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
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 […]
Southern Resident Killer Whale Pregnancies: Cautious Optimism for Their Future
September 23, 2020
Written by Rachael Merrett- Orca Spirit Marine Naturalist The whale world has been abuzz about the orca pregnancies detected within all three pods of the Southern Resident Killer Whale population since SR3 (Sealife Response + Rehab + Research) announced their discovery in July of 2020. They revealed that there are pregnancies in all three pods, […]
Port Renfrew Whale Watching Report: Doing Our Part in Being Responsible Whale Watchers
September 12, 2020
September – 9am/1pm Zodiac Vessel Tours The privilege that comes with visiting such naturally beautiful places should always be paired with the responsibility to better understand and preserve nature. It should be the foundation for which all eco-tourism industry is built upon. The slightly remote waters off Port Renfrew have become a focal point for […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: Welcoming the New Baby (J-57) of the Southern Resident Killer Whales!
September 11, 2020
Friday, September 11th, 2020 – 12pm Covered Vessel Tours A blanket of smoke has settled over much of the South Coast with fires raging in Washington, Oregon, and California and resembles fog on the water. The smoke would not deter us from watching marine life today as we headed out onto the Juan de Fuca […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: T60 Killer Whale Family!
September 9, 2020
Wednesday, September 9th, 2020 – 12pm Covered Vessel Tour It was another sunny day in Victoria and we had another group of guests excited to adventure onto the Salish Sea to look for marine wildlife. Today we had reports of two young male orcas in the area, searching for seals close to the shoreline just […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: The T065B Killer Whale Family!
September 6, 2020
Sunday, September 6th, 2020 – 12pm Covered Vessel Tour It was a beautiful sunny afternoon to head out on the water in search of the whales that call the Salish Sea home! The Pacific Explorer, crew and guests headed east into Haro Strait to look for a report of some killer whales! It wasn’t long […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: A Visit from the Southern Resident Killer Whales!
September 5, 2020
Saturday, September 5th, 2020 – 12pm Covered Vessel Tour It was an exciting day to be on the water as reports of Southern Resident Killer Whales were coming in! In the past several years we tend to see the amazing mammal-hunting orcas more often than the fish-eating Southern Residents, so the prospect of seeing them […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: Sooke Bluffs, West Coast Rugged Shorelines, Race Rocks Lighthouse, and More!
September 3, 2020
September 3rd, 2020 – 12pm Covered Vessel Tour September is off to a beautiful start with warm temperatures and sunny skies! Guests joined us on the Pacific Explorer and headed out onto the Juan de Fuca Strait. We had a report from land that a small group of whales was passing Oak Bay around 9am […]
Victoria Whale Watching Report: East Sooke Park and Killer Whales!
September 2, 2020
Wednesday, September 2nd, 2020 – 12pm Covered Vessel Tour This afternoon we headed West out into the Juan de Fuca Strait to look for wildlife in the Salish Sea. Our trip today took us outside of East Sooke Park where we encountered some Transient Killer Whales! While we were trying to identify which family we […]
Port Renfrew Whale Watching Report: The Marine Circle of Life
September 1, 2020
September Whale Watching – 9am/1pm Zodiac Vessel Tours As we transition from August into September, we begin to see dramatic changes around our remote coastal town. The pressure systems between Alaska and California collide offshore as seasonal temperatures begin to change in our hemisphere. On the water we experience these changes as wind from the […]
Leaders in responsible Eco-Tourism
