Top Vancouver Island Tours by Duration

Explore Victoria's history and culinary scene on this walking tour of the British Columbian city. Follow a guide to highlights such as the Parliament Buildings, the Inner Harbor Causeway, Trounce Alley, Bastion and Market squares, Fan Tan Alley, the Harmonious Gates of Interest, and the Victoria Public Market. Along the way, stop for between food tastings of craft beer, chocolate, tea, tapas, cheese, bread, olive oil, and other local products.

Take a sweet-smelling stroll through Victoria’s famous Butchart Gardens, spanning 55 acres (22.2 hectares) of beautifully designed flower beds, lily ponds, footbridges, and thematic landscapes. With a convenient pickup location and a flexible return shuttle schedule, it’s an easy way to experience one of Victoria’s most popular attractions. Visit during summer or holiday season evenings to witness special luminous displays that add an extra touch of enchantment to the gardens.

Experience an up-close encounter with northern Pacific marine life on a 3-hour whale watching cruise off Victoria’s coast. Travel out into the open ocean aboard a comfortable, motorized boat to look for native species like humpback whales, gray whales, orcas, elephant seals and sea lions in their natural habitat. Learn about local marine ecology from a naturalist guide, and take in fantastic views of Vancouver Island in between animal sightings.

The sheltered waters of Ucluelet Harbour offer an ideal location for an introduction to sea kayaking on Vancouver Island’s west coast. Watch for wildlife, from intertidal life to black bears meandering along the shoreline and eagles soaring above. This kayak tour offers the opportunity to paddle up to a hidden waterfall, learn about the local fish hatchery, or explore the outer harbor limits. Paddling instruction is provided.

The tour starts off with an exciting half hour ride by cruiser boat in the early morning with our kayaks, guide and gourmet picnic lunch. On route to the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve guests will have the opportunity to take in the spectacular scenery of rocky bluffs with wind whipped trees, sights of the open Pacific Ocean, a noisy sea lion colony, and a historic native whaling beach. We watch for gray and humpback whales as we travel across Barkley Sound. Whale spotting is all about anticipation, and sightings are truly memorable, so if you watch closely you may get a chance to see whales and other marine life throughout the season.

Explore British Colombia’s Victoria by pedicab with a guide on this 3-hour tour of the city, including convenient pickup and drop-off at the cruise ship terminal. Travel through one of Victoria’s oldest neighborhood, James Bay, to one of its oldest grocers. Then pass through Beacon Hill Park, and see the peacocks there. Plus, catch a glimpse of the famous Empress Hotel.

Share the waters with whales, orcas, and more on a wildlife watching tour. In addition to animal sightings, the aquatic adventure also offers great views of the San Juan and Gulf Islands, plus the Howe Sound. Stay warm inside the cabin, where you can purchase snacks and drinks. Your ticket comes with a whale sighting guarantee, with a free tour should you not spot any whales.

Discover the wines of the Cowichan Valley on a wine tour from Victoria, and taste your way through part of Vancouver Island's fascinating wine trail. You’ll visit three wineries for tastings and tours, and enjoy lunch at a boutique winery surrounded by rolling vineyards. This wine tour includes round-trip transport from downtown Victoria, lunch, and tastings, for the perfect introduction to Vancouver Island wine.

Discover why British Columbia is one of the best places in the world to see whales and other marine wildlife on this 3-hour tour with Eagle Wing Tours at Victoria’s Fisherman’s Wharf. Hop aboard a comfortable semi-covered or open boat and help support Eagle Wing’s many conservation, education and research activities! Let certified and knowledgeable naturalists be your guides to the stunning wildlife and natural history of the Salish Sea. Watch for seals, sea lions, otters and porpoises as well as bald eagles and a mind-boggling assortment of marine birds. Hoping for something bigger? There’s always a chance to see humpback, killer, minke or grey whales!

On this day tour to the Cowichan Valley you will get exclusive access to top wineries, where you can taste some of the wines and fresh produce for which this region is famous. Learn about wine making in the valley while having fun with your friends or special someone. This is a great way for everyone in your party to sample some delicious local wines, as you don’t need to worry about who will be designated driver.

Join Orca Spirit for an unhurried adventure along the glacier-carved shoreline of the Juan de Fuca Strait, BC. In addition to whale and wildlife watching, we’ll cruise by the Lighthouse at Carmanah, Sea Lion Rock, and the West Coast & Juan de Fuca Trails. Keep your eyes peeled for telltale blows off in the distance and black bears, deer, bald eagles and other wildlife playing hide and seek in the majestic old growth forests nearby.

Your expedition starts at our Campbell River Marine Centre where you will meet our friendly, professional crew and briefed on the safety of our flagship vessel, Pacific Seeker. From there we will make our way deep into Desolation Sound, keeping our eyes open for whales and other marine mammals in the area. After a two hour scenic boat ride we'll arrive at the Orford River in Bute Inlet where you will be met by members of the Homalco First Nations. After learning about the Grizzlies and traditional first nations culture, you'll be taken by road into the forest where there are numerous viewing platforms allowing for up close and personal grizzly watching opportunities. Bear tours themselves last an an average of three hours.

