Welcome to our Wild coast
Are you ready for an exhilarating experience?
Join us on a sustainable adventure to explore our coast and discover its wonders for yourself.
The Salish Sea
The blue-green waters of the Salish Sea are a marine wonderland, teeming with a spectacular array of life, astounding geological features, thousands of islands, and a vast coastline that stretches across the Pacific Northwest.
It's here in the deep, nutrient-rich fjords of this breathtaking ecosystem where young orcas learn to hunt, humpback whales feast and breach, sea lions bark, seals sunbathe, eagles soar, and porpoises play.
The Salish Sea is named in honour of the Coast Salish people who have lived on its coast since time immemorial. Traditional Coast Salish culture emphasizes the importance of stewardship and sustainability, with a focus on living in harmony with the natural world.
Our Recent sightings
Note: Sightings are posted 5-7 days after the trips.
We saw the end of a T-party in Howe Sound with at least 8 pods present, and then got humpback whales on the way home! What a great day!
The T124As travelling and hunting between Mayne and North Pender Islands! We had tail slaps and one excited little calf whoβs been bouncing around between whales. Who is your mom?
What a fantastic day spent with the T065Bs and T075Bs celebrating together in the Strait of Georgia!
It was another beautiful day in the Salish Sea, getting to spend time with the T065Bs, a pod of Biggs Orca. In addition to these whales, we also got to see Bald Eagles, Harbour Seals, Steller Sea Lions, and more!
It was a great day travelling through the Southern Gulf Islands, seeing Humpback Whale Bagheera north of Sansum Narrows and T071B1, T071B2, the T075Bs, and the T086A3s.
Another early season double species day, with Europa and Moresby the humpback whales and the T023s, a pod of transient orca!
It was a long but fantastic day travelling south to Haro Strait to see Bagheera the humpback whale!
It was an amazing day crossing over to Howe Sound and seeing a t-party with 10 different whales having a great time. We also saw a trio of young humpback whales travelling along the coastline not too far away.
Another amazing day in Howe Sound watching orca, as well as getting to see Humpback Whale Kata near Valdes Island!
What an interesting group of whales! We found half of the T086As travelling with the T146As north of Gabriola Pass!
We had a surprise little whale at the start - a random Grey whale in the middle of the Strait! After that we found the Howe Sound T-party (T071B1, T071B2, T086A3s, and T124A2s)!
We were lucky enough to spend time with a couple of Humpbacks and a couple of matralines of Orca T124Ds, and T023Cs!
It was a wonderful day on the water, the sun was shining, and the animals (the T023Cs and T124Ds) seemed to be enjoying the day too!
T087 Harbeson was by himself near Bowen Island. We also had a surprise T-party right outside the harbour on the way back - T071B1 Zengo, T071B2 Tasli/Nemo, the T086A3s, and the T124A2s!
Whales whales whales! Today we had a duo of humpbacks (Ghost (BCX1333) and Graze (BCY0523) as well as a T-party of orca (T065Bs and T124A2s)!
A day full of Chainsaw! Well, his mother Whidbey ll was there too, but Chainsaw was a bit of a camera hog!
What a day! We spent time with a group of three humpback whales; Graze, Ghost, and Wisp and then got to see a pod of Pacific White-sided dolphins as well!
Our first double species day of 2024! We were lucky enough to see Graze (BCY0523) near the mouth of Howe Sound and the T065Bs further in!
The T036As, T063, T065, and the T137s were partying in the Strait - and we had a second surprise encounter with the T046B1s and T046C2 Sam near Nanaimo!
We had Whale soup today, Orca everywhere! Today we had the T036As, T100s (-E), T049A3, and the T101s!
What an amazing day spent with the T137s hunting a porpoise, and then Seals, Sea Lions, and some Feasting Bald Eagles!
OUR WHALE-WATCHING TOURS
Youβll experience BC's most sustainable whale watching on an unforgettable day at sea aboard your choice of vessel (open zodiac-style boats or our semi-covered vessel).
