SPIRIT OF ORCA Whale Watching,
Birding & Wildlife Tours
Experience the Salish Sea on a private, comfortable tour designed around your bucket-list adventure to see orcas and other marine life.
For many guests, seeing orcas, also known as killer whales, swimming freely in their natural environment is a lifelong dream. Our private tours offer a comfortable and personal way to experience this incredible wildlife among the San Juan Islands.
Whatever your interest, whether it’s primarily ecotourism, whale watching, or birding, we will do our best to tailor the tour the experience. We have over 400 orcas in this region, and you’ll also see other wildlife on your adventure here among the San Juan Islands of the Salish Sea.
Join us as we explore the Salish Sea and the San Juan Islands. We depart from Anacortes, Washington, one of the best places in the world to see orcas.
Departing from Anacortes has the advantage of avoiding ferry reservation hassles, late ferries, or ferry cancellations.
We offer private three or six hour tours aboard Spirit of Orca II. Spirit of Orca II is a very comfortable, seaworthy, and stable catamaran, perfect for one to six passengers. With a walk-around cabin open on three sides, you are poised for optimal viewing and a truly extraordinary experience for you, your family, or a small group of friends.
People often ask about the advantages of a six-hour tour compared to a three-hour tour. It is simply this: more time spent viewing the marine life. A six-hour tour offers up the possibility of reaching pods that might be out of reach on a three-hour tour.
What do we see?
You may see orcas, humpbacks, minkes, and maybe a gray or fin whale. Additionally, we may see stellar sea lions, harbor seals, Dall’s porpoises, harbor porpoises, Pacific white-sided dolphins, 172 species of sea birds, including bald eagles, tufted puffins, kingfishers, great blue herons, pelicans, and many other species of marine life.
This is one of the best places in the world to see orcas and whales. A huge advantage of touring with us here in the San Juan Islands is that there are only a handful of days a year when whales are not seen.
We Care, as reflected in our private whale watching, birding & wildlife ecotours.
Spirit of Orca is privileged to work, play, and educate thousands of local and international visitors within the traditional territories of the Coast Salish-speaking peoples of the Samish Indian Nation. Hóy7sxwq’e si7ám. (“Thank you, respected or honorable one.”)
It is important to recognize that protecting whales in their wild and natural environment is one of our greatest passions. After touring with us, we are confident it will become one of yours, too, so that you will have the knowledge to take home and advocate for our whales, orcas, and other wildlife.
Firstly, we practice responsible sustainable viewing, conservation, ecotourism, and education of our guests. Moreover, we are the first line of defense by serving as sentinel guardians of the whales, alerting other vessels unaware of their presence, and notifying marine mammal rescue of entanglements with fishing gear or injured mammals. In addition, we also supply photos to marine biologists to further their studies and work, and to law enforcement in instances where whales are being harassed.
Equally important, our viewing guidelines are among the most conservative in the world. With this in mind, the state of Washington has taken our viewing guidelines and adopted them into law for all vessels. Furthermore, our top priority is the safety and well-being of our guests and the whales.
No two whale-watching tours are the same. Each is a unique and beautiful experience as you take in the beauty and marine life of the Salish Sea.
Private Party Tour Pricing
3 hr – $975
6 hr – $1950
Private Whale-Watching Tour
Bird Watching / Birding Tours
(172 species of seabirds in the Salish Sea)
Photography Tours
Islands Cruise / Wedding / Marriage Proposal
Let us know how we can fulfill your dream.
