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Great Bear Rainforest: Wildlife Viewing Tour
5.0
18 Ratings
Port Hardy
Embark on a thrilling sea otter and whale watching tour in Northern Vancouver Island. Discover diverse wildlife and rich cultural heritage on a 6-hour adventure.
Embark on a thrilling sea otter and whale watching tour in Northern Vancouver Island. Discover diverse wildlife and rich cultural heritage on a 6-hour adventure.
Duration:
5 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Gods Pocket Marine Provincial Park - Travelling through the waters of the Kwakwaka’wakw, we are on the lookout for wildlife in the water, on land, and in the air.
- Queen Charlotte Strait - Explore the wildlife-rich waters, islands, and shores off northern Vancouver Island. Search for sea otters, humpback whales, orcas, porpoises, sea lions, bald eagles, and a multitude of sea birds.
- Gods Pocket Marine Provincial Park - Travelling through the waters of the Kwakwaka’wakw, we are on the lookout for wildlife in the water, on land, and in the air.
- Queen Charlotte Strait - Explore the wildlife-rich waters, islands, and shores off northern Vancouver Island. Search for sea otters, humpback whales, orcas, porpoises, sea lions, bald eagles, and a multitude of sea birds.
What's Included
- Two-piece flotation suits
- Binoculars
- Lunch
- On-board restrooms
- Tea and coffee
- Two-piece flotation suits
- Binoculars
- Lunch
- On-board restrooms
- Tea and coffee
What's Not Included
- On-board WiFi
- On-board WiFi
Additional Information
Experience an exciting wilderness experiences rooted in the culturally rich territories of the Kwakwaka’wakw people. Hop aboard our rigid hull inflatable (RHIB) wildlife viewing boat with shock mitigating seats and explore the diverse wildlife of British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest, on the wild West Coast of Canada.
Departing from Port Hardy, we…
Experience an exciting wilderness experiences rooted in the culturally rich territories of the Kwakwaka’wakw people. Hop aboard our rigid hull inflatable (RHIB) wildlife viewing boat with shock mitigating seats and explore the diverse wildlife of British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest, on the wild West Coast of Canada.
Departing from Port Hardy, we spend the day searching for and viewing sea otters, humpback whales, orcas, Dall’s porpoises, Pacific white-side dolphins, Steller sea lions, bald eagles and a multitude of sea birds.
Our signature 5 ½ to 6 hour tour showcases the unparalleled waters of northern Vancouver Island. The speed of our vessel allows us to cover a large area and provides us with greater opportunities to see as much wildlife as possible. We may not see all the above animals on every trip but our guides are well acquainted with the local waters and the best places to see wildlife.
- Lunch and drinks are provided. Gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, and vegan can be accommodated with at least 24 hours notice.
- Please arrive at Coastal Rainforest Safaris’ office half an hour before your tour’s departure time to be outfitted for floatation suits and sign a waiver.
Location
Coastal Rainforest Safaris
Market Street
Please arrive at Coastal Rainforest Safaris' office half an hour before your tour's departure time to be outfitted for floatation suits and sign a waiver.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(18 Ratings)
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Bhavobhrai
Oct 12, 2024
Whale watching tour - This was an amazing day trip with our host AJ. We were fortunate to be in a small group with AJ's parents, as there was a last minute cancellation. It was a pleasure to spend the day with them and there was an overall casual family feel to the day.
An early start to the day began with equipping our floatation suits, head wear and binoculars. Short walk to the shore lead to a foggy start out of the dock although visibility improved as AJ expertly negotiated the patches. The vessel felt stable and as comfortable as you can expect racing into the wind!
AJ is an incredible host; super friendly, loves to share his knowledge and passion of sea life and went the extra mile to ensure we saw as much as could be squeezed into the tour. We saw otters, sea lions, bald eagles, lots of humpbacks and a few orcas. Lunch on board was simple and delicious.
Absolutely recommend AJ and this tour. Such as shame this experience is so far from us in the UK as we would be back in a flash! Thank you again!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Freedom07021712074
Oct 1, 2024
What an experience! - Fabulous tour by AJ, whose knowledge, expertise and passion gave me a chance to tick off a major bucket list item and it was an absolutely unforgettable experience! From the moment we set off, equipped with warm floatation suits, hat, binoculars and goggles, AJ made the experience come alive with his knowledge and enthusiasm. Seeing an amazing range of wildlife, from sea otters, Stellar sea lions, humpback whales, bald eagles, a kingfisher hunting, but the moment he spotted the orcas was incredible and something I’ll never forget! Despite seeing all seasons in one day, no amount of rain could dampen the spirits of all guests on the tour!
