Orcas Island Whale Watching

Overview

Small group whale watching tours on some of the fastest boats in the region with GUARANTEED WHALES! See whales with us or come again for FREE.

City: San Juan Islands

Wed 01 Jan

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $109.00

Make a reservation

Wed 01 Jan

Starting at $109.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

3-4 hour tour

Professional guide

High Speed Vessels

8.1% Washington State sales tax and applicable fees. The taxes and fees are required by the governing authority and not within local supplier's control

Additional Info

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Children must be accompanied by an adult
This tour departs from Orcas Island. The island can only be reached by the Washington State Ferry System. If your party is not already on island we recommend our Anacortes departure location.
Check in begins 30 minutes prior to departure.
Face masks required for travellers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
Gear/equipment sanitised between use
Transportation vehicles regularly sanitised
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Regular temperature checks for staff
Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons
We have limited the passenger loading to 50% of seat capacity and increased our sanitation measures.

Cancellation Policy

All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (297)

Rob A

Aug 2015

We did both a private day charter to do both whale Watching and some salmon fishing and also the six hour kayak trip around Sucia Island. The fishing charter was great fun and we really enjoyed being in a smaller boat while watching the fabulous J Pod of Orcas. Such a treat! The fishing was great too, catching both coho and pink salmon. Six fish in little over an hour. We then took a trip over to Friday Harbor to see the research lab there from the boat. Our daughter had spent the summer doing research there and we really wanted to see it. The Sucia Island trip was outstanding. On trips like this, the guide makes all the difference and Vincent was simply terrific. He knows the area, some interesting history and plenty about the local marine life and ecosystem. He was patient but watchful over our group of nine. The weather was very blustery with brief periods of light rain. The paddling was challenging in a couple of places where we were paddling against both wind and current. But the hard work really paid off given the sheer beauty of the surroundings. We saw plenty of seals, bald eagles, and egrets. Anne even a small pod of dolphins swam by. Highly recommend this but be prepared to get a workout. Not a trip for slackers!

Glenda S

Aug 2015

Was lucky enough to experience both the all day Kayak Tour of Sucia Island and the Sunset Whale Watching tour. Both were wonderful. Benson, our naturalist/tour guide was very knowledgeable and fun to be with. One of the reasons we chose Outer Island Expeditions was that they have knowledgeable guides who really care about the environment and use these experiences to not only provide a great time, but to also teach about the importance of protecting the fragile eco-system of the San Juan’s. You could really see how Benson loves what he does and loves the area in which he works and how much he cares about the environment. All Day Kayak 8/3/15 Tour-Not only included being on the water and seeing Harbor seals, Bald Eagles and beautiful sea life, but Benson also took us on a small hike on part of the island that provided us with beautiful views and introduced us to local plants and trees along the way. Even got to taste some wild berries! Plenty of rest stops along the way, so even though we kayaked around 8 miles, we had lots of breaks in between paddling. Sunset Whale Watch 8/4/15-So much fun! We saw a group of around 8 transient Orcas! Again, what I really appreciated about Outer Island Expeditions and our guides, which just happened to include Benson, was that they respected the whales and gave them plenty of space. We were about 100 yards or so away, but it was still thrilling to see. The boat was clean, fast and we were even provided with jackets. Dress for warm & cold, as the ride back can get a little chilly. We were encouraged to bring a sack dinner & drinks, so we enjoyed toasting our incredible guides after with a cold one. Always be prepared to tip your guides. They deserve it! I will definitely be back someday and when I do, I’ll reserve another great experience with them!

D C

Aug 2015

The San Juan Islands are simply beautiful. We know that. ...but for those who live in the Pacific Northwest, why do we visit them so infrequently? If you're looking for a reason to get your San Juan fix, go on a whale watching tour with Outer Island Expeditions. Our day on the water was great - it would have been great without seeing Orca whales, but we enjoyed the additional bonus of seeing a pod of transient whales during our tour. Both the captain of the boat and the naturalist were great at providing information & answering all of our questions. There were plenty of places to sit/stand on the boat, and you have your choice of "in the wind" or "protected/inside" - we enjoyed both. We enjoyed the views of the San Juans, seeing the whales and just being on the water. As always, weather and wildlife aren't controlled by the tour operators and although the weather was fantastic and we did see Orcas, our hoped-for sightings of humpback or grays didn't materialize. One thing I wish I had brought was offline/cached maps for use with my GPS-enabled phone - I would have enjoyed knowing where we were at various stages of the tour and fully understanding the maps/charts provided by the tour operators required more knowledge of the San Juans than I possess.