Go whale watching in Victoria on a 12-passenger boat that’s designed for seeking out whales and marine wildlife on Vancouver Island’s spectacular coast. With a heated cabin, onboard bathrooms, and outdoor viewing decks, this whale watching tour is a comfortable alternative to an open speedboat that still provides the maneuverability and personal experience of a small craft while searching for orcas, humpback whales, minke whales, seals, and more.

Flexible route is designed for maximum wildlife sightings
Choose from a wide range of departure times
Start the tour with a briefing by a marine naturalist
Convenient departure point on the Victoria waterfront

What's Included

Live commentary on board
Professional guide

The listed price does not include a parking fee, payable at the time of tour check-in.

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

Five Star Whale Watching
645 Humboldt St, Victoria, BC V8W 1A6, Canada
Check in: We ask all passengers to meet 30 minutes prior to their scheduled tour time. Meet us at 645 Humboldt Street on the North side of the Fairmont Empress Hotel, next to Willow Stream Spa

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Five Star Whale Watching

3 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Victoria (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Not recommended for travelers with back problems
Not recommended for pregnant travelers

No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Not suitable for small children under 6
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Karen_T

Captain and our guide were both fantastic. Would highly recommend your tours to others. Making me right more in order to submit this form isn't a good idea

Reviews

4.5

83 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

Showing 1-10 of 83 reviews

Seeing Orcas and humpback...

Phil_M, Sept 2023

Seeing Orcas and humpback whales breach completely. The captain was very capable! Simply a fantastic experience.

Fun times

Andrea_K, Sept 2023

We had an excellent time. James was very knowledgeable about the different species of whales and marine life. They extended our trip to go further so we could see a pod of orcas.

Great Captain but no whales !

Martin_D, Aug 2023

Very disappointing to have paid close to $500 and not see a hint of a whale in an over 2h trip. I know it wasn't our captain fault but I would expected a partial refund or at worst a complimentary voucher which I could used for friends as I have no intention in going to Victoria in the near future (or ever). BTW, the trip was in the morning of August 6th (apparently high season !)

Response from Host, Sept 2023

Thank you for your review. There were Whales that day but the sea conditions made it a challenge to view them. We go offer a complimentary tour to guests that don't see whales on our tour and it is a lifetime offer.

Amazing ride with an amazing team

Michel_L, Aug 2023

This was one amazing tour. They were knowledgeable and fun to talk to and answered everyone’s questions. The boat ride was an experience with the speed and feeling the wind from the ocean. Would highly recommend them.

Whale watching with Captain Gordon

Sonja_L, Aug 2023

Best Captain ever, Gordon! Small boat and small group and it is the best way to go! We saw whales 8 times! It was the best time ever and we’d do it again in a heartbeat!!

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Gordon is a great Captain and we are lucky to have him! Glad you enjoyed your tour and thank you for the glowing review.

Out on the choppy seas.

Rob_P, Jul 2023

Rough waters in the Strait. Check the weather the day before and if it says windy and choppy cancel your trip. Wait for a calmer day. Best of trip was our Captain, Jasper. He's a younger local boat driver and was an excellent Captain and very knowledgeable regarding the area and mammals.

Well done

Karen_T, Jul 2023

Captain and our guide were both fantastic. Would highly recommend your tours to others. Making me right more in order to submit this form isn't a good idea

No refunds...period

Elizabeth_S, Jul 2023

Beware if you book with this company and receive a request to rebook due to high winds. We rebooked when we received their request and it resulted in a less than satisfactory experience. I understand that they have to pay their staff (who were excellent) but there is no refund (not even a partial one) if you do not see a whale. I suspect that windy conditions could result in seeing no whales. They do allow you to return on another date anytime in the future and take another tour, but we live far away and most likely will never return. This was a $520 Canadian mistake that I am sorry I made.

Response from Host, Jul 2023

Whilst we understand your disappointment at not seeing whales, our crew was also disappointed, expecting a refund is unrealistic and unreasonable, especially as you did not even book directly with us! The fuel dock does not give us a refund if we don't see a whale, our staff still need paying, we still have to pay moorage, rent, insurance etc. No company in Victoria gives a money back guarantee, we are dealing with wild whales that travel up to 100 miles a day. However, on the rare occasions (we see whales on 95-98% of our tours in peak season) a guest does not see a whale, we offer a lifetime opportunity to come out again for free, a more than reasonable offer. This was the only tour in July that had not seen Whales. The fact is that when our vessel left the harbour conditions were good and there were Orcas nearby, so we were very confident we would see whales on that trip. Unfortunately, about 15 minutes after we had left the harbour the boats with the whales lost sight of them. We along with 5 other vessels spread out and tried to reacquire them. One vessel did briefly spot them but despite our best efforts we could not find them. We then tried to head South West to spot Humpback Whales that we had seen on the morning but the conditions to the south had deteriorated, preventing us from heading in that direction safely. We always put passenger safety first. Yes, we had moved you from the evening tour as there were strong winds forecast that evening and it would not have been safe to head out in the evening. Whilst we are sorry that you did not see whales on your tour, your expectation of a full refund was unrealistic. We provide a very reasonable return policy that is a lifetime offer for a complimentary trip.

Awesome tour…the staff on...

Wayne_T, Jul 2023

Awesome tour…the staff on board gave us so much information...They should be commended for making our trip so enjoyable and educational..Thank you so much, We would recommend this tour to anyone!

