Whales & Wildlife by Season
Grey whales, humpbacks, black bears and the rest of Clayoquot Sound's wildlife — what you can see off Tofino, month by month, and who to head out with.
Tofino sits on the edge of Clayoquot Sound, where grey whales pass in their thousands each spring, humpbacks feed through the summer, and black bears walk the shoreline at low tide. Here's what you're likely to see off Tofino, month by month — patterns from past years on Tla-o-qui-aht and Ahousaht waters, never a promise for any one day.
Keep your distance — it's the law
Canada's Marine Mammal Regulations require staying at least 100 metres from whales, dolphins and porpoises — 200 metres if they're resting or with a calf, and 200 metres from killer whales. Fines run into the tens of thousands. Choose an operator who cuts the engine and hangs back. Inside the national park, watching any wildlife closer than 100 metres is separately prohibited by a standing order.