Nature and outdoors

Whale watching tour

West Coast Aquatic Safaris13 hr 41 min by bus · 202.9 km

✓ Fits your group

Orca whale dorsal fin surfacing next to a whale-watching tour boat.

Cost

Price not published

Needs confirmation

Ages & size

Ages not published

Capacity not published

Duration

2.5 hours

Year round

Any day

Book by

Not published

Plan this trip

Fieldy handles all communication and booking for you.

What it actually looks like

Photos from West Coast Aquatic Safaris's website

Our note

Everyone has to be at the office half an hour before the boat leaves, and a guardian has to sign the waiver for every child under 18, so build that into the morning. Strollers cannot go aboard, though the office will hold them, and they suggest a sling or carrier for babies. Nothing on the site sets a youngest age, so ask whether two and a half hours afloat suits your group.

What the children do

A guided boat tour from Tofino Harbour into Clayoquot Sound, listed at 2.5 to 3 hours with multiple daily departures. The boats are covered and heated with inside seating for all, outdoor viewing decks and a restroom on board, and the tour can be run as an accessible tour on NANUQ if you say so when booking. The site carries a whale sighting guarantee: guests who do not sight whales are invited back for another whale watching tour free of charge. The only price anywhere on the site is a CAD 159.00 figure in the page's structured data, with no child rate and no group rate stated.

Check in at the orange office on Fourth Street, sign the waiver and hear a short safety briefing, then walk to the harbour and board. On the water they sit in a heated cabin with large windows or stand at the rail on the open decks, watching for grey whales, humpbacks, orcas, sea otters, sea lions, seals and eagles while the crew talks about what is passing. There is a toilet on board and rain jackets if the weather turns.

Good to know

There are washrooms in the office and on every boat, the cabin is heated and covered, and tours run rain or shine. No child price, no youngest age and no group rate are published, and nothing is said about bus parking or anywhere to eat, so it is worth a call.

Sources disagree. Their site gives two different end dates for the whale watching season. One says it runs to November, another says it ends in October. If you are looking at late October or November, check that they are still sailing before you plan the day.

Sources disagree. Their site gives two different sets of office opening hours. One says 9am to 5pm, the other 7am to 9pm. Since everyone has to check in half an hour before the boat leaves, it is worth confirming the office is open when you plan to arrive.

Sources disagree. Two of their pages give the street number slightly differently, 101 and 101A Fourth Street. It is the same bright orange building on Fourth Street, so either one will get your driver there.

Sources disagree. Their questions page and their tour pages give slightly different lengths for the whale and bear trips. The tour pages allow an extra half hour on each. Plan for the longer figure if you have a bus booked.

Washrooms

Yes, all boats are equipped with a restroom - sink and toilet. However, we encourage guests to use our office restroom prior to departure and/or returning from the tour.

Lunch space

Needs confirmation

Rain backup

It is the "wet coast" - so we go out. WCAS provides rain jackets to use while touring and the boat has inside seating for all.

Strollers

For safety reasons, we cannot allow strollers on our vessels, but you are welcome to leave them in our offices during your trip. For infants we recommend baby sling and carriers.

Wheelchair access

West Coast Aquatic Safaris has a ramp to provide access to the office. We also have a ramp to load aboard NANUQ, priority accessible parking at the harbour and a pre-loading protocol.

Bus parking

Parking ia available along Fourth St. or there is a pay parking lot on the corner of Third & Main.

Nearby park

Needs confirmation

Restrictions

Please check in at the West Coast Aquatic Safaris office (located at 101 Fourth Street, Tofino) at least 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time of your tour.. All guests are required to sign a participation waiver prior to the tour departure. Guests under 18 years of age must have a guardian sign for them.. For safety reasons, we cannot allow strollers on our vessels, but you are welcome to leave them in our offices during your trip.. Any of the open water trips may not be suitable for guests who are pregnant, who have back or neck injuries, or have concerns with open ocean conditions including potential bumps during the voyage.. Dogs must have a medical note from a physician or doctor or qualified medical practitioner, as well as wear appropriate identification (harness or vest). This policy does not include therapy or emotional support dogs.. You will not be able to touch as per Canadian law.

Getting there

101A Fourth Street, PO Box 967, Tofino, BC V0R 2Z0

On foot

44 hr 7 min

too far with this group

By bus

13 hr 41 min

includes a 9 min wait

Driving

6 hr 24 min

The dark pin is Victoria.

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Details checked on 2026-09-20 against the venue’s own pages. Something wrong? , it takes one tap. · Venue page · 250-725-9227