Whale Watching · DAY TRIPS

The 15 Best Whale Watching Day Trips

77 tours  ·  from $6 a head

A full day gets the boat past the easy water and out where the big animals feed. These 15 are the trips worth giving a whole day to, priced, with lunch arrangements and how far offshore each one runs.

From Quebec City: Whale Watching Excursion Full-Day Trip - Baie-Sainte-Catherine and the marine park
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From Quebec City: Whale Watching Excursion Full-Day Trip

1.Quebec City: Whale Watching Excursion Full-Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 863 reviews · 11 hours · from $186Our pick

Spend 11 hours traveling from Quebec City to Baie-Sainte-Catherine for whale watching in the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park. Choose a large boat or fast Zodiac, hear bilingual commentary, and look for belugas, fin, minke, and humpback whales with guides such as Patricia and Captain Luke.

“Experience of a life time and great value! The operator provided easy instructions and informative dialogue throughout transport to the launch site. It is quite a long bus ride, but the seating was very comfortable. There were many beautiful sights along the way too. The Zodiac excursion was fantastic! We were provided with waterproof pants and jackets, but be prepared to get splashed and wet from the boat ride. It was quite a warm day, but it is much cooler (-10° Celsius) on the water. There is no proper food stop, so be prepared to bring some snacks/beverages. We were lucky enough to have encounters with a family of Belugas,…”

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Whale Shark Encounter Full-Day all inclusive Tour from Riviera Maya - Punta Sam and the early morning start
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Whale Shark Encounter Full-Day all inclusive Tour from Riviera Maya

2.Whale Shark Encounter Full-Day all inclusive Tour from Riviera Maya

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 519 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $170Top rated

Leave your Cancun or Playa del Carmen hotel early for a small-group boat trip to the whale shark zone. You’ll swim in 15-minute rounds, snorkel near Isla Mujeres, and eat ceviche on Playa Norte. Guides such as Jane and Dory are praised for calm help in the water.

“Our tour was rescheduled a couple of times and ultimately canceled due to a combination of weather and the fact that there had not been any recent whale shark sightings in the days leading up to the tours. I wanted to leave a positive review since the company handled it so well. I was initially apprehensive to book since I was worried we would spend all day on a boat and not see anything. Because they were keeping track of recent reports, we ended up being able to see lots of other things in Mexico and it got refunded quickly once we cancelled. I recommend booking your tour early in…”

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Fijian Islands and Snorkel Full-Day Whales Tale Cruise including Beach BBQ Lunch - Arriving at the Uninhabited Island
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Fijian Islands and Snorkel Full-Day Whales Tale Cruise including Beach BBQ Lunch

3.Fijian Islands and Snorkel Full-Day Whales Tale Cruise including Beach BBQ Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 408 reviews · from $117

Join the crew aboard the 100-foot Whale’s Tale for a seven-hour sail from Nadi to a private island in the Mamanuca group. Enjoy a champagne-style breakfast, snorkeling, swimming, a beach BBQ, complimentary drinks, and music on the return trip. Pickup is offered from selected hotels in Nadi, the Coral Coast, and Lautoka.

“This was so incredible. The crew were so nice, the island is paradise & the food was delicious. I would do this everyday if i could!”

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Punta Arenas: Full-Day Whales, Penguins, and Glaciers Tour - The 4 a.m. start and bus ride south
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Punta Arenas: Full-Day Whales, Penguins, and Glaciers Tour

4.Punta Arenas: Full-Day Whales, Penguins, and Glaciers Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 325 reviews · 14 hours · from $365

Spend 14 hours sailing from Punta Arenas toward Cape Froward and Francisco Coloane Marine Park. Look for humpback whales, Magellanic penguins, dolphins, sea lions, birds, waterfalls, and glaciers, with bilingual guides, meals, and hot drinks included.

“Wonderful experience! Amazing time seeing the whales, penguins, glaciers, birds, sea lions! Beautiful scenery! Friendly, knowledgeable guide and crew. Comfortable boat, good food, snacks and drinks! I highly recommend!”

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Swimming with Whales in Moorea (Half Day tour) - Four hours on the water around Moorea
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Swimming with Whales in Moorea (Half Day tour)

5.Swimming with Whales in Moorea (Half Day tour)

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 264 reviews · from $305

Spend about four hours on a Moorea Expedition boat searching for humpback whales from July through late November. You may enter the water with whales, dolphins, rays, or sharks. Guides such as Johnny, Joe, and Laura provide safety instructions, but you must be a confident open-water swimmer.