Your adventure is guided by expert mariners and professional researchers who know the whales by name, and collect field data on every single trip. Our award-winning tours are designed to give you an in-depth understanding of the whales and the complex ecosystem they call home. We'll take you through the Salish Sea ecosystem to see whales and other spectacular marine flora and fauna, while you learn all about them!
Throughout the trip (usually 3-5 hours long), your crew will ensure that we respect the whales while offering an educational experience that gives you a better understanding of their role in the ecosystem. Youβll learn about the different species and their behaviours, as well as the efforts being made to protect them.
Join us on the adventure of a lifetime, and let the the Salish Sea leave you feeling humbled and inspired, all while supporting the protection of this life-sustaining ecosystem.
Schedules & Rates
We operate Year-Round from our Nanaimo location. Please see our Schedules & Rates page for our current prices and availability.
Our Vessels
Are you wanting an outdoor adventure on our Open Zodiac vessels, or do you prefer the idea of enjoying your tour from inside the cozy cabin of our Semi-Covered vessel? Learn more about our vessels to decide what tour is right for you!
Public tours: March - October
Charters: Year-Round
Public tours: Year-Round
Charters: Year-Round
WHALE SIGHTINGS GUARANTEE
We guarantee you'll see a whale, or your next trip is on us*! We're part of a large network of boaters and we are constantly updated with the whales' locations. In fact, success rate for finding whales in this region is over 90%!
On our tours we have a chance of seeing a number of whale species, including:
Orcinus orca, Orca/Killer Whales
Megaptera novaeangliae, Humpback Whales
Balaenoptera acutorostrata, Common Minke Whales
Eschrichtius robustus, Grey Whales
While we cannot guarantee what species of whale we will see on each tour, we strive to provide as much variety in species encountered on our tours as possible. Thereβs always a chance of seeing more than one species while you are out with us!
* If a public tour doesnβt see a whale, each guest onboard will be provided with a voucher which has their name, the date, and a code. This code will remove the seat price from a new booking with us. Vouchers have no expiration or blackout dates and are non-transferable. Fuel surcharge still applies. Guarantee does not apply to private charters.
OUR COMMITMENT TO CONSERVATION
Marine conservation is one of our top priorities. After all, our oceans are the largest ecosystems on the planet. That's why we're proud to be BC's first whale-watching company to watch healthy growing populations of whales, EXCLUSIVELY. We avoid the endangered Southern Resident orca population, which are typically seen in the busier waters in Puget Sound.
We're also proud to donate $2.00 for each seat sold to local marine conservation initiatives. Visit Our Sustainable Approach section to learn more about our commitment to conservation.
Testimonials
Excellent Trip
βOur extended family was visiting from Calgary, and we did a private semi-covered boat rental for the eleven of us. Our trip was incredible - and our guide and driver were able to find us a variety of wildlife which included lengthy viewings of humpback and orca. Our driver Rodrigo was exceptional at positioning the boat appropriately and anticipating the whales movements, and our guide Brad was very knowledgeable of wildlife in the area. We were lucky to view orca during a hunt as well as the celebration that followed - and we had sole tickets to the show!
The semi-covered boat was awesome for our group which included 4 kids - the kids were warm and safe from the elements the entire time and were able to move around the boat. It was also great to have the viewing platform on the back of the boat for when there were sitings, though the windows in the boat open up and allow for many to clearly view the wildlife.
Iβd strongly recommend VIWW based on our incredible experience. If you have a larger group, seriously consider your own private rental, and it is totally worth it (and for us with 11 people, cheaper than booking individually).
Thanks for an unforgettable tour!β
Jon R via TripAdvisor
Great Experience
βAmazing experience. Got to see a variety of wildlife and learned a lot from our guide. Our guides were super friendly, approachable and we appreciated the priority of our tour experience OVER time. I appreciated the conservation education also shared during this tour, especially with my teens on the tour, to initiate and open minds to issues outside of our normal daily living. Thank you and I highly recommend this tour!β
tmanlangit via TripAdvisor
Amazing Experience with Vancouver Island Whale Watch!!!