Great time!

Melina_F, Jun 2023

Excellent and knowledgeable tour guide! Safe and pleasant the whole time! Will definitely go again some day!

Response from Host, Jul 2023

We are so glad to hear that you enjoyed your tour guide, our guides always love to hear good feedback. Thanks for your lovely review and we hope to see you again sometime!

Fun day

peggysuescardbox, May 2023

We only saw one whale from far away. Wish we would have seen more. Had a wonderful boat ride. Captain was very informative.

Response from Host, Jun 2023

Thank you for your review and glad you had an enjoyable time of the tour. Yes, sometimes it is one whale, other times it is more. A lot depends on the food in the water, which is why we encounter whales in our area. Thank you for the comments about our Captain we will pass that on.

We sat in the cabin with...

Kristine_O, May 2023

We sat in the cabin with Gordon and shared stories! Had a blast! Saw a whole pod of Orca’s! We followed them for quite a while!

Response from Host, May 2023

Thank you Kristine for your glowing review and kind words about Captain Gordon, we will pass on your comments. We are glad you enjoyed your tour.

Great experience

Eva_S, May 2023

We were able to see a couple of wheels. Captain was very knowledgeable and tried his best to give us memorable experience.

Response from Host, May 2023

Thank you for your great review and we are glad you enjoyed your tour. We will make sure we pass on your kind words to the Captain, they do a fantastic job and love getting feedback.

Whale of a Time

Rob_P, May 2023

Seas were very rough in a small aluminum-type zodiac. Probably would have selected a larger boat. However the experience was worth the excursion.

Response from Host, May 2023

Thank you for review and we are glad you enjoyed the excursion. On the day you took the tour the seas were rough in areas but even our large boat took some spray that day! We actually cancelled all our tours the following day due to extremely high winds, which we felt were unsafe to venture out in, though a few other companies did. However, we believe safety first. Thank you again for your review and glad you had a great time.

Fabulous Whale Sightings

Helen_B, May 2023

We had fabulous whale sightings and the guides were great and very knowledgeable. We were very lucky as the weather was beautiful but definitely wrap up in layers even if it’s 30 degrees on land!!!

Response from Host, May 2023

Thank you for your fabulous review, it is really appreciated. We are glad you had such a wonderful time on your tour.

Amazing experience....

Mandi_H, May 2023

Amazing experience. Gorgeous views and amazing animals! So humbled! The crew was delightful and knowledgeable. Everyone should experience this trip!

Response from Host, May 2023

Thank you for such a glowing review and we are glad you enjoyed your tour. We will pass on your kind comments to our crew. Thank you again.

Our tour experience

Laurette_M, May 2023

a few days before the tour was set to take place we got a phone call indicating that there was a staff shortage and that we needed to change our trip to a different boat and a different time. Day of the tour: tour was on time leaving the harbor. It had rained and the cushions on the top deck absorbed some water and it squeezed out when we sat on those cushions. Our pants got wet and it made us cold during the trip. We expected to see some orcas or whales or dolphins but saw none. I will watching was supposed to be the highlight of our trip so there was some disappointment although we knew that nature doesn't always cooperate with your plans. We were offered to go out again at a future date that's no charge.

Response from Host, May 2023

Thank you for your review, we love getting feedback from guests. We do understand your disappointment after not seeing whales on your tour, which is why we provided the offer of a free tour in the future. Although most trips do see whales, the reality is we are dealing with wild whales that move up to 10 miles a day. Hopefully, next time you will have better luck. Regarding the vessel change, unfortunately, like many businesses since the pandemic we are dealing with staffing shortages, especially Captains. The other reason for the switch was to provide more cabin space as we knew the weather could be wet and cold that day. Our naturalist did ask if you wanted a jacket or if you wanted to head into the heated cabin area. As we operate in the Pacific Northwest there is always a chance for inclement weather and why in our pre-trip information we provide a comprehensive list of items to bring and clothing to wear. Thank you again for your review.

Awesome adventure

JoelandSherry_R, May 2022

Great boat captain. Very thorough. We saw killer whales along with seals and bald eagles. Wonderful experience

Response from Host, May 2022

Thank you for your thoughtful review. We are happy to hear you enjoyed your recent experience so much. Thank you for your comments about Captain Emma, we will pass on your comments. Thank you again for your wonderful review and we hope to see you again soon.

Fun!

William_S, Jul 2020

Super friendly staff, are able to answer any and all questions you may have, go above and beyond to ensure you have a great experience!

Response from Host, Jul 2020

Dear Gabriela, thank you for taking the time to leave such an incredible review. We are so happy to hear you had an amazing experience during your tour. Thank you also for your kind comments about our wonderful staff. Thank you again for your review and for choosing Five Star Whale Watching.

Wonderful Experience

Laura_M, Jul 2019

The captain was knowledgeable, and very informative, answering my son's questions, with fascinating facts and information. So worth the trip. I'm also visually impaired and the captain was excellent with making sure I knew where they were pointing and what they were seeing. Would do again

Response from Host, Aug 2019

Laura, Thank you so much for taking the time to write a review. It makes me so happy to hear that you and your son enjoyed your trip. Your captain, Kaegan, loves to share his knowledge and passion about the marine environment, and I am glad you got to experience it! I will be sure to pass along your review to him. Thank you again, and we hope to see you again one day! Warmly, Melina Sorensen Office Manager