We also offer whale watching connections between the two cities and exclusive fullday. Avoid the crowds and travel straight to the whales. Admire native marine wildlife in the waters of british columbia on this 3hour whale watching adventure in victoria. Victoria whale watching photos springtide whale watching.
Book a minimum 2 night bc ferries vacations package and receive your whale watching tour with orca spirit adventures at 50% off. Your victoria vacation begins with a scenic cruise on the victoria clipper from downtown seattle that will land you in the heart of the breathtaking inner harbour. Whale watching tours and wild life tours, bc whale tours is one of victoria s finest whale watching companies. The rugged beauty of the west coast is something that should be experienced with victorias boutique whale watching company. Hang in there, the flowers will be out in bloom soon enough. That results in a huge number of tour operators, actually so many of them by now that the whales are sometimes bothered by the many boats. Watch whales and other diverse marine species on the salish sea on this 3. Boats usually head to the southern gulf and san juan islands. Depending on which species of whale you want to see, and what type of experience you would like, the answer can be different. Save time and money by going at the end of the day. When visiting victoria whale watching is a must do activity and with 30 years of experience five star whale watching is the perfect choice for guests of the empress hotel. Located in the heart of victorias beautiful inner harbour, prince of whales is the largest yearround whale watching and ecoadventure company in victoria, british. Majestic mammals and marine wildlife abound in the waters surrounding victoria, including the orca, or killer whale, and gray, humpback, and minke whales.
Whale watching and wilderness excursions are a top activity out of victoria b. 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. The best time for whale watching in this region, however, is between july and september. 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.
Your vessel, a zodiac speedboat, is built with stability in. Victoria, bc is the best place on earth to view whales in the wild. From our downtown departure locations, we offer industryleading whale watching tours in vancouver, victoria, telegraph cove, and seattle. Wild whales vancouver is granville islands oldest and bestknown whalewatching company. 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. Prince of whales is focused on sharing the beautiful and breathtaking coastal waters of british columbia, its vibrant wildlife, and its rich history. Ensure that company you chose has qualified staff, the knowledge of our orca naturalists is more than a requirement. Offer valid for bookings made before july 21, 2014 and travel prior to september 7, 2014. About bc whale tours leave the crowds behind on our custom made vessels specifically designed for comfort, speed and safety that carry only 12 guests at a time. Because the season is slowing down, there are less boats on the ocean. Oct 19, 2014 whale watching was totally bananas today. Upon arrival, hop an exhilarating threehour whale watching tour. Males are longer and bulkier than females, average length 7.
Wharf street inner harbor and coast harbourside hotel and marina. Whale watching is a popular activity for residents and visitors to victoria, bc. Sidney whale watching is located in beautiful sidney, bc only 30 minute drive north from victoria or 5 minute drive from swartz bay ferry terminal and victoria international airport. This cruise is covered by the whale guarantee program whale sightings are guaranteed during peak season. Roger obayashi, a local familyman from richmond, bc, spent many years working as a fisherman and skipper before founding wild whales vancouver. As we move into mid september we see fewer resident killer whales however with the abundant sea lion population that moves into the area, we see more transients as sea lions are a favorite food source for his subspecies of orca. Call or click to make a reservation now and mention you are staying at the empress hotel to get a special rate. Springtides whale watching tours will take you through some of the worlds most breathtaking scenery that bc has to offer. All three species are threatened under the species at risk act sara, and they have the propensity to migrate along identical routes that has been proposed for lng tankers to traverse through. Best time for whale watching in australia about australia. Make multiple wildlife stops and enjoy worldclass interpretation and personalized service from your naturalist guide and expert crew. F all is the time of year where the wildlife is very active particularily the humpback whales and sea lions. Whaletrips british columbia whale watching in british.
Whale watching in bc british columbia travel and adventure. Whale watching tours and wild life tours, bc whale tours is one of victorias finest whale watching companies. Technically, whales can be seen at any time out of victoria. Other aquatic neighbours include sea lions, seals, porpoise and many marine birds. With many years of experience, youll be sure to enjoy this luxury ride. Here are four criteria for choosing the best whale watching tour for you. Eagle wing tours is motivated to provide our guests with more than just a look at the whales. But since you posted this originally on the victoria forum, i assume youre hoping to go whale watching out of victoria. Around mid to late fall, the whales start their 5000mile journey south to baja california. Theres something to be said about the peace and quiet of a tourist town in the off season, and the beauty of victoria from the water on a crisp winters day is unrivaled.
