While you’re in Quebec City, don’t miss a chance to see some of Canada’s best wildlife on a whale-watching cruise! You’ll travel to Baie-Sainte-Catherine by road and then board either a large, three-level observation boat or a small, open-air zodiac boat for an exciting escapade to look for whales, belugas, seals and other marine life. The fabulous scenery is just a bonus on this adventurous day trip from Quebec City.
Escape Quebec City for a day, and treat yourself to an exciting adventure on the water. You'll be picked up in one of our 20 different Quebec City locations and taken to the departure point, Place D'Armes. After meeting your guide, you will board a deluxe motor coach and travel along the picturesque mountainous coastline of the St Lawrence River to reach Baie-Sainte-Catherine, where you’ll board either the AML Grand Fleuve observation boat or a speedy zodiac for a memorable afternoon of whale-watching.
The choice of transportation in the water is yours – the AML Grand Fleuve is a large, three-level boat with a glassed-in main deck, observation platform, covered upper deck, a bistro and a bar; the zodiac is a small, open-air boat that holds either 24 or 48 passengers (depending on the boat) and allows you to zip through the water to enjoy super-close access to the whales and other marine life. Opt for the AML Grand Fleuve for a more leisurely experience on the water, or choose the zodiac for an exciting high-adrenaline adventure!
Both vessels depart from the north shore of the St Lawrence for an exciting encounter with whales, seals and belugas! Discover the many faces of the St Lawrence River, including the Saguenay–St Lawrence Marine Park, a lighthouse, fascinating islands and an amazing diversity of marine life.
Aboard the AML Grand Fleuve a naturalist-guide will share illuminating facts during your whale-watching journey, while on the zodiac your captain will provide live commentary on your search for whales. This is an extraordinary rendezvous with the nature of eastern Canada!
Please note: The minimum age to board the zodiac is 6 years. Pregnant women or people with back problems are not permitted on this cruise. Also, please note that tour includes pickup and drop-off from 25 different hotels, B&B's, inns, and motels in Quebec City. This excludes home addresses.
Consigliata, bella esperienza. Viaggio in bus di circa 3 ore con tappa ad un caseificio , l'autista durante il percorso illustra le cittadine che si attraversano e racconta aneddoti vari, il motoscafo viaggia parecchio occhio al telefono/macchina fotografica. Partenza ore 9 circa da piazza d'armi e ritorno verso le ore 20 quindi giornata piena. Ho visto balene e leoni marini come da programma. Bel tour!
Review by: Jill T, September 2017
The tour was amazing. We saw several different kinds of whales and a whole mess of seals. We even saw a baby seal sunbathing on a rock. Yves the bus driver was wonderful and very knowledgeable. Julie and Dominic were awesome on the zodiac. The only downfall was it's a long bus ride.
Review by: Alicia R, September 2017
Whale watching was amazing and bus driver was fun and informative - but drive from the city is very long.
Review by: Robert H, September 2017
Although it was a long day, it was enjoyable. We were fortunate with the weather and it wasn't to rough. We did manage to see a mother whale with her baby, plus several belugas and a seal same along side the boat. We were picked up at our hotel by our coach driver Yves, who was excellent and very informative. Would definitely recommend.
Review by: ana_m44, September 2017
Absolutely perfect from beginning to the end!! And thanks to our excellent driver Yves for all the information and the fun not only in the bus, but also on site! Would rate this A
Review by: John M, September 2017
Our whale watching trip turned out great. At first we thought a 3 hour bus ride each way might be a drag but it was anything but. Yves, our tour guide was excellent and filled the time with humor and good information. The rainy weather cleared just as we got to the boat and we ended up with a beautiful day. We saw four kinds of whales as well as grey seals. The comment of the whale spotter on the boat summed up the entire trip - WOW!
Review by: nnp19, September 2017
Amazing. Would it again. Got some great pictures and it was unbelievable to get so close to these beautiful creatures.
Review by: CHECHE D, September 2017
LOVELY TRIP!!!
Review by: Jeff R, September 2017
Better whale watching in Alaska and Hawaii
Review by: ampd718, September 2017
The bus driver, Yves, was great - really enjoyed listening to his rapid-fire French and English travelogue on the way to Baie St. Catherine. However ... the zodiac was larger than we expected and it was not an inflatable craft so it didn't appear to be a real zodiac. The rain gear was mostly ineffective. My jacket was not waterproof - water poured into the sleeves - and almost everyone on the boat appeared to be soaked through their lower layers. We could have used boots, too. Finally, the tour was shortened because the captain decided to go ashore early due to high waves. It was cool to see a couple of whales but not really worth all that.
