Canada · BOAT TOURS IN VANCOUVER ISLAND
The 15 best boat tours in Vancouver Island you can book right now, with what each costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is top for a reason; start there.
Review of Victoria’s 3.5-hour Eagle Wing whale cruise, with orcas, humpbacks, seals, expert guides, boat advice, price, and practical tips.
“Absolutely amazing. I cried. The experience was so beautiful and having the Crew explain about the whales and the differences and life span was so interesting.”
Review of Victoria’s 3-hour Zodiac whale-watching tour, with practical advice on wildlife, comfort, safety, price, weather, and booking.
“A thrilling adventure and very worthwhile. Appreciated the suits, hats, gloves that kept us warm. A wonderful view of orcas and humpback whales. The sea lions were very entertaining. Mark, our captain, was very engaging and informative about these magnificent creatures.”
Review of Victoria’s private pedicab tour from the cruise terminal, with Beacon Hill Park, Old Town, Chinatown, pricing, tips, and practical advice.
“This was a great way to see the city in our limited time in Victoria. Andre was very knowledgeable and was an amazing tour guide. We enjoyed being able to see the city at our own pace with plenty of stops along the way for pictures.”
Cruise Victoria’s Salish Sea for whales, sea lions, and eagles aboard a covered boat with guides, hot drinks, photos, and a sighting guarantee.
“Extremely well organised and very informative trip. Jake & Liam were excellent guides and captain Gordon did a great job. We were lucky enough to see both humpback & killer whales plus lots of sea lions. Would not hesitate to recommend this company.”
Ride a small Zodiac from Victoria to see orcas, humpbacks, seals, and sea lions, with close wildlife views and free rebooking if whales stay away.
“I enjoyed the tour. I thought it was cool to see various humpbacks, seals and sea lions. It was really nice to see the other parts of Victoria by boat. I did not care too much for our guide. I was extremely excited to learn about the wildlife, Victoria and anything else. Our guide seemed distracted and unfocused. Each time our guide would share a fact about something it felt as though he was unsure about what he was saying. Almost as if he didn’t know what he was doing. We also heard a phone call from the office that he miss-counted the amount of guests and just laughed it…”
Review of Victoria’s 3-hour whale-watching cruise, with naturalists, orcas, humpbacks, sea lions, practical tips, pricing, and honest drawbacks.
“Fantastic trip, organized and the ladies were very knowledgeable We saw whales, bald eagles and sea lions!”
Review of Victoria’s sunset whale-watching cruise, with orcas, humpbacks, sea lions, warm gear, naturalist guides, and a whale guarantee.
“Lots of variety not just whales, though we saw whales too. We saw a beautiful island lighthouse, sea lions, seals, cool boat ride, beautiful jaunt into the harbor in the evening. Knowledgeable guides”
Ride a fast Zodiac from Victoria for three hours of whale watching, marine life, expert guiding, and wide-open Salish Sea views.
“We had an absolutely amazing time. Cameron was our guide and he was great! Highly recommend!”
Review of Nanaimo’s four-hour open-boat whale tour, with orcas, humpbacks, warm suits, small groups, wildlife tips, and practical advice.
“This was a perfect day. Not only did we get SUPER lucky with the whales, the captain and the tour leader were both excellent. They answered every question we had, and always had the whales' best interests in mind while making sure we got to see them. Probably the best day of my life so far.”
Review of Campbell River’s four-hour whale and wildlife cruise, with vessel choices, wildlife odds, practical tips, and honest value advice.
“the weather was rainy and cold - couldn’t see through windows to spot anything for most of the trip, as they were covered with rain from the outside and steam inside. I was disappointed - only saw sea lions, seals and eagles. It was my bucket list trip to see whales and we didn’t see any.”
Review the 4-hour Campbell River zodiac tour for whales, grizzlies, sea lions, island scenery, value, timing, and booking tips.
“Das Erleben der Wale in ihrer natürlichen Umgebung war sehr beeindruckend! Ebenso die Fahrt durch die Insellandschaft!”
Review of Campbell River’s 4-hour Zodiac whale tour, with orcas, dolphins, bears, hydrophone listening, ocean rapids, and practical tips.
“It was awesome! We saw so many wildlife and had a perfect day (4h) on the water. We would definitely recommend this tour.”
Take a 2.5-hour boat ride from Campbell River to Bute Inlet for grizzlies, whales, Indigenous guiding, lunch, and wild coastal views.
“Aussi-Brad - Tour guide, Skipper, Waiter, top wildlife spotter and hot chocolate maker, and local Grizzly bear guides Micheal, James gave us an unforgettable experience with weather and nature on our side! Overall, our small group had an amazing up close and personal experience (responsibly) featuring humpback, sealions, seals, eagles, and plenty of grizzly bears out catching salmon, the day was topped with orcas on the return Journey to campbell river port. Transport, knowledge, hospitality, scenery, and food spread all 5 stars!”
Review of Telegraph Cove’s 3-hour Zodiac whale-watching tour, with orcas, humpbacks, sea lions, practical tips, price, comfort, and value.
“Seeing so much marine life including Orcas and Humpback whales. Enthusiastic guide Scott.”
Review of Nanaimo’s four-hour open boat whale tour, with orcas, humpbacks, marine biology insights, practical tips, cost, and comfort advice.
“This was an exceptional experience, from start to finish. The guide was excellent and informative, the captain steady and safe, the boat was comfortable and reliable, and the whales were truly impressive, beautiful, and magical creatures. This is a memory above all.”
Every kind of Canadian day out, and the best of each.
