The whaleplanner march a whale watching infographic whaletrips. Out of vancouver means orcas and maybe sams right and there will be some 15 minutes away by fast boat. Vancouver whale watching deals in vancouver, bc groupon. Prince of whales adventures bcs best whale watching. Killer whales orcas, gray whales, humpback whales and minke whales ply the waves and perform their watery rituals. Why victoria has the best whale watching on vancouver island. For a large part of the year this applies to the killer whale, but tour companies only operate during the late spring to early fall time period. Southern british columbia is one of the premier areas in the world for whale watching. Tour operators, both on the mainland and the island, have specialized on orcas another highlight is the. In 2010 she came back to vancouver island to complete high school. The port of vancouver, the port of prince rupert, bc coast pilots, bc ferries, the. Locate and compare whale watching in sunshine coast bc, yellow pages local listings. Luckily, there are a number of boat trips to areas where you can see 30ton marine mammals majestically glide through the open waters of canada. Enjoy a scenic 35 minute float plane ride from vancouvers coal harbour to downtown victoria, then start your southern resident killer whale watching adventure with us.
For those visiting vancouver island outside of the summer whale watching season, minke whales, the smallest of the north pacific baleen whales, can be spotted yearround. Vancouver whale watch provides passengers with the adventure of a lifetime through excellent customer. She later studied criminal justice at camosun college. Observe these fascinating marine mammals in their natural habitat as. In fact, success rate for finding whales in this region is over 90%. Clayoquot sound is very popular with gangs of transient killer whales that are on the hunt for food.
With our large number of vessels, locations in both victoria and vancouver, and almost 50 staff in peak season, prince of whales is now the largest. Tour operators, both on the mainland and the island, have specialized on orcas another highlight is the migration of the gray whales past the western part of the island. The port of vancouver, the port of prince rupert, bc coast pilots, bc ferries. Whaletrips british columbia whale watching in british.
To download the full whaleplanner as a graphic, please just click this link and save the graphic on the next page. The west coast of vancouver island is another great place for whale watching, most notably out of tofino or ucluelet. Whale watching vancouver island news, events, travel. Vancouver island is worldrenowned for its whale watching, and at the heart of the action is the city of victoria. We offer various morning, midday, and afternoon departures. Oct 15, 2015 with our large number of vessels, locations in both victoria and vancouver, and almost 50 staff in peak season, prince of whales is now the largest whale watching and ecoadventure company in. Blackney pass, johnstone strait and queen charlotte strait are rich with both humpback whales and orcas. Seasonal, guided tours led by professional naturalists. Whales are drawn to these nutrientrich waters after long migrations. In the fall pacific humpbacks are readying for their winter migration to hawaii. Apr 25, 2016 this was taken 42016 on a whale watching tour with wild whales vancouver in bc, canada. Stanley park indigenous walking tour led by a first nations guide.
Enjoy a 3to5hour, smallgroup adventure, departing from the beautiful town of steveston, located just outside the city of vancouver. Whale watching vancouver vancouver forum tripadvisor. Book a whale watching holiday in canada with canadian affair for the chance to. Information on whale presence is obtained from realtime observations reported to the b. Wild whales vancouver currently has two vessels in our fleet, and two more coming in june 2019. The mariners guide to whales, dolphins, porpoises of western canada was. From our downtown departure locations, we offer industryleading whale watching tours in vancouver, victoria, telegraph cove, and seattle. This is the best place in the world to see orcas, the mr. Whale watching season april 1 to october 31 vancouver whale watch provides passengers with the adventure of a lifetime through excellent customer service, first class vessels, the highest possible safety standards and added value from an onthewater education of the west coast ecosystem. This fleet of seaplanes is the worlds largest fleet containing only seaplanes and their pilots are ready to take off with you on board for a fun whale watching adventure in vancouver. Chances are youve travelled a long way or youre about to and you want nothing more than to fulfill your dream of seeing whales.
See whales and other marine wildlife on a whale watching tour in vancouver. Whale watching british columbia vancouver islands watching. Mackay whale watching in bc vancouver island canada. Find useful information, the address and the phone number of the local business you are looking for. The most commonly spotted whale in this area is the grey whale, but occasional humpbacks and orcas make an appearance, too. Go sea kayaking, salmon fish for dinner, amazing wildlife. Top 10 best whale watching tours near tsawwassen, delta, bc. After your whale watching excursion in victoria, youll head back to vancouver via seaplane.
Although wildlife is the focus of our trip, the scenery along the way is not to be forgotten. Frequently asked questions about whale watching in bc. Humpback whales the world over are known for their epic migrations, complex songs, and the acrobatic jumps that earn them their name. Our whale watching season usually starts in mid february and lasts until the end of october.
