Coastal Rainforest Safaris - Whale Watching and Wildife Viewing Tours
Join us for an unforgettable journey exploring the wildlife-abundant waters, islands, and shores of northern Vancouver Island and the adjacent Great Bear Rainforest on Canada’s rugged West Coast. Our tours are deeply rooted in the rich cultural heritage of the Kwakwaka’wakw people. More than just wildlife sightings, we offer a profound exploration of the land, sea, and enduring indigenous traditions that have thrived here since time immemorial.
Departing from Port Hardy on northern Vancouver Island, our tours are conducted aboard our custom-made rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs), designed to navigate the rugged and untamed coastal waters in comfort. Each excursion offers a deep dive into the natural habitats of British Columbia’s varied wildlife and stunning landscapes.
Every adventure presents opportunities to witness majestic humpback whales, playful sea otters, vast colonies of Steller sea lions, perhaps even the rare sight of an elusive coastal wolf, among other wildlife. These waters are not just a habitat for a variety of species; they are a vibrant tableau reflecting the rich traditions of the local First Nations.
At Coastal Rainforest Safaris, authenticity is more than a philosophy—it’s the foundation of everything we do. We take pride in assembling a team that has deep roots in the territories we visit, offering our guests authentic insights into the local history and culture. Our dedication to genuine experiences ensures that each tour is not only enjoyable but also profoundly enriching.
Departs daily at 10:00 am
From June 1 to October 1
5 ½ to 6 Hour Tour
Two night packages
…
Sea Otter and Whale Watching
Grizzly Bears of the Wild
Two nights at the Kwa’lilas Hotel
Departs at 7:30 am
9 to 10 Hour Tour
Scheduled Saturday departures in June and July
Private charters available throughout June, July on request
- An unforgettable day at sea Many thanks to AJ our fantastic captain and guide, we had a wonderful "private" tour (we were the only two tourists on board) and enjoyed the great wildlife and nature. We saw lots and lots of humpback whales, some of which really circled us, and thanks to an underwater microphone we could even hear them - simply magnificent. At one point, a dozen bald eagles circled over the water and swooped down repeatedly in search of prey. In between, an endless number of rhinoceros auklets swam and a minke whale circled - a breathtaking sight. We had lunch near a large group of sea otters. We also saw a black bear, a coastal wolf (very cool!), lots of Steller sea lions, lots of other seabirds and moon snail egg casings (pretty cool!). We highly recommend this tour! Unfortunately, the only animals we didn't see were orcas. But the next day we saw some from the ferry on the way to Prince Rupert - just as AJ had predicted!read moreread lessmarcfilipw2/05/2024Above and beyond We were amazed this trip went ahead. We ended up the only 2 on the boat but wow are we glad it did go ahead.
Went out with Andrew who tailor made the trip to suit us.
We started with a jaunt up the coast to see a black bear feeding on the shoreline then powered so he could show us their unique wolf island campsite opening next year wow, it will be something else.
Regrettably no sea wolves but we would have been incredibly lucky to spot them.
We did see a sea otter with baby, my wifes favourite, sea lions and several humpback whales.
Another highlight was watching the dolls porpoise playing in front of the boat. Simply amazing.
We were so enthralled that we missed our afternoon bus to Pirt McNeil. No worries Andrew said, i'm going that way and he gave us a lift.
What can i say, not only did he have superb knowledge of the area and its wildlife but then went above and beyond for his customers, running the trip with just the 2 of us and getting us to our next stop.
Cant recommend Andrew or the company highly enoughread moreread lessrayandjuliab10/10/2023 - Great Daytrip / Whales & Sea Otters We really had much fun on our very first Zodiac-Tour! You‘ll get high-grade Mustang Floating-Suites, warm bonnets, high-quality binoculars and safety-glasses. So you’re equipped best for this adventure! We really fell in love with the Zodiac, because it‘s fast and great to take pictures. Our Captain (sorry, we forgot the name - was it Dallas?) was very nice, had a huge knowledge and showed us a lot of different places. We saw eagles with their prey, stellar sea lions, common seals, many sea otters (some fighting with nasty seagulls who wanted to rob their food) , Dolphins and lots of Orcas and Humpbacks. A pod of porpoises was very playful with our boat and we even tried to see the sea wolves, which we unfortunately missed. It was a great day and the catering on board was delicious and more than we expected. Everything is definitely worth the price! We can highly recommend this company and hope to be back one day.read moreread lessSilke17310/04/2023Outstanding This is an exceptionally well run operation with superb staff and guides.
