The whaleplanner march a whale watching infographic. Charting the course for responsible wildlife viewing since 1982. The boat was comfortable and it was nice to know their was a toilet on board, although we didnt need to use it. This oceanfront resort overlooks cox bay, on the edge of the pacific rim national park. Ucluelet is the place to do it, rivaling nearby tofino for the top spot, as oftentimes the migrating giants opt for ucluelets sheltered bays over tofino.
Alistair was amazing with his knowledge of the area and the sea life. Whale watching season beginnings the pacific rim whale festival coincides with the kickoff of whale watching season on the west coast, a local mustdo attraction. The best places to swim with whale sharks lonely planet. On the west coast, tofino is a quaint town with an embedded orcawatching culture. If youre unable to use your local groupon, you can trade it in for use toward any of our other great local businesses until you either view the voucher or it expires. For contact information, go to our events page to view the dailyfeatured tour. Whale watching tofino and ucluelet bc humpback, grays. Lukwa, which will join jamies varied fleet of nine whale. Whale watching in tofino head out on the pristine waters of clayoquot sound in search of mighty gray and humpback whales. Best tofino activities best tofino surfing, whale watching. Enjoy the norwegian and icelandic winter and combine whale watching orcas, humpbacks and fin whales. We offer various morning, midday, and afternoon departures. Tolles whale watching adventure tofino wildlife tours. Black bear watching tours operate from april through october.
Whale watching tofino vs victoria tofino forum tripadvisor. In tofino whale watching has been underway for several months now has has been really excellent. Please check under book now for specific daily departure times on our covered and zodiac boats. Whale watching tofino west coast aquatic safaris, tofino. The history of jamies whaling station jamies whaling. Our whale watching season usually starts in mid february and lasts until the end of october. To download the full whaleplanner as a graphic, please just click this link and save the graphic on the next page. Celebrating over 33 years of operation on the west coast of vancouver island, the whale centre continues to venture out into clayoquot sound, off the coast of tofino, bc, taking passengers on whale watching tours, bear watching tours, hot springs cove tours, bird watching tours, pelagic.
It starts with a mind boggling 20,000 grey whales swimming past our shores in spring on their annual migration from birthing waters by the baja peninsula north to the bering strait by alaska. Guided whale watching in tofino is possible from february to november. If seeing whales in their natural habitat is something you have always wanted to do, then planning a trip to do so is easier than you might think. Tofino surfing surfing waves for beginners and experts. The whaleplanner march a whale watching infographic whaletrips. We liked that you could sit indoors away from the wind or go outside. The hot springs tour is not a whale watching trip although you may see some, but a neat option never the less. Both sides of vancouver island afford primo opportunities. From the safety of our boats you can respectfully watch gray whales, humpbacks, biggs orca killer whales, black. Whales can be spotted year round in the pacific ocean off the west coast of vancouver island.
Whale watching in tofino pacific gray whales in tofino, bc. Best place to go whale watching in british columbia. Tofino has a long whale watching season, running from march sometimes late february through october. While exploring the rugged coastal shoreline near tofino be ready for more than just whales. Tofino whale watching remote passages, tofino, british. The peak season is from mid march to mid april, with some whales staying in the area to feed during the summer months. The benefit to touring in tofino is that you have the chance to see more than one species of whale on any given day with. While we feel that the districts of ucluelet and tofino are currently safe zones, we. Tofino whale watching whales and other wildlife love tofino. Whale watching in tofino in june tofino forum tripadvisor. And within this, chances to see them, camera in one hand, binoculars in the other, are almost limitless. While exploring the rugged coastal shoreline near tofino be ready. Many varieties of whales pass through the waters of vancouvers west coast including humpbacks, orcas, grey whales and minke whales.
We offer a halfday whale watching program that travels to gray whale feeding areas near tofino, and a combination package which includes the thermal pools at hot springs cove. Whale watching british columbia vancouver islands watching. These small baleen whales can be seen around the globe, but are often more elusive in the vancouver island area. Youll see orca whales, migrating humpback whales and much more. The whale centre has over thirty years experience in sharing tofino and clayoqout sounds ecosystems with guests from all over the world. If youve never had the supreme pleasure of experiencing the majesty of whales in their natural environment, then its time for you to add whale watching on the west coast of. Each year in march, the pacific rim whale festival celebrates the continued protection. Up to 51% off wildlife tour in tofino the whale centre. What makes tofino a hot spot for whale watching is the migratory season for grey whales heading north to alaska in march then south again in october. The whale centre in tofino offers whale, bear and bird watching tours but it also is a centre for marine mammal rescue.