Travel along victorias spectacular southern coastline and watch humpback whales, southern right whales, blue whales and orcas as they make their annual pilgrimage from the feeding grounds of antarctica to give birth and raise their calves in australias warmer waters. Each vessel has a private washroom and has a maximum capacity of 12 guests per trip. Our whale watching tours located off the southern coast of victoria, british columbia consist of viewing transient orca pods, migrating humpback whales, grey whales and other marine animals that reside in our coastal waters. These can be kayaking, highspeed zodiac trips, cruises, or even seaplanes. Seattle to victoria day trip with whale watching clipper. Choose from either our covered or open boat tour options, both with on board washrooms. With over 70 whales belonging to these families, transient orcas, and humpback whales youll have plenty of opportunities for an encounter with these magnificent creatures. Travelling and fishing up the stunning bc coast was when roger first discovered his fascination with nature. All of our vessels are custom made by titan marine and hand designed by the owner of the bc whale tours, harold. And within this, chances to see them, camera in one hand, binoculars in the other, are almost limitless. In fact we can even come to vancouver and pick you up there, or just about anywhere on vancouver island.
Prince of whales is a tour that allows you to go whale watching off the coast of victoria city. A whale watching trip is a once in a lifetime experience. While cruising on a 40passenger boat specifically designed for whale watching, witness these impressive mammals as two onboard naturalists provide interesting and informative commentary on the pacific marine life off the coast of canada. Whale watching victoria with orca spirit whale adventures. Here are three reasons why you should go whale watching in november.
Bc whale tours victoria aktuelle 2020 lohnt es sich. Its whale watching season visit victoria media hub. Five star whale watching is the fairmont empress hotel inhouse whale watching company, and as a guest of the hotel we have a special offer for you. Check out our amazing photos captured during some of our whale watching outings in victoria. You can spot various kinds of whales, like humpback whales, orcas, grey whales, and minke whales. Birds of a feather whalewatching departures can be from victorias inner harbour, from sidney, metchosin, sooke, salt spring island, or anywhere we can trailer the boat. Frequently asked questions about whale watching in bc. Whale watching season 2015, victoria bc springtide tours. Victoria whale watching tours sea king adventures inc. Within a mile or 2 of victoria harbour we stumbled across a pod of orca. Watch from the port, head out into the harbour, or make your way out west to cape bridgewater to see these giants of the sea on their annual migration through the southern ocean. Our company utilizes stateoftheart, custom designed, locally built vessels that are leading in the industry for safety. The rugged beauty of the west coast is something that should be experienced with victoria s boutique whale watching company.
Whale watching in victoria, bc solemate adventures. Book your tickets online for eagle wing whale watching tours, victoria. You can choose from various tours around the gulf and san juan islands. Sep 20, 2017 whale watching is one of the popular activities to do while visiting victoria, bc growing up on the island weve sort of taken this for granted. We checked in at around 8 in the morning and were scheduled to take the big boat. Whale watching in victoria bc karla around the world. Your vessel, a zodiac speedboat, is built with stability in mind and remains buoyant even in rough seas. The most commonly spotted whale in this area is the grey whale, but occasional humpbacks and orcas make an appearance, too. Here is a good guide to help you make a decision about the whale watching season in victoria. We walked to the harbor and decided last minute to book a whale watching tour with a company that we found while walking, orca spirit, it was the best tour i. It sounds like you had incredible encounters with both killer whales and humpback whales and with other local marine wildlife. Catamaran excursions launch from victoria s inner harbour. Whale watching, nature and wildlife, victoria, australia.
Admire native marine wildlife in the waters of british columbia on this 3hour whalewatching adventure in victoria. All week wed been hearing that theres a good chance we wouldnt see killer whales whilst on the island. Choose your victoria whale watching adventure just a short cruise from downtown victoria, an ocean wilderness awaits. Victoria whale watching package from seattle clipper. Since whales travel close to the coast, many people enjoy going out on boats to view them. The marine life in the waters of bc is abundant and diverse, but there is no greater creature than the mighty whale. All of our tours in victoria are 3 hours in duration, departing from two locations. Day whale watching tours in victoria, bc eagle wing tours. There are three orca pods totaling over 80 whales in victorias waters alone. Chance of spotting rarer species add an extra thrill to whale watching when whale watching near victoria, keep an eye out for the lesser known minke whale. A study prepared for international fund for animal welfare in 2009 estimated that million people went whale watching globally in 2008. In fact, the tour company, whos name ive purposely left out, didnt want to post it to their. Whale watching tours from vancouver island tourism victoria. Located in the heart of victorias beautiful inner harbour, prince of whales is the largest yearround whale watching and ecoadventure company in victoria, british columbia.
