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Outdoor activities in Vancouver Island

THE 10 BEST Vancouver Island Outdoor Activities

Outdoor Activities in Vancouver Island

  • Traveller favourites
    Tours, activities and experiences bookable on Tripadvisor, ranked according to revenue made by Tripadvisor on those bookings, plus the number of page views by Tripadvisor users, and the quantity and quality of reviews
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1. Victoria and Butchart Gardens Tour from Vancouver

424
By Gray Line Westcoast Sightseeing
Bus Tours
6+ hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 94% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$249.00
per adult
Reserve
LIKELY TO SELL OUT*

2. Ultimate Marine Whale & Wildlife Tour

35
By Five Star Whale Watching
Full-day Tours
3 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 94% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$130.00
per adult
Reserve
LIKELY TO SELL OUT*

3. Whale-Watching Cruise with Expert Naturalists

113
By Five Star Whale Watching
3 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 92% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$130.00
per adult
Reserve

5. Half-Day Whale Watching Adventure from Victoria

967
By Prince of Whales - Whale Watching Adventures
5 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 98% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$199.15
per adult
Reserve

6. Victoria Whale Watch Tour

177
By SpringTide Whale Watching & Charters
Adventure Tours
3–4 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 96% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$129.00
per adult
Reserve
LIKELY TO SELL OUT*

7. Seaplane Flight to Victoria with Ground Transport and Butchart Gardens Admission

32
By Harbour Air Seaplanes
Air Tours
1 day
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$572.14
per adult
Reserve

8. Victoria Whale and Wildlife Cruise

529
By Eagle Wing Whale & Wildlife Watching Tours
Shore Excursions
3–4 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 97% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$178.12
per adult
Reserve

9. Zodiac Whale Watching Adventure from Victoria

359
By Prince of Whales - Whale Watching Adventures
3 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 95% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$203.99
per adult
Reserve
LIKELY TO SELL OUT*

10. Whale Watching Tour in a Zodiac Boat in Victoria

167
By Orca Spirit Adventures
3 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 91% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$177.45
per adult
Reserve
LIKELY TO SELL OUT*

15. Cowichan Bay Half Day Whale & Wildlife Adventure

318
By Ocean EcoVentures Whale Watching
4 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 99% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$183.76
per adult
Reserve

16. Sunset Whale Watching Adventure from Victoria

260
By Prince of Whales - Whale Watching Adventures
3 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 98% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$179.99
per adult
Reserve

17. Half-Day Whale Watching Adventure from Telegraph Cove

132
By PRINCE OF WHALES Whale & Marine Wildlife Adventures
Adventure Tours
3 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 95% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$182.00
per adult
Reserve
LIKELY TO SELL OUT*

18. Zipline Adventure Tour

105
By Adrena LINE Zipline Adventure Tours
Adventure Tours
2 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$124.95
per adult
Reserve

19. 90-Minute The Capital Tour

15
By Victoria Carriage Tours
Private Sightseeing Tours
1–2 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$345.00
per group
Reserve

23. Victoria City and Butchart Gardens Private Half-Day Tour

10
By Surfside Adventure Tours
City Tours
4 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$550.00
per group
Reserve

30. Victoria Butterfly Gardens Ticket

36
By Victoria Butterfly Gardens
Zoo Tickets
45–120 minutes
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 91% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$19.42
per adult
Reserve
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Showing results 1-30 of 61
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

