The marine park is one of the best places in the world for whale watching. Keep your eyes and ears open! You’ll be surprised by their imposing profile and powerful breathing.
The Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park is a gigantic natural food pantry. Most of its whales, seals and birds travel thousands of kilometres to come and feed here from May to October. These wild animals spend much of their time feeding and resting. Here you get to observe them in their habitat and appreciate their natural behaviour.
Did you know that the beluga and the harbour seal are the only marine mammals that live year-round in the St. Lawrence estuary?
Belugas and blue whales
The St. Lawrence beluga and blue whales are endangered species. For this reason, all boaters must maintain a minimum distance of 400 meters between their boat and these animals. Even from this distance, you’ll distinguish belugas very well: they are bright white and move in groups. The blue whale is just huge! Its breath can be heard kilometers away and blows up to over 10 meters in the air!
Did you know that the blue whale is the size of three school buses?
Whale watching from shore
Keep your eyes peeled and your ears open while out along the Marine Park’s shorelines! You might well glimpse or hear beluga, minke or fin whales, or harbour porpoises, as they swim along the coast. There are surprises in store for you from Saint-Siméon to Les Escoumins, with Sacré-Coeur in between. Visit the Discovery Network‘s member sites.
Bas-Saint-Laurent
Charlevoix
Côte-Nord
Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean
Whale watching at sea
What fun it is to hear a whale blow or to catch a glimpse of one of these incredible animals at the surface! During a marine tour, you’ll visit their habitat. Regulations govern the marine activities practised here. Captains of tour boat companies are trained to navigate the marine park’s waters. If you choose to explore on your own, the Navigating Whale Habitat training course is an accessible, quick and fun way to learn about this environment.
Get ready for a journey to the kingdom of whales, seals and seabirds. Select the type of excursion that suits you best:
Les Navettes maritimes du Fjord
Starting points: Saguenay (La Baie borough), Saint-Fulgence, Sainte-Rose-du-Nord, Rivière-Éternité, L’Anse-Saint-Jean and Tadoussac
418 543-7630 | 1 800 363-7248
Organisaction – Le Québec Hors Circuits
Starting points: Saguenay (La Baie borough), L’Anse-Saint-Jean and Petit-Saguenay
418 579-8763
REGULATIONS
The Marine Activities in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park Regulations provide a framework for activities in the marine protected area. One of its main objectives is to reduce the impact of navigation on marine mammals. Anyone navigating in the marine park is required to comply with these regulations.