Guaranteed Whale Sightings! We’ll ply the waters in search of the biggest and most exciting marine animals in Desolation Sound and the Salish Sea. On full day trips we provide a lunch and refreshments along the way. You'll have plenty of opportunities to stop for breaks at interesting and historical sites in this beautiful area. Tour departs from Campbell River Marine Adventure Centre at the Discovery Harbour Shopping Centre.

We'll cruise the local inlets, bays, and tidal rapids in search of large marine animals. we'll provide you with snacks and refreshments while we look for humpback whales,orcas, playful sea lions, harbour seals, colourful seabirds, and maybe even catch dolphins riding our wake.

Get up close and personal with the ocean and its incredible marine wildlife during this whale watching excursion from Victoria. Climb onboard a Zodiac boat equipped with padded bench seats and cruise the sea at up to 35-knots while your marine naturalist explains the area and animals around you. Head for the Juan de Fuca and Haro Strait and lookout for humpback whales, otters, seals sealions, and birds.

Trade your cruise ship for a whale-watching vessel on a 3-hour shore excursion from the port of Victoria. Travel into the open waters of the northern Pacific Ocean to spot native marine life including orcas, humpback whales, harbor seals and minke whales. Learn about British Columbia’s amazing aquatic ecosystems from onboard naturalist guides, who will help point out passing species along the way. It’s an exciting and educational voyage for the whole family!

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.

Tour the through the beautiful Discovery Passage and Seymour Narrows, and witness the history and beauty the coast has to offer. Common visitors on these tours are the friendly harbour seals, shy Harbour Porpoises, and the Mighty Bald Eagle. If we're lucky we will be greeted by our larger friends, such as humpbacks, orca's and pacific white-sided dolphins!

This no hassle day of wine tasting includes pickup and drop off from your location right in the Cowichan Valley! Pick up is at 11:30am. We spend the day visiting 3 of the renowned wineries of the Cowichan Valley. Crank your favourite tunes between wineries and jump on the karaoke mic. We promise we wont judge you. ;)

Our most popular family friendly tour, the four hour tours take place on our high speed zodiac boats and run twice a day. We’ll cruise the waters in search of the biggest and most exciting marine animals in Desolation Sound and the Salish Sea. During our four hours tours we provide light snacks and refreshments. You'll have plenty of opportunities to stop for breaks at interesting and historical sites in this beautiful area. Tour departs from our Campbell River Marine Adventure Centre at the Discovery Harbour Shopping Centre.

Tours are small and consist of 1 guide and up to 6 guests. The guide will adapt the hiking pace to suit the guest's abilities for a fully enjoyable experience. This allows our guests the opportunity to immerse themselves in their surroundings and connect with nature. Rainforest Tours provides a pickup and drop off service from 812 Wharf St in Victoria. Located in downtown Victoria Located in downtown Sooke. We have backpacks, plenty of water and a delicious lunch of a roast chicken or vegetarian sandwich for you to choose from. While hiking through the trails, I will point out some of the local flora and fauna and speak to some of the medicinal uses by the local First Nations.

Our experience allows you to ditch Google maps and Yelp reviews to feel less like a tourist and more like an explorer. Our hikes visit gorgeous beaches and sweeping landscapes across the island, stopping throughout to check out the small towns that are the heart of the island. Plus, our itinerary is carefully crafted so you can skip the planning and booking headache, ignore the niggly things and enjoy the natural ones. We have everything taken care of including transportation, accommodation, breakfasts and one BBQ dinner so kick back while we take the reins and get you off the beaten path. We provide the option to customize your experience with activities like whale watching and surf lessons. Going on a trip is a chance to connect with people from all over the world, and we think that’s pretty special, so we keep our group sizes to a max of 12 guests. The tone is always upbeat and personable, making for a great atmosphere for both groups and lone rangers!

Enjoy a private tour with just your friends/family! We will pick you up in our deluxe comfortable, passenger van. Relax as we take you on a very scenic drive to the beautiful Cowichan Valley, stopping halfway to enjoy the absolutely breathtaking mountain and ocean views from 1200 feet. We will visit a minimum of 3 wineries of the 4 wineries listed.

Our professional historian is able to include many significant sites not offered in other tours. Enjoy the tour in our rare 1997 Bentley New Turbo R Exl built by Rolls Royce. Only 823 were built, all between 1995-97. Our Butchart Gardens and City Tour covers some of the main attractions in Victoria, the city of flowers, and the world-famous gardens located 15 miles outside of the city. For over a century, Butchart Gardens has been the premier attraction for travelers visiting Victoria. Enjoy BUTCHART GARDENS, a one and a half hour stop for a unique and remarkable experience, including 900 varieties of flowers and 120 varieties of trees. This finely crafted tour includes more attractions than we can list in the "What to Expect" section.