Reviews of The Whale Centre (Travel Agency)

Antonio Ramírez Robredo

Our experience on the Hot Springs Cove tour was phenomenal. Our tour guide (and boat "driver") was friendly, serious about safety, and full of interesting stories about his first hand experience with the history of the area. He had the flexibility to extend the tour a little longer (with the consent of those on board) in order to see more wildlife on the way back. We were fortunate to see two whales on the trip: a gray whale on the way out, and a humpback on the way back. All of this is not even counting the experience at the hot springs themselves, which was great too (especially since it wasn't too crowded). I'd recommend this tour company to anybody who is spending some time in Tofino. Addendum: water shoes are strongly recommended if you go into the hot springs. It's easy to slip and cut yourself otherwise.

Dan Dan

We had a great time on our tour, and this company made every effort to ensure we were completely satisfied, even though the weather conditions were out of their control. …

Gail Smith

Great tour with a wonderful guide. Howie was great, very patient with questions and amazing at spotting things to see while being sensitive and respectful of the wildlife and giving them space and quiet. I was very excited to see the big …

Yousef Fahmi

Best guide and experience

John Taylor

We had a great tour. Saw two different whale species, sea otters, and seals.

Emanuel Aron

My fiancé and I went on the hot springs tour and absolutely loved it. The hot springs themselves are nice - they are as advertised - hot! It’s about a 30 minute hike along a boardwalk once you arrive at the dock in the cove. The highlight for us though was the wildlife we spotted on the way there and back. We were lucky enough to see orcas, sea otters, two mola molas, a gray whale, and harbor seals. Our driver was very knowledgeable and I really enjoyed talking with him. I highly recommend the whale centre!

Neil Douville

Great day! Lucked out on the weather. Our guide/driver was knowledgeable and awesome!

Amei-lee Jannelle

WOW OH WOW! This was a fantastic excursion! My family and I really enjoyed our experience! We did an open cabin tour which was the right choice! It made it easier to see smaller sea creatures (jellyfish and star fish). We saw Orange Crush, a gray whale, apparently she's been in the area since 1977. We also saw sea lions, sea otters, various birds, and a bald eagle. Our tour guides name is John, he was fantastic! Great hands to be in! John volunteers with the fire hall, and search & rescue so you're in good safe hands. He also knows Tofino and the history quite well! He was able to tell us information about the various islands during our tour. He was even gracious about me getting sea sick and throwing up on the boat. I also called the office before our tour to hopefully switch boats and Jennifer (I think the owner?) answered the phone and was very pleasant and reassured us the open cabin is the best choice...which obviously it was. The staff in the centre was also very kind as was the staff in the boutique, Salt, upstairs. It's my understanding that folks who take a tour with The Whale Centre get 10% off at Salt. All in all 10/10 experience, top tier. Highly recommend.

Yannick Carlier

Great Tour with Alistair that started to pay a tribute to the first nations. He even took us further to watch sea lions and otters. My pictures wouldn't do justice to the tour... I recommend taking your binoculars!

Jenna Price

What an amazing time. We went out with Mark and saw a huge pod of orcas. It has been my dream since I was young to see them in the wild. Mark was so knowledgable and kind! We followed the orcas around from a safe distance for the entire duration. It was truly a once in a life time experience. We even discovered what seemed to be a new calf never before seen! I cannot express how happy we were with The Whale Centre.

Isabelle Levesque

What a fantastic experience. Mark was a great skipper and the staff was very friendly. We were lucky enough to find a pod of transient orcas with a brand new baby orca and stayed with them the whole time. A dream come true. The scenery was also gorgeous. Highly recommend!

Julia S

I took this tour with my 4 friends and we were blown away. We saw 5 killer whales, sea otters, seals, and 4 grey whales. Our guide was very knowledgeable, kind, and caring. He kept us out longer than expected so we could see the most amount of whales possible! All around amazing experience! Would highly recommend

annemarie den harder

We had an amazing tour. We did see several eagles, whales and sea otters.

Renee Turza

Had an awesome experience with The Whale Centre! Was able to see 4-5 different Grey Whales. Mark is very knowledgeable on all local wildlife, was an excellent guide and would recommend to anyone of any age!

Viriane Pes

Perfect place to book a whales tour ! Our guide John was extremely knowledgeable and passionate ! The size of the group was small so it’s more intimate and private than some other tour companies. We love our experience and whales tour. We were to lucky to see killer whales and gray whales. I highly recommend this place. Thank you.

