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Seaplane Flight to Victoria and Whale-Watching Cruise

Badge of ExcellenceVancouver, Canada

From $421.42

Select Date and Travelers

Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance.
Vancouver Tours
All Vancouver Tours
Audio Guides
Kid-Friendly
Likely To Sell Out
Unique Experiences
  • 10 hours (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

Discover the natural wonders of Vancouver and Victoria an exhilarating whale watching excursion! Delight in lovely aerial views on the crossing of the Strait of Georgia by seaplane—the most eco-friendly transport to Victoria. From the island capital, set off on an exciting cruise through Haro Strait, native home to orcas (killer whales), sea lions and seals, followed by a return flight to the mainland.
  • Whale watching cruise by boat to spot Southern Resident killer whales
  • Two flights between Vancouver and Victoria are included
  • See seals, sea lions, seabirds, and the spectacular vistas of Southern Vancouver Island
  • Small group tour ensures personalized service

What's Included

  • Roundtrip scenic seaplane flight from Vancouver to Victoria
  • Whale-watching cruise
  • Carbon offset levy
  • GST (Goods and Services Tax)
  • Gratuities
  • Food and beverages
  • Hotel pickup and drop off

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

  • Harbour Air Seaplanes
    1055 Canada Pl, Vancouver, BC V6C 0C3, Canada

    Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre Unit #1 - 1055 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC, V6C 0C3 The seaplane terminal is located at Burrard Landing in Coal Harbour. Parking is available at 1095 W Waterfront Rd, Vancouver, BC. Check-in for your flight 30 minutes ahead of the scheduled departure.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Kick off your oceanic adventure from downtown Vancouver. Choose your departure time, meet your pilot, and board the seaplane for a thrilling water take-off.

Leave behind Vancouver’s bustling harbor for the dramatic beauty of the Straight of Georgia. You have plenty of air time to soak up great aerial views of snow-capped mountains and verdant coastline before landing in Victoria. From there, board an open-topped Zodiac or covered Ocean Cruiser (please make your boat selection at time of purchase) for the whale-watching cruise. 

Set off into Haro Strait, an area flush with salmon—a natural attraction for orcas during migration! Spot whale pods, as well as seals, sea lions, sea otters and more. Throughout your ride, your guide shares fascinating facts about the resident marine life, and explain the area’s unique oceanic ecosystem.

After your cruise, choose to head directly back to the mainland by seaplane, or stay in Victoria to visit great attractions like the Butchart Gardens or the Empress Hotel, known for its fabulous traditional English tea service. Please check with your guide for the last flight time of the day. 

This tour is seasonal, operating from March to October.

Harbour Air Seaplanes

This tour is seasonal, operating from March to October.

3 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Haro Straits (Pass By)

Orcas frequent the waters of Haro Strait between March and October to feed on the salmon passing through on their migratory route. See these magnificent marine animals in their natural environment for an experience no aquarium can rival. The underwater kelp forests of the Pacific Northwest ocean ecosystem also provide a rich food source for other wildlife such as seals, seabirds and sea-otters, all of which may be spotted during your tour.

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 1 day of travel. In this case confirmation will be received as soon as possible, subject to availability
  • Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there is not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund.
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult on the seaplane flight, and whale watching excursion.
  • Not handicap accessible.
  • Duration of tour may vary.
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Infants must sit on laps
  • On the whale watching excursion, covered vessel tours welcome people of all ages, however the zodiacs are restricted to those that are 6 years old and above, and a minimum height of 4 feet.
  • Sorry, pets cannot be accommodated on the whale watching excursion. However, certified service animals can be accommodated on covered vessel tours only, and not zodiacs.
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Please present Government issued photo ID at check in
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 14 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.

