Experience an up-close encounter with northern Pacific marine life on a 3-hour whale watching cruise off Victoria’s coast. Travel out into the open ocean aboard a comfortable, motorized boat to look for native species like humpback whales, gray whales, orcas, elephant seals and sea lions in their natural habitat. Learn about local marine ecology from a naturalist guide, and take in fantastic views of Vancouver Island in between animal sightings.

Whale-watching tour off the coast of Victoria, British Columbia
Spot killer whales (orcas), humpback whales, gray whales and minke whales from the comfort of a motor yacht
See other wildlife like sea lions, elephant seals and bald eagles who are abundant in the area
Learn about the ecosystem and wildlife of the Pacific Ocean from an expert naturalist guide
Choose either a morning or afternoon departure time

What's Included

Professional naturalists and biologists on board each trip
Washroom

Gratuity (optional)
$5 Wildlife Conservation Fee plus 5% GST per person
$10 Fuel Surcharge plus 5% GST per person

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

1119 Wharf St
1119 Wharf St, Victoria, BC V8W 1T4, Canada
Check-in 30-45 minutes prior to your tour departure time. The check in office is located at 1119 Wharf St (at street level & not at dock).

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Juan de Fuca Marine Trail

Admission Ticket Free

SpringTide Whale Watching & Charters

Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
For any additional information regarding accessibility, please contact SpringTide Whale Watching at (250) 384-4444
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed

Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 84 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

karl_M

An exceptional day in which we were lucky to see several humpback whales, seals and bald eagles. The crew are extremely knowledgeable and genuinely passionate about their work.

Reviews

4.5

285 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

Showing 1-10 of 285 reviews

Great experience! Tons of whales

Andres_G, Sep 2023

Jasper was our guide and he was great! He was really respectful of the whales and knew which way to go to watch them without intruding. We saw an Orca pod and a group of humpbacks!! Thanks for an incredible experience!!

Fabulous

Janice_M, Sep 2023

The company was great as informative and aware of where to go to whale watch - overall a great experience

Whale watching s was not up to the mark and the captain did not take us closer to the whales as other boats went close.

Subbarao_Y, Aug 2023

We expected a lot and went there though we have busy schedule. Unfortunately, we were not able to see whale diving or in full.

Seeing some whales,...

Martin_G, Aug 2023

Seeing some whales, sea-lions, seals, jellyfish plus the employees are very kind and are very emphatic!

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thank you for taking the time to write about your experience with us, it sure means a lot! We will make sure to pass along your kind words about our employees :)

Great day out in Victoria

karl_M, Aug 2023

An exceptional day in which we were lucky to see several humpback whales, seals and bald eagles. The crew are extremely knowledgeable and genuinely passionate about their work.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thank you so much for your kind words about our crew! We are glad that it shows how passionate they truly are about our local marine wildlife and the Salish Sea. It sounds like you had an exceptional day on the water with several Humpback Whales, Seals and Bald Eagles!

Overall would recommend

Samaa_A, Jul 2023

We enjoyed the experience a lot. Staff were very friendly and helpful. We didn't spot any Orcas which was sad, I believe it should be advertised that Orcas are not a common sighting Also, there was quite a walk from the office to the boat which has some slopes which can be hard for elderly people, we had no issues though

Response from Host, Jul 2023

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us, I will pass along your kind words about our staff! Killer Whales can be seen in our waters year around and although they travel up to 100 miles a day, many different pods can be spotted in the Salish Sea. We always try to show as many species of wildlife as possible on our tours and if Killer Whales are in the area, we will do our best to see them. We are happy to hear you enjoyed your experience with us and hope to see you again the in future!

Great trip

Sudan_S, Jun 2023

Well organised trip. Plenty of room to move around the boat if you wished. Sophie and Tyson the guides were very knowledgeable and helpful. And yes we saw a humpback whale that we watched for about an hour.

Response from Host, Jul 2023

Thank you Sudan_S for your kind words about our crew, it sure means a lot! It sounds like you had a great encounter with a Humpback and we are delighted to hear you enjoyed your time on the water with us!

Enjoyed seeing the beautiful coastline!

Susan_H, Jun 2023

The boat trip. The weather was not the best, the sea choppy but an exhilarating trip non the less! The staff on board were very pleasant and knowledgeable. Sadly, the whales did not show up to the party, so will be booking the trip again when I return from England next year.

Response from Host, Jul 2023

Thank you Susan_H for you kind words, it means a lot to us! We look forward to seeing you again next year for your return trip :)

Not for the faint of heart!

Erin_F, Jun 2023

The crew was great! 10 stars to them. This trip is not for the faint of heart! Water was extremely choppy. We did see whales (Ocras & Humpback), however it was hard to enjoy because about 5 of us were all throwing up due to rocking sea sickness. It was memorable!

