Whale & Wildlife Watching Tours Summer
What you might see
What to expect on your whale and wildlife watching tour
Experience Victoria’s #1-rated, award-winning West Coast whale and wildlife watching tour, offering a diverse range of enriching and educational nature-viewing opportunities. Although whales can’t be guaranteed, our extended range allows us a higher opportunity to find whales on our heated, semi-covered catamaran with washrooms. Hot beverages included (post-COVID-19).
Join us for our 3+ hour Winter Wildlife Tour! On this tour, you’ll see a diverse selection of wintering birds, seals, sea lions and perhaps some playful porpoises. Hoping to see something bigger? Bigg’s or transient killer whales (the mammal-eaters), grey whales, humpbacks and minke whales can also be seen on our winter tours. Our professional and knowledgeable captain and crew are eager to tell you about the incredible marine wildlife of the Salish Sea!
Although this tour does not offer the Whale Guarantee, we still have a very good chance of seeing whales. Our winter whale sighting success rate is: December 100%, January 67%, February 33%, March 77% and April 83%. If we get a report and daylight and weather permit, we’ll go the extra mile to show them to you!
Eagle Wing team members are excited to share everything our big blue back yard has to offer and we’re very motivated to provide you with more than just a “look at the whales.” We make multiple wildlife stops, providing world-class interpretation and personalized service.
- Please view our COVID-19 Safety Pledge.
- Eagle Wing Tours is committed to providing a supportive, safe and welcoming environment that ensures respect and dignity for all employees and guests. Please see our Code of Conduct, which outlines our expectations from guests to help us meet our high standard of service.
Included in the Tour
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- No Whale Guarantee Program.
- Wildlife viewing
- Onboard wildlife identification kits
- Jackets, blankets, gloves, hats, sunglasses, sunscreen
- Heated cabin
- Onboard passionate naturalists/biologists
- Onboard washrooms (x 2)
- Hydrophone—you can actually hear the whales!
- Luxury catamaran vessel
- Please refer to Our Safety Pledge for more details
What to bring
- Cameras (and their protective casings)
- Warm clothing, in layers (it’s cool out there!)
- Woolly hats, gloves.
- Reusable bottled water
- A smile and a sense of adventure!
- Please refer to Our Safety Pledge for more details
Your Purchase Matters
$5 of every ticket supports local wildlife
Wild 4 Whales Wildlife Fee
First introduced in 2013, our wildlife fee raises money to directly support the southern resident killer whales and the Salish Sea. 100% of the money raised is donated directly to the Wild 4 Whales Foundation, the Pacific Salmon Foundation, The Center for Whale Research, and over 25 other local marine research, educational organizations.
Industry leaders since 2011 for environment protection
1% For The Planet
As Victoria’s first whale watching tour operator to become a proud business member of 1% For the Planet, we happily contribute one percent of our gross revenues to non-profit groups dedicated to the pursuit of sustainability and environmental protection.
SEE more & DO more! We go further and see more wildlife
We successfully completed 1185 tours in 2019 and recorded these amazing sightings!
{numbers based on per trip, not per wildlife sighting}
Whale viewing guidelines
Please understand that when we view the wildlife and whales that we are guests in their home and must follow a strict set of viewing guidelines in order to respect their natural life processes. Yes, the whales do get close due to their behaviour, but also can be far away in some instances.
- We are asked to maintain 200 metres in Canadian waters / 200 yards in American waters from Bigg’s killer whales; 100 metres for baleen whales. (we will not be viewing the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales)
- If the whales are along the San Juan Island shoreline then we maintain either 1/4 mile or 1/2 mile around Lime Kiln Park
- All other islands in the Salish Sea (over 419 of them) we maintain 200 metres (220 yards) if whales are inshore
- Most of the time the whales are out far enough for us to view at the minimum regulatory distances
- Bring a good camera with a zoom lens
- Appreciate that we are dealing with wild animals that are highly protected.
Private Charters
Are you looking for a wildlife experience without the crowds? For the discerning traveler, we offer private charters, with the option of setting your own agenda. Contact us so that we may provide some suggestions and begin personalizing your West Coast experience today.