Review by: anatarad, September 2017
It takes more then 3.5 hours to get to bay St-Catherine almost 8 hours there and back, then you take a boat we took the Zodiac to see the back of the whale from more then 400 meters away. It was a little disappointing for me. My expectation were very high for this cruise and I hoped I would see a little more of the whale. We saw the blue whale which is very special but we saw it from very far for few seconds, I know this is nature and no one can plan anything but on our way back the currents were excellent to see more whales but the crew said that we must go back and couldn't stay a little more although it was good timing to really see whales. It was great hearing the breathing of the whale thought.
Review by: codms5409, September 2017
It was awesome! Our guide could speak both English and French and gave us useful information. On the boat, almost everything is a bit pricey so prepare some snacks and warm clothes. Watching whales was a great experience I can't ever have back in my hometown. Definitely worth the price!
Review by: travel, September 2017
Sad to report this was not of the quality of Viator tours I have had in the past. First off, the directions for meeting up with the bus were not clear, when I called to clarify, the person on the phone said they were coming and the bus would have whales on it. Well low and behold.... the bus was already there and not a whale picture to be seen. I called again and they said they had been looking for me and finally we connected. The guide/ bus driver was excellent. Once we were ready for the boat ride, another fiasco ... all participants were fielded to one person that called out the number of people needed. It was a push to the front of the line to get on a boat. Not a very welcoming experience. We were taking the zodiac boats. So finally a 2 my granddaughter's_br/_ first trip out of the country comes up and we are the last to fill the boat holding 25. Our seats faced the captain's steering house and to turn around to see the whales was almost impossible. There are 4 seats on those zodiacs that should be taken OUT ..... the two on either side of the captain's area. Those are useless seats and VERY disappointing.
Review by: Hugh B, August 2017
We were lucky with a beautiful day which allowed great views of the scenery and a flat, blue St Lawrence. Belugas, a Minke Whale, Harp and two other species of seal were easily seen. The zodiac was good, the captain knowledgeable and obliging and our bus driver both entertaining and a fund of local knowledge. All in all a great day out
Review by: elmaximo17396, August 2017
I t was wonderful experience.We have a wonderful hostguide
Review by: Leming C, August 2017
Was an excellent experience and had a lot of fun on the zodiac! Would recommend zodiac over the large cruise boat, since it moves around a lot faster and you can get much closer to see the whales also saw seals and dolphins. The ride there and back was very long, so pack some food/snacks. There was a stop on the way there and back at a dairy farm to grab food and for bathroom break. Overall, highly recommend!
Review by: Conrad T, August 2017
The cruise was wonderful. The drive to the port was long but the scenery and views were great!
Review by: Liping R, August 2017
An amazing experience.
Review by: evgenia922, August 2017
Great tour, interesting information. Whales were just amazing!
Review by: Annabelle M, August 2017
Went on this trip with my 19 and 12 year old children. Although there is a lot of traveling to get to the actual place the landscape is beautiful and you really don't get tired of watching out the window in case of a moose or deer becoming visible. The actually trip n the zodiac was fantastic and a really amazing experience in itself as you are surrounded by such beautiful landscapes, but the excitement on the boat when we actually spotted a whale was overwhelming. It was everything I imagined and more we spotted loads of whales and seals and although taking pictures or video is a tricky affair as wild animals tend not to pose it's not impossible with patience. You are given suits for the cold and you might get your face wet but it's a small price for a lifetime experience. The captain definitely knew what he was doing by taking us to different places to watch different whales. The only downside was that we weren't told that lunch had to be in the coach and luckily the driver informed us at our first stop, It wasn't a problem but would have liked to have known before especially with picky children who are not so easy to cater for.
Review by: Paul D, August 2017
Our tour guide /bus driver, Yves, was fantastic, explaining everything in both French and English for over 2-1/2 hours during the drive. We learned about the countryside, ecosystem, and the whales from him. He was very considerate and conscientious. The Zodiac cruise was fun - not too strenuous or over the top in terms of speed or daring. The bus ride and the boat tour are two different carriers vendors. The Zodiac whale watching tour did not appear to match guides and tourists by language. We saw many whales and enjoyed the water and experience. But it was not possible to understand what kind of whales we saw nor did this seem to be a concern for the captain/naturalist who was very excited and shared a lot. One other thing to consider - the bus company only provides 1 driver, who doubles as a guide. It is 3 hours each way, over winding roads and challenging hills/mountains. The experience would be safer with 2 drivers or a driver and a separate guide as this is a 9 hour day.
