Wildlife Encounters on Monterey Bay private and semi-private tour
Overview
We offer private and semi-private encounters with wildlife emphasizing on intimate experiences. Once on the boat in Monterey, guests are in a unique position to view a lot of different wildlife. Everyday is different, expect to have a good time seeing lots of different wildlife. During the trip, we often encounter whales, porpoises, dolphin, seals, Sea Lions, Sea Otters and many other varieties of marine mammals and sea birds. the most common whales we see are Humpback Whales, Gray Whales, Blue Whales and sometimes even Killer Whales. Don't have a group, give us a call for individual trips
Inclusions
- Inflatable life jackets and 19 years of experience on a fun, safe and reliable vessel with modern up-to-date electronics with all safety gear required
What to expect
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Monterey Bay, California, USA
Join us for a fantastic day on the waters of Monterey Bay spending time Whale watching and seeing amazing animals like seals, otters, whales, dolphins, turtles, sharks and the coastal scenery of Monterey Bay. With intimate wildlife encounters, Animals are so close you can almost touch!
Groups are small (1 to 6 people), we travel quietly, and the focus is on the wildlife with plenty of free time for us to explore. We draw on our experience and expertise to teach, educate and provide amazing experiences. A licensed and experienced Captain and naturalist.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Monterey Bay, CA 93940
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary! One of our nation's most spectacular marine protected areas, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary offers some of the best wildlife viewing in the world! This "Serengeti of the Sea"
Duration: 1 hour
Pass By: Santa Cruz Wharf, Santa Cruz, CA 95060-5459
Your gateway to the Monterey Bay!
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Monterey Bay, California, USA
Join us for a fantastic day on the waters of Monterey Bay spending time Whale watching and seeing amazing animals like seals, otters, whales, dolphins, turtles, sharks and the coastal scenery of Monterey Bay. With intimate wildlife encounters, Animals are so close you can almost touch!
Groups are small (1 to 6 people), we travel quietly, and the focus is on the wildlife with plenty of free time for us to explore. We draw on our experience and expertise to teach, educate and provide amazing experiences. A licensed and experienced Captain and naturalist.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Monterey Bay, CA 93940
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary! One of our nation's most spectacular marine protected areas, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary offers some of the best wildlife viewing in the world! This "Serengeti of the Sea"
Duration: 1 hour
Pass By: Santa Cruz Wharf, Santa Cruz, CA 95060-5459
Your gateway to the Monterey Bay!
Additional information
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- Our boat is equipped with comfortable seats with backrest but even so, if you are pregnant, have a weak back or neck, or if you don't like going fast over the water, you should not go. If you have concerns please consider booking with one of the the large capacity vessels in Monterey bay
- Not recommended for travelers with neck problems
- Not recommended for travelers that do not like to go fast over the water
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.
Melanie_R
October 2023
My son had an amazing time. I can’t wait to come back and take this tour myself! Lots to see and amazing photos and videos.
My son had an amazing time. I can’t wait to come back and take this tour myself! Lots to see and amazing photos and videos.annec646
May 2023
This wildlife tour was a fantastic adventure for our family of 3. James is a very knowledgeable and experienced captain, who treated us like family. He was very flexible with our trip, contacting us the morning of our scheduled tour, and postponing so he could take us out on the best weather day...
This wildlife tour was a fantastic adventure for our family of 3. James is a very knowledgeable and experienced captain, who treated us like family. He was very flexible with our trip, contacting us the morning of our scheduled tour, and postponing so he could take us out on the best weather day. We found Risso and white-sided dolphins, and a number of humpback whales, as well as sealions and various birds. Everything about this trip was top-notch, and highly recommended! We will be taking this tour again when we are out in California.joshdls
September 2019
James was so accommodating when my wife and I booked a private wildlife encounter. He worked with us every step of the way to make sure we had the experience we hoped for. Once we located some humpback whales, we were the only boat as far as you could see. He's very entertaining to talk with, ext...
James was so accommodating when my wife and I booked a private wildlife encounter. He worked with us every step of the way to make sure we had the experience we hoped for. Once we located some humpback whales, we were the only boat as far as you could see. He's very entertaining to talk with, extremely knowledgeable about wildlife, and makes it a very memorable experience.268tabathaj
August 2023
I had the incredible experience of joining a tour with Wildlife Encounters, and I must say, I absolutely loved it! The feeling of being on a small boat, so close to the whales, was truly breathtaking. The agility of the smaller boat allowed us to swiftly approach whenever whales were spotted. Ou...
I had the incredible experience of joining a tour with Wildlife Encounters, and I must say, I absolutely loved it! The feeling of being on a small boat, so close to the whales, was truly breathtaking. The agility of the smaller boat allowed us to swiftly approach whenever whales were spotted. Our tour guide, James, was exceptional. Right from the moment we stepped onto the boat, he ensured our safety. He shared fascinating details about each whale we encountered – their approximate age, length, and other intriguing facts. James' dedication and passion for his clients' experience were unparalleled. Having been on numerous whale watching tours before, I can confidently say that this one was genuinely one-of-a-kind.Kelly M
July 2019
This was absolutely amazing, a bucket list item for our whole family, and it did not disappoint. We got lucky and followed a mom and her very active toddler around the bay, while the “little one” jumped out of the water over and over! We probably saw 5-6 other whales and various birds, otters and...
This was absolutely amazing, a bucket list item for our whole family, and it did not disappoint. We got lucky and followed a mom and her very active toddler around the bay, while the “little one” jumped out of the water over and over! We probably saw 5-6 other whales and various birds, otters and sea lions. The small size of the boat allowed us to change direction and move faster than the big boats and definitely allowed us to see way more than we would on one of the larger tours. Thank you James!johndedwards0807
August 2023
I absolutely loved the trip. James worked with me extensively to make sure I was able to go out and see the wildlife. I came to the area for work, and my timeframe was hard to work with. James still made sure to text me with any updates and worked with my schedule completely. I showed up to what ...
I absolutely loved the trip. James worked with me extensively to make sure I was able to go out and see the wildlife. I came to the area for work, and my timeframe was hard to work with. James still made sure to text me with any updates and worked with my schedule completely. I showed up to what was supposed to be a full boat, but ended up being the only person that day. He still took me out and I had an amazing time learning about his life and the ocean. I saw tons of whales, sea lions, dolphins, and he even took me to try to catch a peak at the sharks at the end of the trip. James was an amazing guide, and I saw over a dozen different whales just in an hour timeframe. He even gave my ideas for future trips that would be of interest to me that I did not even know about. Add on his funny stories and educational anecdotes, and you’ll have an amazing time no matter what the weather. Rest assured, I’ll be coming back and booking with him again.