Explore The Wildlife of Northern Vancouver Island
Explore The Wildlife of Northern Vancouver Island
Wildlife Photography Tours and Workshops
Have a crew you need to take out to get that perfect shot? Or a passion for teaching amazing wilderness photography classes? Whether you need us for a few hours or a week, we are always happy to arrange a trip for your unique project.
Our partnership with Sea Wolf Adventures and Kingfisher Wilderness adventures allows us access to not only marine mammal viewing, but also grizzly bear viewing areas, additional boats, wilderness base camps, and floating cabins in remote areas.
We are excited to be working with a number of professional wildlife photographers in 2021 to offer multi-day wildlife photography workshops. For more information or to book a tour, please visit their individual pages directly.
- Matt Shannon Photography and Dave Hutchison Images – August 26 to 30, 2022
- Taylor Burk Photography – September 22 to 25, 2022
If you are interested in working with us to create your own photo tour please contact us.
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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 -
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.... 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 less
AJWheel -
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 -
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 -
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 -
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 see... 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
debr832 -
Fun, informative and professional We had a wonderful time today with Andrew our guide, visiting the islands, coves and waters around Port Hardy. Andrew (one of the owners of the company) was a terrific host and guide, as he was very safety oriented, respectful of the wildlife and knowledgeable about the area. We saw Humpback whales, sea otters, sea lions, seals, bald eagles and... read moreWe had a wonderful time today with Andrew our guide, visiting the islands, coves and waters around Port Hardy. Andrew (one of the owners of the company) was a terrific host and guide, as he was very safety oriented, respectful of the wildlife and knowledgeable about the area. We saw Humpback whales, sea otters, sea lions, seals, bald eagles and many birds, as well as breathtaking scenery. Lunch was a bonus, with a healthy salad, well made sandwich and home baked cookie, with your choice of hot beverage. This was one of the highlights of our three week Island tour - highly recommend. Great value for the money spent. A shout out to Zoe in the office as well - she was very friendly and helpful. Thanks! read less
NorthVanPat -
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... read moreI 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 less
Iwannagetoff -
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... 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
Pamela D. -
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. -
Be awed and inspired by the beauty of nature What an amazing experience. We were treated to sightings of numerous humpback whales, stellar sea lions, porpoises, and sea otters. Our guide was knowledgeable of the area and wildlife. If you get the opportunity to go on a tour, I recommend you don’t pass it up!
zoeelaine83
Port Hardy Whale Watching and Sea Otter Viewing Tours
We are located in Port Hardy at the north end of Vancouver Island. Learn more about Port Hardy, traveling here and local accommodations.
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 ...