Sometimes you can see a whale in false creek or english bay. Other locations are granville island and richmonds steveston village. Some even come in the winter months for an uncrowded adventure. If reserving on line please use the promotion code emp1. British columbia is famous for its abundance of whales, and on this 3hour educational canadian cruise, youll get a chance to see them. Weve sailed back and forth to the mainland on bc ferries too many times to count. Hop aboard your opentop boat in victoria harbour and cruise out into the rolling waves with your guide. From the commencement of our tour you will see the snow crowned olympic mountains virtually soar from the sea bed. With an expert onboard naturalist as your guide, cruise through the waters of the salish sea while on the lookout. Bc whale tours victoria 2020 all you need to know before.
Whale watching from vancouver to victoria prince of. This oneway adventure will take you from vancouver, bc, canada to victoria, bc, canada aboard a custombuilt highspeed catamaran, embarking on a 4hour, fullyguided whale watching and marine wildlife viewing tour. We respect the investment our guests make to join us and we are dedicated to making your trip the experience of a lifetime. We did a similar trip from vancouver last summer and spotted a small pod of orca whales, so we had high hopes of repeating the incredible experience. Surrounded by killer whales in victoria, british columbia. Whale watching is mostly a recreational activity cf. Start the morning in comfort with spectacular views of georgia strait from the luxurious heated inner cabin featuring floor to ceiling windows. British columbia is home to dozens of whale species, 23 to be exact, according to the vancouver aquarium. Theres something to be said about the peace and quiet of a tourist town in the offseason, and the beauty of victoria from the water on a crisp winters day is unrivaled. If winter whale watching doesnt quite sound like your thing, the summer season is just a few months away. We are so pleased to hear that you had an incredible killer whale encounter with multiple pods. The rarity of local sightings make for an exciting show if one is lucky. Vehicle access to tofinoucluelet from vancouver includes a crossing with bc ferries, or arrive more quickly on.
Our naturalist on board, casey, said this was very rare. Whale watching dates in the fall, vancouver island, bc. Whale watching is the practice of observing whales and dolphins in their natural habitat. There is no seagoing experience quite like watching, closeup, a sleek whale weighing thousands of pounds frolic like a child in its natural habitat. Whale tours in victoria bc springtide whale watching. Whale watching on the gold coast if youd rather keep your feet on the ground but still yearn for the special experience of seeing a whale, australias east coast is. A pair of humpback whales feeding outside of victorias harbour. Humpback whales 40 minutes offshore from victoria, bc photo credit jeff lorton. We hope you enjoy the rest of your stay in victoria. Thank you so much for choosing bc whale tours and for taking the time to share your experience. A premiere whale watching company based in victoria, british columbia, canada.
Your trip certainly sounds like it was a special experience. We are happy to hear you enjoyed your time on the water with us. After our unsuccessful search for whale sharks in belize a few months ago, we were thrilled to be invited by tourism victoria to go on a whale watching tour with prince of whales. Its common name, recognized by many people, is killer whale originally called whale killer by spanish whalers. 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. Whale and wildlife tours victoria, bc whale watching. The whale spends the summer and a few fall months in the arctic waters before heading south. The most important city of the island is victoria in the south. Portland is one of victorias premier whale watching destinations, with southern right whales visible off the coast from cape bridgewater to narrawong.
Whale watching in british columbia mainly boils down to whale watching on vancouver island, even if you can also book tours directly from vancouver. These small baleen whales can be seen around the globe, but are often more elusive in the vancouver island area. Our whale watching tour season here begins in april, and finishes in october. Spend an afternoon learning about whales and sealife with a day trip from seattle to victoria, bc to. Why you should go whale watching in november sustainable. Prince of whales adventures bcs best whale watching. A typical 3 hour tour takes you along the waterfront of oak bay and the chain islets allowing you to see harbor seals and sea birds. The prime whalewatching season in british columbia is between april and late october. The romans called it orca, meaning demon from hell. The majestic orca has long been the proud symbol of our incredible city. Aug 18, 2014 august 19 2014 prince of whales, victoria bc skipper. We are open daily for whale watching and wildlife adventure tours from march 1 october 31.