Vancouver Whale-Watching Tour: Spot Majestic Marine Wildlife

Embark on a thrilling whale-watching tour in Vancouver and witness majestic marine wildlife, including Killer Whales, Humpback Whales, Porpoises, Seals, and Eagles. Book now for an unforgettable experience!

Duration: 5 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Vancouver Whale Watch - This is our office where you can get information about our excursions, and also check in for your tour.
What's Included
  • Naturalist guide
  • Live commentary
  • Orca Ranger activity book (receive a special badge, become an Orca Ranger)
  • Bottled water
  • Yellow windbreaker jackets
  • Granola Bar
  • On-board restrooms
  • Our whale guarantee (if we don’t see whales, come back for free - does not expire, non-transferable)
  • Shuttle pickup and drop off (if option selected)
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Shuttle pickup and drop off (if option not selected)
  • Lunch
  • Parking fees
Additional Information

While in Vancouver, don’t miss the chance to take a whale-watching tour and spot Killer Whales, Humpback Whales, Porpoises, Seals, Eagles and other wildlife amid the stunning scenery of Canada’s southwest coast. Join your professional wildlife guide and board a first class, modern vessel for a 3- to 5-hour expedition, starting in the picturesque, historic fishing village of Steveston and traveling through the spectacular Gulf Islands and the Strait of Georgia.

The area is renowned for attracting whales, and this tour enjoys a 95% sighting success rate. On your quest to find Orcas (Killer Whales) and Humpback Whales, you’ll have the opportunity to see the inhabitants of this diverse marine ecosystem, including bow riding Dall’s Porpoises, Sea Lions, Bald Eagles and Seals. Select the shuttle option to include round-trip transportation from downtown Vancouver with commentary, and spend a morning or afternoon in touch with nature on this memorable whale-watching tour!

