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Use the form below to email this page to a friend.Whales & Wildlife of the San Juan Islands
A Guided Nature Safari Through the Most Beautiful Corner of the Pacific Northwest!
Day 1: Bellingham, WashingtonArrive in Bellingham and transfer to the elegant Chrysalis Inn & Spa in the historic Fairhaven district, overlooking views of Bellingham Bay and the San Juan Islands beyond. Enjoy a welcome dinner this evening.
Day 2: Cypress Island / Orcas Island
This morning we board our private catamaran and set sail for the San Juan Islands, the best destination for whale watching in Washington state. Several hundred islands and reefs compose this archipelago in the sheltered waters that divide Washington from British Columbia. We'll scout for whales, orcas, porpoises and seals as we cruise to Cypress Island. One of the wildest of the San Juans, Cypress is recognized as a place of exceptional ecological importance; more than 90 percent of the island has been designated as a conservation reserve. Ashore, we hike through deep stands of old-growth timber that provide critical habitat for wildlife. We continue by boat to Orcas Island, largest and highest of the San Juans, where we overnight in the bayfront village of Eastsound.
Day 3: Moran State Park / Mount Constitution
Moran State Park is the wild heart of Orcas Island, more than 5,000 acres set aside as a nature preserve in the 1930s. We spend the day exploring its waterfalls, mountain lakes and dense woods where deer abound. Some 30 miles of trails lead into the park's shadowy depths, offering easy access to the primeval forest. At the core of the park is the highest point in the San Juan Islands, 2,409-foot Mount Constitution. On a clear day the summit offers 360-degree views of the islands, glacier-capped Mount Baker and the skyline of Vancouver, British Columbia.
Day 4: Obstruction Pass / Orca Watching / Roche Harbor
During a visit to a salmon hatchery this morning, learn about local efforts to protect and restore wild salmon, a keystone to this area’s economy, culture and ecology. A peaceful morning hike reveals old-growth Douglas firs and a panorama of adjacent islands at Obstruction Pass State Park. After lunch, we board our private boat for a whale watching and wildlife cruise in hopes of spotting orcas, seals, bald eagles and great blue herons. Disembark this evening at the village of Roche Harbor on the northwest side of neighboring San Juan Island. We’ll spend the next two nights at the classic Roche Harbor Resort and Marina, once a favorite retreat of President Theodore Roosevelt.
Day 5: San Juan Island
San Juan Island is replete with wildlife, bucolic vistas and historic sites from the colonial era in which Spain, Britain and the U.S. vied for control of the archipelago in the early 1800s. We spend the day exploring the island’s parks, trails and heritage, including a stop at Lime Kiln Point State Park, where observers frequently see orcas at close range as they cruise through Haro Strait. Often called “killer whales” for their voracious preying, orcas are actually not whales but the world’s largest species of dolphin. This afternoon we’ll have one more chance to take a closer look at them, surveying the waters off San Juan Island from the deck of our private boat. Three orca pods live here year-round, feeding on Chinook salmon runs during the summer. We may also spot minke whales, Dall's porpoise and harbor seals.
Day 6: San Juan Island / Bellingham
An optional guided sea-kayak excursion is available this morning, providing an excellent opportunity to view wildlife in virtual silence from the most intimate of vantage points (beginners welcome; instruction is provided). After lunch overlooking the water in Friday Harbor, we make our way back to the mainland, cruising through the scattered islands en route to Anacortes. A scenic drive up the coast delivers us back to Bellingham, where we’ll enjoy a farewell dinner in one of the city’s finest restaurants.
Day 7: Bellingham / Home
After breakfast we are transferred to the airport for departing flights.











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