What travellers are saying

  • Destination702393
    Sacramento, CA2 contributions
    Herman is the BEST GUIDE ever!
    Our Tour Guide, Herman was absolutely AMAZING! He had incredible knowledge and shared history of the areas that were so interesting. Herman was an extremely safe driver. He gave us information on how to find the bus on the ferry that was logical & easy to remember. I’m a retired principal and really admired his style. Thanks Herman!
    Review of: Victoria and Butchart Gardens Tour from Vancouver
    Written June 8, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Roberlaur
    Riverside, CA2 contributions
    Don’t sit up front!
    We sat upfront. We couldn’t hear anything the captain was saying.. so we missed out on a lot. I gave a 4 because we did see whales and he seemed to have a good handle on where they would be, their behavior, etc.
    Review of: Ultimate Marine Whale & Wildlife Tour
    Written May 25, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Varun D
    Toronto, Canada54 contributions
    Day spent well watching Whales
    We were greeted by a friendly team at Five star whale on a bright Thursday afternoon. Catherine and the boat Captain worked together seamlessly to take us out in the boat, where we spotted a few humpback whales and 1 orca. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour and the overall experience was great. Would definitely recommend them as they're very reasonably priced compared to other operators and provide a great experience!
    Cheers!
    Review of: Whale-Watching Cruise with Expert Naturalists
    Written June 8, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Juliedar67
    Irvine, CA9 contributions
    Convenient and easy!
    Convenient pick up and drop off locations, easy to purchase ticket to the gardens ahead, at the bus, friendly staff and bus driver provided great and interesting information. Bus was on time and also appreciated option of several return times if you wanted to spend a little longer at the park.
    Review of: The Butchart Gardens Express Shuttle
    Written May 12, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Olivia K
    2 contributions
    Awesome whale watching, great crew!
    I would highly recommend Prince of Whales to anyone considering this kind of trip. The vessel was nice, and the crew was amazing. They were really friendly and knowledgeable. Thanks to Coco, Reid, Rajan, and Shawn for making our experience worthwhile!
    Review of: Half-Day Whale Watching Adventure from Victoria
    Written June 8, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • ira
    Vancouver Island, Canada2 contributions
    Awesome experience
    Crew was very knowledgeable and nice, my daughter loved seeing whales, is a unique and exciting experience definitely worth the time and price.
    Review of: Victoria Whale Watch Tour
    Written October 23, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Sue S
    Highland, IL5 contributions
    Victoria and Butchart Gardens in a day
    We wanted to visit Victoria and Butchart Gardens but only had one day to do it from Vancouver. This trip for the bill perfectly. This is not a sightseeing flight. But, in 35 minutes in a very pleasant flight, we landed in Victoria. It’s a short walk to the motor coach that delivers you to Butchart Gardens. The driver was very informative. They allowed about 2 hrs at the Gardens. Plenty of time. Had lunch back in Victoria then flew back to Vancouver.
    Review of: Seaplane Flight to Victoria with Ground Transport and Butchart Gardens Admission
    Written May 29, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • AngieL
    Barnsley, UK3 contributions
    Great experience, great staff.
    Great tour with great staff who kept us engaged throughout. The staff were particularly caring about their guests always checking in to see if they were ok. We were lucky enough to see Whales, Sea Otters and Sea Lions on our trip.
    Review of: Victoria Whale and Wildlife Cruise
    Written June 7, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Pumpkin20
    Bathurst, Australia316 contributions
    Fantastic experience!
    I decided to take up the challenge & go out in the zodiac, I was worried about being sick out on the water, so chose to sit in the back of the boat. Absolutely nothing to worry about! It was a fantastic experience, our guide Tray was outstanding, very engaging & knowledgeable. We were so fortunate to see 3 families of Orca & a humpback. Beyond my expectations!
    Review of: Zodiac Whale Watching Adventure from Victoria
    Written June 8, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • marmite724
    Preston, UK248 contributions
    Awesome humpback whale view
    What a thrill. I am not good on water and not looking forward to this trip. My husband really wanted to see a whale and was not disappointed!! Our captain and guide Lori, was very good and gave us some useful and interesting information and answered all questions . We had the delight of a huge humpback whale that stayed under our boat , nudging it gently now and again. It surfaced many times just feet from us and when it finally swam off after about 40 minutes we had the awesome view of it tail ( a white one) as it waved us goodbye and did a deep dive. Thank you Lori. The other boats that had come to see the whale watched us jealously!!! We also saw many harbour porpoises, Californian sea lions, harbour seals and two river otters . Plenty of sea birds about too .
    Review of: Whale Watching Tour in a Zodiac Boat in Victoria
    Written June 6, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • terri
    Shreveport, LA2 contributions
    Wow
    Absolutely stunning, pictures do not do the gardens justice. I saw my first redwood tree, the colors were vibrant it was just a fantastic day. Took about 2 hours to see everything
    Review of: Victoria and Butchart Gardens Tour from Vancouver
    Written June 6, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Karen H
    Houston, TX5 contributions
    Orca sailing
    The crew were friendly and informative. It was a wonderful day to sail. We saw sea lions, otters, and a humpback whale. Captain moved in closer for to get great pics.
    Review of: Victoria Whale Watching Tour on a Covered Vessel
    Written June 8, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Graham
    Altrincham, UK5 contributions
    Excellent t Orca watching boat trip
    An excellent trip almost 4 hours

    The guide Val was really knowledgeable and friendly

    The captain was great too

    And some excellent Orca whale watching too
    Review of: Whale Watching Nanaimo Open Boat Tour
    Written June 7, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Kathy J
    Chicago, IL31 contributions
    A must do private tour!
    Our group of 4 truly enjoyed this wonderful customized tour led by Darwin, who was very professional, informative, timely, and accommodating! We saw a lot of Victoria without feeling rushed, including the Butchart Gardens, Craigdarroch Castle, Hatley Castle, downtown Victoria and more. The SUV was comfortable, clean, and well maintained. I will definitely reserve another tour with Darwin during my next visit to BC.
    Review of: The Ultimate Group Package Tour of Victoria
    Written September 19, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • LeeAnn N
    1 contribution
    Awesome tour!
    Captain Simon gave us a great day! We saw both Orcas and humpbacks as well as many other wildlife. Two of us have back issues and the boat seats were very comfortable. The scenery was amazing. The company’s philosophy on eco management is commendable.
    Review of: Cowichan Bay Half Day Whale & Wildlife Adventure
    Written May 21, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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