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Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

Victoria Butterfly Gardens

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Fairmont Empress Hotel

Craigdarroch Castle

Fisherman's Wharf, Victoria

Parliament Buildings, Victoria

Beacon Hill Park

Hatley Park National Historic Site

St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Victoria

Fan Tan Alley, Victoria

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Victoria, British Columbia

Campbell River

Nanaimo

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Duncan, British Columbia

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Stanley Park, VancouverAttraction in Vancouver, Canada

Stanley Park Totem PolesAttraction in Vancouver, Canada

Granville IslandAttraction in Vancouver, Canada

Lions Gate BridgeAttraction in Vancouver, Canada

Canada PlaceAttraction in Vancouver, Canada

English Bay BeachAttraction in Vancouver, Canada

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Nanaimo: Whale Watching Semi-Covered Boat Tour

Top rated
4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8
26 reviews
Activity provider:
Vancouver Island Whale Watch
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Nanaimo: Whale Watching Semi-Covered Boat Tour
Likely to sell out
Top rated
4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8
26 reviews

Enjoy a 3-5 hour adventure on the Salish Sea with the chance of seeing Orca or Humpback whales led by a Marine Naturalist who will give you information about all the wildlife you see while onboard.

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Reserve now & pay later
Keep your travel plans flexible — book your spot and pay nothing today.
Duration 4 hours
Check availability to see starting times
Live tour guide
English

Highlighted reviews from other travelers

5
5 out of 5 stars
S
Suzanne – Canada

Extremely knowledgeable guide and captain. Super enthusiastic. Loved everything. I made the best choice booking this!

5
5 out of 5 stars
E
Elaine M – United States

Hayleigh was an excellent guide and Rodrigo was a terrific captain. They both made sure we were enjoying the trip and were full of information about where we were exploring and what we were seeing. We highly recommend them to others!

Select participants and date

Participants

Itinerary

  • Starting location:

    90 Front St #5

  • On foot

    (1 minute)

  • Salish Sea

    Whale watching

  • On foot

    (1 minute)

  • Arrive back at:

    90 Front St #5

Main sites passed

For reference only. Itineraries are subject to change.

Highlights

  • Focused on only healthy, growing populations of whales
  • Sightings guaranteed, or your next trip is on us
  • Professional guide with academic background in marine biology

Full description

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 an 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.

Includes

  • Professional guide with an academic background in marine biology
  • Captain is certified by Transport Canada
  • Toilet onboard
  • Sunscreen available
  • The listed price does not include parking, Parking nearby is ~$0.75/hour
  • Lunch is not included
  • Tips for your crew are not included in ticket price
  • Transportation to/from office

Not suitable for

  • Pregnant women

Meeting point

Our office is located on Front Street, the seawall along downtown Nanaimo's waterfront.

Open in Google Maps

Important information

Not allowed

  • Smoking
  • Vaping
  • Alcohol and drugs
Likely to sell out

From $175 per person

Reserve now & pay later to book your spot and pay nothing today
Reserve now & pay later to book your spot and pay nothing today

Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.8 /5
4.8 out of 5 stars

based on 26 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.9/5
  • Transportation
    4.9/5
  • Value for money
    4.5/5
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5
5 out of 5 stars
S
Suzanne – CanadaJuly 2, 2025 – Verified booking
Extremely knowledgeable guide and captain. Super enthusiastic. Loved everything. I made the best choice booking this!

Response from provider

July 2, 2025

Hi Suzanne, Thanks for choosing us for your whale watching adventure! It's great to hear that you enjoyed the trip. We will be sure to let your captain and guide know that you enjoyed the tour with them.

5
5 out of 5 stars
E
Elaine M – United StatesMay 27, 2025 – Verified booking
Hayleigh was an excellent guide and Rodrigo was a terrific captain. They both made sure we were enjoying the trip and were full of information about where we were exploring and what we were seeing. We highly recommend them to others!

Response from provider

May 28, 2025

Thank you for the recommendation and review! We will pass the kind words onto Hayleigh and Rodrigo!

5
5 out of 5 stars
J
Jacqueline – GermanyMay 17, 2025 – Verified booking
We took part in a 4-hour whale watching trip in a semi-covered boat (for 12 people). Aly was our guide and Rodrigo our captain. The trip was absolutely fantastic!! Aly was very knowledgeable, enthusiastic and friendly. Rodrigo was also really good at spotting whales. Their enthusiasm was infectious. We were extremely fortunate to be "mugged" by 2 humpback whales and had to stay put for an hour as they swam round our boat. Later we saw sea lions, orcas, bald-headed eagles and cormorant colonies. I can highly recommend this trip.

Response from provider

May 28, 2025

Thank you so much for taking the time to write us such a lovely review! We are ecstatic to hear you enjoyed your time out with us! We will pass the kind words onto Aly and Rodrigo.

Product ID: 622663

Activity provider:
Vancouver Island Whale Watch
  • Canada
  • British Columbia
  • Things to do in Nanaimo
  • Nanaimo Harbour

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