The best time of year to go whale watching in tofino. Whale watching in ucluelet, whale watching at subtidal. March was fantastic for orca sightings already as well as the grey whales which are the primary whales in the area at this time. Apr 14, 2017 whale watching in tofino, british columbia, canada. Tofino whale watching tofino whale watching tours tofino whale articles. We offer tofino whale watching tours, bear watching tours, bird watching tours and hot springs cove tours on both open boston whaler and covered. Jamies whaling station expands its fleet with the 60 m. Lukwa, in time for its 38th whale watching season in tofino, bc february 26, 2019 jamies whaling station is excited to announce the acquisition of the 60 vessel, m. From march to mid april up to 19,000 gray whales migrate past the pacific rim and every year a few stay around barkley sound between bamfield and ucluelet and in clayoquot sound tofino. Welcome the first gray whales of the season on vancouver island. This is the best place in the world to see orcas, the mr. Tofino located on the western edge of vancouver island is one of the best places to enjoy a whale watching tour with a host of companies offering varying tours you can be spoilt with choice. Start your whale watching year with ease why not visit hawaii.
Or if calm protected inlet boating is more your style, try out our intertidal bear watching tours. Tofino, but the crew also went above and beyond to make the experience fun, safe, full of sightings with the utmost respect for all the wildlife along the way and so very informative. May, june, september and october are great months to go whale watching in tofino. Welcome aboard the whale watch plus program remote passages brings many years of experience and a responsible approach to whale watching in tofino on the west coast. Winter in our temperate coastal rainforest means dramatic skies, rain, wind, big surf plus bursts of sunshine. Annual pacific rim whale festival tourism ucluelet tourism.
Enjoy miles of spectacular scenery aboard our luxury covered boats, or for a real thrill jump aboard one of our zodiacs and experience the wildside. Lean into the wind at chesterman beach, watch the waves at cox bay outside or from the warmth of an inside venue, and more. Every march and april, the pacific rim national park and the communities of tofino and ucluelet celebrate the return of the gray whale during its annual spring migration. Tofino things to do tofino whale watching inc bear watching, hiking, hot springs, whale watching read about us. Whale watching tofino and ucluelet west coast motel. Ocean outfitters is the perfect place to set off on all of your tofino activities.
Whale watching tours let our seasoned guides show you to clayoquot sounds resident whales, sea otters and other marine wildlife. And of course, feel free to share it with your friends who might be interested in seeing whales. Tofino has a long whale watching season, running from march through to late november. Annual pacific rim whale festival tourism ucluelet. Whale watching season in tofino begins in march and ends in late october. Whales can be viewed yearround, but the strongest season begins in may, when a mindblowing 20,000 grey whales swim past tofino s sandy shores. Tofino whale watching tours the whale centre, tofino, bc. Whale watching is popular and reliable from bcs capital, victoria at the southern tip of vancouver island, and from surftown tofino. Jamies whale watching and adventure tours in tofino bc. Gray whales migrate northward to the subarctic waters of the bering sea from their breeding grounds in mexico from march until june each year, and then begin the migration back south between september and december. However, your best bet is to head a little further afield to vancouver island. We are proud leaders in responsible whale watching, bear watching and wildlife viewing and have a strong passion for educating guests about the wonders and the fragility of clayoquot sound and tofino.
The rarity of local sightings make for an exciting show if one is lucky. Tofino whale watching tours ocean outfitters, tofino bc. You can expect to see whales until the end of october. Tofino boat chartersair charters explore clayoquot sound. Winter and whale watching dont seem like theyd go together, but they do in ucluelet, b. The prime whale watching season in british columbia is between april and late october. Whale watching in bc is easily accessible, with tours even going from vancouver. During your trip to vancouver island, it is well worth taking in one of the many tours available along the coast of vancouver island and keeping your full attention on the water.
The tofino whale watching season begins in march with the pacific rim whale festival and lasts into autumn with peak sightings in spring during the gray whale northward migration and throughout the summer months culminating in their southbound return in early september. Remote passages whale watching tours from tofino, bc, vancouver island, canada. Pacific gray whales to the coastal waters of the communities of tofino, ucluelet and. Theyre intent on their annual migration from the baja peninsula to alaskas bering strait. It starts with a mind boggling 20,000 gray whales swimming past our shores in spring on their annual migration from birthing waters by the baja peninsula north to the bering strait by alaska. Hot springs tours the whale centre located in tofino, british columbia has offered whale watching, bear watching, bird watching and hot springs tours in clayoquot sound to the ecominded explorer for over 33 years. Both places can have good whale watching depending on the time of year. The research station is very important to clayoquot sound. In ucluelet, some companies offer tours featuring whale and wildlife watching in the broken group islands, which one of the 3 units of pacific rim national park long beach unit is between ucluelet and tofino, broken group islands is boat access only located betweeen ucluelet and tofino and the west coast trail, which is not accessible from.
Thousands of humpbacks gather in the warm waters to mate and give birth. Whale watching tofino vs ucluelet tofino forum tripadvisor. Aside from surfing, whale watching is usually the first thing that comes to mind when picturing a vacation on canadas west coast. Coroner rules deaths of 6 in tofino whalewatching tragedy. Zodiacs and larger boats they have a very popular tour islands, whales and bears a trip to the broken group islands part of pacific rim national park, with a focus on bear and whale watching. Coroner rules deaths of 6 in tofino whale watching tragedy as accidental the leviathan ii, run by jamies whaling station, sunk after it was overcome by a rogue wave on oct. Aug 15, 2012 a young humpback whale entertains tourists very closely.