“This was an amazing experience from pick up to drop off. Taxi was on time at resort and super pleasant. Johnny and his captain were tremendous, safety was a priority for the whales and participants. He explained everything wonderfully and offered in both French and English. We were able to make two entries into the water the first with a mom and two calves and the second the same, except from the boat you could see there were two pods meeting up. The captain and Johnny navigating to the second entry point was amazing to watch — how they understood the ocean, whales and movements. We didn’t focus on taking…”

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From Christchurch: Kaikōura Day Tour with Whale Watching - The Early Christchurch Pickup and Comfortable Ride
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From Christchurch: Kaikōura Day Tour with Whale Watching

6.Christchurch: Kaikōura Day Tour with Whale Watching

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 224 reviews · 10 hours · from $227

Travel from Christchurch to Kaikōura in a small Mercedes Sprinter with a local guide, then take a two-hour whale-watching cruise using hydrophones to find sperm whales, dolphins, and seabirds. You’ll also see fur seals, eat fish and chips, and might stop at a Waipara vineyard if time allows.

“Diana was a fabulous guide and kept us entertained along the way with local knowledge! The bus was comfy and had lots of good stops along the way to see so many seals and even some dolphins. Fish & chips lunch was amazing and then the whale watching tour also! We got so lucky to be surrounded by a huge pod of pilot whales. Such a special day, one of the best tours we’ve done on our trip :)”

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Kaikoura Whale Watch Day Tour from Christchurch - The 7 a.m. departure from Christchurch
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Kaikoura Whale Watch Day Tour from Christchurch

7.Kaikoura Whale Watch Day Tour from Christchurch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 170 reviews · from $229

Travel from Christchurch to Kaikoura with a small group, cruise offshore for sperm whales and dolphins, visit fur seals, and enjoy free time in town. Guides such as Jude, Andrew, Stephanie, Terry, Carmen, and Scotty are noted for informative commentary. Wine tasting may be possible if time allows.

“Although a long day it was an enjoyable trip . Guide was friendly and informative . Boat was in good condition and all staff very attentive . Will definitely recommend the tour”

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Samana: Whale Watching and Cayo Levantado Full Day Tour - Why Samaná Bay is worth the morning
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Samana: Whale Watching and Cayo Levantado Full Day Tour

8.Samana: Whale Watching and Cayo Levantado Full Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 159 reviews · 7 hours · from $77

Cruise from Moto Marina into Samaná Bay for 2.5 hours of humpback whale watching, guided in English or Spanish, then head to Cayo Levantado for buffet lunch and beach time. Guides including Iliana, Rayner, Salomón, Captain Nobel, and Robertico have earned strong praise for their care and clear explanations.

“It was a very nice experience and the guide (Ileana) she was really good. We got to see whales which was amazing. The downside was the weather, not rainy, but a bit of windy which led to many people of the boat to feel sick at some point. But you can’t blame the weather :) they offered us water, sodas and slices of coconut. We booked also the visit to cayo levantado, including lunch. The food was ok. The island was full of tourists and personally I have seen better beaches in DR. To conclude, the whale watching and the tour with the boat worth it 100%. The visit to…”

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From Cape Town: Full Day Guided Hermanus and Whale Tour - Rotary Way for the big Hermanus view
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From Cape Town: Full Day Guided Hermanus and Whale Tour

9.Cape Town: Full Day Guided Hermanus and Whale Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 155 reviews · from $51Best value

Travel from Cape Town to Hermanus in a group of up to 18, with coastal views, Rotary Way, free time for shore-based whale watching, an optional whale cruise, Hemel-en-Aarde wine tasting, and a stop at Peregrine Farm Stall. Guides such as Louis and Brahm add local insight.

“A beautiful drive; friendly, knowledgeable host; seeing whales (even from shore); nice group of fellow travelers - there was nothing in the day that I would change.”