Review by: Michael B, August 2017
The actual time on the water was very good. However, the small coach bus we had was way too small and uncomfortable for the total of 6 hours we had coming and going. The other group which left at the same time had a full size bus and was appropriate for the long rides. Unless you can get 2 full size buses or you limit the excursion to the number of people who will fit onto a 1 full size bus, don't make your customers suffer. Additionally, the driver on our bus had no people skills, barely spoke to us and was just not friendly.
Review by: Amy M, August 2017
Our guide/bus driver was friendly and certainly knew the area well. We appreciated his knowledge and welcoming manner. We did not know however how long the travel to the destination was- 3 hours each way and may have made other plans if we knew how long we would be on a bus. I felt an entire day of my vacation was taken up on a bus, then did not really enjoy the time on the boat. Additionally while the guide on the whale watching boat was knowledgeable, it was difficult to hear her, and the boat was uncomfortably crowded. I was ready for the tour to be over, well before it was.
Review by: Josee, August 2017
While this is a very long day it is well worth it. It's so exciting when you see the whales! We saw a couple of Minke whales and I even got to see a seal pop his head out of the water!
Review by: kquach, July 2017
Great tour! We saw 2 kinds of whales.
Review by: Joanne F, November 2016
Had a great day whale watching great guide on the bus trip there
Review by: Michele M, October 2016
This whale watching trip was really good. The weather, unfortunately, hindered us seeing as much as we probably could've seen as we were blanketed with fog. We were in the zodiak though and thankfully, the zodiak could go places that the boat couldn't so we were able to see whales which was really cool. The bus driver was extremely informative and gave us information on the areas we were driving through almost the whole trip. A very good day!!!
Review by: Josephine W, October 2016
Great day - had good luck in seeing over a dozen whales - Minke, finback and beluga, with some good views right near the boat. It was hard to be seeing everywhere at once! Really enjoyed the trip. It would have been nice to have more food choices in the cafe - I would have loved a hot dog but they weren't serving those - but since they had a microwave, think it would have been pretty doable? All in all great trip, and bus driver was great about showing neat places on the drive to the whale watch site.
Review by: Paige R, October 2016
This was an amazing trip! Worth every penny!
Review by: John E, October 2016
The trip to the boat was very nice. Our driver was certainly doing his. On the boat it was said that we cant go near the whales up to 400 metres and the white whales up to 200 metres. You cant see anything in the water and there are many people standing outsite looking for samething to see. It was a bit disapointing for us.
Review by: Adeline d, September 2016
We love our bus driver. He is the best, funny and thoughtful. We love the fact he spoke so fluently both in French and English so everyone could understand him. He kept us well entertained in the bus. We were a little disappointed that our boat captain did not speak much English so few of us felt lost. So we just followed with the flow. On the bright side, we saw at least 9 whales and seals at different spot. Water proof jacket and pants were provided. Still be ready to be wet, so bring a change of clothes. I brought mine, but not too badly drenched so i was ok not changing. I wished they provide life jacket just as a precautionary. Enjoyed the Zodiac, definitely an amazing experience. I wished the whale were more playful that day but happy enough to see few of them. I took non drowsy Dramamine as well to prevent sea sick and made sure i didn't eat too full.
Review by: Andreu B, September 2016
Seeing the whales, even though for short time, makes the whole day excursion tour-de-force worthy.
Review by: Theresa E, September 2016
Loved it. Saw Beluga's, Minki and Porpoises. Literally hundreds of seals. A great experience and a brilliant drive from the city. Just beautiful. Our driver Yves was fantastic. We took our two young children with us and they loved it it too 3 and 5. Just remember to take warm clothes. It's chilly on the water.
Review by: Tara R, September 2016
It was amazing, everything I could have hoped for. The bus trip was long, but it flew by thanks to the funny commentary from the driver and the stop at the cheese shop. The whales were out in force, we saw more than 14 whales of 3 different species. I would recommend this trip to any of my friends, but I was soooooo tired afterwards.
Review by: Vasileios T, September 2016
Expected more whale sightings
Review by: Stephanie B, September 2016
Incredible. Marcel, the driver who picked me up at my hotel, Yves, the bus driver/tour guide, and Naturalist and Captain on the Zodiac boat we some of the most enthusiastic/friendly people one could encounter. The whales were very cooperative and visible, sometimes we would see 2 or 3 different whales at one time. It was awe inspiring!