Nienke Vossen

As many others have said, Howie is a great guide / captain, extremely knowledgeable and respectful to the animals. During our whale watching tour he showed us a bald eagle, otters, seals, sea lions and about 9 grey whales. The staff in the office was very friendly too, highly recommend this place.

Daniel Poon

Great whale-watching! I went while in Tofino and Puffins, Shearwaters, Auklets, and other seabirds were observed, as well as a few Gray Whales.

Christopher Moores

Amazing crew! Super friendly and the skipper took his time..even stopped to show us a few spots on our way to the hot springs. Saw some wold life and whales. Got back to the office for hot tea :)

Becca S

Had a great time with Howie! We did the hot springs tour and he took us a different way because he wanted to show us whales. We got to see grey whales, sea otters, sea lions, and seals. Howie knew all about the islands and wildlife as he is a local. The hot springs were amazing also!

Mike Gabriel

Had such an amazing time! Well worth the money. Saw a humpback whale, pack of orcas, seals, and otters! A well worth it way to see the coast too!

MC M

What an amazing adventure! Be prepared to suit up like a Teletubbie, and waddle to the dock! Haha. Howie was our guide and what an incredible fella! He taught us a lot about the island and the whales themselves. We were told that we are not "in season" for Orca Whales and that a sighting would be rare, so we were mainly looking for Grey Whales (which we did see!!!) As soon as Howie caught wind that there was a rare sighting of an Orca, he hustled over so we could catch a glimpse of the locally famous Orca named Rainey. We watched him for a decent time, whilst giving plenty of space and respect to nature. I was impressed with how thoughtful Howie was and how aware he was to everyone on our boat and on other vessels nearby, also seeking to see the Orca. We could hear other people on the radio asking Howie questions, as he seems to be the expert on the sea, it was really sweet and to see everyone sharing information with each other and working together. An amazing experience. Thank you!!!!

Haj Sokolovic

staff was sooo friendly. The tour itself was like an interactive discovery Channel! I was sooo impressed with not only the whales we were able to see but the knowledge and tracking information that was shared was incredible! Our Guide (Mark) had such a love and care about these whales it melted my heart! The concern these guys show for these amazing creatures is truly heartfelt!!!! If you're ever gonna take a tour...take it with these guys!

Google Guide

Whale watching and bear packages. They offer a guaranteed sightings policy where you can come back anytime (certain conditions apply). #letsguide

Hema Ramnani

Highly recommend the Whale Centre, a family run business! Mark was amazing!! He led the tour and we spotted sun fish, sea lions, otters and more than six whales (large to some which were a year old).

Christina Meadmore

This experience was so incredible! Our captain was awesome and I think more excited to see the whales than us! ???? It was so nice to see!! Pick this place!

Pierrick Mc kinnon

Amazing day with Mark, he is knowledgeable and made sure we had a great time.

Carson W

We had a great time whale watching with The Whale Center. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable. Liked that as they tour you around, they are also keeping track of the animals they are seeing.

Adrianna deVries

Highly recommend! John and team were so accommodating and knowledgeable. We had a an amazing tour.

Martyn Doll

What an incredible experience and unforgettable day. We got lucky with such a variety of wildlife out that day but it was our guide's (Mark and John) passion and excitement which really solidified the the excursion. They were knowledgeable and willing to go the extra mile for a chance to see something. Thanks a bunch guys!

Derik Martel

We had an amazing tour this morning and got to see orcas as well as gray whales. Our driver was very knowledgeable of the area, its history and the local fauna which made for a great experience beyond simply whale watching. We also got to see several mammals such as sea otters, harbour seals and sea lions, as well as many types of birds which our guide was very knowledgeable about. Even if we hadn't seen orcas (the original purpose of our tour), the overall experience would have been beyond expectations. Great value for the money compared to other places on Vancouver Island and it has a less commercial / touristy vibe to it as well. Our driver was very respectful of the animals and safety measures were followed from start to finish. Highly recommended.

