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Adventures By H.I.P.
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Adventures By H.I.P.

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Adventures By H.I.P.
5
252 reviews
#1 of 33 Outdoor Activities in Sooke
Boat Tours • Eco Tours • Dolphin & Whale Watching • Nature & Wildlife Tours • Photography Tours
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7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
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About
Eco tourism and Ocean Adventure attraction. Explore the open waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca with the experienced wildlife photographers of Adventures By HIP. We are Sooke, BC's premier ocean tour service for true wildlife enthusiasts. Adventures By HIP is located at the doorstep of the Sooke Harbour Resort and Marina and only steps away from The Prestige Oceanfront Resort.
Sooke, British Columbia, Canada
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Travelers' Choice
2022
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Adventures By H.I.P.
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(54 reviews)
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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5.0
252 reviews
Excellent
249
Very good
2
Average
0
Poor
1
Terrible
0
Tripper11
Powell River, Canada24 contributions
Lots of Humpbacks!
Jul 2021 • Family
Nine of us went out on a blue sky, breezy day for close to 3 hours. Mikes boat has very comfortable seating and easily takes the swells commonly found on the Yuan de Fuca Straight.
We headed West and within 1/2 a hour Mike spotted a fin wave and moving in closer we were soon surrounded by a school of about 15 or more Humpback whales! They did numerous fin waves and tail showing but no breaching. It was quite the thrill to be among these huge animals. There were young calves swimming along side their moms. We travelled with the group for probably a hour enjoying the sight of so many all around us.
We then travelled further West hoping to see Orcas but no luck. We followed the shore line closely on the way back and found a baby seal sunning on a rock with its mom.
All in all a very nice experience enjoyed by all, right from Sarah having the forms all ready, to the clean, sanitized survival overalls passed out. They even had all weather gear for the 3 & 4 years olds.

Thanks Mike & Sarah for the great experience! Can hardly wait to see the pictures taken by Mike and sent free to guests!
Written July 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.
Sarah
Thanks so much for joining us on this private tour last Tuesday! We're thrilled that your group got to experience such active humpbacks and that you all enjoyed the ride! We hope to get you out on the water again someday to hopefully find some orcas! Cheers!
Written July 25, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
sandra s
Calgary, Canada1 contribution
Once in a lifetime....
Aug 2022
The ultimate once in a lifetime whale watching tour. Way beyond any of my expectations and any other tours I have heard about. Captain Mike knew where to look (not in the usual places and no other boats) and soon our small group of 10 was literally surrounded by humpbacks in every direction and as far as the eye could see. A magical display of spouts, whale tails, dives and whales swimming in groups. Just had to sit, with jaw dropped, and watch in awe.

Hard to know how many but Mike had seen a similar pod of about 120 Mike in same area, so same pod? Definitely a steady stream of ones close by merging into spouts as far as the eye could see. Every time you looked at some there were more popping up in another direction. Seemed like a huge migration. An absolutely surreal experience that left me with unsurpassable lifetime memories.

Captain Mike is passionate, knowledgeable and well researched, yet humble. Provides interesting commentary and takes photos to send on.

