Explore The Wildlife of Northern Vancouver Island
Explore The Wildlife of Northern Vancouver Island
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 Pacific Northwest. 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. If a slightly shorter tour is more of what you are looking for consider our Evening Wildlife Viewing tour.

Departs daily at 10:00 am
From June 1 to October 3
5 ½ to 6 Hour Tour
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Adult: $275
Child: $260
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Private Charter: From $1925
Tour Details
- Minimum age of 8 years old. All 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.
- The open zodiac style vessel has comfortable bench seating and has a small on-board toilet.
- While there is comfortable seating for 12 passengers, our scheduled tours are limited to only eight guests – two people per bench seat so no one needs to sit in the middle. On private charters, you may choose to have as many twelve passengers.
- Zodiac style boats 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 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.
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An amazing birthday present! I had an incredible day on the water viewing wildlife with Coastal Rainforest Safaris! I enjoyed the scenery and all the amazing wildlife, especially the whales. The staff were knowledgeable and followed all the recommendations for COVID-19 protocol. Lunch was delicious and I felt comfortable and safe on the water. It was a wonderful day and I highly recommend... read moreI had an incredible day on the water viewing wildlife with Coastal Rainforest Safaris! I enjoyed the scenery and all the amazing wildlife, especially the whales. The staff were knowledgeable and followed all the recommendations for COVID-19 protocol. Lunch was delicious and I felt comfortable and safe on the water. It was a wonderful day and I highly recommend this trip! read less
diannehL3443RJ -
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.... read moreWow, 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 less
Helen -
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... read moreI 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 less
Justin C. -
Wildlife, Knowledge and Skill!!! Thank you again for the wonderful experience first hand to observe wildlife in their element. Andrew led a wonderful trip and shared his abundant knowledge of the area. We witnessed Sea Otters cleaning, feeding and relaxing with hands behind head, mama Humpback and calf diving deep, showing tail fins again and again, hearing each blow... Many Sheerwater... read moreThank you again for the wonderful experience first hand to observe wildlife in their element. Andrew led a wonderful trip and shared his abundant knowledge of the area. We witnessed Sea Otters cleaning, feeding and relaxing with hands behind head, mama Humpback and calf diving deep, showing tail fins again and again, hearing each blow... Many Sheerwater birds, Rhinosoraus Aucklets, and more, and Stellar Sealions on haul outs! We even had Dalls Porpoise join us at the end. What I loved most was that the animals weren't disturbed by us, that I was super warm in the outfit attire provided by CRS, and the abundance of skill and knowledge by the guide! Can't wait for my next visit!!! This is must up here! read less
Wild R. -
Outstanding sea otter and wildlife tour with Coastal Rainforest Safaris! We had a fabulous wildlife tour with Andrew! We saw dozens of sea otters, Dall's porpoises, humpback whales, stellar sea lions, seals, and orcas! Andrew is an excellent and knowledgeable guide, who went the extra mile (many miles, actually!) to locate a large pod of orcas that had been spotted in the area. It was such as bonus to... read moreWe had a fabulous wildlife tour with Andrew! We saw dozens of sea otters, Dall's porpoises, humpback whales, stellar sea lions, seals, and orcas! Andrew is an excellent and knowledgeable guide, who went the extra mile (many miles, actually!) to locate a large pod of orcas that had been spotted in the area. It was such as bonus to see them as part of this tour. Thank you - we heartily recommend this tour! … read less
Deb R. -
Otters Everywhere!! Our day on the water with guide Tommy Child was amazing - his professionalism, traditional knowledge, and the abundance of wildlife made for an epic day. We set out of Port Hardy in a fog bank but were quickly clear of it and learning about ancient First Nations use of all that the land and waters had to offer.
We were... read moreOur day on the water with guide Tommy Child was amazing - his professionalism, traditional knowledge, and the abundance of wildlife made for an epic day. We set out of Port Hardy in a fog bank but were quickly clear of it and learning about ancient First Nations use of all that the land and waters had to offer.
