Victoria
Whale Watching
and
Adventure Tours
Whale watching tours
can be taken out of Victoria as well as from several other communities
on the Island. Tour
operators
strictly follow the regulations for viewing marine life, as outlined
by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and work very hard to monitor
their activities. The best time to see migrating gray whales is during
March and April;
gray whales are sighted in Clayoquot and Barkley sound from February
through October. The "resident" orca (killer)
whales that live in the local waters are best
viewed from May through November, when they are at their feeding grounds.
During these months, orcas are reliably found in their feeding grounds
and the weather is more conducive to sightings.
From tiny sea creatures and fish to
otters, seals, sea lions and dolphins, the coasts of Vancouver Island
and the Gulf Islands are a gold mine for visitors hoping to see marine
life. The phenomenon of salmon spawning is also something to be seen.
Witness the cycle of life as schools of salmon return from the sea to
lay their eggs in their ancestral spawning grounds before dying. The
spawning of the salmon signals a feeding frenzy for black bears, bald
eagles and any other wildlife that depend on salmon.
Land mammals like black bears, cougars,
deer and elk can often be seen along Vancouver
Island’s back roads and highways, especially in the pristine wilderness
of the northern and Pacific Rim regions of Vancouver Island. While in
the Mount Washington area, you may be able to catch a glimpse of the
rare and endangered Vancouver Island marmot, however it is not recommended
that you seek out this animal, due to its fragile population.
If a horse-drawn carriage or tour
bus just doesn't do it for you, an adventure tour may be just what you
need. Vancouver Island is ripe with biking, hiking, climbing,
and boating tours that will meet your adrenaline-starved needs.
The links below will help you find the tour you're hungry for.
The companies in the table offer fishing,
hiking, rafting, kayaking, canoeing, skiing, whale watching
,
sailing, bear watching, and other adventure tours. Since most
of the companies offer several different services, it was too difficult
to categorize the links into service areas. The majority of the
outfits offer whale and wildlife viewing, along with other recreational
tours.
This year's edition of the
Entertainment Book offer's great savings at dozens of Vancouver
Island establishents, including 50% off tours with Alpine Harbour Tours
& Ferries, Cuda Marine Adventures, Cycle Treks, Wild Cat Whale Watching,
Seacoast Expeditions, and many other great savings opportunities.
We buy an
Entertainment Book on every trip, and recommend it strongly.