Response from Host, Jul 2023

Thank you Erin_F for your kind words! We are happy to hear you had a memorable experience with us with both Orca & Humpback sightings despite feeling ill. We hope to see you again in the future in less choppy waters!

💯 Recommend this tour

Monica_M, Jul 2022

Best whale watching tour we have been on. The boat was perfect size, not too small or too big. Was able to get close to the whales and follow along them easily. Great crew, super informative. Great views of Olympia and the islands which is a bonus Be sure to bring extra layers and jacket. Even during a heat wave we were frozen on the water. Worth it.

Response from Host, Nov 2022

Hello Monica! We are so glad to hear that you had an amazing time on your tour with us! The Salish Sea is breathtaking and we are so happy that we got to show you some of the beauty that it has to offer. The unique layout of the Marauder IV makes our guests feel up close and personal with the wildlife, but rest assured, we always maintain the legal distance so our precious sea creature friends can enjoy all the space that they need! Every trip is different aboard the Marauder IV. We would love to have you aboard for a new, unique whale watching experience in the future. Sincerely, Ella, Guest Services Representative

Once in the lifetime experience

Mine_U, Jul 2022

Great team taking care of us as it got a bit colder than expexted. We saw a whale coming to our boat and saying hi

Response from Host, Nov 2022

Dear Mine, We are so happy to hear that you felt taken care of while on your tour. The experiences of our guests is our top priority. It is always a breathtaking experience when a whale chooses to approach the boat! Our staff is delighted that they got to experience this with you. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Cheers Ella

Superb experience!

Tom_B, Jul 2022

Loved how the captain would try to get us closer and the crew kept us apprised of where to be looking

Response from Host, Aug 2022

HelloTom, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review! We highly appreciate it. We are so glad that you were able to have a nice view of the wildlife! Our captains do a great job of ensuring our guests have an amazing view while adhering to regulations to keep the wildlife in the Salish Sea prosperous. Our crew is so happy to have had the opportunity of experiencing these sightings with you! We hope that we will be able to experience another eco adventure with you in the future. All the best Ella

Amazing

Jenny_B, Jul 2022

The staff were amazing,very friendly and were very knowledgeable.would definitely recommend booking with them.

Response from Host, Aug 2022

Dear Jenny, We are delighted to know that you enjoyed your trip. Our crew is extremely passionate about ensuring that every guest on board has a memorable and informative experience. We hope that you will remember your adventure for years to come! All the best, Ella

Whales a plenty and more

Pearl_A, Jun 2022

Amazing trip knowledgeable and friendly crew. Whales are the main attraction but so much other marine life on offer just amazing 🤩

Loved the trip

Cathy_H, Jul 2021

Great crew, very knowledgeable and friendly., loved the different places you can sit and see. Great trip.

Wonderful experience!

Catherine_C, Aug 2020

Crew and staff were so attentive and very knowledgeable at answering our questions. From making sure we were warm enough, to teaching us about the orcas to sharing pictures they took off the whales. Social distancing and mask wearing was mandatory and didn't change anything to the experience. We were lucky and found whales right away and stayed with them the whole time. Would highly recommend this to anyone in Victoria.

An enjoyable tour but despite the...

Alistair D, Oct 2017

An enjoyable tour but despite the best efforts of the crew saw limited wildlife one humpback whale and some seals but that is just the luck of draw whether the wildlife is at the locations where the boat can get to in the time available. Boat was comfortable and good facilities. Overall the tour was very well organised. On-board wildlife experts provided lots of insight but could only give limited commentary due to the lack of wildlife that we spotted.

I gave this whale watching trip as a...

Angelika J, Sep 2017

I gave this whale watching trip as a gift to my nice visiting with her boyfriend and two teenager from Germany. They were amazed about their experience! They saw Orcas, A humpback Whale, Seals. It was an unforgetable trip with long lasting memories.

Absolutely worthwhile expierence... a...

ajitninan, Aug 2017

Absolutely worthwhile expierence... a once-in-a-lifetime moment to see Orcas in their natural habitat. We had a wonderful biologist narrator who provided a lot of educational information and guidance. The boat was very rocky when it was stopped for observing the orcas. Once they are spotted, all the tour companies notify each other so your distance away may be near or far depending on how many other boats are around you. We had maybe 20 other boats around us. With a really good lens, you can take great shots! However you have to contend with the waves that rock the boat from side to side. If you get sea sick I would not suggest tours like this! We also went to a different spot to observe a First Nations island that was home to a lot of sea lions and a peregrin falcon. That was also really awesome to see. Overall, a great experience and worth the cost!

This was an enjoyable experience with...

Natalie H, Aug 2017

This was an enjoyable experience with the crew, but so sad we saw zero Orcas.

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