Nanaimo Whale Watching: Immersive BC Coastal Wildlife

Experience the wonders of BC’s coastal wildlife on a Nanaimo whale watching tour. Guaranteed whale sightings, expert guides, and comfortable seating on our 12-passenger vessel.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • 90 Front St #5 - Your day begins by checking in at our office 45 minutes before your departure time and then you’ll head down to the boat as a group.
    You’ll then be introduced to the Salish Sea ecosystem and wildlife as you cruise through the Gulf Islands archipelago in search of whales and other marine life. You’ll learn about the different types…
What's Included
  • Toilets onboard
  • Binoculars onboard (shared between guests)
  • Sunscreen available
  • Captain certified by Transport Canada
  • Professional guide with marine biology expertise
What's Not Included
  • The listed price does not include parking, which costs around 5-7 dollars CAD for the day.
  • Lunch is not included.
  • Gratuities
  • Transportation to/from office
Additional Information

Take a dive into the abundant coastal wildlife of BC as you navigate through the islets of the Gulf Islands in quest of killer whales (orcas), humpback whales, sea lions, porpoises, eagles, and much more. Led by a guide who boasts an educational background in biology and a fervor for marine life, your spotting of whales is assured, or your following…

Location
90 Front St #5
Front Street
Our office is located on Front Street on downtown Nanaimo's seawall.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(67 Ratings)
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Adventurejs
Jul 28, 2025
Amazing experience - once in a lifetime opportunity. Do not miss it!! - We booked this as part of our trip and have zero regrets. Such an easy booking process, for lots of useful information beforehand. The tour itself was incredible, the boat was super comfortable, the team had so much great info. It was so wonderful to see how passionate the team were about the whales. I also appreciate how they were taking photos for our benefit so we could just sit back and enjoy the moment. Worth every penny!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joemcallister60
Jul 6, 2025
Epic Whale Watching trip - Amazing trip with Ally and Rodrigo as Captain. Super knowledgable and made the day the best we've been on. We saw 7 humpbacks. 3 familie of Orcas and a raft of sea lions. The trip was smooth, fun and informative. My 6 and 11 year old say it was the best they've been on, which includes trip on the island, Hawaii and Maine. Well done.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cyndi
Jul 1, 2025
AMAZING!!! - Our naturalist, Jordan, did a great job of informing us of all the interesting facts about the whales we saw and got us their names and backgrounds. Our boat captain, Rodrigo was wonderful as well and also gave great information about the whales, islands, and the other animals we saw. We also saw seals, sea lions and some harbour porpoises. This was a Fantastic experience as we saw 2 Orcas and Many humpback whales! Would definitely highly recommend Vancouver Island Whale Watch!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
I1342abandyh
Jun 28, 2025
Spectacular trip observing breaching humpback whales, orcas, and harbor porpoises - This far exceeded my expectations and is the first time I've ever taken the time to post a review, ever. Aly Kohlman was an amazing naturalist- guide and Joseph was a great captain. I was with a group of big game biologists and researchers and her knowledge and enthusiasm very much impressed me. The fact that we saw at least 8 humpback breaches and watched humpbacks for over an hour AND watched 6 orcas didn't hurt either.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wander662753
Jun 9, 2025
Amazing orca experience - We had an absolutely incredible experience whale watching with Des and Rodrigo. Both of them were brilliant and helped make the trip so special. We were lucky enough to see a family of orca and watch them hunt together - a real privilege to witness and made even better thanks to our guide and captain and their expert knowledge. Being on a smaller boat you felt much closer to the action, with excellent views at all times. Would highly recommend this company.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nomad40667296898
Jun 6, 2025
A fantastic experience! - I've always wanted to go on a whale watch and I finally had my chance on May 27, 2025 on the semi-covered boat. I was not disappointed! We had so much fun! Our guide was delightful! She was bright and full of such interesting information about the whales. She mentioned she's loved whales since she was a kid and you could tell her passion, as an adult, is still there. I learned a lot and enjoyed a beautiful day at sea. I was worried about being seasick. But I wasn't at all. Even ate sandwiches on the boat. It's a remarkable experience. We saw humpback whales, but no Orcas. I so badly wanted to go back the next day to find the Orcas. I highly recommend Vancouver Island Whale Watch!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gabriella_p
May 22, 2025
Idyllic afternoon out whale watching. - Our guide Ali and skipper Rodrigo were excellent. We had slightly choppy waters but they were excellently navigated. Ali was so informative and we saw so much thanks to her knowledge and skill. It's quite difficult to capture the whales on camera but that's solved by Ali who takes great shots and provides them digitally after the experience!
Review provided by Viator
Annettely6752my
May 19, 2025
100% the best whale watching operator in this area - 100% highly recommend this sustainable whale watching company, based in Nanaimo. We did get a military discount which brought the cost down to less than CA$400 Our naturalist Hayley and skipper Rodrigo were both excellent at their respective jobs and so professional. . After a very full and thorough safety briefing, we had nearly 5 hours out on the water with 10 other people. We saw 3 groups of Orca, a pod of 6, a pod of three including a calf and Noah aged 24 and Jude aged 18. Hayley was able to tell us about these amazing Orcas, their pods, their lineage and more. Rodrigo got us to some excellent places to wait and watch when we knew they were in the area. We also went off and spotted Stellar sealions, harbour seals, bald headed eagles and many varieties of birds. There was no need for the guarantee the company gives, which lasts a lifetime, as we saw so much in one day. It has been a dream for me to see Orcas in the wild - I have been the adopter of Holly, a mother of 5 pups, born in 1980 and part of Pod A5 in BC. These guys made my dreams come true - thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
907mariahe
May 19, 2025
Great trip with Vancouver Island Whale Watching - Great trip with Vancouver Island Whale Watching. We encoutered orca almost right outside the harbour, and then got to spend some time with humpback whales near Gabriola Island. Naturalist Hayleigh was very knowledgable and Capt. Rodrigo made sure we got to see lots of the coastline and wildlife. The staff at the office was friendly and helpful. I really enjoyed my time on the water with them!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mary
May 7, 2025
Do it! - A fantastic day out. Sun shining, water pet calm. Saw 4 orcas, harbour seals, sea lions, eagles. Hosted by Des and guided by Rodrigous.. both fabulous.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $174
up to 10 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).