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
Victoria Whale Watching Report: Killer Whales & Humpback Whales
July 11, 2019
MORNING TOURS For the second consecutive morning, orcas were encountered right in front of the Victoria harbour! Our 9 am zodiac tour was the first stop to spot orcas inside the breakwater! After we boarded our guests, we headed east to find them. The early morning fog was starting to lift, but it made for […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: Killer Whales in the Fog
July 10, 2019
MORNING TOUR The fog this morning was dense, but today we got lucky! The moment we left the harbour into the Strait of Juan de Fuca we saw the unmistakeable dorsal fins of the killer whale! These were the Bigg’s/Transient killer whales, the mammal-eaters. They hunt marine mammals like seals, sea lions, porpoises, other dolphins […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: Lunge Feeding Humpbacks, Bald Eagle Mates & Fighting Elephant Seals
July 9, 2019
MORNING TOUR This morning we set out into the Juan De Fuca Strait, heading South towards Washington. After about an hour of travelling, we stopped in an area that has been a popular spot for Humpback Whales. In the distance, a spout was seen and we headed towards it. We spent time here with three […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: Killer Whales including Young Calf
July 7, 2019
AFTERNOON TOUR Even with the rain this afternoon, our spirits were high and we were excited to get on the water! Our small group boarded Pacific Explorer and we made our way into the Juan De Fuca Strait. The Juan De Fuca Strait was named in 1787 by maritime fur trader and captain of the […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: Humpback Big Mamma, Race Rocks & Orcas
July 6, 2019
AFTERNOON TOUR Today we got to spend our afternoon with the giants of the Pacific North West. In particular, we got to spend our time with one very important whale. Big Mama was out and about during our trip today! She is a humpback that we figure is well over 70 years old and has […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: Orcas & Humpback Whales
July 5, 2019
AFTERNOON TOUR The cloud above us this afternoon did not deter our determination in finding whales! We made our way south and east until we were just off an area called Dungeness Spit on the Washington peninsula. A few other whale watching boats could be seen, a good sign there should be dorsal fins popping […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: Humpback Whales, Seals & Ollie the Sea Otter
July 4, 2019
MORNING TOUR This morning, our covered vessels headed south into Juan de Fuca Strait in search of orcas and humpback whales. The early summer humpback whale encounters have been amazing and today did not disappoint. Several humpback whales were encountered in the waters south of Race Rocks actively foraging for krill and small schooling fish […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: So Many Humpback Whales!
July 3, 2019
MORNING TOUR At Orca Spirit we like to Wednesdays hump(back) days! Mornings like today give meaning to this saying. Less than 20 minutes in and our trip started out with a whale named Scratchy (MMY0079) just outside of the harbour! Scratchy’s name comes from having some rake marks on his fluke that make him stand […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: Killer Whales, Humpback Whales & Harbour Seals
July 2, 2019
MORNING TOUR This morning started very rainy in Victoria, something we have not really seen in months. The coast of Vancouver Island is a temperate rain forest so everything was in need of a good drink, from the thirsty forests to the migrating salmon. We headed for the South end of San Juan Island, Washington, […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: Race Rocks, Humpback Whales & Orcas
July 1, 2019
MORNING TOUR We began our trip today by going west into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, into the ice-cold wind! We always love to spend time watching our furry marine mammals so we went straight to Race Rocks Lighthouse, an ecological reserve that is home to harbour seals, elephant seals, sea lions (seasonally), and […]
Leaders in responsible Eco-Tourism
