Immerse yourself in BC's coastal wildlife as you travel through the gulf islands archipelago in search of killer whales (orcas), humpbacks, sea lions, porpoises, eagles, and more. Your guide has an academic background in biology and a passion for marine life! Whale sightings are guaranteed or your next trip is FREE. Hop onboard our 12-passenger zodiac style vessel and you'll experience whales and other marine life right at water level! We'll fit you for an anti-exposure suits that will keep you warm and help protect you from the elements.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Whale Watching Nanaimo Open Boat Tour lasts about 4 hours.
Prices start at $181 per person for this Vancouver Island experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The meeting point is Our office is located on Front Street, the seawall along downtown Nanaimo's waterfront. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
The experience is available in EN.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 12 participants.
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 4.9 out of 5 across 208 verified reviews; it is run by Vancouver Island Whale Watch.
Very friendly and smiling welcome. Wonderful day, we were able to see many whales and sea lions thanks to the professionalism of our guide and our captain!
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review! It's great to hear that you found the crew welcoming and enjoyed your time on the water with them, seeing all that wildlife. We will be sure to pass along your kind words. Thanks again for joining us!
We went on an open boat tour on August 19th and saw 5 orcas and a humpback whale plus seals and a sea otter (on the dock)! Our tour guide Evan and driver Joseph really made the tour great. Evan was very knowledgable and approachable, he was giving us lots of interesting information about the whales we were seeing and was really friendly and upbeat! We also really liked the open boat, it’s fun and enables you to get to wildlife quickly. We much prefer it to other boats we have been on other tours. The tour was the highlight of our trip.
Thank you for the review! It sounds like you were very lucky with the amount of wildlife spotted during the tour, and before that, with the otters on the dock! It's great to hear that you felt so comfortable during the tour with Evan and Joseph. We will be sure to pass your kind words along to them! Thanks again for choosing us for your whale watching adventure!
Amazing experience with our guide Hayleigh and our boat captain Rob. 2 adults (one with motion sickness) and 2 teenagers. Everyone had a fantastic time and were lucky enough to see 10 different Orcas (they had a tea party for us, very rare) and 3 different Humpbacks and a pile of seals. Even when you weren’t looking for spouts they scenery was gorgeous. My wife who has motion sickness was very concerned, but she had the time of her life. Would highly recommend to everyone, safe, punctual and great staff and the wildlife really put on a show for us.
Hi Jon, thank you for the review! It's great to hear your family enjoyed their time on the water with us. I know motion sickness can be tricky! The open boat is great for that with all the fresh air, and it sounds like the wildlife kept things exciting for you. We will be sure to let Hayleigh and Rob know that you enjoyed the tour with them. Thanks again for choosing us!
The ride on the open Zodiac was an experience in itself! Well protected with the waterproof and warm suits, the high speed was no problem; on the contrary, it was pure pleasure. We saw at least 10 orcas, two humpback whales, sea lions, and seals. Jordan, our guide, was able to share a lot of his extensive knowledge with us.
Thank you for the review and for choosing us for your whale-watching adventure! It sounds like a great day on the water, getting to see so many orca and humpbacks in addition to the other wildlife. It's great to hear you found Jordan to be knowledgeable throughout your encounters; he loves sharing his knowledge with our guests! We will be sure to pass along your kind words to him.
Ali and Captain Silvane were great we had a charter an the personal experience Ali gave us was second to none. She was incredibly knowledgeable and her ability to spot humpbacks & orcas from km away was astounding! Ali also was very respectful to the animals & the environment with conservation as well as tourism at the heart of our trip.
Thank you for the review! It's great to hear that our staff's passion for wildlife shone through during your time on the water with them. Sounds like it was a great day, especially getting to see both species of whales! Thanks again for choosing us!
Had a great time Ally and Rodrigo were fantastic. Very knowledgeable. We were able to see orcas, humpback whales, raps and sea lions and eagles. It was great. Just remember to dress warm.
Hi Jennifer, thank you for leaving us a review! It sounds like you got to see a lot of wildlife during your time on the water with us. We will be sure to let Aly and Rodrigo know that you enjoyed the tour. Thanks again for joining us!
Amazing experience! Got to see orcas, seals, and sea lions from an open boat on the water. It is good value for the money and you get 3-5 hours out on the water. The tour guides were super friendly, and the open boat provided a fun and fast experience when going against the waves. I would recommend the open boat for an adventurous date or adults, but if you have a little one I'd opt for a closed boat.
Thank you for the review! It's great to hear that you enjoyed your time spent whale watching on our open boat. It is a very adventurous option! I'll pass along your kind words to your Marine Naturalist; I'm sure they will be thrilled to know you enjoyed your time with them during the tour. Thanks again for choosing us!
It’s an open zodiac boat with dry suit. Driver was safe and fast and the Naturalist was very informative and professional.
Hi Lisa, thank you for taking the time to leave us a review! It's great to hear that you found your crew safe and informative. All our staff are very passionate about wildlife and about sharing it with our guests, so it's nice to hear that passion shone through for you! Thanks again for joining the tour with us!
It was a long boat ride out on the bay where the sharks were. Unfortunately, we saw a lot of fins and partial bodies, which truly is uncontrollable. Then we saw some Sea Lions on the way back. Wish we could have saw more activity from the sharks, but is what it is. A little pricey for not having seen too much shark activity.
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We're sorry to hear that the trip didn't quite meet your expectations. During our tours, we observe wild marine wildlife in their natural environment, so every encounter is unique and animal behaviour can be unpredictable. It sounds like the animals you saw were actually orca (killer whales), rather than sharks. While they don't always spend long periods at the surface as they travel, seeing orca in the wild is a special experience, and we're glad you also had the chance to see sea lions along the way. Thanks again for choosing us!
What an adventure from start to finish. 4 hours of fun with an amazing guide - Ali. We saw loads of whales, sealions, eagle and so much other wildlife. Ali provided lots of interesting information throughout the tour. The boat ride itself was exhilarating at times and enjoyed by all. Highly recommended 5 star!
Thank you for the review! It's great to hear that you enjoyed the adventure on the water with us and got to see so much wildlife! Aly is very passionate about the wildlife, so it's great to hear she was able to provide you with interesting information throughout the tour! Thanks again for joining us!
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whale Watching Nanaimo Open Boat Tour | 4 hours | 4.9 (208) | $181 | |
 Victoria Zodiac Boat Whale Watching Adventure | 3 hours | 4.8 (1,092) | $148 | View |
 Summer Whale Watching Tour in a Zodiac Boat in Victoria | 3h 20min | 4.7 (426) | $139 | View |
 Covered Boat Whale Watching 4-Hour Tour from Campbell River | 4 hours | 4.8 (89) | $197 | View |
 Victoria Half-Day Whale Watching Adventure with Free Photos | 3h 30min | 4.9 (2,765) | $156 | View |
 Summer Victoria Whale Watching Tour on a Covered Vessel | 3 hours | 4.6 (585) | $131 | View |
 Vancouver Island Half-Day Whale Watching Tour - Telegraph Cove | 3 hours | 4.8 (380) | $148 | View |