Sea Otter Viewing and Whale Watching Tour
Spend the day exploring the wildlife rich waters, islands and shores off northern Vancouver Island. Search for sea otters, humpback whales, orcas, Dall’s porpoises, Pacific white-side dolphins, Steller sea lions, bald eagles and a multitude of sea birds. Surrounded by sea and cedar trees, connect with the breathtaking beauty of the natural world.
Our signature 5 ½ to 6 hour tour showcases the unparalleled waters of the Kwakwakaʼwakw First Nations. The speed of our vessel allows us to cover a large area and provides us with greater opportunities to see as much wildlife as possible. We may not see all the above animals on every trip but our guides are well acquainted with the local waters and the best places to see wildlife.
Tour Details
- Minimum age of 10 years old. Passengers 18 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
- Tours depart from Coastal Rainforest Safari’s office at 7185 Market Street in Port Hardy, BC on Northern Vancouver Island.
- Please arrive 30 minutes before the tour’s departure time to be outfitted in floater suits and sign a waiver. At the office, your guide will provide a safety briefing plus an overview of the tour and area we will be exploring. The boat is docked a short one minute walk from our office.
- Our open RHIB vessels have comfortable seats on shock mitigating platforms and an on-board toilet.
- RHIBs are not suitable for people with a history of back or neck injuries, recent surgery, or are pregnant.
- Please dress warmly. You will be provided with two-piece flotation suits, warm hats, and binoculars.
- Plenty of wildlife photography opportunities are available but please do not bring tripods on board.
- Lunch and warm drinks are provided on our 5 ½ to 6 hour tours.
Departs daily at 10:00 am
From June 1 to October 1
5 ½ to 6 Hour Tour
.
Adult: $325
Child: $295
.
Private Charter: $2950
Tour Details
- Minimum age of 10 years old. Passengers 18 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
- Tours depart from Coastal Rainforest Safari’s office at 7185 Market Street in Port Hardy, BC on Northern Vancouver Island.
- Please arrive 30 minutes before the tour’s departure time to be outfitted in floater suits and sign a waiver. At the office, your guide will provide a safety briefing plus an overview of the tour and area we will be exploring. The boat is docked a short one minute walk from our office.
- Our open RHIB vessels have comfortable seats on shock mitigating platforms and an on-board toilet.
- RHIBs are not suitable for people with a history of back or neck injuries, recent surgery, or are pregnant.
- Please dress warmly. You will be provided with two-piece flotation suits, warm hats, and binoculars.
- Plenty of wildlife photography opportunities are available but please do not bring tripods on board.
- Lunch and warm drinks are provided on our 5 ½ to 6 hour tours.
- Incredible day on the water! Loved the small boat experience, only 8 of us passengers and it was perfect - we all had prime seating, and the ability to move around and to chat with the guide. Our guide (/owner) Andrew was incredibly knowledgable about the area, the wildlife, the history, and daily life. He led us on a 6-hour tour through open channels and small inlets, checking in regularly to make sure the experience was tailored to us. We ended up seeing 15+ orcas rubbing on the beach (so rare to see!), and with Andrew's hydrophone in the water, we had such a surreal experience as we stood in awe for almost an hour while listening to their noises and the sound of the stones. We also saw a lot of sea otters, and a couple of humpbacks from the distance. Lunch was more delicious than I could have expected - it was all fresh and healthy, with homemade cookies for dessert, and with nearly zero waste which was impressive. The weather wasn't great but it didn't matter - it's a west coast experience and these guys do it right!read moreread lessPamDuyn
- Lifetime experience I highly recommend doing a tour with Coastal Rainforest Safaris! They obey the Covid-19 rules and It was a pleasure to listen to Mike. Beside the tour he also told us more about life in the sea and Indigenous history. We really enjoyed and Mike made sure we took great photos!read moreread lessQuest262151
- Excellent wildlife trip Just back from a fantastic day trip with Mike. Such a great way to appreciate the beauty of this area.
We had amazing wildlife with Humpbacks, Sea otters, Sea lions and eagles and also learned lots about the history of the area.
Delicious lunch as well
Really highly recommended - thanks for a great dayread moreread lessKateK1007 - Trip of a lifetime! Hubby and I went on this trip last week and it's one of our new best memories! We saw humpbacks, sea lions, sea otters, porpoise, orcas and a sea wolf! Mike and Mayumi were great; Mike knows so much about his area and its history. Lunch was yummy and healthy!
Can't say enough good things about this tour, if you have the chance, go!read moreread lessRachelD1977 - Spectacular wildlife experience Wow, did this trip deliver! Although the weather did not fully co-operate, we saw 2 black bears, hundreds of sea lions, 20+ sea otters, 2 minke whales, 28 northern resident orcas, 4 humpback whales, and Dall porpoises .
Organization of the trip was very good and their equipment excellent.
Covid-19 practices were also very good.
Spectacular trip!read moreread lessATL-YVR - Spectacular wildlife experience Wow, did this trip deliver! Although the weather did not fully co-operate, we saw 2 black bears, hundreds of sea lions, 20+ sea otters, 2 minke whales, 28 northern resident orcas, 4 humpback whales, and Dall porpoises . Organization of the trip was very good and their equipment excellent. Covid-19 practices were also very good. Spectacular trip! …read moreread lessHelen
- A great tour of local wildlife! I took the 6hr tour from 10-4 and it was great. I don't expect any guides to produce wildlife for guests. I just expect that they put us in a position to see wildlife using their knowledge of the area. In this case our guide fully delivered. We saw a large pod of orcas, sea otters, 5-6 humpback whales, pacific white-sided dolphins, bald eagles and a sea lions. Everything you could want in 6hrs. Also very knowledgeable about the indigenous cultures and traditions in the area. The boat ride was really smooth as well and a great lunch was provided.read moreread lessJustin C.
- Incredible day on the water! Loved the small boat experience, only 8 of us passengers and it was perfect - we all had prime seating, and the ability to move around and to chat with the guide. Our guide (/owner) Andrew was incredibly knowledgable about the area, the wildlife, the history, and daily life. He led us on a 6-hour tour through open channels and small inlets, checking in regularly to make sure the experience was tailored to us. We ended up seeing 15+ orcas rubbing on the beach (so rare to see!), and with Andrew's hydrophone in the water, we had such a surreal experience as we stood in awe for almost an hour while listening to their noises and the sound of the stones. We also saw a lot of sea otters, and a couple of humpbacks from the distance. Lunch was more delicious than I could have expected - it was all fresh and healthy, with homemade cookies for dessert, and with nearly zero waste which was impressive. The weather wasn't great but it didn't matter - it's a west coast experience and these guys do it right! …read moreread lessPamela D.
- DELIGHTFUL Evening!!! I took the three hour evening tour and it was just perfect. We saw four humpback whales, at least a dozen Dall's porpoise, many sea otters, lots of bald eagles and other birds. The guides were knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. The moon peaked out between the clouds on our way back into the harbour and that put a lovely ending to a very enjoyable trip. I highly recommend the experience. …read moreread lessIwannagetoff
Port Hardy Whale Watching and Sea Otter Viewing Tours
We are located in Port Hardy at the north end of Vancouver Island.