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Welcome to our Guide to Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park

Last modified on 2023-05-09. This page is dedicated to nature lovers and wildlife photographers who are looking to plan their visit to Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park. Our aim is to provide you with comprehensive information about the park's wildlife and help you make the most out of your trip.

The Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park is a national park established to protect the marine habitat where the Saguenay River flows into the estuary of the St. Lawrence River. It is an important location for marine mammal research and whale watching tourism.

How to Get Here

Boat trips to the marine park depart from various harbours along the north and south coasts of the St. Lawrence River. The most important harbour is in Tadoussac. You can reach Tadoussac by taking a bus from Quebec City’s bus terminal, which takes approximately 5 hours.

Photography Tips

An ambitious photographer will look for an opportunity to sit into a small Zodiac. A small Zodiac is important because you will be able to get closer to whales and seals and at sea level. If your looking for Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) or Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) you have to go in August. There is a chance to see them before or after August but during August you are almost guaranteed to spot them.

Whales are large animals and you don't need a very large lens. All our photos and videos have been taken with a 200mm lens. You should have though a camera which is fast in acquiring focus. We summarized our experience in Whale Photography here: Whale Photography with Nikon Z6

What to See Here

Saguenay Marine Park is a protected area for whales, seals and birds and very popular among persons interested in whale watching. It serves also as location for different whale research projects. Thus the main reason to visit this place is to spot different whale species. With some luck you may even spot Beluga Whale (Delphinapterus leucas) or Northern Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) from the beach. On a tour during the right time of the year you may also spot a Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) or Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus). With a lot of luck you may get a glimpse on Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus).

Recent Photos of Species

Curious Dark-eyed Junco
Humpback Whale Flapping Pectoral Fin
Beluga Whale (Delphinapterus leucas)
Northern Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata)
Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
Fluke of a Humpback Whale
Two Fin Whales (Balaenoptera physalus)
Flock of Common Eiders
Emerging Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus)

Species and Seasonality

SpringSummerFallWinter
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) 0 1 0 0
Beluga Whale (Delphinapterus leucas) 0 2 0 0
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 0 1 0 0
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) 0 1 0 0
Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) 0 1 0 0
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) 0 1 0 0
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) 0 1 0 0
Double-Crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) 0 1 0 0
Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus) 0 2 0 0
Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) 0 2 0 0
Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) 0 1 0 0
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) 0 1 0 0
Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) 0 1 0 0
Groundhog (Marmota monax) 0 1 0 0
Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) 0 4 0 0
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 0 1 0 0
Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) 0 1 0 0
Northern Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) 1 3 0 0
Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus) 0 1 0 0
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 0 1 0 0
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) 0 1 0 0
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 0 1 0 0
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 0 1 0 0

Number of times a species has been observed, identified and recorded while visiting this park. A species is reported only once per visit to a park. Visit the page Park Visit Journals and learn how we record observations in the field.

Videos Recorded in Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park

Videos are hosted on Muuuh's YouTube Channel.

Landscape Photos Taken in Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park

Sunrise over St Lawrence River

You have to get up early to experience such a breathtaking sunrise over St. Lawrence River. Sunsets in the Côte-Nord area are less impressive as they happen over land.

2021-08-27

NIKON Z 6; NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S; Focal Length 70mm; Exposure 1/320; Aperture f/22; Iso 320;

Boat in the Mist

Morning on the way to whale territory in Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park.

2021-08-20

NIKON Z 6; NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S; Focal Length 92mm; Exposure 1/1600; Aperture f/11; Iso 140;

Upstream View of Saguenay River

Looking upstream of Saguenay River from the estuary into St. Lawrence River. Not far upstream, there is an important Beluga whale nursery for the few remaining Belugas in the Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park.

2013-08-17

Canon PowerShot SX50 HS; 4.3-215mm; Focal Length 4mm; Exposure 1/400; Aperture f4.0; Iso 80;

For high quality, free available photos visit our profile on Unsplash.

Written and regularly updated by Karl-Heinz Müller, Dipl. Natw. ETH, Biology. With 10 years of experience in wildlife photography, Karl-Heinz shares first-hand, on-site collected observations, photos and videos from his frequent visits to Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park.

All photos, videos, and text on this page are protected by copyright and are the exclusive property of Karl-Heinz Müller. Reproduction, distribution, or use of any content without permission is strictly prohibited. © Karl-Heinz Müller.