Theres simply nothing better than a whale watching tour in bc with orca spirit, some prefer viewing beneath the summer sun, while others prefer cooler spring and fall viewings. Located in the heart of the southern resident killer whales and biggs killer. Reports of killer whales were plentiful during our offseason and we are expecting this trend to continue. Whale watching boat tours coasts of british columbia. This was taken 42016 on a whale watching tour with wild whales vancouver in bc, canada. If youre a serious lover of whales, this is one of the best times to visit orca dreams. Annually we also enjoy record numbers of humpback whales and our summer resident gray whales. Furthermore, if you wait until september maybe there will be deals as tourist season will be over. When is the best time of year to go whale watching in.
Whale watching in vancouver in winter march vancouver. Whale watching vancouver island is a onceinalifetime exerience. All four of these vessels have been custom built for whale watching and are exceptional for wildlife viewing. Our whale watching tour focuses on magnificent orcas killer whales, majestic humpback whales, and other marine wildlife such as porpoises, sea lions. Both sides of vancouver island afford primo opportunities. Public transit you can use translinks trip planner to get route and schedule information for buses and trains in the greater vancouver area. This ensures the highest sightings of killer whales on vancouver island every year. Apr, 2020 vancouver s best whale watching experience.
Known as the place to go for the best whale watching in british columbia, vancouver island offers amazing opportunities to witness wild marine life. Also, you should watch sites like groupon or livingsocial for whale watching deals. British columbia is one of the worlds most famous places for whale watching and the city of vancouver is the perfect place to start your whale watching tour during the summer months, whether you take a trip from downtown or a scenic suburb near vancouver international airport. On any given day between april and october, you can witness up to 89 orca whales frolicking in the southern vancouver island waterways.
The following chart is provided as a guide to help you schedule your whale watching tour to coincide with the marine wildlife you would most like to see. Whale watching in vancouver in winter march vancouver forum. And of course, feel free to share it with your friends who might be interested in seeing whales. Four days in vancouver island whale watching paradise. Ive seen deals on the trips out of vancouver in the last two weeks. Youll see orca whales, migrating humpback whales and much more. Whale watching in british columbia mainly boils down to whale watching on vancouver island, even if you can also book tours directly from vancouver. Explore the beauty that is british columbia on this halfday whalewatching excursion from vancouver. Whale watching holidays orca watching canadian affair. Each and every one of our team members loves what we do, and therefore, we strive to make our tours as memorable as possible. All three of their vessels are zodiac style one open and two semicovered, customdesigned for marine wildlife viewing, and all are equipped with hydrophones to listen to the whales. Whale watching your journey starts as you step onto a custom 30 foot wildlife viewing vessel and embark on a voyage through the enchanting gulf island archipelago. We offer year round whale watching and marine eco tours.
Welcome the first gray whales of the season on vancouver island or try your luck with the blue whales of chile. We guarantee youll see a whale, or your next trip is on us. In true comfort and style, the crew is excited to explore the local waters in search of the majestic wildlife that floods the local waters here in the summer months. During whale watching season, theres nothing like seeing the fluke of a. There is no other place where you can rely on seeing orcas as much as here. Whale watching in july and august vancouver island, british. Halfday whale watching adventure from vancouver 2020. Looking for the best whale watching on vancouver island.
Whale watching around vancouver island in british columbia is an exceptional experience that will leave you awestruck after watching whales that weigh thousands of pounds frolic in their natural habitat. Members of the public are encouraged to download the whalereport app and. Uk 0203 424 9673 download brochure send an enquiry request a callback. Step aboard the flagship vessel ocean magic in downtown vancouver for the adventure of a lifetime. Ocean ecoventures offers daily whale watching tours departing from cowichan bay, only 45 minute south of nanaimo. Whale watching tours in tofino, bc they dive, spout, breach, spyhop and lobtail.
The main target species from vancouver victoria are orcas and humpback whales, and neither are relieably present in early spring. One year of whale watching in just one infographic. Apr 10, 2018 our 2018 whale watching season has begun. Greys and humpbacks are off the island and of course the islands robson bight is a protected area where orcas do their famous rub. Whale watching in bc british columbia travel and adventure. Vancouver whale watch richmond all you need to know. Our mission we aspire to be the best whale watching company in the area by. Whale watching in july and august vancouver island. How to go whale watching from vancouver explore bc. Best whale watching tours near tsawwassen, delta, bc yelp. Members of the public are encouraged to download the whalereport app.