Whale watching in tofino pacific gray whales the pacific gray whale eschrichtius robustus gray whale facts. Along the way, keep your eyes peeled for sea lions, sea birds and resident bald eagles. Pacific sands beach resort is located about 10 minutes drive from tofino s town, so convenience is key. The chatter on the local radio channel is about to pick up as whale watching boats start heading out from the docks in tofino for another season. Some operators offer limited boat trips during the winter months. Join us on a wildlife safari for orca, humpback, and grey whales aboard our spacious, high speed, cabinstyle cruisers. Hopping aboard a specialized whale watching boat is the best way to see these majestic creatures. March 15th to october 12th in clayoquot and barkley sounds, we most often view pacific gray whales. Launching from tofino takes you into clayoquot sound. Whale watching tofino vs ucluelet tofino message board. Hi there, ill be in vancouver and tofino in midjune and would be interested in a whale watching tour.
When is the best time of year to go whale watching in. Migrating humpbacks join resident grays from march to september and roaming orcas year round. There are two places to whale watch from the pacific rim. Jamies whaling station and adventure centres tofino. The leviathan tragedy came at the end of the last tourist season for tofino. To download the full whaleplanner as a graphic, please just click this link and. The whale centre invites you to join us for an exciting sea adventure in pristine coastal ecosystems. Whale watching holidays orca watching canadian affair. Relax in the hot pools of the remote hot springs cove and walk through the majestic rainforest with its big trees and ancient plants. With only 2 days tofino may be hard to do as it takes a minimum of 3 hours to drive there from nanaimo victoria and vancouver tours go to the same whales as do tours from san juan islands. Humpback whales can be seen during summer months anywhere within 30 miles off shore and larger groups of them may be spotted while on fishing trips out of ucluelet, bamfield or tofino. Whale watching around vancouver island in british columbia is an exceptional experience that will leave you awestruck after watching whales that weigh thousands of pounds frolic in their natural habitat.
Generally they are a bit further north so you have to travel up to them. Please find more information about our whale watch, bear watch and hot springs tours on the following pages and. The pacific rim whale festival coincides with the kickoff of whalewatching season on the. For example, jamies does tours out of both ucluelet and tofino, however in tofino they also offer a hot springs tour and a flight seeing tour. Whale classification breeding patterns of whales whale migration join us british columbia. Over the winter they breed and calve in warm mexican waters then, midfebruary to april moms and calves till june, migrate close by our shore on the way to cold alaskan waters, where the food is. Whale watching in tofino with jamies full time canada.
Wildlife, ocean, beautiful forests, hot springs and more. Chance of spotting rarer species add an extra thrill to whale watching when whale watching near victoria, keep an eye out for the lesser known minke whale. Whale watching vancouver island news, events, travel. The whale centre, tofino, bc tofino whale watching, bear. Tofino fishing tofino fishing charters have expert experienced guides here. The whale centre tofino all you need to know before. The gray whale migration from baja california, mexico begins to arrive along the west coast of vancouver island in february and continues through late april. They conduct research of the marine ecosystems, monitor marine life and promote public awareness of the marine environment in clayoquot sound. Tofino is a district of approximately 1,932 residents on the west coast of vancouver island in the canadian province of british columbia. We frequently encounter sea lions, otters, porpoises, seals, bald eagles, and much more.
Would one location be better than other at this time of the year. Choose from redone standalone beach houses great for larger groups and families, lodge suites, or couple up and get cozy in either the beachfront or lighthouse suites. The district is located at the western terminus of highway 4 on the tip of the esowista peninsula at the southern edge of clayoquot sound a popular tourist destination in the summer, tofino s population swells to many times its winter size. This is when the weather is warmest and whale sightings are highest. Most common in this area are the summer resident gray whales. Campbell river takes up to 6 hours because the whales dont just stay in one place. Each passes through the seas at slightly different times of the year but overall whale watching season is considered to run from march to october. Killer whales orcas, gray whales, humpback whales and minke whales ply the waves and perform their watery rituals. Tofino is a popular surfing and whale watching resort near the clayoquot area. See whales and other marine wildlife on a whalewatching tour in vancouver. Come celebrate the over 20,000 gray whales that pass by the coast during their winter migration north, and enjoy some fantastic winter whale watching adventures. A whale watching tour in tofino is a fullon seafari. Our season starts with the longest migration of any mammal, the gray whale.
1076 140 1175 1463 341 563 1205 940 167 1100 304 1155 714 681 269 683 1493 446 328 871 821 424 1484 584 916 627 845 446 1057 1287 1022 776 1222 418 722 944 1410 1252