Traveler Photos

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Featured review
Jo_H
Great day - sea plane ( gorgeous views over Vancouver and the islands around Victoria) whale watching and exploring Victoria Saw humpback whales and also seal lions , seals and porpoise Would definitely recommend
Reviews
4.5
93 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
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Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-10 of 93 reviews
Amazing day with Seaplane to Victoria and fabulous whale watching tour!
selli98282, Oct 2022
This was an amazing day for us as we flew from Vancouver to Victoria for the day on our first seaplane ride. I am extremely claustrophobic and was concerned I would not enjoy the flight. Despite it being a small interior, I never felt closed in and totally enjoyed the flight both ways. We had a clear day which helped with being able to view the city from above. The flight was smooth and enjoyable. Once we landed in Victoria we walked over to the Orca Spirits Adventures where we signed in for the whale watching excursion. Within a few minutes we were given flotation suits and soon on our way to a wonderful whale watching tour. We traveled a while before seeing our first sign of aquatic wildlife, which were some porposes. Soon afterwards we spotted out first of about 6 humpback whales. We were also brought to an area of numerous sea lions. You could smell and hear them before we could actually see them. They put on quite a show for us. The driver of our zodia was friendly and informative. The beautiful weather proved to be wonderful for this part of our excursion as well. What a fabulous day we had. I was impressed with the organization of these tours. All went smoothly. Highly recommend this tour to anyone wishing to go to Victoria.
Response from Host, Oct 2022
selli98282, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us and fellow Viator users. We're so pleased to hear you enjoyed the experience and enjoyed the views from above. We are thrilled to hear you had such a fantastic time on your Whale watching tour and were able to see so many marine wildlife - it certainly does make for a memorable flight. We appreciate the recommendation, and we look forward to seeing you again soon.
Memories are made of this.
Phil_L, Sep 2022
Brilliant day. From the flights to the tour. The staff at Harbour Air were so helpful and Mick, our whale tour guide was excellent. Saw a plethora (pod/school) of humpback Wales which made our day. Money very well spent.
Response from Host, Sep 2022
Phil_L, Thank you for your review! We work hard to meet the needs of our guests and we really appreciate hearing our staff is helpful. We are thrilled you saw a pod of humpback whales- it certainly does make for a memorable experience. Looking forward to seeing you again soon. - Harbour Air Seaplanes
Bucket List complete!
Taeko_A, Aug 2022
Worth every penny! First time doing both sea plane and whale watching and it was beyond expectations! The staff and crew of all, Viator (Ryan helped me rebook), Harbour Air and the whale watching crew(Adrian) was amazing! Can't say enough about this package! Bucket List checked off!
Response from Host, Aug 2022
Taeko_A, Thank you very much for your detailed five-star review! Your kinds words will not doubt benefit fellow Viator users who are considering using our services. We are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your first Harbour Air experience, and the value of our services. Looking forward to your next flight with us!
Amazing day out
Jo_H, Aug 2022
Great day - sea plane ( gorgeous views over Vancouver and the islands around Victoria) whale watching and exploring Victoria Saw humpback whales and also seal lions , seals and porpoise Would definitely recommend
Response from Host, Aug 2022
Jo_H, Thank you for your review. We are so pleased to hear you enjoyed the gorgeous views from above and were able to see whales and sealions. It certainly does make for a memorable flight. Thank you for the recommendation, and we look forward to seeing you again.
an unique experience
guillermo_d, Aug 2022
an unique experience...flying in a seaplane...visiting Victoria...sailing during 3 hours searching whales....worth to do it
Response from Host, Aug 2022
guillerm, Thank you for your review! We are pleased to hear you enjoyed the unique experience and appreciate the recommendation. We look forward to seeing you again soon. - Harbour Air Seaplanes
Quite the adventure.
Paul_U, Jul 2022
The flight itself was fun. Dress in warm clothes for the boat ride. We unfortunately didn't see any whales but did see some seals. There was a little over two hours to explore Victoria downtown after the boat ride before the return flight.
Response from Host, Jul 2022
Paul, thank you so much for your review! We are so pleased you enjoyed your trip to Victoria and the whale watching excursion with Orca Spirit - dress warm, a great travel tip! - Harbour Air Seaplanes
Whale watching
Alex_F, Mar 2022
Great seamless trip and a great guide. No whales unfortunately, but lots of other wildlife! Thanks to Matt for bringing it alive!
Response from Host, Mar 2022
Alex_F - Thank you so much for your five star review! We are so pleased you enjoyed your day trip to Victoria & whale watching adventure! We really appreciate you sharing your experience and are happy to hear that you saw plenty of wildlife along our scenic coast - Despite missing our elusive winter resident orca pods. We hope to welcome you aboard again in the future!
Seaplanes to Whales
Clare_H, Oct 2021
