Nanaimo Whale Watching: Immersive BC Coastal Wildlife
4.7
39 Ratings
Nanaimo
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: 1 day learn more
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 of whales that use the Salish Sea, including their natural history, and their roles in the marine food web.

Throughout your adventure, your captain will be in touch with other whale watching companies over VHF radio and will plan your route to maximize the area covered between vessels.

You’ll spend a full hour viewing whales, and your marine naturalist will provide real-time insights into their behaviours. Onboard catalogues are used to identify individual whales, and this data will be collected throughout the season and sent to the Centre for Whale Research, Keta Coastal Conservation, and the BC Cetacean Sightings Network.

Your tour will wrap up with an educational talk on marine conservation focusing on threats to BC orca, and conservation initiatives will be discussed.

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 trip is on us. Enjoy the comfort and panache as you sail through the Salish Sea on Kula, a 12-person carrier. Kula is fitted with shaded seating with each spot offering sliding windows and a spacious open deck on the vessel’s rear, offering unhindered views of the landscape and fauna.

  • Subject to favorable weather conditions. If canceled due to poor weather, you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund.
  • Not suitable for pregnant women.
  • Minimum numbers apply. If there are not enough passengers to meet requirements, there is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation, in which case an alternative date or full refund will be offered.
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
4.7
(39 Ratings)
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Lucylovesshoes
Apr 3, 2024
The most amazing boat trip you will ever take! - What can I say about this most incredible trip other than DO IT!! Cheyenne was an amazing tour guide who was clearly highly experienced in sea life knowledge. Just going out on the boat and seeing the beautiful scenery was a joy in itself but when we saw the orcas it blew our minds! Cannot recommend enough. Thank you for such an amazing day
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kelly_j
Mar 13, 2024
Orcas everywhere!! - This was an excellent tour. The staff was amazing and safety was front and centre. We saw 4 pods of orcas. They were very knowledgeable and told us the names and the antics of some of the whales. It was a day we will always remember. We ended the day meeting some sea lions also. Thank you
Review provided by Viator
Mattis_m
Oct 28, 2023
Very nice experience - You really felt comfortable right from the start. All the employees were very nice and tried to make the customers as pleasant as possible. The guide in this case, a woman, was very well informed and you could tell that she loves the animals and that it is her passion. Therefore, respect for the animals was always observed and there was always a good distance. All in all, a great experience and highly recommended. We see a lot Orcas and other whales. Dolphins too.
Review provided by Viator
509judeb
Sep 21, 2023
An unforgettable experience - Great little company and well worth doing. Great views of whales and very knowledgeable staff. We took the semi covered boat which was perfect, It was a very rough journey but we saw multiple whale breaches.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
K9trainers
Sep 12, 2023
Excellent tour and guides - We saw more whales and sea lions than I could count. It started off great and got better. I was surprised to have seen so many orcas for so long. Unlike most tours, there was very little downtime without wildlife. The guide and boat driver were both incredibly well-informed, enthusiastic, and very nice people. We happened to do this tour during a heat wave in Vancouver, so everyone on the boat was overdressed. I would love to do this again with the same tour company when it isn't so hot.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
452mandyc
Aug 5, 2023
AMAZING!!!!! - Just needed to write a review for this trip, I don't usually do reviews but couldn't ignore this one. We went out with Vanessa and Rodriguez, both really knew their stuff and Vanessa was so enthusiastic, I mean who wouldnt be, doing a job like that. We saw both Orca and Humpback Whales, both encounters were amazing, firstly not only did we see Orca, but witnessed them hunting 2 harbour porpoises, then celebrating their success by breaching and tail slapping, I did feel a little sad for the porpoises but nature is nature. We then had an encounter with Humpbacks, Mother and calf, Vanessa was so excited as it was one of her favorites (Strike) with her new calf. We witnessed Strike nursing the calf and then later both started breaching and slapping the water, only one word for the whole experience AMAZING. Thank you for Vanessa and Rodriguez for a fantastic day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Touristacontenta
Jun 29, 2023
A Great Trip seeing many different animals - Fantastic experience. Safety first was highlighted by Captain Tino and Naturalist Cheyenne. Then off we went directly to an Orca pod that had been spotted out in the middle of the strait. Stopped on the way to remove a helium balloon floating on the Salish Sea. These balloons are TERRIBLE for the wild life. One hour of observing from a safe distance then allotted time was up -- so on we went to see Stinky Rocks . AMAZING huge elephant sea lion and smaller stellar seals basking in the sun. On through several passes, past eagle nests and finally observed the cormorant nests on Gabriola cliffs. We learned a great deal about the animals in the area, the environmental impact of human activities and the good news about populations rebounding thanks to conservation efforts. Our 9 year old grand daughter enjoyed it too. All in all a wonderul trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
T6690eokarena
May 23, 2023
Beautiful wild things! - Our captain and naturalist we're so knowledgeable and eager to make it trip a great one. We all learned so much. Saw seals, sea lions, eagles, orcas and humpbacks. An added bonus was the clear, calm weather, which can't always be the case. Outstanding trip!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dwayne_t
Apr 23, 2023
Really good team lots of fun - Staff were amazing saw the elusive grey whale gave us a good tail flip. The ride started a bit bumpy but the captain knew what he was doing. Very knowledgeable and tried their best on a stormy type day. Travelled a long way but it was a weird day for sure as we were one of only 2 boats to actually see whales that day. Very good team for sure
Review provided by Viator
Blendinag
Jun 26, 2023
Bad Decision - June 11 my husband and I took the closed boat tour in the morning. We originally planned for the afternoon but the 3;30 tour was cancelled. We were advised that the tour would take a different route due to the wind and safety. For the next 4 hours we flew across the water while the boat slapped hard on the water basically non stop. I liken it to riding a wild bronco for 4 hours without a break. The 11 people on board were quiet and we all hung on tightly to the rail in front of us. We slowed a few minutes to view harbour seals and then again to navigate high waves. The high waves were frightening. We slowed again to see Eagles in a tree and right back to the slamming on the water. Both my husband and I were shaken and sore when we left the boat. We've been on many whale tours but this was the first negative one. I agree totally with the one young single lady on the tour with us , when I asked her how she felt- she described the experience as "Harsh". I spoke to the girls in the office and shared how miserable the experience was for us and asked for a refund. Their office manager got back to me and said after discussing it with the crew that they said it wasn't "That Bad". I dare say it really was. One of their office staff said 'It shouldn't have happened" She was right. The morning should have been cancelled. The office manager told me my experience didn't warrant a refund and I asked to speak to her manager, but she said that was the owner and refused to give me their name or number. She assured me she would have them call me, but they never did. She sent me an email address which I assume was the owners so I wrote to them explaining from the beginning what happened to us. I asked them to never put another person through what we went through. They never responded. I'm sure they have many positive experiences on days when the wind is mild and the seas are calm. But unfortunately, that certainly wasn't our experience. When you run a company like this, it's important to hear what your customers are saying and be aware of their personal experience. Their comfort and safety should be the most important aspect of your business. I absolutely believe they should have cancelled that morning tour and at the very least refunded our money. I also believe the owner should have acknowledged my email. There is so much more detail I could say, but it would be too long . For those of you deciding on whether or not to post this- it's important to let people know all aspects of the experience they could be buying in to. Just saying all the nice fluffy stuff is misleading and dishonest
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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May 2024
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