Let's be transparent: we make our living flying airplane tours. But we have also spent hundreds of hours on the water, and our most popular package includes… a zodiac excursion. So here is the honest comparison we wish we had read before our own first visit to Tadoussac.
The real answer fits in one sentence: the three options do not show you the same thing. Here is what each does best, and who it suits.
The Big Boat: Comfort and Amenities
Large excursion vessels sail from Tadoussac and Baie-Sainte-Catherine on 2- to 3-hour outings. It is the most accessible option: stable decks, a heated cabin, washrooms, and naturalist commentary throughout the trip.
- ›Who is it for? Families with young children, people with reduced mobility, anyone worried about cold or seasickness.
- ›The best part: you can move around, warm up inside and learn from a guide.
- ›The limit: you sit higher above the water with more people aboard — the emotion is real, but less raw than on a zodiac.
The Zodiac: Adrenaline at Water Level
On a zodiac, nothing stands between you and the river. You feel the spray, you hear the blow of the rorquals — that unforgettable “pfffouh” — and the pilot can adjust course quickly while respecting the marine park's distance rules.
It is the formula we chose for the “Sea” half of our combo package, with our partner Croisières Escoumins: 2 hours on the water, cold-weather suits provided, and guaranteed sightings in season.
- ›Who is it for? Thrill seekers, and photographers who want to shoot from water level.
- ›The best part: proximity and intensity. The blow of a fin whale 200 metres away is something you feel in your chest.
- ›The limit: cold and wet even in summer, bumpy in waves — not recommended for toddlers or fragile backs.
The Airplane: the Only Way to See the Whole Whale
From a boat you see a back, a blow, sometimes a tail. From the airplane you see the entire animal, even while it swims below the surface — its full silhouette, its heading, and sometimes two or three whales in a single glance. It is also the only way to observe belugas closely enough to count them without disturbing them: regulations keep boats far away, but from regulation altitude their white bodies stand out perfectly.
In a 30-minute flight you cover territory no boat could travel in a day: the mouth of the Saguenay, Tadoussac bay, the dunes, the lighthouses and the villages of the coast. And there is no seasickness at 1,000 feet.
Honestly, there are limits too: you do not hear the blow or feel the spray, and a low cloud ceiling can postpone the flight. Our aircraft carries only 3 passengers — intimate, but it means booking early in high season.
- ›Who is it for? Anyone who wants the big picture — whales, fjord, forest and river in one flight — and anyone the boat makes sick.
- ›The best part: the complete silhouette of whales beneath the surface, and landscapes you cannot reach any other way.
- ›The limit: weather-dependent, and no sound contact with the animal.
Our Verdict: Both, Ideally on the Same Day
After years of doing both, our conviction is simple: the water and the sky complement each other. The zodiac gives you the raw emotion of the encounter; the airplane makes you understand the scale of the phenomenon — why so many whales gather precisely here, where the fjord meets the river.
That is exactly why we created the Air and Sea Combo with Croisières Escoumins: both perspectives in a single day, from $199/person — cheaper than booking the two outings separately.
And if you are still choosing your travel dates, see our month-by-month whale calendar.
Frequently asked questions
I get seasick easily. Which option should I choose?
The airplane, without hesitation: no rolling motion, and the 30-minute flight usually takes place in calm air. The big boat is a good second choice, far more stable than the zodiac.
Does the airplane disturb the whales?
No. We respect the regulation altitudes of the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park, designed precisely to protect marine mammals. It is in fact the only way to observe belugas, which boats are not allowed to approach.
Which option is best for photography?
The zodiac for telephoto close-ups; the airplane for one-of-a-kind images — silhouettes under the surface, the fjord, low-angle light. In the airplane every passenger has a window seat and aviation headsets to talk with the pilot.
Why Choose? Do Both
The Air and Sea Combo: 2 hours of zodiac whale watching (guaranteed sightings) and a 30-minute scenic flight over the river and Tadoussac — from $199/person, plus taxes.
Book the Air and Sea Combo