Highly, highly recommend this whale watching outfit. A world class experience provided by an experienced local. Can’t wait to go again and take or send friends and family. Thank you Mike.
Written September 4, 2022
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.
Jacknclare8289
Maui, HI243 contributions
An amazing experience!
Aug 2021 • Friends
I would highly recommend this whale watching company. The initial meet and greet, form filling and survival suit allocation was smooth and painless. The staff are all very pleasant and helpful. We were EXTREMELY lucky on the tour! We saw the J-POD of Southern Resident Orcas (about 20) and the coxswain was excellent in the fact that we kept a huge distance away from them as they’re endangered now.
Then we found the humpbacks and I’ve never seen so many whales in one spot. We got very lucky. The coxswain was very knowledgeable and informative on the tour which lasted 2.5/3 hrs.
Overall, this was money well spent.
Written August 31, 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.
Sarah
Hi Jack, thank you for taking the time to write this thoughtful review. Especially the comments regarding the distance we kept from the resident orcas. We are thrilled that you were able to experience viewing J-pod as residents are no longer a group that we pursue, so we only get this opportunity once in a blue moon when they choose to pass by our vessels! Hopefully we have the opportunity to take you out again in the near future. Cheers!
Written November 7, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Companion666679
Vancouver, Canada1 contribution
Highly Recommended!!
Aug 2021 • Business
I was hesitated which whale watching company to go with. After reading some reviews and the recommendation from my hotel staff, I decided to go with H.I.P. My family and I proofed that I made the right choice!! Captain Mike was knowledgeable. This was our very first whale watching trip and I have told my kids that we may not see any whales just to make sure that they won’t be disappointed. Our trip was at the end of August, Sarah who booked our tour said they will never guarantee but chance is high towards the fall season. And in fact, we were super lucky! We saw the endangered southern resident orca from far in a group. Then we saw groups of humpbacks, so many of them which was amazing. They will only book your trip 2 days ahead based on weather. Highly recommended H.I.P.
Written September 5, 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.
Sarah
Thank you so much for this thoughtful review! We're thrilled that you made the decision to come out with HIP, and that we were able to share this incredible experience with you and your family. Although we can not guarantee whale sightings, you definitely visited at a great time. The SRKW are no longer a group that we pursue, so we consider it a very lucky tour when they choose to pass by our vessels! We hope to see you again in the future - Cheers!
Written November 7, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Margaret Y
1 contribution
Amazing Experience
Aug 2022 • Family
This experience was amazing! The boat ride in itself was an adventure on its own. We came across 30 humpback whales. Experiencing the sounds of all the blows, tail slaps and even one breach (jumping). We got some amazing photos. It was one of the highlights of our trip. We were the only zodiac boat out there so 12 of us and 30 whales it was incredible.
Written August 29, 2022
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.
SMT64
Saint Thomas, Canada7 contributions
Best Day Ever!
Aug 2021
We had booked a whale watching trip with another company and they cancelled it on weather speculation, so we started calling. We reached HIP and spoke directly with Captain Mike. They did have room for the morning trip but we were an hour's drive away. Capt. Mike was going to decide on whether he would do an afternoon trip at the end of the morning, depending on the weather. He said he would call us with plenty of time to make the drive. We weren't expecting much but at 1:00 the phone rang and the trip was a go!. We drove to Sooke where we met the most wonderful group of folks. They were so friendly and professional. They had all the gear you would need for safety and warmth. Then we had one of the most exciting afternoons ever!. We watched a baby humpback whale breach over and over and over and over again. WHAT A SIGHT! We were the luckiest group of people in the world. Captain Mike seemed as excited as we were. He took photos so we could just enjoy the show. They were emailed to us for free. What a great perk that is. I would recommend this company to anyone. Thanks for a perfect day everyone at HIP Adventures!
Written August 23, 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.
Sarah
Good morning Shelley, thank you for taking the time to share this review! The marine forecast is ever changing and although the constant checking can be tedious, we appreciate when our guests recognize the dedication that our team puts in to ensure the best possible tour. Determining the best marine condition is important because it allows us to travel farther, faster, so we are able to potentially find more animals. It sounds like you had a wonderful adventure and we are so happy you got to experience viewing humpbacks breach! It never gets old - As Captain Mike says himself " I turn into an excited child when humpbacks are around"!
Written August 24, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Martin G
1 contribution
Spectacular Whale Watching
Jun 2022
We did a whale watching with Mike for our Anniversary and my Birthday on June 11th. It was spectacular.... We had a small boat with a small group of people and saw 2 different sets of Orca. Chainsaw and his mom and Chainsaw was a huge male that gave us quite a show and then we saw another group up to 7 that were very playful and spy hoping us to see what we were all about. We were the only boat on the second group and being in a smaller boat was very up close and personal. Then we went and saw a hump back that surfaced very close to the boat. We also saw sea lions and harbor seals and lots of birds. It was an amazing day on the water and Mike explained a lot of things about all of the nature that we saw. I'd highly recommend Mike and Sara to anyone.
Written June 13, 2022
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.
Sarah P
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this thoughtful review! It sounds like you had an incredible experience, complete with an encounter with the famous Chainsaw himself! We're thrilled that we could help make your Anniversary and Birthday extra special. Thanks for coming out for a second trip with your daughter, we hope to see you all again soon - Cheers!
Written July 13, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kelley602
Charleston, SC44 contributions
Best Whale Watching Trip Ever!
Sep 2022
Our whale watching excursion with H.I.P. was beyond excellent! Captain Mike was the most genuine captain and guide that I have ever experienced. He was honest from the start that there were no guarantee that we would see any whales. Wow, he under-sold the trip! We saw more than 25 whales when you counted the tails and the spouts! Then a small pod of humpbacks surrounded our boat - amazing!!! Mike was so good about choosing the best location to see whales. We saw maybe 2 other boats in distance; otherwise we had the sound all to ourselves. The boat was super comfortable and had seating for a maximum of maybe 16 - so it made for a great intimate trip in which everyone had a a great view! I would HIGHLY recommend this excursion!
Written September 12, 2022
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.
jed_75
Calgary, Canada1 contribution
Whales Everywhere!
Aug 2021
We recently spent a week in Sooke and wanted to take our girls on a whale watching tour. We booked Adventures by H.I.P. based on the reviews and they did not disappoint! When making the reservation, I was impressed that Sarah asked how long we had in Sooke, so that we could move to another day if the conditions weren’t great. I have gone on whale watching tours before, so I knew that it is not guaranteed you will see whales, but Captain Mike explained to us where he had seen whales the previous day and knew where he wanted to go. We boated out about an hour, and saw 2-3 whales; I would have been happy with that but Captain Mike took us out a bit further and into the middle of a pod of 8-10 humpback whales. It was so cool! The entire trip was about 3 hours which was just enough for our girls. Overall, it was a fantastic family adventure that created some great memories. Can’t wait to see the photos! Thank you Sarah and Mike!
Written August 10, 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.
Sarah
Thanks for the kind words about our team! To ensure that you have the best possible tour, we always take back up availability so we can get you out in the best marine conditions! We're thrilled you and your family enjoyed your tour and viewed such an abundance of animals! Cheers!
Written August 13, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Margo9999
Victoria, Canada67 contributions
Whale watching
Jul 2020 • Family
We went out yesterday on close to a 4 hour whale watching tour. We saw a bunch of humpbacks, sea lions, seals and birds. Mike our guide was very knowledgeable. Considering the tour was $99 a person, would highly recommend!
Written July 12, 2020
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.
Sarah P
Hello Margo, Thanks so much for the great review! We are very pleased to hear that you enjoyed your time on the water with us and we hope to host you again soon. Cheers!
Written July 13, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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