Helpful and friendly from the moment we booked their Sea Otters and Whales outing, our guide for the day AJ was outstanding. We saw a glimpse of wolf, humpbacks, otters and sea lions plus a good mix of bird life. The boat was the best I have ever been in and the lunchtime snack delicious.
Thanks to all for a great day!read moreread lessSuttonHill10/03/2023 - We had such an amazing experience! The staff was well organised and welcoming, Cat gave us clear instructions about safety and everything, while our captain, AJ, was simply awesome: friendly, well prepared and fun. Thanks to his dedication we saw plenty of wonderful creatures in one single day trip: plenty of bald eagles, sea otters, black bears, sea lions, humpbacks and lots of orcas! We highly recommend this experience, it was definitely worth!read moreread lessSorina N.9/11/2023Great tour! Was a very windy day and therefore very choppy water in the lesser sheltered waters. It made the whole thing even more spectacular. The boat was superb, definitely given the circumstances. Still super comfortable. So quite a few whales, otters and Dalls porpoises. The very knowledgeable guide made it also a very informative trip! Thanks guys!read moreread lessThijs t.9/11/2023
- Unforgettable whale watch safari, Orca hunt We went with Andrew on an unforgettable Whale Watch Safari and we saw an orca hunt, with jumping orca's, whales and many more. The normal trip should take 3 hours, but Andrew was also incredible excited about wildlife and took us for more than 4 hours on the sea. This company is really engaged with nature and Andrew and his team is fantastic ! Thank you all so much for this unforgettable trip !read moreread lessAnne O.8/29/2023Worth every penny and more! Great little company! So professional and has thought of everything to make your trip the best. Twas a GREAT day! Our guide was brilliant! Saw a minke, orcas, humpbacks and sea otters! Wonderful lunch and we were lucky to have sunshine! Price for experience is way too low!read moreread lessLorrie J.8/17/2023
- Lots to see during this tour! We had a wonderful day with Coastal Rainforest Safaris! We saw whales, otters, Dall’s porpoises, seals and sea lions. The crew worked to make sure we saw as many animals as possible. The best part of the day was the boat. They have new zodiac boats this year with shock absorbing seats. It was a rough day on the water, but we were so comfortable in their seats! If you have back problems or just enjoy maximum comfort, this is the boat for you.read moreread lessTammyMaring8/15/2023Wildlife and whale watching tour At the end of July I did three trips with this company and all trips were different and equally amazing. I saw many humpbacks (lunge feeding, breaching over 30 times), saw a minke lunge feed, and lot's more. The staff were accommodating to my special needs for lunch. So all in all I would recommend this company.read moreread lessStephanieK29828/13/2023
- A grey rainy PERFECT day Typical Port Hardy day: it was overcast and pouring rain. But it did not matter, because the ocean gave us everything (including I kid you not a floating $20). Dolphins, sea lions, otters, a Minke, humpbacks and ORCAS!!! Breaching whales. Tail slapping whales. Dolphins jumping. Dall’s porpoises that we had to pass because the crew stayed late to not disturb the whales blocking our path and because how could they leave breaching orcas?
