BASE CAMP KAYAKING
Kingfisher’s kayak base camps are situated in the heart of the wildlife rich waters of Johnstone Strait off northern Vancouver Island. There is no better place in the world to kayak with both orcas and humpback whales. This area is recognized as one of the most predictable places in the world to see these great marine mammals.
The base camps offer a very comfortable camping experience, and with Kingfisher’s knowledgeable kayak guides these tours are suitable for adventurous travelers even if they have little or no kayaking or camping experience. Roomy canvas tents, each raised off the ground on wooden platforms, are situated throughout the forest with views of the ocean. The tents provide ample room and are outfitted with wooden beds with the thickest and widest Therm-a-rest mattresses available. Sheets, fleece blankets, full-size pillows, warm barrel-style sleeping bags, and hot water bottles are all provided to ensure a good night’s sleep. A recharging station for digital cameras, an extensive library of natural history books, a hot water – on demand camp shower, and a large covered kitchen and dining area made from locally milled red cedar make for an accessible and enjoyable camping experience.
We offer three base camp tours for you to chose from; two adult oriented tours and one specifically designed for families with children aged six to fourteen.
KAYAK WITH WHALES
Base Camp Kayaking
4 days / 3 nights
Imagine waking to the sound of a humpback’s breath as it glides past your tent. Later, take in a moment of awe watching a pod of orcas from your kayak, while the rest of the day is filled with the soft huffs of seals and quiet wingbeats, as bald eagles swoop over the water in search of salmon.
WHALES AND GRIZZLY BEARS
Base Camp Kayaking
4 days / 3 nights
Seeing a humpback whale lunging through a school of bait fish, a grizzly bear chasing a salmon through a shallow river, or a pod of killer whales surfacing in unison are often considered once in a lifetime experiences and all three are possible on this tour..
FAMILY KAYAK WITH WHALES
Base Camp Kayaking
4 days / 3 nights
Searching under rocks for crabs, watching humpback whales feed on a school of small fish, or being surprised as a harbour seal pops up right next to their kayak, are all memories children cherish for a lifetime. This kayak tour is designed for families with children aged six to fourteen.
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Kayaking with Whales July 23 - 26 My husband and I joined Kingfisher Wilderness Adventures for a Kayaking with Whales Adventure last week. Great weather, awesome food & the best kayaking we have experienced. Loved the base camp on Hanson Island, and the nights spent camping in the tents. The accommodations were superb. Special thanks to Alisune and Jes. Not only are they top notch guides, they are also top knotch chefs.
The only thing missing was a campfire each night - that would certainly have enhanced the whole experience. I might suggest re-naming this specific tour, and calling it ‘Kayaking in the Wilderness’ or ‘Kayaking in Johnstone Strait & Blackfish Sound’, instead of ‘Kayaking With Whales’, which leads one to believe that one will actually be kayaking where the whales are. I know one can’t predict where the whales will be at a given time, however we experienced none close by on any day of our kayaking. The whales we did see while in kayaks were a very long way off, & at too great of a distance to kayak to.
All in all a great tour & very memorable.read moreread lesskartonv7/31/2019 -
Whales and Wilderness Expedition I recently participated in the June 2019 whales and wilderness kayak expedition with Kingfisher in the Broughton Archipelago. I attended as a solo, It was a great group of people who all had a background of outdoor adventure experience.
Our guides Sam and Kyle knocked it out of the park with a perfect blend of kayak expedition know how, keeping things fun, wildlife, native and area knowledge and of course making great food. They accented each other wonderfully with Sam always keeping his head in the game and making great but tough decisions in terms of weather related itinerary changes that were educated, safe and sound. Kyle was always checking in with everyone and making sure all of our needs and wants were met with consideration and grace. The leave no trace camping ethics are important to me and for the first time I used the toilet unit which was a bit of luxe and felt responsible.
In terms of wildlife viewing I will bring binoculars in the future as I had a hard time viewing wildlife at the 100-200 metre distance. We saw Harbour Porpoises, Sea Lions, Seals, some smaller creatures near the shore and far in the distance blowing of Humpbacks.
From start to finish Kingfisher as a company was organized, professional and considerate to deal with, for example; asking each individual for food preferences. Having all the gear and kit saved me bringing everything myself.
Many thanks for a great trip.read moreread lesskezsherwood6/23/2019 -
Outstanding company with focus on safety and enjoyment - loved it We nearly booked a tour with another company but so glad we went with Kingfisher. We also booked our accommodation (Black bear resort) and the separate grizzly tour through Kingfisher and more than happy with both of those. Kingfisher is very professional, extremely well organised and very respectful of the wildlife. We also felt very safe and comfortable at all times. My husband and I (both late 50s) are regular kayakers at home but this was a very special experience in a beautiful area. The wildlife is everywhere (seals, sea lions, dolphins, eagles and even a mink spotted one time) although whales are mostly some distance from the kayaks. That did not worry me. I loved just being in their territory and seeing and hearing them surface. The seals and sea lions are beautiful to watch in the water and they often followed us. We had a small humpback surface briefly and unexpectedly very close to us and I still cannot believe that happened. All the equipment was great including the camp setup. The kayaking is fairly leisurely but I was pleased at how much we did over the four days We were lucky to be in a wonderful group of people and have three terrific guides - Sabina, Cam and Tess thank you for all your hard work and great cooking. We had a month in Canada but this was definitely the highlight.
