The 8 Best Whale Photography Trips Worldwide

1.Vancouver Half-Day Whale Watching Adventure with Free Photos

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5,000 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $193Our pick

Cruise from Granville Island aboard a 95-passenger catamaran with heated cabins, outdoor decks, hot drinks, and wildlife photographers. Guides such as Petra, Ashley, Wilma, and Megan share facts about whales, seabirds, geology, and local ecosystems. Look for orcas, humpbacks, seals, sea lions, eagles, and porpoises.

“Amazing experience! Friendly and knowledgeable guides, we were amazed they could identify the whales we saw withina few minutes and give us some of their family history. It was great that there was a warm inside space and free tea, coffee and hot chocolate as it was a little drizzly and cold. Our 7 year-old loved everything about the trip as well!”

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2.Covered Whale Watching Adventure with Free Photos

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 2,260 reviews · 5 hours · from $188

Set out from Granville Island aboard a fast, covered catamaran for a 3 to 5-hour search for orcas, humpbacks, seals and seabirds. Guides such as Ashley, Wilma and Victor share marine facts while the crew photographs the action and emails high-resolution images. Choose a half-day or sunset departure, with heated indoor seating and outdoor viewing decks.

“Very knowledgeable & excellent idea giving us their photos via email.”

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3.Victoria Half-Day Whale Watching Adventure with Free Photos

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,259 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $154

Set out from Victoria’s Inner Harbour aboard a spacious catamaran with open decks, a heated cabin, washrooms, and complimentary drinks. Naturalists such as Megan, Reid, Jessy, and Janae explain the Salish Sea as you search for orcas, humpbacks, sea lions, and eagles. Free wildlife photos arrive after the trip.

“This was a fabulous way to spend an afternoon. I was hoping to see Humpback Whales and Prince of Whales did not disappoint. We saw many Humpbacks and then an Orca (Janet Nielson) showed up and it was like a Christmas miracle (he's rarely seen). The crew (Megan and Janae) were informative and knowledgable and Michael provided fabulous pictures afterward (included with the price of the trip). A must see and do when visiting Victoria. PS Captain Richard and First Mate Sandy did a great job too.”

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4.Whale Watching Cabo-Women crew-Sightings Guaranteed & Free Photos

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,743 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $100

Join Cabo Nature in Cabo San Lucas for a two-hour whale search led by a women crew of marine biologists. Ride with up to 10 people, listen to whale songs through a hydrophone, stop at El Arco, and receive digital photos. If no whales appear, you can return on a second tour at no extra charge.

“It was amazing. Boat captain was great and guide was knowledgeable! The whale sounds from the underwater microphone were other worldly. We saw several mother whales with their babies. Overall, it was well worth it.”

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5.Vancouver Sunset Whale Watching Adventure with Free Photos

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 454 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $193

Cruise from Granville Island aboard a 95-passenger Salish Sea Catamaran with naturalists such as Jill, Ashley, Jake, and Victor. Look for orcas, humpbacks, seals, sea lions, and bald eagles while guides explain local wildlife and geology. The boat has heated indoor seating, open decks, washrooms, hot drinks, and free wildlife photos sent by email.

“The reviews were glowing which made me suspicious. But the reviews were spot on and I’ll echo the compliments. Being out on the water in the late day sun was gloriously beautiful. Seeing humpback whales nearby in the open waters felt so sublime. Then seeing the pod of Orcas near Gambier Island was the ultimate. Jill provided very informative narration throughout the trip. She knew so much, even the names, ages and personalities of the Orcas. In addition, the fast catamaran ride was thrilling on its own. To top it off, they sent us the closeup photos of the whales just a few hours after the ride was done. I…”

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6.Covered Whale Watching Adventure with Free Photos

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 387 reviews · 4 hours · from $149

From Victoria’s Wharf Street, you’ll spend about four hours aboard a purpose-built Salish Sea catamaran, guided by marine naturalists such as Algebra, Michael, and Reid. Search for orcas and humpbacks in Haro Strait and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, with heated indoor seating, open decks, hot drinks, and free high-resolution photos included.

“Seating wasn’t comfortable but expected for a tour boat. Crew was fantastic”

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7.Los Cabos Whale Watching (Transportation and Pictures Included)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 290 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $90Best value

Set out from Cabo San Lucas Marina with a small group, stopping at El Arco and its sea lions before searching the Gulf of California for humpback whales. Guides such as Leonardo, Lorenzo, Pablo, and Alejandro explain whale behavior and local wildlife. Hotel pickup, snacks, water, and tour photos are included.

“The transportation is terrible. They couldn’t even pick us up at our hotel because they weren’t allowed to get through, and we had to take a taxi to get there, and my wife who can’t walk far I had to walk about 400 yards to get to the fear.”

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8.Whale Watching & Snorkeling Combo in Los Cabos with Photos Included

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 41 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $125

Spend about two hours looking for gray and humpback whales around Cabo with guides such as Mario, Fernando, or Alex, then snorkel for about an hour at a reef filled with fish, rays, sea lions, and perhaps turtles. The small group, included gear, snacks, water, sunscreen, photos, and videos make this a practical half-day outing.

“We had a wonderful morning outing with Fernando and Fergus. Our trip was scheduled for the last week of whale watching season. The experience began with Fernando describing the geology and history of Land’s End as Fergus positioned us at perfect vantage points. Then we headed out into the sea for whale watching. Stretches of serene motoring were occasionally punctuated by whale sightings. Fergus took us to a reef where we snorkeled to our hearts’ content. The sea life was amazing, the water was the perfect temperature. After snorkeling and being offered snacks we were ready for more whale watching. We were thrilled to see a mother, baby and nurse…”

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