Drew, Bruno, and Genevieve were great. Very entertaining, knowledgeable and fun. We saw whales for an hour. Best Whale watching trip ever!!
Orcas Island Whale Watching





At a glance
- Duration
- 3h 30min
- Price from
- $119 / person
- Location
- San Juan Islands
- Rating
- 4.7 / 5 · 498 reviews
- Group
- Small group, up to 30
- Cancellation
- See policy below
- Confirmation
- Instant
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operator
- Outer Island Excursions
- Meeting point
- Check-in will begin 30 minutes prior to the departure time. Please check-in at our office at the top of the dock. Our Orcas Island location requires you to take the Washington State Ferry to get to the island.
Description
Small group whale watching tours on some of the fastest boats in the region with GUARANTEED WHALES! See whales with us or come again for FREE.
Tour Options
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- This tour departs from Orcas Island. The island can only be reached by the Washington State Ferry System. If your party is not already on island we recommend our Anacortes departure location.
- Check in begins 30 minutes prior to departure.
Cancellation
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Orcas Island Whale Watching take?
Orcas Island Whale Watching lasts about 3h 30min.
How much does Orcas Island Whale Watching cost?
Prices start at $119 per person for this San Juan Islands experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There are 4 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
Can I cancel Orcas Island Whale Watching for free?
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
Where does the tour start?
The meeting point is Check-in will begin 30 minutes prior to the departure time. Please check-in at our office at the top of the dock. Our Orcas Island location requires you to take the Washington State Ferry to get to the island. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 30 participants.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller Children must be accompanied by an adult
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is Orcas Island Whale Watching worth it?
Travellers rate it 4.7 out of 5 across 498 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Outer Island Excursions.
Reviews(498)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
We got lucky, cloudy day turned out to be beautiful, blue skies, and we saw orcas (watched a pod of 7 for an hour, “Jack!”) our first hour out. Our captain/guide Trevor and Sara/marine biologist were both very friendly and informative!!! Beautiful day on the water, Loved it!!! Thank you so much for making the experience so fabulous.
We did not see any orcas, but we saw a humpback whale, sea lions, harbor seals and water fowl. Our guides were very knowledgeable and knew where to go to see wildlife. An eventful tour!
This is a lovely tour of the islands with wild life and orcas! The Capitan, Jake and Naturalist, TK are so friendly and knowledgeable and down to earth. The love they feel for the animals and islands is evident throughout the tour. It is an afternoon well spent!
I am sorry to say that we were a bit disapointed. It was a great thrill to see the pod of whales and to have them swim so close to the boat. Though this was purely by luck. It seemed like the boat was moving away from the whales instead of closer. We were much further than 200 yards. I have been on other companies whale watching excursions and it seemed that the captains didn't spend much time cruising around looking for whales. At the speed we were traveling it would be very difficult to spot them. I noticed the crew were not engaged in actually looking for them as other companies do. We were also promised that one of the crew would send us his photos and he never did.
Glad you saw orca! I don't know where you went whale watching before, but in Washington and BC the viewing regulations are variable, but designed to protect the whales and wildlife and we take this very seriously. This isn't sea world, so we don't dictate what the animals do- which makes each encounter so unique. We consider any beautiful day out on the water with these incredible animals a great day!
The crew couldn’t have been better!!!
It was a fun and exciting trip! Actually saw a pod of Orcas hunting seals and jumping out of the water. The skipper , Jake, was skillful in maneuvering the newer and very clean boat for the best views, and the Naturalist, Harry, was great! and very knowledgeable. Highly recommend this tour !
An excellent tour - we saw two different pods of orcas! The captain and guide were great and it was a fun boat - fast and stable!
Great experience. The guides were very informative and professional.
Captain Gabe and Harry, the deckhand/naturalist, made this an unforgettable orca-watching trip. They were knowledgeable, professional, and clearly passionate about the wildlife and their work. We were lucky enough to see two pods of orcas, plus a lone male during a porpoise hunt—an incredible and rare experience. The crew shared fascinating information while treating the animals and the moment with great respect. Highly recommend this once in a lifetime exceptional trip!
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| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Orcas Island Whale Watching | 3h 30min | 4.7 (498) | $119 | |
Whale Watching from Friday Harbor | 4 hours | 4.8 (852) | $135 | View |
Whale Watching Tour from Anacortes | 3 hours | 4.8 (806) | $119 | View |
Guaranteed Whale Watching Tour | 3h 30min | 4.8 (261) | $119 | View |
Orca whale tour from Orcas Island | 3–5 hours | 4.9 (16) | $199 | View |
The Orcas Project Wine Tasting | 30 min | 5.0 (12) | $29 | View |
Full Day Orcas Island Tour from Bellingham | 9 hours | — | $595 | View |