Christina

We went on one of The Whale Centre's whale watching tours, and had a fantastic time! Capt. Howie Tom was amazing - so knowledgeable about the area and animals. We saw otters, seals, sea lions, a puffin, and bald eagles, but the most …

Daniel Reeh

Participated in the whale and the bear watching tour and both were great. The consultation before had been very enjoyable and showed realistic expectations. For the tour itself you get special full body "lifejackets" that keep you warm. Our skipper was very experienced and knew the area by heart. The other providers also cooperate in sightings. I especially liked the respectful distance to the animals. As a participant in such a tour, one otherwise quickly feels like an intruder and troublemaker, but this was still maintained here. Everyone was passionate and we can only recommend the team.

Gord Hunter

From check in to arrival back in the harbour, it was an absolutely awesome experience. Howie, our guide was confident and full of positive energy. After seeing two gray whales (a mother and child) he took us to a group of hilarious sea …

Angie Wallace

Whale watching with the Whale Centre may have been the absolute highlight of my visit to Tofino. Our tour leader, Mark, was not only a wealth of knowledge but also incredibly enthusiastic - it really made for a really enjoyable tour. Not to mention we saw four grey whales, all of which Mark was able to distinguish by name, as well as sea otters, tufted puffins, and at least 100 sea lions! Unforgettable experience, 10/10 would recommend. (side note: the marine artifacts displayed in the centre are also amazing!)

Louise Boilevin

Love this place . Good value ???? and fun and saw whales and other animals and staff friendly ????

Victoria M

Great whale watching experience. Captain was knowledgeable. We saw over 10 whales :)

Morgan Rich

I just got back from about a week in Tofino and Ucluelet and managed to do four tours with them - bird, whale, and bears x 2! Couldn't get enough! Jen, John and their entire staff were super helpful and friendly and went out of their way to make sure the guests were comfortable and happy. I was going to do a pelagic bird tour as well but alas it was cancelled due to high seas. They are super knowledgeable and competent but they can't - yet - control the weather... :) I know there are other tour companies in Tofino but i can't imagine any others doing any better a job than they do. Wild animals run on their own schedule and sightings can't be 100% guaranteed but if they're out there the guides / skippers will find them! Howie and Artie were both great. I hope to do some more tours with them in the future - i'm sure i'll be back to Tofino!

Alistair Mason

This review is a bit long - the short version is JUST BOOK WITH THESE GUYS - THEY'RE GREAT. When i was looking for bear watching tours they all looked much the same in terms of offer and pruce. I went with this one as they offered a free second chance if we didn't see bears, which added value over everyone else. It really was a great decision! The staff in the centre were amazing, so helpful and knowledgable. My partner was a bit nervous about the boat and they were absolutely great and so reassuring. The trip out started off a bit quiet, and from the radio everyone was struggling to find a bear. Our guide decided to look elsewhere and he found 3 over the course of our our trip - all the other boats were following us. His instincts were spot on every time, it was amazing. The boat was perfect too - there were 5 of us all sat at the front without being crowded. It was small enough to get into the shallows and big and robust enough not to be knocked about. Overall it was an amazing trip, we saw bears, eagles and seals, learned so much and had so much fun. Honestly i cannot recommend this firm enough!

Marric Capistrano

Had an awesome experience whale watching! John was an amazing tour guide, he was very knowledgeable and showed us some wildlife such as a black bear and some seals! We also saw a pod of orcas which we followed around, which was awesome! Would definitely recommend going here for a tour!

Matthew2Fuller

Our tour was amazing. The staff at the centre were very welcoming and helpful. Our tour guide Howie was incredible. He is very experienced and handled our boat very well. He shared a lot of stories and information about the marine wildlife and the areas we explored.

Serine King

Saw around 12 grey whales when we went out on tour! Beautiful creatures. Easy to book. Recommend!

Zuzana Janegova

Me and my friends had an incredibly awesome experience on the whale watching tour. Our captain, Mark Sawyer, was knowledgeable about the life of grey whales and all the other animals we were lucky enough to observe. I would definitely recommend this agency - a great service, lovely people and overall memorable afternoon!

Tracey Monette

Highlight of our trip! Thank you Captain John, you are doing exactly what you are meant to do. :) We really appreciated all you shared with us about Tofino and the islands! Incredible experience, can't wait to do it again!

Morgan Allendorf

My brother and I travelled from Ontario, and we were so excited to have this experience on our vacation. Before we left, we were told not to have high expectations as sometimes people are let down (fair enough) but the way it was communicated was quite snarky considering we each paid $120. We saw many whales and sea lions! That part was spectacular. Our guide was knowledgeable, but when a fellow passenger asked a question he answered in a very irritated and condescending way, which made us not want to ask questions on our tour. Staff at the centre were extremely friendly and courteous, I just wish our guide was the same (do not know his name). Otherwise, it was a positive experience seeing the wildlife and incredible scenery.