Review by: Muhamed H, September 2016
Very professional from beginning to the end._br/_ Bus driver was exceptional.
Review by: Virginia T, August 2016
It was a wonderful bus-ride to Baie Saint-Catherine and the driver gave us so much information on the way and made the 3 hour trip seem a bit shorter. We were on the Grand Fleuve and that was a nice experience. It was sometimes a bit hard to see past the people to catch a glimpse of the whales but we saw some nonetheless. I guess the Zodiac Boat is a little bit more fun. If I get the chance again, I'll try that one out! We did have a fantastic day and loved the scenery - _
Review by: Henrik Lau N, August 2016
Fantastic day. pick up at the hotel, waterproof clothing, zodiac-tour at high speed, whales and nice delivery back at the hotel. everything was perfect.
Review by: Eric S, August 2016
Overall, a great trip. Lots of whale activity. Great bus driver who made the long trip quite enjoyable. Two, issues that need to be addressed. First, the communication and information about food needs for the trip needs to be much clearer. I was told there was no food included, so we went out and bought food for lunch. We we not told that the bus stops at a cheese shop in Charlevoix where you can purchase sandwiches and other food items. Not a big deal and we enjoyed the stop, but I wish we had known about the opportunity to buy food on the trip. Second, and a bigger deal is the lack of clarity about the type of boat you get to go on for the excursion. When I booked the trip for my family, I booked and was told that we would be on a Zodiac with 20-25 other people. We have been on zodiac's before and we really enjoy the fun and intimacy this type of vehicle that is afforded to the customers. When we got the the dock we were put on a boat that while technically a zodiac, had about 50 people, which is a far cry from what we booked and paid for in advance. We were not given a choice about which type of Zodiac we were allowed to take, but just told which boat to get on for the trip. Other customers who were on our bus, were able to take the trip on the smaller and more intimate zodiac. While we had a very good time and got to see lots of whales, initially the larger boat made seeing the whales less enjoyable, disappointing, and stressful. I definitely want to acknowledge the captain and our naturalist guide for making the trip highly enjoyable. I would definitely recommend this excursion, but I would also recommend that the information about food and the type of boat be more clearly communicated.
Review by: stuart g, August 2016
The bus driver was pleasant , helpful, and informative. The zodiacs strongly urge to go on them were great searching out whales. We saw a number whales and being in a zodiac gave you the feeling of being part of the action. It also brought you close to the whales and sea lions. Great trip.
Review by: Teddy, August 2016
the only negative aspect was that we were detained by people who were late for the pick up. the bus driver/guide was phenomenal!
Review by: Initial_C, August 2016
As a tour, don't expect to be very close to the whales. Boats have to keep a distance and likely you'll only see spouts and the backs of whales diving. Plus, whales are animals in their natural habitat so what you see is what you get. That said, the marine park is FULL of whales. The reason why I am only giving 3 stars though is because the cruise company FORGOT to pick me up at my pick-up point. And I had to PERSONALLY enquire where the bus was. The only thing they could say was Oops. Sorry.
Review by: tribew, August 2016
the trip to whale watching went very well. From hotel pick-up to drop off, it was well organized. We were treated to a great display of minke whales, and were able to view a small humpback and harbour porpoise, beside pods of seals. We also saw the spout of a blue or grey whale but were unable to move close enough to view the animal due to conservation restrictions. All and all a very worthwhile experience
Review by: Tulin O, August 2016
It was an excellent experience, but worried about the whales and their future, everything is too noisy for them and their environment is changing, and getting polluted.
Review by: Polina L, August 2016
It would be helpful to know in advance that the place is very cold and warm clothes is a must, in addition to the jackets and the pants provided by the company. No cafeteria is available on the spot, so we couldn't even buy hot tea or coffee to warm us up after the cruise._br/_ It is promised in the promotional material that Zodiac boat grants closer view at the whales, which is not true. All boats must respect 400 m. distance from the whales.
Review by: James J, July 2016
Had a Great Time
Review by: Vaughan B, July 2016
Knowledgeable guides, Great time.
Review by: Dr. Ian C, July 2016
Long drive but greatly improved by the driver/guide who provided a continuous commentary as well as organising everything.She was wonderful._br/_ We saw lots of whales, a very memorable trip.
Review by: davidrpenque, July 2016
Good tour, but a very long drive. Lots of people on boat so at times it was very hard to see. Zodiac would have been a better option for us.
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