We are on board a bc whale watching vessel which has brought us to see the killer whales of johnstone strait, british columbia, canada. The bonus of leaving from steveston seabreeze or vancouver whale watch is that you depart from the historic village of steveston in the fraser river estuary, home to canadas largest fishing fleet, and home to many marine birds and wildlife and a different ecosystem. Every trip is different, as we follow reports of the whales location. While we are not offering a whale watching focused trip in 2020, whale watching will be featured on all of our trips in the great bear rainforest and in haida gwaii. Many varieties of whales pass through the waters of vancouver s west coast including humpbacks, orcas, grey whales and minke whales. Come for the afternoon, or stay a few nights at one of our partner hotels. The main place to see orcas is the area around telegraph cove on the northern end of vancouver island. Orca dreams offers fourday allinclusive tours from our luxury island camp site in the wildlife rich area of northern vancouver island, british columbia, canada. There is no seagoing experience quite like watching, closeup, a sleek whale weighing thousands of pounds frolic like a child in its natural habitat. This is your chance to sea kayak with killer orca whales or watch them from our boat, the. The main target species from vancouvervictoria are orcas and humpback whales, and neither are relieably present in early spring. Our location wild whales vancouver is situated on granville island, a 510 minute taxi ride from most downtown hotels. Prince of whales is focused on sharing the beautiful and breathtaking coastal waters of british columbia, its vibrant wildlife, and its rich history. Vancouver whale watch was the first whale watching company to operate from the vancouver area, in their 21st year of operation in 2019.
Mackay whale watching in bc, port mcneill since 1981. Our crew bc whale tours victoria whale watching tours. Tofino whale watching tours ocean outfitters, tofino bc. Look for killer whales in their natural habitat on this whale watching adventure near vancouver, british columbia. Johnstone strait is a waterway that lies between the mainland of bc and the east coast of northern vancouver island. Your captain and guide will take you on a thrilling west coast adventure. Whale watching tours from vancouver island tourism victoria. Top 10 best whale watching tours in vancouver, bc last. So it adds an extra dimension to the whale watching trip. Some even come in the winter months for an uncrowded. Hi, we party of 2 will be staying 3 days in vancouver as from 2908 until 3108. Experience bc s most sustainable whale watching on an unforgettable day at sea aboard our open zodiacstyle boat or our semicovered vessel.
While other vancouver island whale watching tours are heading for shore, our experienced captains and crew are going the extra mile or 50 to show you the gray whale feeding beaches, the eagles nests, the hidden coves and all the other delights. Whale classification breeding patterns of whales whale migration join us british columbia. Each vessel has a private washroom and has a maximum capacity of 12 guests per trip. Minke whales have a similar aesthetic to humpback whales, but are are just. Or maybe some farther down georgia strait where they are more often. Your free offer never expires, and is nontransferable. I have found 3 companies that operate from granville island or from richmond, but i have no clue which one to choose. Sidney whale watching is a family owned and operated company that has been serving sidney and the saanich peninsula for over 20 years. Meanwhile on vancouver island, canada, the people of tofino and ucluelet celebrate the. There are also restaurants and cafes right there beforeafter the trip. Echo program resources for mariners port of vancouver.
What a great first experience on this bc, british columbia whale watching adventure. Have a bathroom onboard, are equipped with the latest in marine safety, navigation, and communication equipment. Eagle wing tours gives you more than just a look at whales, they give you the longest and most comprehensive whale watching tours in the industry. Whale watching featured in if you have never seen whales before, the waters near vancouver are one of the best places in the world for this activity. On the 30th or 31st we would like to do a whale watching excurison. Ocean ecoventures offers daily whale watching tours departing from cowichan bay, only 45 minute south of nanaimo we offer year round whale watching and marine eco tours. As members of the pacific whale watching association, were part of a large network of boaters and we are constantly updated with the whales locations. On the west coast, tofino is a quaint town with an embedded orcawatching culture. We have been avidly watching whale reports and sightings over the winter counting down the days until april 1st. Mariners play an important role in helping to protect atrisk whales in our waters. Well take you through the salish sea ecosystem to see whales and other marine life in their natural. Each passes through the seas at slightly different times of the year but overall whale watching season is considered to run from march to october. Up and down the coast of british columbia, from victoria to port hardy on vancouver island, from vancouver to the bc gulf islands, and up to haida gwaii queen charlotte islands.
Theoretically, you could meet orcas in the waters of british columbia all year long, but the main season is from may to september. All of our vessels are custom made by titan marine and hand designed by the owner of the bc whale tours, harold. The whalereport alert system wildwhales bc cetacean. British columbia and particularly vancouver island is a brilliant location to spot. Jessicas love of wildlife, and breathtaking vancouver island, brought her to the bc whale tours team in 2017. These are all typical maneuvers you may expect to see while whale watching off the west coast of vancouver island. Download this app to receive realtime notifications when whales are in range. Head out into the canadian gulf islands and beyond in search of wild killer whales, humpback whales, seals, sea lions, porpoises, and more. See whales and other marine wildlife on a whalewatching tour in vancouver. Vehicle access to tofinoucluelet from vancouver includes a crossing with bc ferries, or arrive more quickly on a seaplane. The 5 best whale watching tours from vancouver 2020.