This is your chance to sea kayak with killer orca whales or watch them from our boat, the. Known as the place to go for the best whale watching in british columbia, vancouver island offers amazing opportunities to witness wild marine life. So it adds an extra dimension to the whale watching trip. The port of vancouver, the port of prince rupert, bc coast pilots, bc ferries. Located in the heart of the southern resident killer whales and biggs killer. 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. What a great first experience on this bc, british columbia whale watching adventure. Paid parking parking passes available stop by the office to pick up a parking pass, before going to parking lot p1 a large gravel parking lot behind the gulf of georgia cannery. If youre a serious lover of whales, this is one of the best times to visit orca dreams.
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. 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. How to go whale watching from vancouver explore bc. Whale watching boat tours coasts of british columbia. Frequently asked questions about whale watching in bc. Head out into the canadian gulf islands and beyond in search of wild killer whales, humpback whales, seals, sea lions, porpoises, and more.
The main target species from vancouver victoria are orcas and humpback whales, and neither are relieably present in early spring. Whale watching in vancouver in winter march vancouver. Halfday whale watching adventure from vancouver 2020. Whale watching vancouver island news, events, travel. We offer year round whale watching and marine eco tours. Vancouver whale watch provides passengers with the adventure of a lifetime through excellent customer. Mariners play an important role in helping to protect atrisk whales in our waters. 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. The 5 best whale watching tours from vancouver 2020. Apr 25, 2016 this was taken 42016 on a whale watching tour with wild whales vancouver in bc, canada.
Johnstone strait is a waterway that lies between the mainland of bc and the east coast of northern vancouver island. 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. Our mission we aspire to be the best whale watching company in the area by. Whale watching holidays orca watching canadian affair. On the west coast, tofino is a quaint town with an embedded orcawatching culture. 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. Our location wild whales vancouver is situated on granville island, a 510 minute taxi ride from most downtown hotels. These are all typical maneuvers you may expect to see while whale watching off the west coast of vancouver island. 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. British columbia and particularly vancouver island is a brilliant location to spot. Whale watching opportunities in march around vancouver island are very limited.
Many varieties of whales pass through the waters of vancouver s west coast including humpbacks, orcas, grey whales and minke whales. Members of the public are encouraged to download the whalereport app and. 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 the best place in the world to see orcas, the mr. 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. The whalereport alert system wildwhales bc cetacean. Vancouver whale watch was the first whale watching company to operate from the vancouver area, in their 21st year of operation in 2019. Whales are drawn to these nutrientrich waters after long migrations. In fact, success rate for finding whales in this region is over 90%. Annually we also enjoy record numbers of humpback whales and our summer resident gray whales. 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. We guarantee youll see a whale, or your next trip is on us. Ocean ecoventures is the most centrallylocated whale watching company on vancouver island. Enjoy a 3to5hour, smallgroup adventure, departing from the beautiful town of steveston, located just outside the city of vancouver.
Welcome the first gray whales of the season on vancouver island or try your luck with the blue whales of chile. Stanley park indigenous walking tour led by a first nations guide. Whale watching tours from vancouver island tourism victoria. Our whale watching tour focuses on magnificent orcas killer whales, majestic humpback whales, and other marine wildlife such as porpoises, sea lions. 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. Hi, we party of 2 will be staying 3 days in vancouver as from 2908 until 3108. Every trip is different, as we follow reports of the whales location.
We are on board a bc whale watching vessel which has brought us to see the killer whales of johnstone strait, british columbia, canada. Although wildlife is the focus of our trip, the scenery along the way is not to be forgotten. Public transit you can use translinks trip planner to get route and schedule information for buses and trains in the greater vancouver area. Book a whale watching holiday in canada with canadian affair for the chance to. Whale watching british columbia vancouver islands watching. Echo program resources for mariners port of vancouver. Top 10 best whale watching tours in vancouver, bc last. 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. The most commonly spotted whale in this area is the grey whale, but occasional humpbacks and orcas make an appearance, too. Some even come in the winter months for an uncrowded adventure. Use steveston transit exchange as your destination. One year of whale watching in just one infographic.
Some even come in the winter months for an uncrowded. Locate and compare whale watching in sunshine coast bc, yellow pages local listings. Go sea kayaking, salmon fish for dinner, amazing wildlife. After your whale watching excursion in victoria, youll head back to vancouver via seaplane. Theoretically, you could meet orcas in the waters of british columbia all year long, but the main season is from may to september. Out of vancouver means orcas and maybe sams right and there will be some 15 minutes away by fast boat. Tofino whale watching tours ocean outfitters, tofino bc. Whaletrips british columbia whale watching in british. Youll see orca whales, migrating humpback whales and much more. The whaleplanner september a whale watching infographic. This ensures the highest sightings of killer whales on vancouver island every year. 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. Step aboard the flagship vessel ocean magic in downtown vancouver for the adventure of a lifetime.
Best whale watching tours near tsawwassen, delta, bc yelp. See whales and other marine wildlife on a whale watching tour in vancouver. Clayoquot sound is very popular with gangs of transient killer whales that are on the hunt for food. Vancouver whale watch richmond all you need to know. Whale watching vancouver island is a onceinalifetime exerience. During whale watching season, theres nothing like seeing the fluke of a. Orca dreams offers fourday allinclusive tours from our luxury island camp site in the wildlife rich area of northern vancouver island, british columbia, canada. When is the best time of year to go whale watching in. This was taken 42016 on a whale watching tour with wild whales vancouver in bc, canada. And of course, feel free to share it with your friends who might be interested in seeing whales. The port of vancouver, the port of prince rupert, bc coast pilots, bc ferries, the. 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. Greys and humpbacks are off the island and of course the islands robson bight is a protected area where orcas do their famous rub. See whales and other marine wildlife on a whalewatching tour in vancouver.
