Whale Watching in Vancouver Island BC
Vancouver Island offers the best whale watching opportunities in British Columbia.
In the summer an 80-strong pod of southern resident killer whales set up home in the waters off the coast of Victoria. Chances of seeing a whale are high but it’s one of the busiest whale watching spots around the island.
If you have time and want a more peaceful “back-to-nature” experience, travel to the remote Johnstone Strait off the north-east coast of Vancouver Island. The area is home to the 200-strong northern resident killer whale population which comes to feed, rest and rub their bodies on the rocks. The weather is much more unpredictable but it’s quieter and you can do your whale-watching trip by kayak.
If you prefer dry land, you can catch humpbacks, minke and grey whales migrating to Alaska from the cliffs and beaches of Tofino, Bamfield and Ucluelet on the West Coast.
Most operators are members of the Pacific Whale Watch Association and have a marine biologist or naturalist on board.
Hours & rates: Boat tours around Victoria run from April to October with at least three daily sailings in the summer. Adults: $95; Seniors: $85; Child: $75; Under 4s: Free
Directions & map: Whale watching companies operate out of Inner Harbour or Oak Bay in Victoria and Sidney in the south; Tofino and Ucluelet on the West Coast and Telegraph Cove, Port McNeill and Alert Bay in the north.
Whale watching - Vancouver Island BC
Tips: The whale-watching season runs from March to October but you’ll see more action from May onwards. April is the best time to view the West Coast whale migration.
If you’re taking a BC Ferry between Victoria and Tsawwassen, stay up on deck and you stand a good chance of spotting one of the southern resident killer whales.
Related sections: Vancouver Island BC | Whale Watching in Vancouver