The 5 Best Nature & Wildlife Tours in Downtown, Vancouver Island

WHALE WATCH with SpringTide on the 84 passenger, 61-foot Marauder. Experience the joy, excitement and wonderful memories of our mammals, whales, porpoise, seals and marine birds! Enjoy complimentary beverages while listening to professional biologists provide informative narrations. Or, join an exhilarating excursion onboard one of our high-speed, open Zodiacs. SPORTFISH year round for Salmon & Halibut on SpringTide’s 42’ Sportfisher.

Come enjoy the ultimate Victoria Kayaking Experience with Ocean River Adventures. Located in Victoria’s Inner Harbour, kayaking is a great way to explore our historic city. Join us on one of our Harbour Kayak tours or Sunset Tours. We also offer an Oak Bay Shoreline Kayaking Tour as well as our unique Discovery Island Kayak Tour, recognised as one of the top tours in Victoria. Offering expeditions, tours and courses throughout the Vancouver Island region, our guests will experience all the wild West Coast has to offer. Hands-on education about water and marine conservation is a key theme and we only employ certified guides that respect sensitive ecosystems and species while teaching about the importance of ocean sustainability, preservation and conservation. Victoria’s premier paddling and outdoor adventure company. Want to try something different? We are also a premium stand up paddle tour operator in the southern Vancouver Island and Victoria region.

We are located in the best location to kayak Victoria's Outer Harbour! Avoid busy downtown harbour traffic and quickly paddle with amazing Olympic Mountain vistas, harbour seal colonies, blue herons, eagles, jellies, star fish and kelp forests just around the headland from our shop. We offer several guided sea kayaking tours that range from an Inner Harbour paddle to a true West Coast paddling experience on a full day kayaking tour to a historic lighthouse. Enjoy the flavor of a local marina and paddle with us in Victoria's amazing ocean environment. Our tours include a lesson at the beginning of each tour as well as all of the kayakiing equipment needed. We look forward to exploring with you!

Leave the crowds behind on our custom made vessels specifically designed for comfort, speed and safety that carry only 12 guests at a time. The rugged beauty of the West Coast is something that should be experienced with Victoria’s boutique whale watching company. The wildlife and limitless adventure that the Salish Sea has to offer is easily enjoyed when experienced in the comfort of our state-of-the-art vessels! Our knowledgeable crew ensure that each and every trip is an inspiring and educational experience.

Orca Spirit Adventures is Victoria's premier whale watching company, offering carbon neutral tours led by captains and naturalists whose knowledge and passion for Vancouver Island’s marine wildlife is unequaled in the industry. April through October are the peak whale watching months and during this time we boast a greater than 95% success rate of spotting whales, including humpback whales, transient & resident orcas, minke, & gray whales! Other wildlife you may encounter include Dall’s and harbour porpoises, harbour and elephant seals, otters & marine birds such as cormorants and bald eagles. Unlucky tour? Join us again using our WHALE GUARANTEE for a complimentary tour to bring your dreams of seeing these magnificent animals to life. Choose between a covered vessel with indoor and outdoor viewing areas and the 12-passenger zodiac vessel, for the more wild at heart. For all guests we offer complimentary shuttle pick up from all hotels in downtown Victoria. Tour length is 3-hours.