Discovery Marine Safaris Ltd.

Discovery Marine Safaris Ltd.

Discovery Marine Safaris Ltd.
5
Boat ToursEco ToursPrivate ToursDolphin & Whale WatchingNature & Wildlife Tours
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
YOUR ADVENTURE IS OUR PASSION! Join us on a fun, educational, ethical, safe and professional Whale Watching & Wildlife Safari. Connect with nature as you quietly observe Orca (Killer Whales), giant Humpback whales and other marine mammals in their natural environment. Absorb this unique ecosystem, while you travel in Comfort with Campbell River’s premier tour operator on our comfortable covered boat with multiple viewing decks & on board washroom. Our onboard Marine Naturalists deliver an unparalleled experience that showcases our connection to wildlife and the world in which we all depend. From late August through to October, venture deeper into the wild of British Columbia, on our awe-inspiring Grizzly Bear Excursion. Watch bears in their natural habitat from safe viewing platforms along the banks of glacier fed rivers. Learn about the bears and their habits from the Homalco First Nations who will be your guides while on land in their traditional territory. WIR SPRECHEN DEUTSCH!
Campbell River, British Columbia, Canada
Meets animal welfare guidelines

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles422 reviews
Excellent
375
Very good
32
Average
7
Poor
8
Terrible
0

Diane B
Spruce Grove9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2021
This should be on your bucket list. Wow! To see Grizzly Bears this close up, in their natural habitat, is a experience that I will never forget. We witnessed males and a sow and cub feeding on spawning salmon for hours. Along the way up to the viewing sites, a huge Elk sauntered along the road. What a majestic animal.

Captain John was a wealth of information for the surrounding area's history so the time there and back was not long enough.

I would take this trip again in a heart beat. The scenery, whales and wildlife makes one honored to be a Canadian.
Written September 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for joining our tour and your words reflecting the excitement of the tour. Yes, Captain John loves to share his knowledge and has many stories to tell as he spend all his life at this Coast. I am so glad you got to see the sow and her cub....a bit of a rare sighting this year. All the best to you!
Written September 28, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

RobertBc
Chemainus, Canada20 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2021 • Couples
From start to finish this was an amazing experience. Booking was easy and personable. Onboard, captain Geoff was not only a skilled mariner and great host, as well as sharing a deep knowledge of the coast and its marine environment. Kaitlyn, the deckhand/naturalist, was always friendly and helpful. Conrad, our Homalco First Nation's guide not only was very bear safety conscious, he had a deep respect for the bears and environment and shared his knowledge .

Trip out we were able to stop and view over a hundred Pacific White Sided Dolphins. Amazing! At the Orford River, the bear viewing was not only safe and respectful but also provided an intimate viewing experience. We watched 9 grizzlies at 4 different sites. Excellent experience!
Written September 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review and for letting us know that you had an amazing experience on our Grizzly Bear Expedition. Our crew and the Homalco First Nation's Guides strive to offer guests a memorable day. And between the 3 great hosts you had onboard there would have been an abundance of knowledge and respect for the wildlife we are so fortunate to share with our guests. The viewing stands along the Orford River offer a very safe , respectful and intimate viewing experience of Grizzly Bears in their natural environment, Thank you for joining us. And we are so pleased you were treated to the added bonus of stopping and watching a pod of over 100 Pacific White Sided Dolphins on the way to Bute Inlet.
Written October 4, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Pat S
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2021
We had a wonderful tour to see the grizzlies with Discovery Marine Safaris. The weather was great, the captain of our boat, Captain John, was a seasoned skipper, very knowledgeable with the area and marine life, particularly the salmon which is main staple of the grizzlies. The scenery out to the bear tour is beautiful. We were greeted and toured through the bear habitat by two very professional Homalco guides. We saw five grizzlies, three up close, along a river with numerous spawning salmon. Captain John took us back home via a different route than we came to show us different scenery. On the way back, we encountered a hump back whale who put on a fantastic display for us breaching several times and spending a lot of time just playing on the waters surface for our enjoyment. Our on board naturalist, Kaitlin, was even able to identify the whale (Wilkinson) for us by his markings. A tour to remember for what we saw and the people who delivered the tour.
Written September 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for booking with us and it's great to hear that you enjoyed the 2 hour boat ride to and from Bute Inlet with Captain John and Kaitlin. The scenery is stunning isn't it? You certainly sound as if you had some beautiful bear sightings, it is always exciting quietly waiting for the bears to emerge from the bush or to appear around a bend in the rive And watching them plunge in the water to catch a salmon is something none of us will forget. Enjoying the added bonus of a breaching humpback whale once let alone several times is terrific - you were very lucky to observe Wilkinson being so surface active and I'm certain Kaitlin was beaming from ear to ear. She still gets as excited as our guests whenever we spot a humpback whale - they are her absolute favourite marine mammal! I am thrilled that our team and your Homalco Guides added to your memorable experience. We hope to welcome you back one day.
Written October 4, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Anne L
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2021
Six of us went on a full day grizzly bear tour on September 7th. The weather was perfect and the tour was absolutely fabulous! We cruised through spectacular scenery on our way from Campbell River to Bute Inlet. Captain John, a former fisheries official gave us a safe and comfortable ride and was a font of knowledge about local history, fish biology and bear behaviour. Kaitlin, our naturalist was a whale expert and taught us a lot about marine life along the way. Jared and Conrad, the Homalco guides who led the grizzly portion of the tour, were knowledgeable and a lot of fun. They also made us fee very safe!