  • Subject to favorable weather conditions. If canceled due to poor weather, you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund.
Location
12240 Second Ave
Second Avenue
Arrival at our office is required one hour before your tour. Please check in at our office to receive your boarding pass. #210-12240 Second Avenue Richmond BC V7E 3L8 ***If you have booked tour with shuttle pick-up, you must call our office to reserve your pick-up time and zone***
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(1414 Ratings)
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Alexbd4217jb
Sep 1, 2024
Fantastic Trip - Fabulous, absolutely fabulous. We saw 2 Orcas, 2 Humpbacks, Californian Sea Lions and Harbour Seals. From the pick up in the City, the check in at Stevenson, the on board crew to the return to the city the staff were brilliant. Very knowledgable and extremely helpful. A must do for those who visit Vancouver
Review provided by Tripadvisor
F5110vythomasf
Aug 27, 2024
Experience of a Lifetime - Took my daughter on a true adventure. A combination of spectacular views and excitement, punctuated by serene moments communing, at a respectful distance, from pods of Orcas and solitary Humpback whales. Our naturalist was knowledgeable and passionate, striking the right balance between expert interpretation and quiet time to revel in the majesty of these amazing mammals. The Captain inspired confidence as we crashed through waves and wake, slowing in the channels to catch the scent of pines and cedars and admire the emerald waters. An experience that we will cherish for a lifetime.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rogeredwardm
Aug 27, 2024
Orcas and Humobacks - Excellent staff, the naturalist was infectious, saw humpback chasing Orcas ( a rare event ) and once we got a sighting stayed with whales for at least 1.5 hours. It was the BEST WW trip we have done. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Travellerroundworld
Aug 22, 2024
Amazing! - We had such a fantastic experience! The captain and guide were very knowledgeable and we got really close to many humpback whales, sea lions and harbour seals. A great experience on the strider boat, very comfortable considering the speeds they get up to. Thank you for such a wonderful experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brettb234
Aug 20, 2024
Unbelievable whale watching cruise! Including a whale mugging! - We recently went on an Alaskan cruise and had the opportunity to be a part of two whale watching expeditions. Vancouver whale watch was a last minute activity for us after the cruise and we are glad we went, it was the highlight of our trip! The crew was amazing and the boat was very comfortable even at high-speed to get out to the areas where the whales were. We witnessed a humpback breaching the surface multiple times as well as putting on other displays like rolling on its back and flipping its pectoral fins the air. It also came up to, around and under our boat for quite a while until the captain gently backed us out of the area so as not to disturb this very happy whale. The crew called this behavior “mugging” and it is apparently quite rare to see where the whale comes to check you out! We went on to see a pair of orcas, huge colony of Sea lions and groups of harbor seals on this amazing whale watching tour. We cannot recommend this company enough and will definitely visit them again if we are in Vancouver!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Paul_l
Aug 19, 2024
How lucky were we! - We were really lucky to have a hump back swim under and next to our boat, we also tracked an orca pod and saw seals and sea lions close up. Fabulous
Review provided by Viator
Ainhoaolivaresc
Aug 19, 2024
Very good experience! - Very good service, very kindly people and very good travel. We can take a lot of photos because they are very patient for that!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brenda_y
Aug 19, 2024
Come prepared for an exciting (and lengthy) day! - Can't ask for more perfect weather for an early August whale-watching tour. While a t-shirt might feel perfect on a sunny afternoon, good thing we took the provided windbreakers because the strong and cold winds really picked up when the boat got going!! We saw at least 2 separate pods of humpbacks, which was such a thrill when you can see these amazing animals in the wild. Some people were disappointed that there were no orcas spotted on this trip, but I'm just so grateful for seeing any whales : ) One tip to share: we didn't get any bottled water (as advertised), only 1 small granola bar per person. Given the entire boat ride was over 4.5 hrs and under the sun all that time, I would highly recommend bringing your own water to avoid getting dehydrated and exhausted!
Review provided by Viator
K3923uuamyg
Aug 18, 2024
Get Close To Humpback Whales! - We saw lots of humpback whales, sea lions, and an eagle too! Captain Scotty had lots of experience and knew where to find the whales, and naturalist Valentina gave us lots of great information on all the animals, as well as documented our course on a map showing where we found all the animals. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Prosdy86
Aug 28, 2024
Well-organised tour with humpback whales, sea lions and seals - I took the excursion on August 4th, including the transfer from Vancouver. The transfer was well organized, with an informative and entertaining driver who shared a lot of insights about the different neighborhoods we passed through. Upon arrival in Steveston, everything was smoothly organized for the excursion, and we quickly boarded the various boats. I was on the small zodiac, and with the sea perfectly calm, it was a smooth and enjoyable ride. The guide on board was both informative and knowledgeable. We spent a significant amount of time observing a couple of humpback whales, one of which surfaced very close to the zodiac several times. We also saw colonies of sea lions and harbor seals, as well as a fleeting glimpse of a bald eagle. The excursion lasted a bit more than 3 hours. After returning to Steveston, we had to wait more than an hour for the transfer back to Vancouver. However, this provided some time to explore the (very touristy) seaside town. Overall, it was a very good experience, and I definitely recommend it, especially if you’ve never been on a whale watching tour before. Even for those who have, it was one of the best I’ve experienced. The only regret is not seeing orcas—apparently, they hadn’t been sighted in the last two weeks, which was a bit surprising since from the website you do somehow get the impression that they are seen regularly, as mentioned in another review. However, the 95% success rate mentioned on the website refers to sightings of any kind of whales, so orcas aren’t "guaranteed", whereas humpback whales seem to be regularly spotted. Of course, we’re dealing with wild animals in their natural habitat, so this is part of the experience. One suggestion would be to have a photographer on board, as offered by some other whale watching tours, so that passengers can fully enjoy the moment without worrying about capturing it on camera (though you can always choose to put away your camera, of course). It would be great to know that a professional is taking care of the photos.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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