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 ten 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, dolphins, sea lions, 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 certified 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
Odd Orcas: These Outliers are a Little Different From the Others
August 20, 2019
Something magical was spotted in the water off the coast of British Columbia near Victoria, BC. A frequent spot for interested travellers and locals alike, Canada’s west coast boasts incredible views of orca whales travelling between southern California and Alaska. During the prime summer months of May through September, the activity picks up big time. […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: So Many Humpback Whales!
August 11, 2019
MORNING TOUR This morning we headed out into the Juan De Fuca Strait, travelling South. After a short time, we ended up just outside of Port Angeles with a Humpback Whale! After getting a look at this whale’s fluke, we could see that this individual was “Stitch”. We are able to identify individual humpbacks apart […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: Humpback Whales & Race Rocks Ecological Reserve
August 10, 2019
MORNING TOUR Our first stop this morning was Race Rocks Ecological Reserve. Which in the rain, was still stunning as always. Here we got to see many different species of animals that are native to the Salish Sea. The sea lions are always a favourite of the guests as these big guys can be very […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: Orca in the Victoria Harbour!
August 9, 2019
MORNING TOURS Well, some days things happen that will make you remember that day for a lifetime- today was one of those days because… THERE WAS AN ORCA IN THE HARBOUR! WHAT?! Yes, we thought we had Deja Vu as we watched the tall dorsal fin of T65A2 cruising into the Victoria this morning because […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: T65A2 in the Victoria Harbour!
August 8, 2019
9:30 AM TOUR Days like today are wonderful on the water! The sun was shining, there was basically no wind, and there were so many whales! To start the trip off we made a stop at Race Rocks Ecological Reserve. Here we got to see lots of the coolest creatures that the Pacific North West […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: Scratchy the Humpback & Chain Islands Wildlife
August 7, 2019
MORNING TOUR This morning, we headed out on the Pacific Explorer in search of marine wildlife. Our morning tour started with a great encounter with Hemlock (MMY0080), a large humpback whale with a very distinctive fluke! We watched the animal for several minutes as it foraged for krill. We had several looks at the massive […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: Killer Whale T65A2, Seals & Sea Lions
August 6, 2019
This afternoon we headed out East into the Juan De Fuca Strait. It was a beautiful day on the water and, although it took a bit of time to get there, we ended up amongst the San Juan Islands with a Bigg’s (Transient) Killer Whale! This was a 15-year-old male on his own, separated from […]
What To Expect On Your First Whale Watching Adventure
August 6, 2019
I can’t remember if I was more nervous or excited the night before I went on my first whale watching adventure. Surely I was excited – I’d grown up obsessing over whales and I was hours away from seeing them in their natural habitat for the first time. However, part of me was concerned. I’d […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: Split Fin the Humpback Whale
August 4, 2019
With our group, excited and eager to get on the water, we boarded the Catalina Adventure. This boat is a 95 passenger vessel with many great viewing opportunities. While journeying and searching the Juan De Fuca Strait we came across a Humpback Whale in the distance. As we waiting and watched the whale moved closer […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: Humpback Whales & So Much More
August 3, 2019
MORNING TOUR This morning we headed straight south, following a call of a possible wildlife sighting near Port Angeles. As we crossed the glassy Juan de Fuca Strait we were able to see big billowy blows from quite far away. This indicated that we were approaching a couple of humpbacks. While we watched these animals […]
Leaders in responsible Eco-Tourism
