Private Whale & Marine Wildlife Watching Tours

Private Marine Wildlife Viewing on your Schedule

Whale Watching like a Local

While we always stay alert through our network for wildlife on every tour, this private tour focuses specifically on whales and marine wildlife.

All Victoria whale watching outfits no longer go out to deliberately view local Resident Orcas which are on the endangered list with numbers ever diminishing. That leaves us searching for transients which are passing through the area. 

Sometimes the whales are close by, however, most of the times we can spend significant time and fuel looking for, and reaching the whales; this is why this is our most expensive tour. Of course with our private tour you’ll always have the chance to view them longer though than on a public scheduled tour.

We also come across Humpbacks and the odd Minke whale. 

This tour is priced for 4 to 5 hours which is our typical duration, however, at any time during the excursion you may choose to extend this on an hourly basis to keep viewing the whales, or for any other reason.

The best time to see Orcas in Victoria, BC is generally from May to October, with the peak months being July through September.

Here’s a quick breakdown:


🐋 Orca Watching Season in Victoria, BC

MonthOrca Sightings LikelihoodDetails
May – JuneModerate to HighStart of the main whale-watching season. Transient (Bigg’s) orcas are active.
July – SeptVery High (Peak season)Best chance to see both Bigg’s orcas and occasional humpbacks. Warm weather, calm seas.
OctoberModerateStill good chances, especially early in the month.
Nov – AprilLowWhale watching is possible, but orca sightings are much less frequent and mostly depend on transient orcas.

🧠 Key Info:

  • Bigg’s (Transient) Orcas: Most commonly seen around Victoria year-round, but sightings are most reliable in summer.

  • Resident Orcas: Less common near Victoria nowadays, as their patterns have shifted north with changing salmon populations.

  • Tours: Most whale-watching companies operate daily tours from April through October and often report a 90–95% success rate for orca sightings in summer.

We depart from Sidney. If you are a group of 4 or less we can pick you up, and drop you off with our vehicle  from anywhere in Greater Victoria. Of course if you’re staying with us at Birds of a Feather Oceanfront B&B that becomes even easier + our B&B guests receive preferential pricing.

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Contact Information

Contact us with any questions or inquires! We look forward to hearing from you!
Our location

Tsehum Rd, Sidney, BC V8L 2P6

Email us

birdsofafeathermarine@gmail.com

Give us a call

+1-250-858-7308

Send us a message

If you have questions before you book please reach out to us.