Vancouver
Seaplane Flight to Victoria and Whale Watching Cruise

Vancouver to Victoria Seaplane Day Trip and Whale Watching Tour

Badge of ExcellenceVancouver, Canada
  • 10 hours (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket

Don’t worry—here are some similar options

Overview

Discover the natural wonders of Vancouver and Victoria an exhilarating whale watching excursion! Delight in lovely aerial views on the crossing of the Strait of Georgia by seaplane—the most eco-friendly transport to Victoria. From the island capital, set off on an exciting cruise through Haro Strait, native home to orcas (killer whales), sea lions and seals, followed by a return flight to the mainland.
  • Whale watching cruise by boat to spot Southern Resident killer whales
  • Two flights between Vancouver and Victoria are included
  • See seals, sea lions, seabirds, and the spectacular vistas of Southern Vancouver Island
  • Small group tour ensures personalized service

What's Included

  • Roundtrip scenic seaplane flight from Vancouver to Victoria
  • Whale-watching cruise
  • Taxes and sustainability fees.
  • Gratuities
  • Food and beverages
  • Hotel pickup and drop off

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • Harbour Air
    1055 Canada Pl, Vancouver, BC V6C 0C3, Canada

    Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre Unit #1 - 1055 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC, V6C 0C3 The seaplane terminal is located at Burrard Landing in Coal Harbour. Parking is available at 1095 W Waterfront Rd, Vancouver, BC. Check-in for your flight 40 minutes ahead of the scheduled departure.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Kick off your oceanic adventure from downtown Vancouver. Choose your departure time, meet your pilot, and board the seaplane for a thrilling water take-off.

Leave behind Vancouver’s bustling harbor for the dramatic beauty of the Straight of Georgia. You have plenty of air time to soak up great aerial views of snow-capped mountains and verdant coastline before landing in Victoria. From there, board an open-topped Zodiac or covered Ocean Cruiser (please make your boat selection at time of purchase) for the whale-watching cruise. 

Set off into Haro Strait, an area flush with salmon—a natural attraction for orcas during migration! Spot whale pods, as well as seals, sea lions, sea otters and more. Throughout your ride, your guide shares fascinating facts about the resident marine life, and explain the area’s unique oceanic ecosystem.

After your cruise, choose to head directly back to the mainland by seaplane, or stay in Victoria to visit great attractions like the Butchart Gardens or the Empress Hotel, known for its fabulous traditional English tea service. Please check with your guide for the last flight time of the day. 

This tour is seasonal, operating from March to October.

Harbour Air Seaplanes

3 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Haro Straits (Pass By)

Harbour Air Seaplanes

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Infants must sit on laps
  • Most travelers can participate
  • Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there is not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund.
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult on the seaplane flight, and whale watching excursion.
  • Not handicap accessible.
  • Duration of tour may vary.
  • On the whale watching excursion, covered vessel tours welcome people of all ages, however the zodiacs are restricted to those that are 6 years old and above, and a minimum height of 4 feet.
  • Sorry, pets cannot be accommodated on the whale watching excursion. However, certified service animals can be accommodated on covered vessel tours only, and not zodiacs.
  • Please present Government issued photo ID at check in
  • Check in 40 minutes prior to departure time
  • Passengers not checked-in before the check-in cutoff time will not be able to board their flight and will not be refunded their fare. A no show fee of 100% will be charged 20 minutes prior to flight departure on unclaimed seats.
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 14 travelers

