Campbell River’s ocean surrounds are well-known for providing incredible whale watching opportunities. Thanks to our neighbouring land mass of Quadra Island, whales frequently funnel between the two coastlines of the Discovery Passage, making it easier to spot them from our shorelines and Discovery Pier. Marine mammals seen in this region include resident orcas, migrating orcas, and humpback whales, and sometimes grey whales and minke whales. Other wildlife like seals, sea lions, seabirds, dolphins, porpoises, and otters are also frequently seen.
Joining a whale watching tour from Campbell River is a sure way to ensure responsible wildlife encounters, more reliable sightings, and access to the best locations. Beyond the uniqueness of our waterways, rich in salmon-spawning areas, strong tidal currents, picturesque islands, and nearby fjords, there are several particularly unique whale watching tours that operate out of Campbell River.
The Indigenous peoples of these lands and waters, the We Wai Kai, We Wai Kum, Kwiakah, as well as the Homalco First Nation have coexisted with whales for millenia and have many stories about them. Then there are the many environmental organizations and whale researchers that call this region home, like OrcaLab, the Hakai Institute, MERS, and Cetus. Everyone is eager to ensure whale populations continue to thrive and human-whale encounters are safe and respectful for all, resulting in particularly educational, mindful, inspiring, and culturally-rich whale watching tours departing from Campbell River.
Uniquely Campbell River Whale Tours
Homalco means “people of the fast-running waters” and Homalco Wildlife and Cultural Tours provide a combination of exceptional, respectful wildlife viewing opportunities and rich, immersive Indigenous storytelling. Many of the tours to their traditional territory in and around Bute Inlet at the edge of the Great Bear Rainforest provide the potential of seeing whales on the way. However, three specific tours increase that potential: Spring Bears and Whales, People Water Land, and Sunset on the Salish Sea during golden hour.
Campbell River Whale Watching and Wildcoast Adventures have come together to provide visitors with an outstanding, dynamic day of two outings—one by kayak and one by whale watching boat. Increase your certainty of seeing diverse marine and coastal wildlife, gain access to locations only accessible by each respective vessel, and soak up two perspectives of the coast.
50 North Adventures provides an unparalleled whale watching experience for families and small groups. They take a maximum of six people on their whale watching tours, so why not book a tour just for you and your loved ones? With plenty of room to move around on the boat, there’s no chance of missing the best moments, like a breaching humpback or the extraordinary sighting of a group of orcas. Optimum comfort exists for the entire family thanks to a covered boat and washrooms onboard.
If these tours are fully booked for the season or you’re intrigued to learn about the other whale and wildlife watching operators in the area, dive into our curated list here. Let Campbell River be the destination of your unforgettable whale watching adventure this year.
