Vancouver: Snorkel & Seal Colony Boat Tour with Kayak Option

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.87 (289 reviews) 94% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/10

Duration4h

GroupUp to 12

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

You'll Snorkel Alongside Harbour Seals in Howe Sound, Just Minutes from Vancouver

You board a 40-foot dive boat at Horseshoe Bay and snorkel in Howe Sound near the Pam Rocks seal colony, where seals often swim close enough to observe your mask. After the first site, you choose between a second snorkel or kayaking at a different location, with a sightseeing-only option if you prefer to stay dry. All equipment, wetsuit, refreshments, and snacks are included in the 3.5 to 4-hour tour.

Step-by-step itinerary

Snorkel and kayak with seals

Board boat at Horseshoe Bay
Travel to local seal colony
Put on wetsuit and snorkel gear
Snorkel near seals and rocks
Travel to second location
Choose to kayak or snorkel again
Enjoy refreshments and light snacks

The Experience

The seals don't stay at a distance—that's the first thing that catches you off guard. You board the 40-foot dive vessel at Horseshoe Bay expecting to observe them from the boat, but once you're in the water with your snorkel gear and wetsuit, they swim right up to you, curious and unhurried. The guide tells you to stay still and let them lead, which sounds simple until a seal with its own personality decides to investigate your mask. The snorkel adventure lasts about 3.5 to 4 hours total, and most of that time is spent in or around Howe Sound, where the Pam Rocks seal colony lives.

After the first snorkel site, the boat takes you to a second location where you can choose: snorkel again or switch to kayaking if you want to move differently through the water. Both options keep you in the marine environment, watching how the seals move and interact. If the water isn't for you, there's a sightseeing-only option—you stay dry on the boat and watch from there, though the tour does need enough active snorkelers or kayakers in the water to run that way. The guide stays with you throughout, and the whole thing operates in all weather, so you'll want to dress for the coast even if the forecast looks clear.

All the gear comes with you: snorkel equipment, wetsuit, and everything else you need to get in. Light refreshments and snacks are included, which matters on a 4-hour trip when you're burning energy in the water. The boat departs from Horseshoe Bay, which is just minutes from Vancouver, so you're not spending half the day in transit. You do need to be a comfortable swimmer and in moderate physical fitness—the guide will ask for your weight, height, and shoe size at booking so they can fit you properly.

What’s included

Your day includes all snorkel equipment and wetsuit, a professional guide in the water with you, light refreshments and snacks throughout the 4-hour tour, and your choice of snorkeling or kayaking at the second location.
GST is included in the price.
You depart from Horseshoe Bay and return there at the end.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for heart conditions

Operated by Sea Dragon Charters

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to snorkel with seals without arranging your own boat, gear, or timing—the guide handles the water safety and the seals' behavior, which is what makes close encounters feel natural instead of stressful.