Spring Bears and Whales Tour in Campbell River

Overview

Available languages

English

7 hours

Mobile ticket

This unique Spring Bear and Whale Watching Tour includes lunch and offers something for everyone!

Springtime in British Columbia is a time of waking up and preparing for the summer ahead. This holds especially true for Black Bears (mɛxaɬ). After long winter months of hibernating, the black bears must replenish their fat reserves in preparation for breeding. We often find them at the water’s edge foraging on rocky beaches for shellfish and sedge grasses.

At the same time, Humpback and Orca Whales are returning to the Salish Sea from more tropical climates, where they migrated last fall to give birth and mate over the winter. The West Coast Bigg’s Killer Whales add to the diverse mix of marine wildlife in their ongoing search for the seals, dolphins and porpoises that make up their diet.

A seasoned skipper and experienced naturalist share their knowledge in searching for black bears, whales and all the abundant birds and wildlife surrounding us.

Additional Info

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries

Not recommended for pregnant travelers

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Packed lunch, supplied by local cafe. Includes sandwich, side and warm and cold beverages.

What To Expect

Discovery Islands

Enjoy a scenic boat ride throughout the Discovery Islands to look for whales and other marine wildlife. Help your experienced skipper and guide search the shoreline in search of bears foraging along rugged and beautiful beaches. This tour combines stunning scenery and a variety of wildlife sightings for an unforgettable experience for the whole family.

7 hours • Admission Included

Options

Spring Bears and Whales Tour in Campbell River

Reviews

5.00

15 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Fabulous boat tour of the Discovery Islands inlet. Beautiful scenery and of course the wonderful wildlife. 5 Stars!
Linda T,
Jun 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Brilliant day! I nice small tour of 12 plus 3 lovely professional informative staff members. Great boat with comfortable indoor and outdoor seating and clean toilet. Delicious sandwich, cookies and warm beverages. Treated to seeing a bear, humpbacks, lots of dolphins, sea eagles, sea lions. Boat tour departing from Campbell River, across the Salish Sea and up through the Discovery Islands up to Bute Inlet. Stunning islands, snow capped mountains and beautiful water way. Highly recommend this tour. It was a perfect day (even though the Orcas weren’t to be seen).
Super Tour
GrandTour34423420619,
Jun 14, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
It was a great tour. We saw many animals and it was explained to us a lot by our guide and the bootdriver. Thank you very much👍
Wonderful Whale adventure.
Paradise68017189486,
Jun 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Excellent day on the water. We sighted many Killer Whales (Orcas) seals and eagles. The captain and guide were great. The food was fresh and the hot chocolate tasty.
A highlight on Vancouver Island
Jacqueline B,
May 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
A beautiful boat trip with a knowledgeable and especially very enthusiastic crew: Janet, Guy, Mark and Elliott. Immediately after leaving we saw a whale, then we saw black bears, youngsters, bald eagles, dolphins, sea lions and even a grizzly bear. We got information about the animals and Janet knows how to tell about her culture in a fascinating way.
Great day out
Smantha,
May 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
My sister and I took this trip at the end of May. The staff were all very friendly and we throughly enjoyed ourselves. Unfortunately we had no luck of seeing any bears but we were fortunate enough to see some orcas. Which were incredible. We were told that they were acting strangely and it could be because one was giving birth! We saw lots of bird life including many eagles and hundreds of Stella sea lions. The sandwhich and cookie for lunch were delicious. Highly recommend this trip as scenery was fantastic. Will hopefully return again in the future when it’s bear season.
Spring bears and whales
997pennyv,
May 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Awesome trip with lovely naturalist and the driver was lots of fun. Very energetic and loads of information about area culture and wildlife. Would recommend to everyone
A Great Day on the Water
Ursula in Aus,
Jul 5, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This was a great day out - with plenty of humpback whale sightings. Unfortunately, the bears stayed hidden, but we did visit the seal colony, and had a beautiful tour of the coastline. Our vessel operator and guide were both very friendly and knowledgeable. The fresh deli sandwich for lunch was terrific!
A grand day out not to be missed
MADABOUTANIMALS,
Jun 22, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Our skipper Ron and our guide Deborah were fantastic. We saw so much incredible wildlife - orcas - Pacific white sided dolphins - bald eagles - cormorants - harbour seals - Steller sea lions - oyster catchers and various other beautiful birds. The rapids and Devils Hole whirlpools were fun. Delicious sandwiches and cookies for lunch. A magical trip and the scenery is spectacular. Couldn’t recommend more highly.
Wonderful small group experience
robertgF5697SL,
Jun 19, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Small group (12 max) boat tour with excellent skipper and local indigenous guide. Absolutely wonderful day around the islands. Did see grizzly and black bears, seals and seal lions. Whales were elusive that day (can't guarantee what you'll see, but they try hard!). Guides local experience, background, culture, and stories were a bonus. I appreciate their use of re-usable containers for everything (lunch, drinks) to help environmentally.
Wonderful day
margaretbD3359JI,
Jun 18, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
A fantastic day trip through the archipelago around Vancouver Island with our super guide Alan. He was so knowledgeable about the area and the wildlife. Information about his heritage and the experiences of the first nation people was sensitively shared. Would highly recommend this trip if you enjoy immersing yourself in stunning scenery. Whilst on our trip, the bears were elusive, the dolphins and bald eagles - both in huge quantities - were standout wildlife experiences for us.