Victoria Whale Watching Tour by Zodiac: A Thrilling Encounter with Majestic Sea Life

Embark on a thrilling 3-hour Zodiac tour in Victoria and witness majestic sea life up close. Spot orcas, humpback whales, and more while enjoying the scenic beauty of Vancouver Island’s coastline.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights

Your 3 hour tour starts in downtown Victoria, where you’ll check in at our office in the beautiful & historic Rithet Building located at 1119 Wharf Street.  You will be escorted to the dock, slip into a one-pice flotation suit and hop aboard the 12 passenger Zodiac for your whale watching adventure.

In contrast to the smoother ride of a large motor yacht, a Zodiac boat travels fast and puts you nearer to the water, providing you with an adventure style ride and maybe getting you a bit wet.  But that’s all part of the fun!

Sit back and hold on tight as your skipper zooms across the Strait of Juan de Fuca or Haro Strait … the bodies of water that separate Vancouver Island from the United States. Watch for whales like humpbacks, orcas, minke whales and gray whales, as well as other marine mammals like sea lions, elephant seals and harbour seals. And, look up once in a while to spot bald eagles soaring through the sky and sea birds scanning the water to find food.

During the ride, your naturalist guide provides expert commentary about the ecosystem of the Pacific Ocean while you learn about the behaviour and biology of the whales and other sea life. Your tour ends with a return to the same dock you departed from.

Points of Interest

  • SpringTide Whale Watching & Charters
What's Included
  • Expert Guide
  • 3 hour guided tour
  • All fees and/or taxes
  • Full body flotation suit
Additional Information

Discover the splendor of the Salish Sea and the wild shores of Vancouver Island while cruising on a Zodiac! This thrilling 3-hour whale watching expedition is ideal for anyone craving an invigorating open-air journey!

Stay alert for sightings of orcas, humpback whales, gray whales, and minke whales, as well as other sea creatures such as seals and sea lions! Take pleasure in the picturesque vistas of Victoria’s scenic waterfront. A knowledgeable guide will ensure a secure, enjoyable, and enlightening adventure!

  • Tours are subject to weather conditions and passenger demand
  • Zodiac boats are not recommended for expectant mothers
  • Zodiac boats are not recommended for those with health concerns - neck, back, hip or knee injuries or recent surgeries
  • Zodiac boats are not recommended for children under 7 years of age and/or under 4.5’ or 130 cm in height
Location
1119 Wharf St
Wharf Street
Check in 30 minutes before departure at our office located at 1119 Wharf St.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.7
(71 Ratings)
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Sharleneg303
Aug 24, 2024
Two thumbs up for this experience!! - Absolute great time! The weather was rainy but the whales cooperated and gave us a show. I cannot say enough about our guide Liam. He was so knowledgeable and informative . He made the voyage so memorable. Take this tour- you won’t be sorry
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gabriela
Aug 18, 2024
Super special sighting, excellent tour. - Excellent experience, we saw two orca families hunting and it was a sight. Thanks to Adriana our receptionist who recommended us to go to the zodiac & Kate who guided us in this special sighting.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kimberleyb35
Jul 26, 2024
Life changing, humbling experience. - Incredible, once in a lifetime experience. PSA, when the captain says the front is bumpy, they’re not exaggerating. I felt like my brain was being scrambled, but the whole trip was 1000000% worth it! Our captain, Ian, took us out quite far to search for a large pod of humpback whales and we were not disappointed. After seeing a couple dozen whales fairly close up, and riding beside 3 whales for several minutes while they played in the water flipping their fins and waving at us, we turned to head back. The time watching whales was about 30 minutes. We suddenly veered off path heading out a different direction. That’s when we saw it. A super playful whale breaching the water. It was a once in a lifetime experience, and one we wouldn’t have gotten on the larger boat, which wouldn’t have been able to change course so easily. We stayed with the whale for about 10 more minutes and then headed back. Truly life changing and humbling experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
654rayo
Jul 21, 2024
100% recommend Springtide - Truly amazing experience. Ian our captain from Wigan was exceptional he was knowledgeable and experienced in all aspects of his job. He advised where to sit if you didn’t want to get wet !! Although think we all got wet at some point and that just adds to the fun. We had a 10am trip and there were 12 of us on the zodiac. It was a really warm day so didn’t add any extra layers under or suits. We all took our seats and off we went in search of orcas? We travelled a huge distance but eventually came across three pods of orca it was amazing managed to use the GoPro to capture our experience. This tour suited our party of 4 50-55. 100% recommend Springtide for your whale watching tour
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Christopherrv6181yx
Apr 23, 2024
Breath taking - Absolutely amazing. We saw close to 2 dozen Orcas today. There was cute 1 year old calf. Finished the day off with sea lions and seals. Staff are amazing as well. 10/10
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Roanr995
Mar 27, 2024
Bucket list experience - This trip was just incredible and a real travel bucket list experience. We saw a whole pod of orcas in their natural habitat without disturbing them. We kept our distance in the zodiac but we were able to observe for quite some time! The t expedition leader Ian is full of knowledge of the orca’s, marine wildlife and the environment they live in. Ian made the real difference for us. His amazing and funny personality makes for a fun and entertaining afternoon. And he literally went the extra mile for us during the trip. Thank you so much team at Springtide, and Ian in particular for this bucket list experience. Regards from your Dutch friends and see you next time!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michelle_h
Mar 19, 2024
I would go daily if I could afford it - From check-in to returning back at the dock, Springtide runs a fantastic experience. Hanna is incredibly kind and helpful, Ian, our guide and captain extraordinaire knows his stuff. We saw Orcas, sea lions, comorans and my time with them is definitely in the top 10 best experiences of my life. I will definitely be bringing family when they come visit. Even the experience of being on the water on a nice day is wonderful.
Review provided by Viator
Shannon_d
Feb 26, 2024
Captain Ian was terrific!!!! - Captain Ian was an amazing guide, very fun and informative and went extra mile to make my (grouchy at the time) daughter, Avalon, giggle and smile😊 Was an overall a great few hours and saw basically everything there is to see for wildlife, but whales, however everyone offered chance to come back free of charge until they see one! Would recommend 100% Stunning scenery, wildlife and an overall fun ride!!!
Review provided by Viator
Ej1504
Dec 28, 2019
Highlight of Vancouver Island - Group of 5 friends who made last minute decision to do a Whale watching trip, after thinking all were closed for the season. Best decision we made, Captain Ian was so enthusiastic and knowledgeable and could hear him conversing with other boats to heighten our chances of seeing wildlife. We were very lucky to spend ages with 2 Humpback Whales, along with seeing a further Whale in the not to distance. We loved seeing the different seals around the lighthouse, along with some Eagles. A real bonus of seeing an Elephant Seal! Obviously no guarantee to see Wildlife, but would recommend to others as a great trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Scorp113
Dec 26, 2019
Amazing Christmas Eve Experience! - We left Victoria Harbour at about 1pm with Springtide. Captain Ian was incredibly knowledgeable about the surrounding area and kept the experience fun. Although it was late in the season and there were very few boats out we got the amazing opportunity to watch four seperate Humpback Whales feeding and travelling in a pack. We then travelled to Race Rock and got really lucky spotting an Elephant Seal, which was unexpected for that time of year. There was also a good show put on by Sea Lions, Seals and a few Bald Eagles, which really rounded out the whole experience within the amazing backdrop of the Salish Sea. As far as first experiences go I was incredibly satisfied with this trip and was amazed to learn that a portion of their profits go back to environmental awareness and conservation programs. Thanks Springtide!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 12 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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