On our tour we were so lucky to see several healthy-looking bears fishing along the Orford River from the well place viewing platforms. We also witnessed numerous salmon who had returned to the river to spawn. To top off a perfect day, we were treated to an up-close and solo performance by Wilkinson, an enormous Humpback Whale, who we encountered on the west side of Quadra, just as the sun was about to set. All in all, it was a magical experience. Many thanks to the whole team at Discovery Marine Safaris.
Written September 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
You're welcome - It was our pleasure having you join us on a Grizzly Bear Expedition into Bute Inlet. The scenery en-route is truly spectacular isn't it and Captain John and Kaitlin are both passionate about the area and the wildlife we are so fortunate to respectfully observe on our tours. Jared and Conrad are a great team and definitely know their bears. It sounds like your trip ended on the perfect high note. Watching humpback whales as the sun sets is one of my favourite personal experiences. Thank you for booking with us and we are thrilled that you and your friends enjoyed your day. I will pass on your kind words to Captain John, Kaitlin, Jared and Conrad.
Written October 4, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Go440336
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
Recently we took a sunset picnic dinner cruise, the staff were amazing, so friendly and very informative. We saw a lot of birds, whales and seals. Sunset was amazing, ocean was calm, we definitely recommend this company. I can’t wait to go again.
Written August 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you, so glad you enjoyed the sunset picnic dinner cruise - it was fun wasn't it and we were certainly treated to a calm balmy summer evening. This reply is a little late in coming . . . but we know you'll understand that we have been having way too much fun taking our guests out on our regularly scheduled tours in search of whales and Grizzlies. Thanks again for joining us and for helping make the warm summer evening such a fun one. it's our guests that make each event so special! Any other tour suggestions for next summer? We would love your feedback.
Written October 4, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Ali H
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
Had a wonderful experience with our family whale watching! We can’t say enough good things about this company and our experience. We saw humpback whales, sea lions and seals and our tour guide was so knowledgeable on the area and the different species of animals we’d be seeing. Our boys, aged 14 & 11 loved it as well. It was honestly one experience we’ll have memories of for years to come. Loved every minute of it!
Written August 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It truly makes our day when we hear that we have helped create lifelong family memories - thank you. It was our pleasure having you and your boys onboard. Did the boys have a favourite out of the marine mammals they saw? We all love our humpback whales and get very excited at the start of the season wondering which of the familiar individual whales we will see and who they will be traveling with - but sometimes the sounds and activity observed around popular Sea Lion haul outs is fascinating and very entertaining. Thank you for booking with us for your family excursion. Hope to see you all again one day.
Written October 4, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Julie
Calgary, Canada2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Friends
Such an incredible experience! The inaugural dinner cruise was simply amazing. Officially, it was a trip to desolation sound, but we saw and learned so much more about the area. And we saw so much wildlife: harbour porpoises, harbour seals, sea lions, and humpback whales. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable and the dinner was tasty. I 100% recommend this tour company.
Written August 14, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you, so glad you enjoyed the inaugural dinner cruise - it was fun wasn't it and we appreciate you recommending us. This reply is a little late in coming . . . but we know you'll understand that we have been having way too much fun taking our guests out on tours in search of whales and Grizzlies. Thanks again for joining us and for helping make the warm summer evening such a fun one. it's our guests that make each event so special!
Written October 4, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Allison C
Winnipeg, Canada2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Friends
Had a wonderful experience with this crew! Extremely knowledgeable and so friendly! Seeing Orcas was such a treat. I would highly recommend this trip!
Written August 13, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your recommendation. We are so pleased you had a wonderful experience with our crew and that you saw Orcas and had a wonderful whale watching experience. It was our pleasure having you onboard.
Written October 4, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Detlef F
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021
After all that Covid lock down, I had the opportunity to go onto a whale watch. tour with Discovery Marine Safari in Campbell River. There is not enough space here to describe how beautiful - amazing - outstanding - fantastic - killer awesome that trip was. The crew - the boat - EVERYTHING was simply divine for the lockdown tortured SOUL and Spirit. After watching endless nature documentaries on Netflix since March 2020.... there is nothing better then the trip into nature with all that fantastic wildlife!!
I don't know how the crew did it.... it seems they some kind of performance contract with the humpback whales to appear at the right moment :).... incredible and wonderful sightings.
I highly recommend that trip for Soul and Spirit, my energy level is high again!!
Thanks so much to the entire crew!!
Written July 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Connecting with nature is the perfect remedy for soul and spirit isn't it. we have so enjoyed watching our guests relax and enjoy being out in the wild on our tours. The COVID lockdown has certainly made us realize the importance of nurturing body and mind - and we would agree that there is no better way than being out on the water watching whales. But then we are a wee bit biased! Thank you for joining us and letting the experience recharge your energy levels.
Written October 4, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Diane S
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021 • Solo
What a fabulous day!!! July 3rd, 2021. Humpbacks, sea lions, orcas.... Gorgeous scenery and experts on board to give us all of the information and answer our questions about these amazing animals. Captain Wayne and crew gave us a spectacular tour! If you head out with them...remember binoculars, a camera and sunscreen!!! I enjoyed this day sooo much! Thankyou!!!
Written July 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We love hearing our guests had a fantastic day - thank you! I will let Captain Wayne and his crew know that you had a spectacular tour. It sounds like you had some beautiful sightings of orcas, humpback whales and sea lions. We also appreciate your tips for our guests. We are really thrilled that you enjoyed your day so much and hope to welcome you back at some point.
Written October 4, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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DISCOVERY MARINE SAFARIS LTD. (Campbell River) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go