A huge thank you to Thomas, Katherine and Sherri. They were all friendly, knowledgeable and respectful of the wildlife. Great driving Thomas!read moreread lessChristine C.8/12/2023My whale watching trip with Coastal Rainforest Safaris was an adventure I'll never forget. Their experienced guides provided an enriching journey through the region's incredible wildlife, enhancing the magic of the experience. Seeing these majestic creatures up close was a dream come true, all made possible by the exceptional team at Coastal Rainforest Safaris. It's an absolute must for any wildlife enthusiast.read moreread lessIan H.8/11/2023 -
- We had the best day of our vacation on the island with Coastal Rainforest Safaris. The equipment, boats, staff, food, and entire guest experience was absolutely top notch. We saw multiple Orcas, Humpbacks, and dolphin. Countless sea otters, sea lions, eagles, and even a Minke Whale! We’ve been on many whale watching tours and this one was by far the best, it felt like a luxury expedition the entire time! Those boats ride smooth as butter!read moreread lessStillwater R.8/11/2023We have been the only 2 passengers at the 9am tour. First we only saw nothing but fog, but the captain knew exactly where to look for sea otters, whales, sea lions. We enjoyed the trip with the boat a lot. Captain also knew a lot about the wildlife and explained everything to us. We can totally recommend this tour.read moreread lessAichinger A.8/11/2023
- Great guides! We had an incredible day on the water learning about wildlife and observing them in a respectful way. Saw 8 humpbacks and loads of other mammals. No orcas this year as the northern residents haven’t shown up this year. Visit the Whale Interpretive Center in TC to learn more about why.read moreread lessmelbertchi8/09/2023You can’t top a whale breaching 95 times!! Unforgettable day!! This excursion was one of the best experiences of our lives! The service was welcoming and friendly; the equipment was in excellent condition and provided full protection against all conditions. Our guide went above and beyond to put us in the best position to photograph all the amazing wildlife we saw.read moreread lessLindi V.7/31/2023
- Trip of a lifetime! This day long trip was amazing. They give you wet weather gear so you keep nice and warm - take a toque! We saw everything! Humpback whales, sea lions, porpoises, Bald Eagles fishing, and lots and lots of sea otters. It was so incredible to see sea otters thriving in northern BC. Our guide Mike, one of the owners, shared a lot of history of the First Nations people of the Port Hardy area including his own ancestral history. A trip of a lifetime! Worth coming to Port Hardy.read moreread lessKatieScrim7/11/2023All the staff at Coastal Rainforest Safaris were super friendly and nice, and the boat was superb. We had an absolutely amazing trip with AJ who was a fantastic captain and guide. He was super knowledgeable and genuinely enthused about the area and the local wildlife. We saw a number of various sea birds, porpoises, sea lions, harbour seals, sea otters, and a humpback whale named Ojos Blancos. Every part of the trip surpassed our expectations, from the people to the boat to the amount of wildlife! We would absolutely do another trip with them and would recommend this company in a heart beat.read moreread lessJennifer G.7/11/2023
- We had a fantastic tour with Coastal Rainforest Safaris. A tasty lunch was provided. Jamie organised everything to a 'T' and William was an excellent captain providing information and answering questions. We were fortunate to see a humpback whale, sea otters, dall's porpoises, stellar sea lions, bald eagles and, a small pod of orcas!!read moreread lessCarolyn T.7/11/2023We did the Whale watching and sea otter tour and it was the best tour I have ever been on! All the staff were wonderful and so knowledgeable. William was an amazing caption, very skilled and really cared about the land and water. We didn't have the calmest waters sadly but the new vessel made the whole day so comfortable and smooth. Got to see so many amazing animals and got some amazing photos. We will 100% be coming back to do tours with them again, cannot recommend this company enough!read moreread lessNicole R.7/11/2023
- Great experience - lots of animals We had AJ as our captain and he was awesome! Very knowledgeable about the area and the wildlife! Learned a ton! Appreciated the experience from the First Nations Guide (Thomas) as well
They provide everything you need! Binoculars, Ski goggles (which I couldn't use due to my glasses), hat, floation suit that also keeps you warm, anti nausea meds if needed. They also provided lunch (sandwich and quinoa salad as well as a cookie, hot chocolate, coffee, tea). Everything was taken care of! There is a bathroom on board and the seats are comfortable!
