Victoria is the most famous city on Vancouver Island. It is the home of 70% of all whale watching tours of British Columbia, sometimes bothering the whales. There are many whales watching operators in Victoria, offering a 95% likelihood of whale observation.
Majestic mammals and marine wildlife include the orca (killer whale) and gray, humpback, and minke whales. There may be other aquatic neighbours, like sea lions, seals, porpoises and many marine birds. Certified naturalists and experts make ocean adventure possible. A trip to Race Rocks Ecological Reserve, the southernmost part of Vancouver Island (and Canada) on the Pacific coast, may also be available.
Some of the most famous zones for whale watching in Victoria are West Bay Esquimalt, Fisherman's Wharf Park, and Victoria Harbour Ferry.
Some of the significant whale watching tour agencies around Victoria are Eagle Wing Tours, Prince of Whales, BC Whale Tours, Five Star Whale Watching, Orca Spirit Adventures, SpiritTide Whale Watching and Eco Tours, Springtide, and Fantasea Charters.
Orcas:
Orcas mysteriously communicate with each other. Whales are among the fastest and largest animals all over the world. Orcas or killer whales, known as a specific group of the dolphin family, are black and white-toothed mammals. A male orca is 5 to 7 meters (16-23 ft) long and weighs around 6 tonnes (12000 pounds). A female orca is 3 to 5 metres (9-16 ft) long and weighs about 3 to 4 tonnes (6000-8000 pounds). Their dorsal fins are long enough to be traced easily.
Victoria is one of the southern Vancouver Island settlements. Visitors from the Lower Mainland of BC have ferry access from the BC Ferries Tsawwassen Terminal in Delta. There are ferry services accessible from various locations to reach Victoria from Vancouver, including downtown Vancouver, Vancouver International Airport, and major hotels.
Distance from Nanaimo: 111 km (69 miles) / Takes about an hour and a half.
Getting to Victoria from Nanaimo is via Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 S.
Take Wallace St to Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 S for 550 m (1804.4 ft). Follow Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 S to Pandora Ave in Victoria and drive 110 km (68.3 miles). Turn right onto Pandora Ave, and after 90 m (295.2 ft), you will reach Victoria.