I chose Eagle Wing Tours based on tripadvisor reviews, and it was truly one of the best experiences of my life. We were lucky enough to have a superpod (three pods swimming near each other) on the day we went out, so we were seeing whales almost constantly during our tour. Our guide was also extremely knowledgeable about the whales, telling us all kinds of cool information like how old they were, etc. He would also get really excited when a pod would start heading towards our boat - it was obvious that he loved the whales and that he loved his job, which just made the experience that much more fun. It also seemed like he was always one step ahead of the other whale-watching boats that were out there, like we would get a good spot to see a pod and then about 30 minutes later all the other boats would show up. I think he may have been communicating with the whales! :)
I can see why this company is #1 on this site - it's just such a unique experience and they really take care of you to make sure that you have the time of your life. If you're in Victoria, do not miss out on the opportunity to go on an Eagle Wing tour!!!

My wife and I based our tour company choice on the reviews we found here on tripadvisor.com. Many people had documented their experience with Eagle Wing and everything I read was positive. My story is no different. Brett was a great guide, making sure we were warm and comfortable, filling us in on all we needed to know on spotting the whales, and letting us know what he was hearing over the radio about their location. Luckily for us, five transient killer whales made their way through the area. The size of the male was like nothing I’ve ever seen. We could sense Brett’s care for the group and respect for the orcas as he brought us as close to the animals as possible without breaking any rules. The whales made their way next to us, taking short dives and long dives. During the long dives when we could not see anything, Brett shared past stories about experiences with killer whales. This was almost as entertaining as watching the whales themselves. He thoroughly answered everybody’s questions. The trip not only included orcas, but also bald eagles, seals, and aircraft carriers (floating seagulls on driftwood).

Given another day in Victoria, we would choose Eagle Wing Tours without thinking twice. The end of our trip solidified this. Our boat back to Seattle was to depart shortly after our return from the whale tour. This stressed us immensely as we wanted to remain watching whales as long as possible. Brett came to the rescue. Rather than letting us find a taxi to rush back to the hotel, he insisted on driving us personally back to the hotel and then all the way to the departure site. His going way out of his way to serve us relieved us and allowed us to enjoy the final moments of our tour. I don’t know of any other company that would offer such service. Thanks Brett!

Never gone whale watching before, so I had no idea what to expect. But this was wonderful. Educational as well as entertaining. Everyone on staff was great. They provided hotel pickup and dropoff. Our tour guide, Dave, was courteous and funny, as well as very well-informed.
We went on the Eagle Wing, powered by 3 giant motors. That alone was fun. But I came for whales, and was not disappointed.
They provided waterproof clothing, as well as touques and gloves if needed. Binoculars as well.
I'd highly recommend this tour company.

We started out on sunny day, which made the super suits you wear a bit warm, but as soon as we left the dock the sun went under the cloudy grey sky and no sun screen was necessary.
went out about 20 - 30 minutes and found the 2 transient whales that a few other boats had surrounded.
2 males according to both guides Dave and Dave. For those looking in right direction, we watched the split second one of the whales hit a seal from underneath, launching it fully and the whale partially into the air. That was a cool WOW factor.
We chased the 2 whales for about 2 hours, mostly saw them from afar but got one close up view of them at one point.
After that we went to Race Rock and saw Sea lions and Elephant seals.
The bird lover in me was delighted with a young bald eagle, guillemonts, an oyster catcher, geese and of course seagulls.
I got some great shots of the lighthouse and a coastguard ship on the way back.
If I was going again, I would try to make sure the local pods were around that day, there are many more of them and as they are used to the boats I would bet better pictures would be taken.
Crew was great and kept us entertained with neat stories. They are based at Fishermans warf in Victoria.
This tour and our room at Laurel Point Inn were the hightlights of Victoria for me.