Experience the wild
On an exhilarating Whale & Wildlife Watching Tour with Victoria’s leading Eco-Tourism Company
Whale & Wildlife Watching Adventures
Nothing quite compares to watching a thirty-foot killer whale launch its twenty thousand pound body into the air before sliding gracefully back to the ocean depths with a slap of its tail. Our whale and wildlife watching tours let you experience BC’s enchanting marine wildlife – orcas, porpoises, sea lions, humpback whales, bald eagles and more, while respecting the natural environment along the spectacular coastline of Vancouver Island.
Top Rated by Guests on Tripadvisor
Brilliant! Amazing! A Dream Come True! It’s easy to see why guests give Orca Spirit whale watching tours a big thumbs up.
Whale Sighting Guarantee
We don’t stop at a 98% success rate. If your tour doesn’t experience a sighting, we’ll invite you to join us again.
Best Selection of Open & Covered Boats
From luxury yachts to wind-in-your-hair zodiacs, we operate Victoria’s biggest fleet of fully equipped and certified vessels.
Free Downtown Hotel Shuttle Service
Hop on our courtesy shuttle for a short trip from your downtown Victoria hotel to our dock and back, or elsewhere in the city core.
Thrilling Tours
Orca Spirit’s three hour whale watching tours run daily from April through October. Every trip is led by a certified marine naturalist whose knowledge and passion for Vancouver Island’s marine wildlife is unequaled in the industry, and every vessel in our fleet is equipped with hydrophones to bring the underwater experience to light.
Tours from
Victoria
TOURS FROM VICTORIA
Two docks, multiple departure times, and a variety of vessels make Victoria the ideal launching pad for viewing whales in the wild.
TOUR INFOTours from
Port Renfrew
TOURS FROM PORT RENFREW
The quaint village of Port Renfrew is perfectly place to go off grid on a truly west coast whale watching adventure.
TOUR INFOTours from
Vancouver
TOURS FROM VANCOUVER
Enjoy a scenic float plane ride from Vancouver to Victoria, then come tour the killer whales’ ocean playground with us.
TOUR INFOWinter
Wildlife Tours
WINTER WILDLIFE TOURS
Experience the calm of a winter cruise through Juan de Fuca Strait, home to sea lions, humpback whales and other marine life.
View TourCharters &
Private Tours
CHARTERS & PRIVATE TOURS
We host memorable wedding receptions, family reunions, corporate celebrations and other special events for 12 to 200 guests.
View Tour“WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!”
“The trip lasts about 3 hrs – and it is awesome!! The staff is extremely knowledgeable and attentive. We saw orca and humpback whales – an amazing experience. This is an extremely professional organization with a group of very professional staff. Having sponsored a whale for many many years it was, for me, a dream come true – an experience that will stay with me for the rest of my life – thank you Orca Spirit Adventures.”
15naples, UK
“BEST EVER WHALE WATCHING TOUR!”
“Superlatives galore! No doubt aided by the most fabulous weather and a calm sea, today my family and I had an unforgettable day out sighting Orca, Seal, Sealion and Humpback with Greg and his crew. Beautiful scenery and the crew’s humour and local natural history knowledge really enhanced our experience.”
AgooHostelAccra, Ghana
“FANTASTIC TRIP, GREAT WILDLIFE!
“Fantastic trip – wasn’t just about the Orcas (although they were brilliant!), we saw humpback whale, sea otter, bald eagle, sea lions, harbour and elephant seals too. Staff onboard were really knowledgeable and the backdrop of the mountains in Washington State was just spectacular. All in all, a great trip and sensitively done.”
Stephen I, UK
WHY ORCA SPIRIT
We’ve been creating extraordinary whale watching and marine wildlife experiences for guests from around the world for over 20 years.
Most Experienced & Knowledgeable Team
Your tour is led by a trained Marine Naturalist. Not only are they experts in ecology and wildlife, they’re also trained in emergency duties.
Victoria’s Largest & Best Selection of Boats
From yachts to zodiacs, we operate Victoria’s finest fleet of Transport Canada-certified whale watching and private charter vessels.
Multiple Award Winning Company
From climate action and sustainability awards to Business of the Year, we’re proud to show off our gold star standings.
Leaders in Responsible Eco-Tourism
We’ve been protecting our natural surroundings and improving the social and economic well being of local communities for over 20 years.
SERIOUS ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY
We believe that our presence shouldn’t have a negative impact on the environment, so we’re doing everything we can to preserve the spectacular natural surroundings we do business in. From carbon neutral tours and local sourcing, to extensive recycling and energy and water efficiency initiatives, our many sustainable business practices are helping protect the planet for future generations.