Seaplanes to whales, what a great way to spend a day. Our whale watching guide Jake was knowledgable and great fun, we were able to spend about an hour, watching the whales, taking photos and just enjoying their environment, with a great view of seals on our return, it was a truly memorable experience. The crew also dealt with the challenging sudden change in weather conditions admirable, Jason the captain, navigated the boat back to harbour safely, and the other members of the crew cared for the passengers as well as could be expected.
Beautiful Biggs
Susan_B, Sep 2021
Enjoyed seeing the wildlife of BC Orcas were the highlight though and would have preferred more time with them. Tour guide was very knowledgeable
Do it, it’s an amazing experience!
Kerry_W, Aug 2021
What an amazing day, the Seaplane rides were great, the open boat Zodiac tour was spectacular! We saw Orcas, humpback whales, Sea lions, harbour seals, otters, cranes, crabs, it was an incredible experience and highly recommend it!!
Response from Host, Sep 2021
Kerry_W, thank you so much for your review! We are so pleased you enjoyed your trip to Victoria and had a chance to some some of the spectacular views of the west coast. Hope to see you again soon! - Harbour Air TripAdvisor Team
Misleading/faulty/wrong information reservation
Nima_M, Aug 2021
Worse ever experience with your team and your company, I am going to write the worst ever review in google about tragedy that my family and I faced with your inexperienced sales team that they just want to sale the product and never care about the innocent people like us by keeping us in a disaster in a city that unfortunately every time we think or we go there it will remind us the most unpleasant moment your careless sales team made for us. Plz ask your responsible manager to call me at 6047047005 asap if you are really eager and concerned about a horrible experience we had with your company.
Response from Host, Sep 2021
Nima_Y, thank you for writing in about your experience. We are sorry to hear your experience was anything less than stellar, and are truly sorry to hear you were provided incorrect information by a Viator Sale Agent. Rest assured, we will be helping you work through this concern. While we've left you a voicemail, you are welcome to contact us at customercare@harbourair.com. - Harbour Air TripAdvisor Team
Orcas trip
Alexandre_L, Aug 2021
Great view from the plane, very knowledgeable guide on the zodiac, lots of orcas! Comes Recommended.
Response from Host, Sep 2021
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us and fellow travellers. Orca Spirit truly are top-notch professionals when it comes to marine wildlife watching, and we're so proud to have them as adventure partners. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back aboard soon! - Harbour Air TripAdvisor Team
Incredible experience
Zaneta_V, Aug 2021
We had lots of fun. Amazing views from the plane and absolutely incredible experience whale watching. Would definitely do it again.
Response from Host, Aug 2021
Thank you so much for your review! We are so pleased you enjoyed your flight and whale watching experience. Again, we really appreciate the review. - Harbour Air TripAdvisor Team
Outstanding trip
Khoi_V, Jul 2021
Great experience!!! Everything is done easily and the staff are super friendly. Love it. You get 4 hours to explore Victoria, for a day trip, it' not bad. Recommend this trip.
Amazing
juliadarby76, Aug 2019
What an amazing experience ! Would definately recommend this to anyone, we are so pleased we opted for the Seaplane both ways rather than boat. From checking in for our flight through to landing, the friendliness of the staff was fantastic. The views from the plane were breathtaking. We had an all femail crew on our whale watching cruise who were really informative, helpful and fun. They were very attentive and the passion of their work really shone through. We were so lucky to see Orca and whilst our photos didn't do the sightings justice we were so pleased that they had also taken 'official' pictures that you could view a matter of days later along with a blog of our trip. Take layers with you as it is windy if you are viewing up top, great touch that we could help ourselves to hot beverages on board and purchase a snack. In my opinion this is a must do experience ! Thank you we had an amazing time
Excellent experience
VICTOR_A, Jul 2019
The entire experience was smooth and satisfying. The booking experience was accommodating, the seaplane agents and pilots were helpful and pleasant, and the guide for the tour was fantastic (Derek Lowe, thank you!) 10/10 would recommend. We didn’t get to see any orcas but I blame that on mother nature, not the agency.
Great Experience.
Atanu_M, Jun 2019
Right from the time I checked in for the sea plane ride at Vancouver, to the time the return flight landed, everything went smoothly. The flights offered great views and the whale watching trip in between was equally fruitful. Sighted humpback whales as well as orcas, while enthusiastic guides kept everyone engaged. Both Harbour Air and Orca Spirit Adventures appear to be well run agencies and coordinated their schedules well, ensuring that a lot of action was packed in a day. Recommend this tour very highly.
Found orca pod and one humpback
Katherine_N, Sep 2018
Visited w my daughter she is in 30’s. Harbor air was on time Erica good over, Chris and Ben not friendly.
My son fell in love with this...
Russell H, Jun 2018
My son fell in love with this experience. This is one we plan on doing again very soon.
While the whale watching is...
Courtney J, Jan 2018
While the whale watching is amazing....it is a long way out there to find them. Be prepared for a long boat ride, and bring a jacket. Very friendly crew.
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