Whale watching in bc british columbia travel and adventure. The whaleplanner march a whale watching infographic whaletrips. The mariners guide to whales, dolphins, porpoises of western canada was. 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. Each vessel has a private washroom and has a maximum capacity of 12 guests per trip. The west coast of vancouver island is another great place for whale watching, most notably out of tofino or ucluelet. On the 30th or 31st we would like to do a whale watching excurison. Your free offer never expires, and is nontransferable. Ive seen deals on the trips out of vancouver in the last two weeks. 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. Minke whales have a similar aesthetic to humpback whales, but are are just. Our crew bc whale tours victoria whale watching tours. 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. The main place to see orcas is the area around telegraph cove on the northern end of vancouver island.
Mackay whale watching in bc, port mcneill since 1981. 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. Wild whales vancouver currently has two vessels in our fleet, and two more coming in june 2019. Furthermore, if you wait until september maybe there will be deals as tourist season will be over. Also, you should watch sites like groupon or livingsocial for whale watching deals. The main target species from vancouvervictoria are orcas and humpback whales, and neither are relieably present in early spring. Apr 10, 2018 our 2018 whale watching season has begun. Information on whale presence is obtained from realtime observations reported to the b. Tour operators, both on the mainland and the island, have specialized on orcas another highlight is the. Top 10 best whale watching tours near tsawwassen, delta, bc. Explore the beauty that is british columbia on this halfday whalewatching excursion from vancouver. Whale classification breeding patterns of whales whale migration join us british columbia.
Experience bc s most sustainable whale watching on an unforgettable day at sea aboard our open zodiacstyle boat or our semicovered vessel. Whale watching in july and august vancouver island, british. Chances are youve travelled a long way or youre about to and you want nothing more than to fulfill your dream of seeing whales. 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. From our downtown departure locations, we offer industryleading whale watching tours in vancouver, victoria, telegraph cove, and seattle. 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.
Vehicle access to tofinoucluelet from vancouver includes a crossing with bc ferries, or arrive more quickly on a seaplane. Four days in vancouver island whale watching paradise. Step aboard the flagship vessel ocean magic in downtown. Come for the afternoon, or stay a few nights at one of our partner hotels. Whale watching tours in tofino, bc they dive, spout, breach, spyhop and lobtail. Uk 0203 424 9673 download brochure send an enquiry request a callback. All four of these vessels have been custom built for whale watching and are exceptional for wildlife viewing. Sidney whale watching is a family owned and operated company that has been serving sidney and the saanich peninsula for over 20 years. Have a bathroom onboard, are equipped with the latest in marine safety, navigation, and communication equipment. Meanwhile on vancouver island, canada, the people of tofino and ucluelet celebrate the. Look for killer whales in their natural habitat on this whale watching adventure near vancouver, british columbia. 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. All of our vessels are custom made by titan marine and hand designed by the owner of the bc whale tours, harold. Prince of whales is focused on sharing the beautiful and breathtaking coastal waters of british columbia, its vibrant wildlife, and its rich history.
Whale watching vancouver vancouver forum tripadvisor. Mackay whale watching in bc vancouver island canada. 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. Apr, 2020 vancouver s best whale watching experience. In 2010 she came back to vancouver island to complete high school. Whale watching in july and august vancouver island. Reports of killer whales were plentiful during our offseason and we are expecting this trend to continue. Jessicas love of wildlife, and breathtaking vancouver island, brought her to the bc whale tours team in 2017. 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. We offer various morning, midday, and afternoon departures. 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. Members of the public are encouraged to download the whalereport app. During this period thousands of whales migrate through these waters. There is no other place where you can rely on seeing orcas as much as here.
Each and every one of our team members loves what we do, and therefore, we strive to make our tours as memorable as possible. Find useful information, the address and the phone number of the local business you are looking for. Blackney pass, johnstone strait and queen charlotte strait are rich with both humpback whales and orcas. On any given day between april and october, you can witness up to 89 orca whales frolicking in the southern vancouver island waterways. Seasonal, guided tours led by professional naturalists. There are also restaurants and cafes right there beforeafter the trip. Our whale watching season usually starts in mid february and lasts until the end of october. Whale watching in vancouver in winter march vancouver forum. 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. Both sides of vancouver island afford primo opportunities. In the fall pacific humpbacks are readying for their winter migration to hawaii.
Whale watching trips, sea lion and birding tours, and nature and historical tours. Southern british columbia is one of the premier areas in the world for whale watching. Humpback whales the world over are known for their epic migrations, complex songs, and the acrobatic jumps that earn them their name. Your captain and guide will take you on a thrilling west coast adventure. Vancouver whale watching deals in vancouver, bc groupon. Looking for the best whale watching on vancouver island. She later studied criminal justice at camosun college. 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. To download the full whaleplanner as a graphic, please just click this link and save the graphic on the next page. I have found 3 companies that operate from granville island or from richmond, but i have no clue which one to choose. Whale watching in british columbia mainly boils down to whale watching on vancouver island, even if you can also book tours directly from vancouver. Well take you through the salish sea ecosystem to see whales and other marine life in their natural. Why victoria has the best whale watching on vancouver island.
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