LEARN MORETop Rated Packages
Whale Watching, Butchart Gardens and Butterfly Gardens
After a morning on the water, we shuttle over to the tropical Butterfly Gardens, and beautifully manicured grounds at Butchart Gardens.
Whale Watching & Harbour Air Adventure
Cruise over snow-capped mountains in a seaplane from Vancouver, then join a 3 hour tour on one of our luxurious covered vessels or open air zodiacs.
Whale Watching & Coast Victoria Hotel & Marina by APA
After a hearty breakfast at the oceanfront Coast Victoria Hotel, we hit the seas for an action-packed 3 hour whale watching tour.
The Captain’s Blog
Little-Known Facts About Orcas
January 14, 2021
Originally published: May 4, 2013 These beautiful black-and-white creatures have secrets and we know some interesting, little-known facts about orcas. Remember these facts about orcas on your next Victoria whale watching trip! Orcas are actually dolphins Orcas, often referred to as “killer whales” (Orcinus orca) are a toothed whale and are the largest member of […]
Why Can’t The Southern Resident Killer Whale Diet Change in Light of Dwindling Chinook Salmon?
December 30, 2020
In the Pacific Northwest, the Southern Resident Killer Whale population has been facing a crisis that threatens their survival. The crisis is an ever-dwindling supply of Chinook Salmon, their preferred prey, within their range along the western coast of Canada and the United States. Chinook Salmon make up approximately 80% of the Southern Resident […]
New Southern Resident Killer Whale Adoptions!
December 16, 2020
Every year Orca Spirit completes new Southern Resident Killer Whale adoptions from the Whale Museum on San Juan Island, Washington. This year we adopted one whale from both K and L pods. Adoption funds support the important work of the Whale Museum including the operation of their amazing, educational Exhibit Hall, operating the Marine Mammal […]
Seven Famous Killer Whales
December 2, 2020
Originally posted: May 2015 Many Killer Whales have become famous over their lifetime. Some for heroic acts, others for entertainment, some for sad stories of their capture and life in captivity. In this post, we look at 7 Famous Killer Whales that have stolen our hearts over the years. Tahlequah Tahlequah, officially named J35, was […]
Meet the Regulars: Commonly Seen Bigg’s (Transient) Killer Whale Families
November 18, 2020
West Coast Bigg’s (Transient) Killer Whales are a unique ecotype of orca who reside off the Pacific Coast of North America, ranging from Alaska to Northern California. Bigg’s Killer Whales are known as the mammal-hunters because their diet consists of seals, sea lions, porpoises, dolphins, and larger whale species like humpbacks, minkes, and grey whales. […]
Victoria Whale Watching Season Highlights
October 16, 2020
This was a year like no other with the COVID-19 pandemic delaying the start of the Victoria whale watching season until July. With international borders closed, Victoria was a quieter place with only tourists from across Canada visiting our Capital City. While the world seemed up-side-down on land, time on the water and with wildlife […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: Southern Resident Killer Whales - K Pod and Race Rocks!
September 27, 2020
Sunday, September 27th, 2020 – 12pm Covered Vessel Tour This afternoon, we headed out into the Juan de Fuca Strait with gorgeous conditions for finding wildlife in the Salish Sea. We travelled South West for a while with beautiful views of the Olympic Mountains and saw several Harbour Porpoises in the area. These are the […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: Killer Whales (T18 Family!), T'Luk, and Much More!
September 26, 2020
Saturday, September 26th, 2020 – 12pm Covered Vessel Tour Today was set to be a special day as guests joined us on the Pacific Explorer and we set out west on the Juan de Fuca Strait. Some trips we need to go far to find whales, other days they are close to Victoria. Well today […]
Port Renfrew Whale Watching Report: That's a Wrap on the 2020 Season!
September 24, 2020
Written by Matt Burnaby, Zodiac Captain This summer in Port Renfrew was unlike any other we have experienced in the last four years. Open ocean swell and vast fog banks are the primary challenges we overcome while exploring the rich marine ecosystem of the area’s surrounding offshore waters. During our voyages the experience provided by […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: SRKW J-58's First Breath!
September 24, 2020
Thursday, September 24th, 2020 – 12pm Covered Vessel Tour What a day to be on the water! The Pacific Explorer made its way out of the Victoria Harbour with its 14 guests and 3 crew not expecting to have the trip of their lives. The trip started with a nice visit from Scuttle the Humpback […]
Leaders in responsible Eco-Tourism