Tricia Alpaugh

Excellent experience whale watching in August... staff were kind, helpful and the tour was very impressive! We have gone whale watching in other places in Canada but this was over the top awesome! Highly recommend! Tour guide was very knowledgeable of the area, the wildlife and provided great customer service!

Karen Vandepoel

We did the whale watching tour with Howie. We had an amazing experience since we got the chance to see 7 whales, and 2 from super close. You can tell Howie is very passionate about his job and he knows a lot about the whales, which makes it even more interesting. Definitely recommended, worth the money!

Douglas Williamson

My wife and I had a fantastic time here. They know their business and are super helpful. A couple had some issues making a payment (overseas payment issues) and they are so helpful and patient. Safety is top priority and our captain/tour guide was extremely knowledgeable with more than 30 years experience (12 Years with The Whale Centre). Great Boston Whaler boat rides really well in rougher waters. Don't fool yourself this is still a serious journey, and this is big water. We got Great viewings of Grey Whales, Seals, Otters, Bald Eagle and Sea Lions. I would highly recommend this establishment, very much worth the trip!

Jay Cen

We had one of the most beautiful experienced in our life.. staffs was very friendly and they were so flexible just to satisfy our adventure.. we had more that 3hrs and close ecounter with the orcas was the incredible part.

Mara Wallace

We had such a wonderful time on our whale watching tour! Our guide, Mark, was so passionate and informative and the whole thing was incredibly well run, not to mention all of the whales and other animals we saw. Strongly recommend taking a tour with them if you want to make the most of the region's landscape and wildlife!

Christoph Glatz

Great tour and guide. We saw Grey-, Humback Whales and Orcas :)

Jenelle Vandeburgt

Alistair was an amazing captain. His passion for the waters he works on led us to see a grey whale, sea otters, seals, eagles, and sea lions on a hot springs tour which doesn't even promise wildlife sightings. Even more impressive was his deep knowledge and respect of the local indigenous groups. His in-depth tour made the hot springs trip a tour which I won't forget for a long time!

Sammy Sharma

Such a nice experience to go in the ocean. Love the open boat. Mark was very informative about wildlife.

Nico Zotz

We saw all kinds of whales in 1 day ????

Kim Whinfield

We had an incredible time on our tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable about ocean ecology and was very cautious to balance the safety of the animals with maximizing visibility for the passengers. I also have to say that the customer service I received was absolutely above and beyond. Would absolutely recommend!

Elise Boller

From booking to getting off the boat, our experience was fantastic. Mark took us out for an epic day on the water. We saw humpbacks, greys and minkes, not to mention a puffin and loads of seals, sea lions and sea otters. Mark was informative, engaging and passionate. The open boat tour was great, very comfortable and family friendly. Would highly recommend.

Anna Tishchenko

Wow! Just wow! Amazing , friendly , wonderful staff! Knowledgeable and informative, kind and warm and just a delight! Highly, highly recommend! Will absolutly do again!

Rae W

We had the absolute BEST time with the Whale Centre tour! We went as part of a bachelorette party in the closed boat with John. He was so knowledgeable and funny and answered all of our silly questions. We were able to experience a giant pod of Orcas that John rushed us out to see as soon as he heard someone spotted them. He also found us two grey whales, some huge sea lions, sea otters and seals. We learned so much and had a ton of laughs it was truly unforgettable. 10/10 you need to book with them!!

Michele McKnight

Jen got us sorted at the office and Mark piloted us to see whales, sea lions and otters. Kind, personable staff, full of information. The open Boston Whaler boat was extremely comfortable and expertly driven out on the ocean. I highly recommend this family run tour company!

Tierärztin Kleintiere

We had a great time. Stuff ist very friendly and kind. The boat was like a speedboat, fun to travel with. Our guide knew where the whales were and had a good eye for spotting another one. He also gave us interesting information about the nature. Highly recommended.

Ashley Ramsay

Amazing experience ! Must do if you’re in the area! So much wildlife and amazing coast line to explore! Our tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable, in particular about the small pod of orca whales we followed all morning! Also got $10 off for booking online!