norway runs almost without cash: cards are accepted everywhere, even for very small amounts. There is no need to change kroner before leaving.

Entry formalities for Swiss residents

Norway is not part of the European Union but belongs to the Schengen area. A valid Swiss identity card or passport is therefore enough, with no visa, for a short tourist stay.

Two points people often overlook: minors need their own identity document — which applies directly to participants aged 16 and 17 — and you must be able to show a return ticket on entry.

Always check current requirements with official sources before departure: they can change, and this page is not an authoritative reference.

Insurance, not to be overlooked

Swiss health insurance does not cover everything abroad, and cold-water activities are sometimes listed among the exclusions. Check three things with your insurer: cancellation, assistance and repatriation, and cover for supervised water activities.

Many Swiss credit cards include travel insurance, but with limits and conditions better read before departure than after a problem. Insurance is not included in the price of the trip.