Canada · WHALE WATCHING IN VANCOUVER ISLAND
A shortlist to send to whoever is planning: 15 whale watching tours on vancouver island that hold up, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the thing to know before you commit.
A 3.5-hour Victoria whale and wildlife cruise in the Salish Sea, guided by naturalists, with a whale sighting guarantee or free return.
“Absolutely amazing. I cried. The experience was so beautiful and having the Crew explain about the whales and the differences and life span was so interesting.”
Half-day Cowichan Bay whale watching on a small private boat with naturalist guides. Look for orcas, humpbacks, seals, eagles.
“We travelled to the island for a family vacation in July. We were very pleased to be a part of this tour. Our tour guide Lauren was very knowledgeable and informative. He really took his time explaining whales and their mannerisms to us. We seen humpback whales jumping out of the water, harbor seals, bald eagles and the most random goats on a lone island. It was a blast. I would highly recommend a tour with this company.”
Half-day whale watching from Telegraph Cove on Vancouver Island, live commentary, onboard learning, and a free wildlife photo package.
“Excellent experience - we saw 2 humpback whales, dolphins and a huge group of sea otters. James was an excellent guide, and took us through a lot of small inlets, around islands etc, so it was extremely scenic. The small zodiac boat was a lot of fun.”
3-hour Victoria sunset whale-watch with warm gear, onboard naturalist, fast boats, and free return if no whales.
“Excellent tour and information about Orca whales dolphins actually. Would make sure to take something for sea sickness even if not had any issues in the past. Wonderful views of the whales with the mountain range in the background.”
Small-group Zodiac whale watching from Telegraph Cove in Johnstone Strait, with live guide commentary and a whale sightings guarantee.
“Scottie prima reisleider, heel veel walvissen, dolfijnen en bruinvissen gezien. Ook de prachtige omgeving is alleen al de moeite waard”
Small-group open-boat whale watching in Nanaimo with warm anti-exposure suits, expert naturalists, and an hour of whale viewing.
“Scenery, whales and wonderful guide and captain. Made the trip up from Victoria totally worth it. Highly recommended this company”
4-hour Campbell River wildlife cruise through Salish Sea and Johnstone Strait, with a naturalist, hydrophones, and snacks.
“TylerW was a great skipper. Saw humpbacks, Orca, Seals, Porpoises and a bear. Well worth the money”
4-hour Zodiac whale watching tour from Campbell River for up to 12, floater suit and snacks included, possible Cape Mudge Lighthouse view.
“Das Erleben der Wale in ihrer natürlichen Umgebung war sehr beeindruckend! Ebenso die Fahrt durch die Insellandschaft!”
Campbell River 4-hour zodiac tour with hydrophone whale listening, wildlife spotting in Discovery Passage, and rapids like Devils Hole.
“Seeing whales etc. Excellent guide and great group of fellow tourists”
3-hour Zodiac whale watching from Telegraph Cove, with all-weather suits, hot drinks, and expert skippers spotting orcas and humpbacks.
“Connor was a great guide. We saw Orcas, one humpback whale, sea lions, dall popoise and sea Otter. It was an amazing tour. I can definetly recommend!”
4-hour Salish Sea whale watching from Campbell River with indoor cabin comfort, deck viewing, and First Nations culture.
“The crew was good. Safety was on the top of the list. The tour guide was great she was knowledgeable and a pleasant person. She made our fun. We saw three killer whales and learned about tribal culture. Worth the drive from Victoria to take this tour.”
Nanaimo open-boat whale watching in the Salish Sea. Guaranteed sightings, marine biology guide, anti-exposure suits, conservation data.
“Everything was as we had hoped. We had whales all over the place.”
Enjoy a 4-hour small-group whale watching cruise from Campbell River on a covered boat, with snacks, water, and Cape Mudge Lighthouse views.
“During our trip in Cana we booked this whale watching via viator . After this experience we checked the creditcard account and then we became aware that he price was in English pounds and not in Canadian dollars !!! Booking via viator was 25% higher then booking direct by the organisation.”
Nanaimo whale watching in a semi-covered Kula boat. 4 hours on the Salish Sea, expert naturalist, and a no-whale return option.
“Our guide Ali and skipper Rodrigo were excellent. We had slightly choppy waters but they were excellently navigated. Ali was so informative and we saw so much thanks to her knowledge and skill. It's quite difficult to capture the whales on camera but that's solved by Ali who takes great shots and provides them digitally after the experience!”
6-hour small-group whale watching from Campbell River with a naturalist guide, floater suits, lunch, and chances for whales and sea lions.
“Absolutely amazing in all areas!!!! Recommend it to all our family and friends! The eagles were breathtaking I. Their numbers and magnificence❤️”
Six time zones of days out, sorted by the kind of day.
