Top 5 Quebec whale watching cruises and tours

If you are planning a road trip to Quebec in the near future, you simply must make time in your schedule for a whale watching tour. It's an activity not to be missed!

To help you choose the right whale watching option for a truly unforgettable experience, check out our list of the best boat tours in Quebec.
 

Zodiac excursion in Les Escoumins

• Company: Croisière Escoumins
• Season: May 30 to October 25, 2020
• Schedule and rates: Click here
• Telephone: within Canada: 1-866-BALEINE / International: 08 05 32 10 54
   

Located less than an hour from the hordes of tourists who visit Tadoussac every year, the village of Les Escoumins is an ideal whale watching destination.

And don’t think for a moment that you have less chance of seeing whales there than in Tadoussac. With their “Whale Watching Guaranteed or your money back” policy, the passionate Croisière Escoumins team is out to prove the contrary. In fact, it is the only whale watching cruise line to offer this guarantee to its clients.

In the company of a naturalist guide, you will get up close to the fascinating world of the marine mammals of the St. Lawrence River aboard an eco-friendly zodiac boat that is safe even for young children.

Indeed, thanks to the boat’s safety rail, children are welcome at any age, unlike other companies that require a minimum age of 5 for zodiac cruises.

This is clearly a great option for families in search of a thrilling adventure! 

Featured road trip

The great explorer

4.6

from £3,275 / adult + vehicle

See the itinerary

• Road Trip
• 28 days

Whale watching by boat in Tadoussac

• Company: Croisières AML
• Season: May 2 to October 31, 2020
• Schedule and rates: Click here
• Telephone: 1-866-856-6668
   

Croisières AML is an establishment in Tadoussac, the small village with a big reputation as a world-class whale watching site.

The company offers boat tours with narration by experienced naturalist guides. Due to its ideal location, it is extremely popular with tourists and has made quite a name for itself. 

If you don’t mind the crowds and want to avoid the sea swell at all costs, this is the option for you.

Catamarans are very large and therefore much more stable and comfortable than an inflatable boat. On the other hand, their large size does not allow them to get as close to marine mammals as a zodiac.

Enjoy the sea air on the front observation deck or the covered upper deck. In cooler weather, the panoramic windows on the main deck allow you to observe the whales in comfort and warmth.

This is therefore an excellent choice if you are not comfortable on the water, if you are traveling in the fall or with children under the age of 3.

Sea kayaking in Grandes Bergeronnes

• Company: Mer et Monde Écotours
• Season: May 16 to October 12, 2020
• Schedule and rates: Click here
• Telephone: 418-232-6779
   

This is the most exciting and eco-friendly way to meet the whales, while discovering some of the most beautiful scenery in the St. Lawrence Estuary.

Just 20 minutes from Tadoussac and under the supervision of a professional guide from Mer et Monde Écotours, you will have the unique opportunity to learn the basics of sea kayaking. 

Fully equipped with all the essentials, you will glide along, several hundred metres from the shore, in search of seals and marine bird colonies. 

You don’t need to be an expert paddler, but a certain level of physical effort is required. Obviously, the level of difficulty depends largely on the weather. 

Children under the age of 6 are not allowed, and older children will need a good sense of adventure!

Small boat cruise in Forillon National Park

• Company: Croisières Baie de Gaspé
• Season: June 1 to October 16, 2020
• Schedule and rates: Click here
• Telephone: 418-892-5500
   

Take a cruise on board a boat constructed entirely from aluminum in Gaspé Bay, where the gentle giants of the sea await.

The Narval III, the only boat in the fleet, can seat up to 47 passengers and is accessible to people with reduced mobility (you must specify this at the time of booking).  

There is even a toilet on board !

The small Croisières Baie de Gaspé team boasts a captain with over 30 years of experience and two professional interpreter-guides for whom the sea holds no secrets.

With its breathtaking cliffs, Forillon National Park is a jewel of the Gaspé Peninsula. Sailing through such spectacular scenery is an experience in itself, which will remain engraved in your memory whether you encounter whales or not. 

And while you’re there, take the time for a picnic at the Cap-Bon-Ami or Cap-des-Rosiers viewpoint, where you will have another chance to observe the sea and its inhabitants from dry land.
 

Whale watching cruise in Percé 

• Company: Les Bateliers de Percé
• Season: June to September 2020
• Schedule and rates: Click here
• Telephone: 1-877-782-2974
   

As if coming face to face with the iconic Rocher Percé wasn’t thrilling enough, it is also possible to take a whale watching cruise from the picturesque tourist village of Percé.

The boats of Les Bateliers offer narrated whale watching cruises, lifting anchor from the main wharf in Percé every day during the summer months.

And if you’re travelling with young children, you will be interested to learn that those aged 5 and under ride for free.

Note that there is a fee for on-site parking. As the wharf is located close to most hotels, it is easy to walk there. That way you will save $10 dollars that can be better spent on a fresh lobster dinner!

Voilà !

If you have any questions and/or suggestions, don't hesitate to share them in the comments section below.