Kayaking Vancouver Island,
Haida Gwaii, and the
Great Bear Rainforest
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.
Expedition Kayaking
5 days / 4 nights
Watching a sea otter crack open a sea urchin on its chest, waking up to find wolf tracks on the beach in front of your camp, or quietly sitting in your kayak observing a black bear forage for seafood at low tide are truly special experiences—experiences you can have on a Sea Otter Explorer Tour.
Expedition Kayaking
6 days / 5 nights
Imagine kayaking along narrow passages lined with clam beaches, as we kayak around a corner a black bear is seen flipping rocks in the morning sun looking for a tasty morsel. Later that afternoon as we kayak toward a new campsite we watch a pod of orcas foraging for salmon.
Expedition Kayaking
5 days / 4 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.
Expedition Kayaking
8 days / 7 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.
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.
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.
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.
Base Camp Kayaking
Expedition Kayaking
We offer two types of tours for those wanting to organize a private tour for their own group of family, friends, colleagues, or paddling club.
![There’s more in Gwaii Haanas to crave than just the wilderness—there’s also the food!
We’re so thrilled to be back hosting our post-trip dinners in Haida Gwaii at @RaincoastBreads for another season of incredible meals.
Now, we know most restaurants and chefs could make the claim that their meals are unique, one-of-a-kind creations, but we can guarantee you’ve never had a meal like this—especially not in Canada!
After years of—in their own words—“hard work, studying, wandering, [and] nibbling”, Raincoast Breads has become Canada’s first restaurant with a permit to forage for local ingredients. And if we’re being honest, there’s nothing quite like spending a week (or more!) in Gwaii Haanas and then getting to taste the best the wilderness has to offer, all thoughtfully curated into a meal you’ll never forget. It’s the perfect way to end your trip!
We’re thrilled to be able to share this dining experience with all our guests on Gwaii Haanas tours—it’s just one more thing to look forward to!](https://kingfisher.ca/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png)
