EXPEDITION KAYAKING
Our expedition kayak tours range from five to fifteen days and allow kayakers to explore a larger area versus our base camp tours. These tours are offered in a number of different locations; northern Vancouver Island, Haida Gwaii, and the Great Bear Rainforest.
During our expedition style tour, we kayak between different wilderness campsites: some involve camping in the forest, others on pebble or sandy beaches, and on some trips possibly tent platforms on rocky points. The exact locations used on each trip depend upon a number of factors like group size, wildlife viewing opportunities, and weather.
We provide high quality three-season tents. For couples we provide three-person tents and for solo travellers a slightly smaller tent, all with Therm-a-rest sleeping pads and warm mummy-style sleeping bags with liners to ensure a good night’s sleep. A library of natural history books is on every trip. On the water we use stable single and double fibreglass kayaks and lightweight carbon/vinyl paddles. Waterproof kayaking jackets, personal floatation devices, and neoprene kayaking mitts are provided to keep you warm and dry while kayaking.
Explore our different expedition style kayak tours below to find one that is right for you.
WHALES AND WILDLIFE EXPLORER
Expedition Kayaking
6 days / 5 nights
Imagine waking one morning to the sound of a humpback whale’s blow as it swims past your ocean-side tent. Later that same day watch in awe, as a pod of killer whales, also known as orcas, swim past your kayak as a bald eagle swoops down to catch a salmon.
SEA OTTER EXPLORER
Expedition Kayaking
6 days / 5 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..
CENTRAL GWAII HAANAS EXPLORER
Expedition Kayaking
5 days / 4 nights
Highlights of the Central Gwaii Haanas Explorer tour include soaking in the natural pools at Gandll K’in Gwaayaay (Hot Spring Island) and kayaking the wildlife rich waters of Juan Perez Sound. This five day tour has a more relaxed pace than our longer Gwaii Haanas Explorer kayak tours
NORTHERN GWAII HAANAS EXPLORER
Expedition Kayaking
8 days / 7 nights
The Northern Gwaii Hannas Explorer tours travel between Tanu Island and Burnaby Island in the northern half of Gwaii Haanas. Paddle sheltered channels, secluded bays, and exposed coastline, visit Haida cultural sites T’aanuu Llnagaay (Tanu) and Hlk’yah GaawGa (Windy Bay) and soak in natural hot springs.
SOUTHERN GWAII HAANAS EXPLORER
Expedition Kayaking
8 days / 7 nights
The Southern Gwaii Haanas Explorer tour kayaks the southern end of Gwaii Haanas, from K’iid Xyangs K’iidaay along the rugged coastline to Rose Harbour. Fantastic wildlife viewing opportunities, colourful inter-tidal life, wonderful campsite locations, and a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of SGang Gwaay.
ULTIMATE GWAII HAANAS EXPLORER
Expedition Kayaking
15 days / 14 nights
This trip is our longest offering, and provides visitors the opportunity to explore almost the entire Gwaii Haanas National Park and Haida Heritage Site. This experience starts near the northern boundary of Gwaii Haanas, and culminates near the south end after a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of SGang Gwaay.
GREAT BEAR RAINFOREST
Expedition Kayaking
10 days / 9 nights
Stretching for 400 kilometres along British Columbia’s central coast, the Great Bear Rainforest is the largest intact temperate rainforest in the world. This beautifully rugged coast offers the adventurous traveller with diverse kayaking routes, abundant wildlife, and a rich First Nations culture.
- Amazing! I am well traveled and done many different types of adventures and trips. I have only wrote one review on trip advisor before and that was giving a 5/5 rating cage shark diving with Great Whites in New Zealand. This trip deserves my 2nd 5/5 review! It was incredible!! Great mix of kayaking, island time, solitude, games, nature, etc. I did the 4 day/3 night base camp trip with my brother. All the guides were great with a special shutout to Fin! Very knowledgeable, personable, patient, and passionate about his job. When he spoke people listened. A kind of guy you want to grab a pint with sometime and maybe watch the Habs beat up on the Canucks !! We seen it all (both from our kayaks and from the many view points at camp)... a couple pods of orcas, sea lions swimming close to us, porpoises, humpbacks , eagles catching fish... and the list goes on and on. This trip is so much more than that though!! Nature is incredible and much more fun and cheaper than therapy. This trip is one I’ll remember forever!! No photos needed, just go see for yourself!! A+read moreread lessBrent A.8/03/2019
- AMAZING - MAGICAL - POWERFUL Adventure Myself and 5 friends just returned from an AMAZING 4-day base camp "Kayak with Whales" adventure. The adventure was sooo much more than kayaking with whales. We saw and heard lots of different marine and wild life (Orca and Humpback whales, Sea Lions, Seals, Eagles, Porpoises, Otters, Bear). and went for a special hike in the forest.
The Kingfisher team did a FANTASTIC job in hosting the trip right from initial contact to the very end of the trip. The trip was very organized and well planned. No detail has been left out…they have it all covered!
Strict COVID protocol was followed and we felt COVID safe at all times. At no time did anyone feel unsafe on the water or on land.
Meals prepared by Chef Julien were delicious and plenty to eat at all times.
Our professional and passionate guides Audrey and Dom were the best! They were very knowledgeable and enthusiastic and added lots of fun, laughter and adventure to our trip.
All together the adventure was a truly magical and powerful experience.
I highly recommend going on a Kingfisher Wilderness adventure. I am planning on going on another one!read moreread lessparm08/16/2020 - 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, …read moreread lessJohn G.9/01/2020
- Two sea kayaking trips I have never sea kayaked before but did two back to back with them in August - one base camp and one wild camping. All the equipment was first class and the tour guides/leaders were excellent giving someone who was very nervous the confidence to happily paddle a single kayak even when the water was choppy. Photos is short supply as wildlife not learnt the art of posing but lying in your tent at night either listening to the humpback whales or wolves in the distance is a never to be forgotten experience. Saw so much and learnt so much from the knowledgeable guides made it a holiday I will always remember.read moreread lessYvonne R.9/14/2019
- Kingfisher Whales four-day Kayaking trip We went on Kingfisher's four day (3 night) kayaking trip off Port McNeil staying at a base camp on Hansen Island. We were a small group--four young German tourists and my husband and me (both of us over 60 Americans) plus the two (Canadian) guides. It was a wonderful experience. Both guides were extremely personable, knowledgeable, organized, gracious and all around competent. We observed minke and humpback whales, orcas, dolphins, porpoises, seals, mink and lots of underwater marine life. The platform tents at the base camp had extremely comfortable beds. We could hear the whales passing in the night as they blew. Clean linen and sleeping bags were provided. The guides prepared fresh meals, knew the territory and where to show us hidden gems. Highly recommended.read moreread lessMarilyn M.7/31/2019
- 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 - 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 - 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 - AMAZING - MAGICAL - POWERFUL Adventure Myself and 5 friends just returned from an AMAZING 4-day base camp "Kayak with Whales" adventure. The adventure was sooo much more than kayaking with whales. We saw and heard lots of different marine and wild life (Orca and Humpback whales, Sea Lions, Seals, Eagles, Porpoises, …read moreread lessparm08/01/2020
- Best way to experience Vancouver Island's wild west coast My husband and I just returned from our second trip with Kingfisher - an expedition trip in the Nutchatlitz area: Kayaking with Sea Otters. It was even more fabulous than our first base camp trip in the Broughton Archipelago. We saw sea otters every day, tons of eagles and even …read moreread lessElizabeth C.7/01/2021