Why Travellers Ranked Eagle Wing Tours the #2 Experience in Canada

July 10, 2026

What 5,000+ Reviews Say About Whale Watching on the Salish Sea

In 2026, travellers ranked Eagle Wing Tours the #2 experience in all of Canada as part of the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best awards. The recognition places Eagle Wing among the top 1% of travel experiences worldwide out of more than eight million listings, based entirely on what real guests shared after their time on the water.

For a conservation-focused company that has been guiding whale and wildlife tours from Fisherman’s Wharf in Victoria since 1997, the award is a reflection of something the team has been working toward since day one: creating experiences on the Salish Sea that stay with people long after they step off the boat.

What Is Tripadvisor’s Best of the Best Award?

The Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best is Tripadvisor’s highest recognition. Each year, the platform analyzes millions of verified reviews submitted over a full 12-month period and identifies the experiences that consistently deliver exceptional quality. Fewer than 1% of all listings worldwide qualify.

The award is driven entirely by what real travellers say after their experience. For Eagle Wing, that meant earning enough consistently outstanding reviews across every aspect of the tour to rank among the very best experiences in the country. That kind of recognition doesn’t come from a single standout moment. It comes from doing things well, every single day, over a long period of time.

Why Did Travellers Rank Eagle Wing Tours #2 in Canada?

When you read through the reviews, a few themes come up again and again.

The crew: Guests regularly describe Eagle Wing’s naturalists as the highlight of the tour. Every departure is guided by expert marine naturalists who bring genuine expertise, warmth and a deep connection to the Salish Sea. With a 1:12 crew-to-guest ratio (the best in the industry), guests aren’t just watching wildlife from a distance. They’re experiencing the Salish Sea alongside people who know these waters intimately, who can read the conditions in real time and who turn every encounter into something you actually understand and remember.

The sightings: Eagle Wing maintains a 98% whale sighting success rate, backed by the Whale Guarantee: if you don’t see whales, you come back for free, no expiry, no standby. But it’s the way the crew brings each sighting to life that guests mention most. With a naturalist guiding the experience, every sighting comes with expert insight into the wildlife and waters of the Salish Sea.

The fleet: Eagle Wing operates a fleet of five custom-built vessels: two semi-covered catamarans with heated cabins and panoramic viewing, and three open-air adventure boats that sit closer to the water. Every vessel includes complimentary gear (binoculars, jackets, sunscreen, blankets and more), and semi-covered tours come with a free professional photo package so you can relax and take in the experience.

The experience as a whole. This is what separates Eagle Wing from a typical whale watching tour. Reviews consistently mention the feeling of being genuinely cared for, from the welcome at Fisherman’s Wharf to the way the crew adjusts the experience based on what’s happening on the water that day. It’s not scripted. It’s responsive, knowledgeable and personal.

What Wildlife Can You See on an Eagle Wing Tour?

The Salish Sea is one of the most wildlife-rich marine environments in the world. Depending on the season, guests may encounter:

Bigg’s killer whales
Humpback whales
Grey whales
Minke whales
Steller sea lions
Harbour seals
Sea otters
Bald eagles
Harbour or Dall’s porpoises
A wide variety of seabirds
And more…

Wildlife sightings vary by season and natural movement patterns. Eagle Wing’s Daily Sightings Reports are updated after every tour and offer a helpful snapshot of recent activity on the Salish Sea.

How Does Conservation Shape the Eagle Wing Experience?

For many guests, knowing that their tour supports something larger makes the experience feel more complete. Eagle Wing became Canada’s first carbon-neutral whale watching company in 2009 and has since evolved that commitment into a Net Zero, Nature Positive strategy. The company is the world’s first Biosphere Certified whale watching operator, WCA Approved by the World Cetacean Alliance, a member of 1% for the Planet and is GreenStep Platinum certified.

Eagle Wing also has an active research program, providing on-water data and images to local researchers. And among its many outreach activities, it runs an award-winning education program that connects thousands of local schoolchildren with their big blue back yard.

Through a per-guest wildlife fee and the 1% for the Planet commitment, every ticket sold supports Eagle Wing’s many sustainability, research and education activities, and directly supports 25+ organizations dedicated to conservation in the Salish Sea. Guests regularly mention in their reviews that this is part of what made them choose Eagle Wing Tours.

What You Need to Know When Planning Your Whale Watching Adventure

If you’re considering an Eagle Wing tour, here are a few things that will help you get the most out of your tour.

Book direct and early: For the full experience with the complimentary photo package on semi-covered tours included, booking direct is the way to go. And, if you’re visiting Victoria for a few days, booking your tour earlier gives you time to use the Whale Guarantee if needed. With a 98% sighting rate, most guests see whales on their first outing.

Choose your vessel: Semi-covered catamarans (Wild 4 Whales and 4 Ever Wild) offer heated cabins, multiple viewing decks, washrooms and a free photo package. Open vessels (Wildcat 4, Goldwing and Serengeti) offer a wind-in-your-hair adventure.

Dress in layers: Eagle Wing provides jackets, wind pants, toques, gloves, sunglasses, sunscreen and blankets, but it’s always smart to layer up. It may be warm in the harbour, but it’s much cooler out there. We prefer to call it “refreshing!”

Whether you’re visiting Victoria for the first time or returning to visit the Salish Sea again, there’s a reason more than 5,000 travellers have chosen Eagle Wing Tours as Canada’s #2 travel experience. Book your tour and experience it for yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Tripadvisor’s Best of the Best award? The Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best is Tripadvisor’s highest recognition, awarded to the top 1% of travel experiences worldwide based entirely on verified guest reviews over a 12-month period.

How is Eagle Wing Tours ranked on Tripadvisor? Eagle Wing Tours is ranked the #2 travel experience in all of Canada for 2026 and holds a 4.9/5 rating from more than 5,000 reviews. The company has been the #1-rated whale watching experience in British Columbia since 2007.

What wildlife can you see on an Eagle Wing tour? The Salish Sea is one of the most wildlife-rich marine environments in the world. Depending on the season and the day’s conditions, guests may encounter Bigg’s killer whales, humpback whales, grey whales, minke whales, Steller sea lions, harbour seals, sea otters, bald eagles, harbour and Dall’s porpoises, a wide variety of seabirds, and more.

Why is Eagle Wing Tours one of the top-rated travel experiences in Canada? Guests consistently cite the expert crew, the 98% whale sighting success rate, the quality of the vessels, the Whale Guarantee and the company’s conservation leadership as reasons for their high ratings.

Is Eagle Wing Tours worth the price? With a 4.9/5 rating from 5,000+ reviews, a lifetime whale sighting guarantee, complimentary gear, expert marine naturalists on every tour and a free photo package on semi-covered vessels, most guests describe it as one of the best experiences of their trip.

What is Eagle Wing’s Whale Guarantee? If you don’t see whales on your tour, you come back for free. No expiry, no standby, no hidden fees. The Whale Guarantee has been part of the Eagle Wing experience since 2005.

How do you book an Eagle Wing tour from Victoria? Tours depart from Fisherman’s Wharf in Victoria. Book through eaglewingtours.com for the full experience, including the free photo package on semi-covered catamaran tours.