read moreread lessNewcastleKiwigirl10/06/2018 -
Kingfisher Whales and Grizzlies four-day excursion a smash hit! I recently experienced this kayaking adventure with nine pals. We unanimously agreed that the experience simply could not have been better. We were graced with good weather and abundant marine and wildlife viewings. From a full breach by a Humpback whale, to a clear sighting of an Orca's dorsal fin from the middle of Blackfish Sound, to seals, sea lions, the fattest bald eagles on earth, swimming deer, and countless species of marine creatures and plants, our cups were absolutely full. Our three guides, Cam, Zach, and Megan (ph.) were all incredibly knowledgeable and skilled. They quickly assessed our capabilities as kayakers and designed our kayaking adventures to perfectly suit us. The food was excellent, the permanent platform-based tents were super comfortable. Nothing was left to chance, and yet we were able to take advantage of opportunities as they presented. I can highly recommend this kayaking adventure - it will be a wilderness highlight for life!
read moreread lessSandra J.7/25/2019 -
Base Camp Kayak With Whales and Grizzly Bears My husband and I participated in a 4-day-3-night base camp Whale and Grizzly Bear trip with Kingfisher and we had an AMAZING time! We are both scientists and have gone on lots of cool outdoor adventures, but this trip was exceptional. We saw so much wildlife that we could hardly believe it; humpbacks, orca (both transient and resident), Dall's porpoise, pacific white-sided dolphin, Steller sea lions, harbor seals, grizzly bears, and black bears to name the highlights. Our guides, Allie and Tessa, were very friendly and knowledgeable. The food was EXCELLENT and there was plenty of it. The tents and beds were cozy and a hot water bottle was offered for those who wanted to warm up their sleeping bag (although the sleeping bags were plenty warm themselves). The kayaks were sturdy and in great shape and all of the equipment was well maintained. We woke up to the sounds of feeding humpback whales right outside our tent each morning and we watched them feed in the straight as the sun set each evening (all from camp). Overall, it was an amazing trip that we will never forget and we highly recommend it anyone interested in a wonderful wildlife adventure!
read moreread lessKreaver9/18/2019 -
Amazing Memories on Sea Otter Explorer The Sea Otter Explorer trip was an amazing adventure. We travelled with a group of friends, accompanied by our wonderful guides Jen and Connor. The weather was not the best but they took good care of us. God's Pocket is such a beautiful area and we enjoyed the sea otter sightings. We were also blessed with incredible sightings of a group of wolves on one of the islands. A true highlight!! Food was excellent (gluten-free catering) and the equipment provided was great (particularly liked the paddling jackets). Five-star from beginning to end including assistance from Wendy with administrative details.
read moreread lesstravelbuddies397/18/2022 -
Whales and Grizzly Bears Kayak Tour - Base Camp We just returned from Kingfisher's Whales and Grizzlies adventure and it was amazing! From the orientation session provided the evening before the trip, to the final drop-off of our gear back in Port McNeill, everything was exceptional. Our guides, Cam, Megan and Zach were friendly, fun and professional. They shared their knowledge of the marine life that is so abundant in that area and their respect for the environment was heartwarming. They were also excellent chefs and all had a great sense of humour. We saw dolphins and porpoises, orcas and humpbacks, seals and sea lions, eagles, mink and many marine birds. The accommodation was very comfortable and the setting was beautiful. I don't think any of us wanted to go home - we would have been happy there for many more days of kayaking and exploring.
read moreread lessCherylnghbr7/26/2019 -
Kayaking Haida Gwaii with the best Everything about our trip with Kingfisher was exceptional:
- planning and communication around COVID-19
- kayaks and the equipment provided was all excellent in new or near new condition. Great tents, thermarest sleeping pads and warm thermarest sleeping bags
- lots of nice extras like thermarest seat cushions for the kayaks and beach chairs
- delicious food including inventive appetizers pre-dinner and wonderful strong coffee ready as soon as we got up. They even baked a cake!
- incredible campsites with beautiful beaches
- awesome guides, Alyssa and Jen who kept the group safe, aware of the plan, our environment and created a upbeat atmosphere that made the trip so much fun
We were a couple that joined 2 singles and another couple. The group was fun, interesting and witty -lots of laughs and it felt like we’d always known them.
We would strongly recommend Kingfisher Wilderness adventures. We’ll be booking another trip with them.read moreread lessDKMBC8/24/2021 -
The West Coast at its BEST! We did a four-day base camp with whales tour in September 2020. I have been on many kayaking trips all over Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii but this trip is a highlight. I have never seen so much marine life in one area - humpbacks, orcas, sea lions, porpoise, dolphins, seals, eagles, herons, ravens.
Our group has done expedition trips in the past but loved the base camp experience -- a level of comfort that let us enjoy the kayaking even more.
The area in which we did our paddling provided excellent variety. A perfect mix of days.read moreread lessJohn G.9/23/2020