Cancellation Policy

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

Traveler Photos

See more

Reviews

4.5
134 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
0
0
0
0
0
Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-10 of 134 reviews
Amazing experience, highly recommend!
Emily_W, Sep 2024
We (myself and my husband) had an incredible time on this trip with Orca. Our guide Liam was really informative and helpful, adding in little hints and tips. The powerboat itself is worthwhile but then to see Humpbacks, Seals, Sea Lions and Ollie the otter - just incredible. Sadly no Orcas/Killers but just the luck of the draw on the day!
Great trip
Timothy_J, Sep 2024
Great trip. Great chance to see stunning scenery and wildlife. Guide was knowledgeable, friendly, enthusiastic. Highly recommended.
Amazing
Catherine_S, Sep 2024
An amazing day. We arrived in Victoria by sea plane from Vancouver and then did the Whale watching trip on a Zodiac. Thank you Mickey, you were fantastic and got us so close to the whales. I would highly recommend this trip.
Great way to spend a day on Victoria
Abby_H, Aug 2024
Plane ride was by far the best way to get to the island. We had plenty of time to experience downtown before the boat trip. Be prepared for a cold, bumpy ride, but it will be worth it. We were able to see a humpback, sealions and seals.
Shop around more!
Barbara_K, Jul 2024
The people we met on the boat. Confusion about where to catch the boat, sometimes using Harbor name and then Orca. Poor signage. Better planning for boat return to dock and seaplane times. We had to run to be in time to check-in for return seaplane to Vancouver.
Ingress to spend a day.
Karen_B, Jul 2024
I enjoyed the seaplane rides coming and going the best. The whale watch was just Ok. No breaching whales but the crew was remarkable and informative. I did expect to be on a pontoon boat but this covered one was ok. They said they would switch the people from Up stairs to down stairs but that never happened. Walk between boat and plane was long. They should have shuttled people.
Awesome Adventure
Rebekah_A, Jul 2024
This trip was awesome. My husband and I were celebrating our 20th Wedding Anniversary. It was the perfect adventure for our celebration. The seaplane was exciting and the whale watching was beautiful. We had a beautiful day. Glad we bundled up because it got cold out on the water. We saw a family of Orcas and also some sea lions, a bald eagle, and some porpoises. Our guide was great! Very much recommended.
A fantastic adventure
Keith_S, May 2024
Although it was a rainy day in Vancouver we took off on time and once on the boat the weather was dry. We did see humpback whales, which made our day. I even got to fly in the cockpit passenger seat on the return seaplane flight. A lively day!
A very rewarding experience
Tasha_D, Oct 2023
We saw many humpback whales, sealing, seals, and even a couple bald eagles. It was a super clear day and the views were stunning. We even saw a Grey Whale which from what I heard is more rare.
Whales, whales, whales!
Lisa_M, Sep 2023
Amazing day! We saw dozens of whales! Captain Bill was great and out crewmen, Jake and Derek were fantastic - funny, knowledgeable, and helpful. The trip was everything we’d hoped for!
Fun times
Brent_D, Aug 2023
Great trip. Seaplane flight was beautiful and comfortable. Whale watching tour was terrific. Our tour guide, Ryan was fantastic. Highly recommend the trip!
Response from Host, Aug 2023
Brent_D, Thank you for the five-star review. We are so pleased to hear you enjoyed the experience and enjoyed the beautiful views from above. We appreciate the recommendation, and we look forward to seeing you again soon.
Amazing experience!
Sheereen_A, Aug 2023
Absolutely amazing experience. Highly recommended. We took a seaplane from Downtown Vancouver to Victoria and back again on the last flight. We had part of the day to go around Victoria (although we didn’t get time to go to the gardens) we then went for a 3 hour whale watching experience with Edward the legend, knowledgable fun and make the trip so exciting - we saw killer whales and hump back whales. Bucket list stuff ✅
Response from Host, Aug 2023
Sheereen, thank you so much for your kind and detailed review! We are so pleased you enjoyed your trip to Victoria and experience with Orca Spirit. Looking forward to seeing you for your next adventure. - Harbour Air Team
Great experience
Rachel_P, Aug 2023
The sea plane was such fun and seeing humpbacks so close was awesome. Many thanks to our very skilled skipper who made us feel safe. I loved how respectful he was of the animals as well as being so knowledgeable.
Response from Host, Aug 2023
Rachel, Thank you for your five-star review. We're so pleased to hear you enjoyed the experience. We are so happy to hear you were able to see humpback whales during your tour - it certainly does make for a memorable experience. We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Great day
FLORENT_M, Aug 2023
Great trip, great team, it was just perfect , respectful of the whales, very pleasant flight trip, well done
Response from Host, Aug 2023
thank you so much for your review! We are so pleased you enjoyed your trip to Victoria, and time with Orca Spirit. We are thrilled to hear you enjoyed the spectacular scenery and had a chance to encounter some of British Columbia's most iconic inhabitants. Looking forward to seeing you for your next adventure. - Harbour Air Team
Just unbelievable
Gerald_K, Aug 2023
Just great - a real once in a lifetime experience. The whales were as close as two meters to the Zodiac!
Response from Host, Aug 2023
Gerald, thank you for your five-star review. We're so pleased to hear you enjoyed the experience and saw these majestic creatures up close. Looking forward to seeing you for your next adventure. - Harbour Air Team
Amazing memories were made
Lucy_H, Aug 2023
This was a day I will remember for a long time! The seaplane was really fun, amazing views. We did an open boat for the whale watching tour, and I was awestruck for the whole 3 hours... the views across the water to the mountains were incredible enough, then we saw a humpback whale jump out of the water which was unbelievable, we also saw eagles and seals and sea lions. Don't even know what to say. Best day ever and totally worth the money
Must do trip - fantastic
Natalie_M, Jul 2023
Great seaplane trip to Victoria. Whale watching trip on the zodiac was great fun, we managed to see seals, a californian seal, sea otter, bald eagle, a humpback whale and a pod of orcas - absolutely fantastic. Would definitely recommend this trip - would have enjoyed it even if we'd been unlucky and not seen whales but to see them was brilliant. Explored a little of Victoria, fishermans wharf is well worth finding.
Fun, fast and a treat
Nicolie_C, Jul 2023
Loved the seaplane and views. A quick and easy way to get to the island. Victoria pretty to explore. The whale watching tour was fun. We were suited up and warm clothes, hat and sunglasses are worth taking. We saw lots of whales in their natural habitat. More info on the whales would have been good. The rib boat experience was good: fast, wet at times and close to the sea.
Response from Host, Aug 2023
Nicolie_, Thank you for your five-star review. We're so pleased to hear you enjoyed the experience. We are so happy to hear you love our services and the convenience of flying. Looking forward to your next flight with us.
Whale watching paradise!
Chris_G, Jul 2023
The whole trip was incredible. Stunning flights and seeing many humpbacks and orcas, including several jumping out of the water was witnessing nature at its very best. Brilliant and knowledgeable crew on the boat made it all the more special!
Response from Host, Aug 2023
Chris_G, Thank you for your five-star review. We are so pleased to hear you enjoyed the experience. We are thrilled to hear you enjoyed the stunning scenery and seeing many whales from above. We look forward to your next flight with us.
Great one day trip
Olga_F, Jun 2023
Sea plane ride was great, only 35min and you are in Victoria. Service and people in the airports, on the speedy boat were very welcoming and helpful. The weather was not great, but overall experience was nice and we managed to see the whales that was the aim of our trip.
Response from Host, Jun 2023
Olga_F, Thank you for your five-star review. We are happy to hear you had a great flight. We work hard to meet the needs of our guests and we really appreciate hearing that our staff is very welcoming and helpful. We hope to welcome you aboard again someday.
...

Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought

Explore Similar Things to Do

Explore Similar Things to Do

Attractions in Vancouver, Canada

More attractions near Vancouver, Canada

Vancouver Tours

Help CenterCustomer CarePrivacy and Cookies StatementAbout ViatorNewsViator blog
© 1997-2024 Viator, Inc.
Terms & Conditions