AJ’s passion for marine life and the whole Vancouver island area was contagious, and he shared so many interesting facts that made the trip even more special. It wasn’t just a tour—it was an adventure that left me in awe of nature. If you’re looking for a unique, up-close experience, this tour is a must!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Patriciagp2694cu
Sep 30, 2024
Water, wildlife, weather - a wonderful way to celebrate a special birthday - Our tour was a part of a special birthday celebration. As people with considerable experience with wildlife tours, we rate this one very highly. Safe, informative, stimulating, spirit-enhancing. The small group size (max. 12) encouraged a congenial feel. Quality equipment was provided: outerwear, hats, goggles, good binoculars - and a bonus, individual seats with shock absorbers, great for a fast craft able to cover large and varied stretches of water. Lead guide A.J. Is obviously deeply familiar with the weathers, waters, wildlife behaviours and interactions, as well as area history and conservation practices (or lack thereof). His pleasure in sharing this with his passengers communicates. Trainee tour guide Will was a thoughtful assistant and his Indigenous local family background provided an important aspect of our experience. We saw the coastal landscape, a fish farm, ship traffic and many of the anticipated birds and coastal creatures. The guides were generous with their time when,late in the day, we spotted a pod of orcas stalking sea lions basking in their heaps, on small rocky islets. We watched for almost an hour till the whales departed - without a sea lion lunch. An exciting ending to the day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Z1600xlfelixb
Sep 26, 2024
Sometimes like in the animal documentary! Absolutely tremendous! - The tour is an absolute must! Raised very professionally and with A.J. we had a guide who brought together profound knowledge, experience and passion for nature.
We are glad to have had this experience and can highly recommend the tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
T5726imamberp
Sep 17, 2024
Couldn't recommend this company more - an exceptional day with great guides - Although luck features in any wildlife tour, this tour was everything we hoped it would be and more. The equipment provided was good quality Mustang tops and bottoms, a rain coat and good binoculars, The guides, AJ and Mackenzie, were very good. AJ, in particular, was friendly, skilled with the boat and knowledgeable about the area and the marine life. He managed to steer us around multiple rain squalls, keeping us dry on a day that looked to be very wet. Having heard from a water taxi that a pod of resident orcas had been seen earlier in the morning heading towards Port Hardy, he adjusted our route to go where he thought they might be - and there they were! After watching them for some time, we headed further out to see sea-otters, encountering on the way, multiple humpback whales, many sea birds and generally enjoying the ride in the very comfortable boat. After a great lunch in a quiet inlet, where we saw different varieties of giant jellyfish, we headed out again to view a sea lion colony, this time encountering a group of transient orcas, swimming fast and leaping out of the water as well as more humpback whales. All in all, the 5 of us had a terrific day. We were more than lucky in our viewing but the company certainly did everything in their power to make this a memorable day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Davidme3309nk
Sep 16, 2024
Outstanding tour from a great company - This was an absolutely amazing experience! Obviously wildlife is wildlife so there are no guarantees, but they do their absolute best with their knowledge and expertise to show you the widest array of what this area has to offer. Our guides (AJ and Mackenzie) also gave us a lot of information about local history, and conservation which was much appreciated. They go out of their way to make sure you have a comfortable experience. They provided us with extra outerwear given a rainy forecast, warm hats and googles (which make a huge difference), and the binoculars they give you are of very high quality. The shock-absorbing seats are very comfortable, and the lunch they serve you is absolutely delicious. AJ also walked us through where we had been on a map after the tour, they really go above and beyond to provide a top-notch experience. If you're on Vancouver Island or nearby it's worth traveling to Port Hardy for this tour alone.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rayc01
Sep 14, 2024
A must do trip! - We were looked after by AJ, Jen and Will on a fantastic day sailing in a RIB watching Humpback Whales, Orcas and Sea Otters. They provided plenty of information on the different species, the lunch stop was in an area with sea otters swimming around and the lunch provided was excellent and filling. Although we were out for the full day, time flew by and it did not feel rushed and they asked if it was alright to stay a little longer to carry on watching the sea life, their enthusiasm and enjoyment of the sea really shone through. If you are in the area then this is the tour to go for the team were fantastic and it was a memorable trip all round, a real coastal rainforest!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
V3813rtdavidm
Sep 12, 2024
A memorable day on the sea around Port Hardy - This was a memorable day on the water. We saw a great range of wildlife including humpback, orcas, sea lions, dolphins and sea otters. The trip was very well organised and lunch on the boat was great too. I would not hesitate in recommending this tour. Thanks to Jen and AJ for a fantastic day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Guide52340699245
Sep 1, 2024
A Tour of a Lifetime for Coloradoans. - Thomas and David were the best. We saw dozens of whales in addition to seals and so much more. Thomas's knowledge was impressive, and David knew exactly where to go. Our lunch stop in a quiet cove was special, too. The ride was comfortable, even for old folks. We learned a lot about local history in addition to animals. It was well worth the time and expense for an experience that we won't forget.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
601levins
Aug 17, 2024
Unique and remote wildlife experience - It was a unique experience! Away from the crowds and a true wilderness experience of the entire programme. Our guide Andrew navigated us through the North Shore of Vancouver Island with all his expertise and friendliness, what leaves us with unforgettable memories of the trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor