
Welcome to our Guide to Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park
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.
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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










Species and Seasonality
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
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Identifying Whales in Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park
Recorded: 2023-05-25 - Published: 2023-05-26 - Duration: [14:46] -
Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park: Any good for Wildlife Photography?
Recorded: 2023-01-18 - Published: 2023-01-19 - Duration: [46:16]
Videos are hosted on Muuuh's YouTube Channel.
Landscape Photos Taken in Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park

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;

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;

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.