Eco Tours
4 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 97% of travelers
97% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
$135
per adult
San Juan Safaris
San Juan Safaris
4.9
Boat ToursPrivate ToursDolphin & Whale WatchingNature & Wildlife Tours
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Monday
Closed
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Full view
About
The waters surrounding San Juan Island are the #1 place in North America to see wild orca whales. San Juan Safaris, located in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, is in the perfect location to provide you with the thrill of seeing orcas in their natural habitat. For over 20 years, San Juan Safaris has been offering the highest quality whale watching tours with a focus on our guests’ experiences and respectful wildlife viewing. Experience orcas, seals, sea lions, eagles, and more from the comfort of our safe, fast, and US Coast Guard approved vessels. With four vessels and multiple daily departure times, there’s sure to be a tour that’s right for you. Our seasoned Captains will keep you safe while aboard our vessels and position the boat in prime locations for whale and wildlife viewing. All of our tours are staffed by seasoned Captains and passionate Marine Naturalists who will teach you about the wildlife, ecology, and geology of the Salish Sea. We encourage you to ask questions and love to share stories about orcas and the local area. Choose from two vessel tours: M/V Sea Lion: The Sea Lion is our flagship vessel, built specifically for whale watching & wildlife viewing. 55 feet, comfortable, stable, great for passengers of all ages and mobility levels. Restroom on board, 360* viewing deck, heated inside cabin. Great for families and groups. M/V Kestrel: The Kestrel is our new high-speed adventure vessel-- perfect for anyone looking for an exciting excursion! Fast, safe, and comfortable. 360* viewing deck, all-weather exposure suits keep you warm and dry, plus on board marine bathroom. Fun and fast! This tour is great for passengers 8 years and older. Our brand new Whale Watch Headquarters is located just feet from the ferry terminal in Friday Harbor, and steps from local restaurants and shops. Stop by and say “hello” to learn more about our tours and the best spots on San Juan Island to explore. Visit our retail and gift shop for the latest in northwest guide style. Don’t forget to stop by our new Ridetide Café for coffee, sandwiches, desserts, and more!
San Juan Islands, Washington
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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.
4.9
754 reviews
Excellent
700
Very good
33
Average
10
Poor
9
Terrible
2
Sky
1 contribution
Jun 2020
San Juan Safaris was the perfect pick for whale watching in Friday Harbor. They were so accommodating and professional. I called late in the week inquiring about their sold out tours, and was pleasantly surprised when they called back the next day asking if I could make a sunset tour they were going to run the next day, Saturday. On the tour, we saw a pod of 8 Orcas, and lots of other wildlife. Our naturalist Laura was so knowledgeable and our captain kept us right up with the Orcas even through rough waters. Thanks for a great trip everyone!
Written July 11, 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.
TBrady
Ann Arbor, United States12 contributions
Sep 2020
We have gone on 2 trips with this company and had great fun both times. The first trip was in July with my son. Saw a lot of Minke whales and other marine mammals that trip. The second trip was just my partner and I. The crew went the extra mile, literally, to find a pod of Southern Resident Killer Whales. We were about as far north as we could get without crossing into Canadian waters. (Border closed due to Covid-19). We stayed out for 4.5 hours to get the best experience possible. The naturalists do a great job explaining everything. Saw quite a few Harbor Porpoises on the trip out, too. Was just an excellent experience. Will be back for more rides in the future as I can’t see that this will ever get old for me. As a bonus, this company donates a portion of each ticket price back towards conservation efforts, which I applaud.
Written September 23, 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.
Brandon H
Petersburg, KY1 contribution
Jul 2020 • Solo
Had one free day on a recent work trip to Seattle and decided to spend it at Friday Harbor. Ended up booking an Adventure Whale Watching tour with San Juan Safaris to get out on the water in their zodiac. Captain Brian (who just so happens to own the company) and his Naturalist Olivia had us suited up and on the whales in no time. This duo made sure we all had a great trip, and even walked away a little more educated than we were when we arrived. We were fortunate enough to see a handful or killer whales, and the closed out the trip with a humpback sighting. Overall it was a great experience with some great people. Will for sure look to come back with my wife and hopefully enjoy this experience again!
Written July 14, 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.
Alejandra G
1 contribution
Sep 2020
The most valuable and important thing for me was having a knowledgeable, passionate tour guide, who made this trip more enjoyable and full of amazing information about what we were watching. She found a group of whales from an insane distance and made it look easy.
Nice, kind and knowledgeable staff, well equipped and safe boat.
Totally worth the price (140USD total) and will do it again without blinking.
Nice, kind and knowledgeable staff, well equipped and safe boat.
Totally worth the price (140USD total) and will do it again without blinking.
Written September 7, 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.
Akira
1 contribution
Jul 2020
Naturalist Laura and Captain Pete are the best guides to experience whale watching. We saw a pod of 5 Transient Orca Whales (Mama and Baby and 3 others). Our trip was 3-4 hours long and from the moment we found the whales till the end of the trip it was one amazing experience to follow the pod and learn about them. The rainbow at the end of the trip was like cherry on top
Written July 14, 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.