Great experience!read moreread lessDisneyMama857/07/2023Amazing Epic Trip Amazing trip and experience on 10 hour tour to Triangle Island. This is not the tour for those who get seasick though. Waves are bumpy but shock absorbing seats are comfortable. Captain Andrew Jones is wonderful and kind and provides a delicious sandwich lunch with Quinoa salad and tasty homemade cookies. Couldn’t recommend this tour enough Andrew is a good bird spotter and provides binoculars to those who need them. Stayed warm the whole trip in the suits they give you to put on sixes are from small to xxl. Washroom on board and beautiful awe inspiring nature we saw horned puffins, tufted puffins, black bear, black footed albatross, common murres , leach’s storm petrel and sooty shearwaters not to mention humpback whales, sea otters, sea lions, dalls porpoises and harbour porpoises and many sea otter!read moreread lessCanadiatravelgoddess7/03/2023 - Unparalleled Puffin Experience Coastal Rainforest Safaris is the rare wildlife tour operator that manages to tick all the boxes; knowledgable about wildlife, ethical in their approach to viewing, and tuned in to the needs of local communities. I can honestly say this was the best wildlife tour experience of my life, and getting to finally see Hiładi / Triangle Island and the other islands that make up the area after a lifetime of reading about them has me desperate to get back any way I can. I also appreciated the team's knowledge of Indigenous relationships to the site and were able to explain not just its ecological significance but its cultural importance as well. Also didn't hurt that the food was really good and the coffee was flowing.
One final thing I'll say, for wildlife photographers, is the modification to the zodiac where you're able to open a side door, lay down and get eye level with marine life was unprecedentedly cool. Getting good views of things like Tufted and Horned Puffins is one thing, but getting down to their level and photographing them as they disappear behind waves and emerge in front of jagged cliff faces dotted with thousands of Murres was unparalleled. If I could I would go on every single Hiładi / Triangle Island tour they offer, I'll be directing every friend who comes to Vancouver Island this way from now on, and I hope to be back soon and frequently.read moreread lessLiam R.6/29/2023Outstanding from beginning to the end The entire experience was outstanding. The captain and guide were very knowledgeable and engaged. The new boat was comfortable and great for viewing wildlife. The catered lunch was delicious and the safety suits were warm. We saw whales, porpoises, sea lions, sea otters, bald eagles and seals. A very professional and friendly operation!read moreread lesstanyaeD9455TZ6/26/2023 - Went on a wonderful 6 hour Sea Otter and Whale tour on June 19 2022. Absolutely amazing:) William was extremely knowledgeable, competent and friendly. We saw many otters and sea lions, as well as some humpbacks and a black bear. The lunch provided was delicious and respectively accommodated food allergies. We had a great time! Would definitely recommend Coastal Rainforest Safaris. Hope to return!read moreread lessD M.4/11/2023
- What an unforgettable experience! The Sea Otter and Whale Watching Tour was unbelievably cool. The boat ride was worth it even before factoring in all the wildlife we saw. What a gorgeous part of the coast to explore up close. And the delicious lunch was just a total bonus.read moreread lessKirsten D.4/11/2023
-
- Safari is the word to describe it the best. That is what it was. We had a great tour with lots of Otters, Sea Lions, Humpback Whales and bald eagles in a stunning scenery! A really nice guide with a well prepared, homemade lunch meal and dessert. A real Safari, more than just whale watching!!!read moreread lessMarie L.4/11/2023Amazing tour!! I took the 6 hour tour and it was so much fun. Our guide was super knowledgable and also super caring! He checked in with us all to make sure we were okay, made a point to point out specific birds and water animals that guest had wanted to see. We saw SOOO much, he knew the areas and it felt like we were all searching together! The lunch was a delicious sandwich and for desert some homemade zucchini bread which was TOP NOTCH. They were able to accommodate our diet requests (if the form was filled out). The entire experience was super wonderful. 100% would recommend this company if you were looking around. Loved loved loved!! Thanks again for an amazing day!read moreread lessAnna4/11/2023
- We had an excellent experience with Coastal Rainforest Safaris. We saw sea otters, orcas, humpbacks, pacific white sided dolphins, seals, sea lions and more. The guides were very knowledgable about the wildlife and history of the area, and provided a delicious lunch.read moreread lessJustin H.4/11/2023Fantastic experience. Mike knows the waters and where to go to see Humpback Whales, Orca, Sea Lions, Porpoise and Sea Otters. He also understands the environment and history of the area. We had a very special full day travelling between the islands seeing and understanding so much more. Highly recommended!read moreread lessSteve B.4/11/2023
-
-
Port Hardy Whale Watching and Sea Otter Viewing Tours
We are located in Port Hardy at the north end of Vancouver Island.