We were mesmerized by Dall and Harbour porpoises, sea lions, large numbers of sea otters (our main attraction) and we finished off the day being entertained by humpback whales. I really appreciated that Tom ensured that we were leaving ample room between the boat and the animals and at no point did I feel like we were harassing them.
The open zodiac tour was a lot of fun and by providing us all with buffs it ensured that we all wore masks when we weren't able to keep distant from each other. Just a stunning trip that I look forward to taking in again in the future.
I strongly recommend this company. read lessAJWheel -
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... read moreLoved 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 less
PamDuyn -
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!ATL-YVR -
Wildlife, Knowledge and Skill!!! Thank you again for the wonderful experience first hand to observe wildlife in their element. Andrew led a wonderful trip and shared his abundant knowledge of the area. We witnessed Sea Otters cleaning, feeding and relaxing with hands behind head, mama Humpback and calf diving deep, showing tail fins again and again, hearing each blow... Many Sheerwater... read moreThank you again for the wonderful experience first hand to observe wildlife in their element. Andrew led a wonderful trip and shared his abundant knowledge of the area. We witnessed Sea Otters cleaning, feeding and relaxing with hands behind head, mama Humpback and calf diving deep, showing tail fins again and again, hearing each blow... Many Sheerwater birds, Rhinosoraus Aucklets, and more, and Stellar Sealions on haul outs! We even had Dalls Porpoise join us at the end. What I loved most was that the animals weren't disturbed by us, that I was super warm in the outfit attire provided by CRS, and the abundance of skill and knowledge by the guide! Can't wait for my next visit!!! This is must up here! … read less
Wild R. -
Brilliant day out Had an unbelievable tour with Andrew! We were so fortunate to see a few whales breaching and all the animals we had seen along the way were just amazing! Andrew and his team run these tours incredibly and his genuine love for these tours makes it all the better! I would definitely recommend this tour if your looking for... read moreHad an unbelievable tour with Andrew! We were so fortunate to see a few whales breaching and all the animals we had seen along the way were just amazing! Andrew and his team run these tours incredibly and his genuine love for these tours makes it all the better! I would definitely recommend this tour if your looking for a more detailed and personal adventure. … read less
Christopher C.
Port Hardy Whale Watching and Sea Otter Viewing Tours
We are located in Port Hardy at the north end of Vancouver Island.
The last couple of days has been epic for us; such great wildlife sightings! Viewing wildlife safari style makes it so much more exciting and enjoyable; even for our guides! #coastalrainforestsafaris #crs #safetrueeducational #gonorthisland #wolves #seaotters #orcas #whales ...
A few photos from Saturday's Sea Otter and Whale Watching tour. We saw 11 individual humpback whales throughout the day plus dozens of sea otters and sea lions. We also got to witness sea birds and bald eagles feeding an a bait ball. It was quite something to witness the eagles catching talons full of fish and eat them mid-air before going back for more.
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#visitporthardy #gonorthisland #explorevancouverisland #explorebc #explorecanada #indigenousbc #indigenouscanada #goindigenous #seaotters #sealions #baldeagle #whalewatching #humpbackwhale #wildlifephotography
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Mom and pup; so cute! Our Sea otter and whale tour takes you up to the north tip of Vancouver Island to see these beautiful beings. #coastalrainforestsafaris #crs #safetrueeducational #seaotters #seaotterpup #gonorthisland ...
Adzi t̕łit̕łex̱a̱n! I think this picture represents summer pretty well:) Rest, relax, and restore! #coastalrainforestsafaris #crs #safetrueeducational #sealions #rest #relax #restore ...
Wanna know 5 interesting facts about Ḵ̓iḵ̓asa? Sea Otters are one of the few animals that use tools, Newborn pups cannot sink or dive, Sea Otters have built in pockets under their arms, A group of Sea Otters resting together is called a raft, Sea Otters are the only marine mammal without a layer of blubber (fat). #coastalrainforestsafaris #crs #safetrueeducational #seaotters #seaotterfacts ...
A mother’s love is the same in any language! There is no greater warrior than a mother protecting her little one(s) #seaotterpup #blackbearcubs #motherslove #motherbear #mothermonday ...