Amanda
Chico, CA1 contribution
Jun 2020
I had an amazing time, I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure! Our group was fortunate to see several types of wildlife (harbor seals, eagles, small porpoises). But most importantly (to me anyway), we saw several Bigg's Orcas towards the end of our tour. Personnel were friendly and enthusiastic as well as knowledgeable- I can't remember the naturalist's name, but he showed us which whales we had seen and told us a little bit about them as we made our way back to the harbor. The boat was clean and comfortable. It was a beautiful day on the water and I'm glad I made the trip. I would certainly recommend this tour to friends/ family and will likely do the tour again on my next trip!
Thank you San Juan Safaris for helping me to cross one item off of my bucket list!
Thank you San Juan Safaris for helping me to cross one item off of my bucket list!
Written June 23, 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.
Dean A
Olympia, WA10 contributions
Jul 2020 • Family
Everything about this trip was awesome. Reservations were easy. Communication was excellent. Trip confirmation call was a pleasant surprise and helped me avoid some mistakes that would have ruined our day. The captain and naturist were friendly and informative. Their equipment is top-notch. The captain knew where the whales were and took us to them. Not the case every time, but these guys are good and we got to see two different pods. We also saw stellar sea lions, Harbor seals and bald eagles.I would highly recommend this trip. Aside from the whale watching the scenery is spectacular.
Written July 20, 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.
Allan W
Palo Alto, CA5 contributions
Sep 2020
We took the Kestrel Zodiac tour on September 9 and it was excellent. Both our naturalist (Erick) and our captain (Brian) were very knowledgeable and informative. It was a beautiful day out on the water, with a long trip down through Deception Pass to the Salish Sea. We observed a pod of 5 or 6 Transient Orcas hunt, play and lazily move north. We also were able to see Stellar Sea Lions and Harbor Seals as we made our way back north to Friday Harbor. Erick and Brian were knowledgeable, courteous, friendly and generally lots of fun to be with that day. I would HIGHLY recommend San Juan Safaris and our crew. We'll be back ourselves next time we're in Seattle!
Written September 29, 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.
Amber Muse
3 contributions
Sep 2020 • Family
Whale watching has been on our bucket list for years. San Juan Safaris was amazing! The captain was excellent and gave us the best front row Orca show. What a wonderful breathtaking experience!!!
We have a three year old and they were able to accommodate for a small child and provide a safe and fun experience.
I would recommend San Juan Safaris to everyone!
We have a three year old and they were able to accommodate for a small child and provide a safe and fun experience.
I would recommend San Juan Safaris to everyone!
Written September 7, 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.
sojourner04
Wenatchee, WA6 contributions
Jul 2020 • Couples
Even if no whales. Everyone on the trip was disappointed we couldn’t find whales, no one more so than the captain and his first mate. These are wild animals though, in a big ocean. Brian and the others who offer these tours are doing so respectfully, no tracking nor otherwise disturbing the whales’ natural behaviors. That means sometimes, even in peak season and with the extensive network and experience of the professionals, you go out and the pods are nowhere to be found. I wanted to leave a review that is still 5 stars, even in this scenario. The captain and his crew still created an exceptional experience.
Written July 17, 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.
Hi, is there a better chance of seeing orcas between the 12.30 and 5.30 departure?
Thanks
Written June 8, 2019
Hi, It honestly in my opinion depends on the orcas,right time,right location and luck. I know that’s not helpful. The boat captain and the team do speak to others in the area to see where the orcas are that day and on each trip. So maybe if you went in the afternoon they would know better where they were hanging/ moving that day. I do know that they do have a certain boat that holds less people and is faster and covers more area. I originally booked that boat which they later canceled due to lack of reservations. I went early in the season. Hopefully this helps and good luck with seeing them.
Written June 12, 2019
We will be in downtown Seattle September 22-27. We would like to do a day trip to see Orcas. I see the seaplane option to Friday harbor. Is there anyway to do this on a boat tour from downtown Seattle? Are there pretty gate charters?
Written September 5, 2018
I am sorry I cannot answer this for you.
Written September 25, 2018
Hi, since you didn't see any orcas you have a non-expiring free pass for your next visit is that right? Thanks
Written April 6, 2016
Hello! We work with the Pacific Whale Watch Association for our spotting network and know of any sightings in real time and have the equipment and crew to get you to any whales spotted. As orcas can travel up to 100 miles/day, we do not guarantee sightings, but do guarantee satisfaction. During peak season, if whales are not seen, we do offer a free standby pass. June-August we encounter whales on 90% or more of our tours, Please call us at 800-450-6858 for details.
Written April 23, 2016
What are the odds of seeing the whales and orcas in late may?
Written April 5, 2015
Hello! Peak season for orca sighting is the summer months typically from June through September. That being said there are orcas in our waters year round and lots of other wildlife too! We work with a wonderful spotting network to find whales and wildlife and know of any sightings.
So far, 2015 has been a great season!
Written April 9, 2015
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*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.