Cádiz · Strait of Gibraltar
Boat rental in Tarifa
Boat rental in Tarifa: 2 companies, both with boat rental as their main business, in the harbour, with motorboats and jet skis for calm days. With phone, website and Google rating. No commission.
- Companies
- 2
- both with boat rental as main business
- Price
- €250 – 1,500 / day
- indicative
- Licence
- No licence needed up to 5 m and 15 hp
- Season
- May – September
- peak July and August
The 2 boat hire companies in Tarifa
JetSurf Tarifa
Hiring a boat in Tarifa
Tarifa is the southernmost point of Europe and one of the windiest places on the Mediterranean, which is why its rental fleet is tiny: 2 companies in the harbour, geared to motorboats and jet skis on calm days. What Tarifa does have is the Strait: 8 miles across to Morocco, and halfway over dolphins, pilot whales and, in summer, orcas and sperm whales. That trip is done on scheduled whale-watching boats, not rentals. For more rental choice, Sotogrande, 41 km away, has 20 companies and Algeciras 2; Barbate, on the Atlantic side, 3.
The season runs from May to September. The levante and poniente blow hard more than half the days of the year; only in a calm or light wind do small boats go out, and always with a forecast.
Ports and departure areas
Puerto de Tarifa
Fishing harbour and Tangier ferry port, base for the 2 companies and the whale-watching boats.Types of boat you can hire in Tarifa
Motorboat or RIB
- Requirement
- ICC or a Spanish PNB/PER licence
- Price
- €250 – 650 / day (indicative)
Skippered
- Requirement
- None: the skipper is in charge
- Price
- boat price plus €50 – 250 per day (indicative)
How much does it cost to hire a boat in Tarifa
Indicative high-season prices from the directory's reference table, reviewed September 2026: a no-licence motorboat costs €120–250 a day; a RIB of 6–8 m, €250–650; a 10–12 m sailing yacht, €400–900 bareboat or €600–1,500 skippered; a catamaran, €1,000–2,500; a skippered motor yacht, from €900. Expect 20–40% less outside July and August. Deposits run from €300 to €2,000 and fuel is extra. Each company sets its own prices.
Boat trips and excursions
Turmares Whale Watching in Tarifa
Firmm España
JC Mackintosh
Tarifa Experience S.L
Tarifa Pesca Turismo
AVISTAMIENTO DE ORCAS EN TARIFA
EXPLORE & FISHING TARIFA, SL.L
OPP78. Organización de productores pesqueros de Tarifa,
Avistamiento De Cetaceos
Avistamiento De ORCAS
Frequently asked questions
Can I rent a boat in Tarifa?
Yes, from 2 companies in the harbour, on calm days only. For a wider choice, Sotogrande (20 companies, 41 km) or, on the Atlantic side, Barbate (3).
Do I need a licence?
Not for a motorboat up to 5 metres and 15 hp, in daylight and near the coast; jet skis go with an instructor or a navigation licence. The Strait itself, with its shipping lanes and current, is skippered territory.
How much does a boat cost in Tarifa?
A RIB with licence, €250–650 a day; a skippered trip from €600; jet skis by the slot; whale-watching by the seat. Indicative high-season ranges; fuel and deposit are extra.
Can I see whales from a rental boat?
Not really: the cetaceans are in the middle of the Strait, in the shipping lanes and current, and approaching them is regulated. Take one of the scheduled whale-watching boats from the harbour, which have permits and know the pods.
When can you sail in Tarifa?
On the calm days between winds, mostly in June, July and September mornings; when the levante or poniente is up, which is most days, nobody goes out. Check the wind forecast, not just the weather.