βWe had the amazing and beautiful experience of taking the open boat tour this past October. Val was our Marine Naturalist and was incredibly knowledgeable and friendly, displaying a true passion and love for her Job. We got a chance to see two separate pods of Hump Back Whales, and with every surfacing, every blow and every Tail Slap, we were further wrapped up in the shear beauty and amazement that this tour offered. Also having a chance to see Bald Eagles, Seals and Sea Lions, helped to round out this not to be missed experience. Thanks again to all the staff at Vancouver Island Whale Watch and can't wait till we get to be out on the water with you again!!!!β
muskokamike2016 via TripAdvisor
A Wonderful Experience
βWhat did we like about the tour? .... Obviously seeing the transient orcas (Big Jack and family), the humpbacks (Smiley and Anvil), the seals and the large number of the cormorants, the scenery (the Gulf Islands and the Salish Sea) and the educational commentary that explained what we were observing and experiencing. This was a wonderful experience and highly recommended.β
Brian B via TripAdvisor
Great crew & great sights
βIβve been whale watching in Victoria before, but this was my first experience whale watching in Nanaimo. We went on the open boat tour and had an absolute blast. Our guide was fun and engaging. Our captain was skilled and professional. The sights were breathtaking and it felt like a personal, private tour experience. Highly recommend, will definitely go again.β
Kelly H via Google Reviews
Dream come true
βThe crew of Vancouver Island Whale Watching made my family and my dreams to see aquatic and marine life come true! Their captain is professional and knowledgeable when it comes to sailing us safely to tourist attractions and finding orcas and whales. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable about wildlife, sightings, and facts about whales and other marine life. People need to experience this in their vacation at Nanaimo and Vancouver Island.β
Christian V via Google Reviews
Awe of the Coast
βWe had such beautiful weather for our whale watching tour. It was at least 4 hours out on the water, but it went fast!! Val and Vanessa were both awesome to have as Captain and Naturalist.
The boat ride alone is literally worth the cost. We are from Ontario and the scenery here is awe inspiring!! π² πWe saw, Orcas, I forget the names (numbers) of the pod we saw, but awesome nonetheless. We almost saw a humpback Whale, but it wouldnβt cooperate for us .
We saw bald eagles, harbour seals, a porpoise, and again⦠just amazing scenery!!
I 100% recommended taking this tour. The whole cast and crew of this business are awesome!!
Side note, we took the covered boat tour which was fantastic as we had the shelter of the roof and windows, but when we slowed down to look at sightings we were able to walk out on the back deck and enjoy the sights up close.
Thank you all!!!β
Mike Y via Google Reviews
Exciting zodiac tours
βWe had a fabulous afternoon in the open boat, so close to the wild life. The boat felt very safe and was very exhilarating! Our expert was enthusiastic, knowledgeable and friendly. We all thoroughly enjoyed the experience.β
Allison via Google Reviews
Adventures for All
βMy dad and I went on the open boat in August on a gorgeous, sunny, flat-calm 26 degrees day. Dad is in his 80's and just loved the tour. Just being on the water for 4 hours on a stellar west coast day was fantastic enough, but we also got to see a transient orca pod a bit further away(the T099βs, Bella, Holly, Barakat, Puck, and little T099E), and then a humpback called Potamus (close up). Potamus was napping on the surface for about 15 minutes and then woke up and put on a wonderful tail-slapping show for us before diving down for a snack. She must've slapped the water 30-40 times. We all sat there in awe of the power.
We then saw loads of cute seals on the way back, and 2 other transient orcas in the distance (didn't have enough time left in the tour to go check those ones out). Our guide Rebeka was friendly, knowledgeable and really fun! Highly recommend this tour companyππβ
Jane W via Google Reviews
Amazing birthday adventure
βI went on a whale watch for my birthday and it was a lifechanging experiencing! Our captain had turned the engines off on our boat and a whale came up to us and swam gently under our boat. I never thought I would get to experience such a peacefully and surreal moment with such a giant creature! The naturalist Vanessa was fabulous and the hours flew by as we saw whales, seals, salmon, sea lions, and a variety of birds. This is a great company with an amazing crew. Highly recommend.β
We saw a big group of orca in Howe Sound and a gray whale close to home during this sunset tour!