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Whale Watching Tour + Vila Franca Islet: Full-day with lunch - The morning search for whales and dolphins
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Whale Watching Tour + Vila Franca Islet: Full-day with lunch

10.Whale Watching Tour + Vila Franca Islet: Full-day with lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 142 reviews · from $103

Start in Ponta Delgada with a marine briefing, then search for whales and dolphins aboard a RIB or fiberglass boat. After lunch, take the authorized boat to Vila Franca Islet for swimming and snorkeling in its volcanic crater. Guides such as Pia, Matteo, and Fátima add useful wildlife and geology insight.

“Well, we traveled for a looong time and got bumped, slammed and jostled around ALOT , and did not see any whales! The tour was very un organized and timing was an issue- a lot of waiting around, and we only got a small amount of time to snorkel- my back was sore next day due to the slamming on the waves”

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Vancouver-Victoria Day Trip by Seaplane + Whale Watching by Boat - Starting above Vancouver Harbour
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Vancouver-Victoria Day Trip by Seaplane + Whale Watching by Boat

11.Vancouver-Victoria Day Trip by Seaplane + Whale Watching by Boat

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 142 reviews · 7 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $546

Fly 35 minutes from downtown Vancouver to Victoria, then spend about three hours on the Salish Sea with Orca Spirit Adventures. Guides such as Shannon, Josh, Luke, and Liam share marine-life facts while you search for orcas and humpbacks. Return by seaplane the same day.

“One of the best experiences of my whole life!! The trip from Vancouver to Victoria with the seaplane was awesome!! And the whales watching with Shanon was incredible. We could see humb whales around, and we enjoyed the experience very much. I recomend it to everybody!!!!! Thank you!”

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Moreton Island: Tangalooma Day Trip & Whale Watching Cruise - A 75-minute ferry crossing from Brisbane
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Moreton Island: Tangalooma Day Trip & Whale Watching Cruise

12.Moreton Island: Tangalooma Day Trip & Whale Watching Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 121 reviews · 1 day · from $109

Take a ferry from Brisbane to Moreton Island, then join a 3-hour whale watching cruise with an Eco Ranger, onboard lunch, and commentary on humpback behavior. You also get resort access, a dolphin presentation, and a complimentary transfer drink, though free time on land is short.

“The trip is very informative and staff are very helpful. Lunch is a bit too light, just salad and a small ham & cheese muffin. We managed to see 7 to 8 whales! We were lucky to have fantastic weather.”

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Juneau: Whale Watching and Mendenhall Glacier Day Trip - Forty-five minutes beside Mendenhall Glacier
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Juneau: Whale Watching and Mendenhall Glacier Day Trip

13.Juneau: Whale Watching and Mendenhall Glacier Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 115 reviews · 4h 30m · from $229

Combine a 45-minute visit to Mendenhall Glacier with a two-hour whale-watching cruise from Juneau. Alaska Tales provides an English-speaking naturalist, snacks, water, and a roomy viewing boat. Guides such as Riley, Steph, James, and Olive have helped guests spot humpbacks, orcas, eagles, and sea lions.

“We were very excited since we managed to see some whales 🐋 Well done.”

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Vancouver: Day Trip to Victoria Seaplane with Whale Watching - The 35-Minute Flight to Victoria
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Vancouver: Day Trip to Victoria Seaplane with Whale Watching

14.Vancouver: Day Trip to Victoria Seaplane with Whale Watching

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 109 reviews · from $520

Take a 35-minute Harbour Air seaplane from Vancouver to Victoria, then join Orca Spirit Adventures for a three-hour whale-watching trip. Look for orcas, humpbacks, seals, and seabirds with guides such as Jeff and Shannon, followed by free time in Victoria and a return flight.

“Couldn’t have asked for a better day, G made sure of it. Highly recommend”

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Valdes Peninsula: Full Day with Whale Watching - Puerto Pirámides and the whale boat
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Valdes Peninsula: Full Day with Whale Watching

15.Valdes Peninsula: Full Day with Whale Watching

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 98 reviews · from $298

Travel from Puerto Madryn into the Valdés Peninsula Protected Natural Area with an English- and Spanish-speaking guide. Take a boat from Puerto Pirámides during the whale season, or a nautical wildlife trip from December to March, then visit coastal seal colonies and the Carlos Ameghino Interpretation Center.

“It was amazing! We saw so many whales, rabbits, penguines and sea lions 😍 The tour is very expensive but worth the money when you can see all the animals from Valdez.”

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