Frequently Asked Questions
We pride ourselves on small group sizes, allowing close personal attention and minimal impact on the environment and the wildlife we view from our kayaks. Our base camp tours have a maximum of ten guests and three guides, while our explorer tours have a maximum of eight guests with two guides.
In addition to minimizing our impact on the land we find the smaller group size allows us to better manage our groups around wildlife giving us better viewing opportunities.
All of Kingfisher’s kayak guides are certified with the Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of British Columbia. Each of our guides are chosen for their ability to lead and instruct, their knowledge of the local area and wildlife, and their ability to ensure everyone fully enjoys their trip. Most of our guides have been with Kingfisher for a number of seasons and it is because of them that we have many guests returning year after year. Visit our About Us page to learn more about our team.
Even with little or no kayaking experience, you can join our Base Camp tours. Our Vancouver Island Explorer tours are suitable for beginners with a sense of adventure.
Due to the length of our Haida Gwaii tours and their remote location they are also best suited to people with some previous kayaking experience.
Our Great Bear Rainforest expedition is designed for kayakers with a moderate amount of previous kayaking experience and is our most challenging trip
While whales are often viewed on all of our kayak tours, the Base Camp and Whales and Wildlife Explorer kayak tours have by far the most reliable sightings of both orcas and humpback whales.
Please keep in mind that while these tours offer great viewing opportunities we are still dealing with wildlife and we cannot guarantee any particular sightings.
The northern resident (fish-eating) orcas are most reliably seen around northern Vancouver Island from mid-July through September. They may be seen in June and early July, along with the transient (mammal-eating) orcas, however, sightings become more consistent later in the summer. As they are wild, we cannot guarantee any particular sightings.
There is a lot of different wildlife along the British Columbia coast year round. However, we find that the greatest and most diverse wildlife is often found off northern Vancouver Island from mid-August through September.
We pride ourselves on the wholesome hearty meals we provide on our tours. The effort that goes into planning, organizing, and executing our wilderness menus is quite extensive. We are happy to accommodate many dietary restrictions on our tours but each restriction adds to the complexity of this planning and adds additional costs. Below are some of the common restrictions we can accommodate on our base camp tours and any additional costs associated with it that you will be charged.
- No red meat – no additional cost
- No seafood – no additional cost
- Vegetarian – no additional cost
- Vegan + $75 to $300 depending on trip length
- Gluten intolerant + $75 to $300 depending on trip length
- Lactose intolerant + $75 to $300 depending on trip length
- If you have dietary restrictions not listed above (for example, you hate onions and are unwilling to pick around them in a meal), or have allergies or medical conditions (like celiac disease, egg, soy or peanut allergies) that prevent certain foods from being enjoyed by other guests on the trip, please contact our office to discuss whether we can accommodate your needs.
- Some dietary needs that we cannot accommodate include nightshade allergies (potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers) or keto and paleo diets.
While we enjoy tours with younger children we also recognize that not all our guests want to be spending their vacation around children. At Kingfisher we limit participants to fifteen years or older on most of our tours. For families with children aged six to fourteen we have our Family Kayak With Whales and custom kayak tours.
The Base Camps feature roomy canvas tents 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. A recharging station for digital cameras, an extensive library of natural history books, a safari style bucket shower, and a large covered kitchen and dining area made from locally milled red cedar make for a very comfortable camping experience.
These tours camp at wilderness locations with little or no improvements; in some cases we may be the only people to camp there all year. These tours require more group participation in setting up and taking down our camps than our base camp tours.
We provide high quality three-season tents. For couples we provide three-person tents and for solo travellers a slightly smaller tent. Therm-a-rest sleeping pads and warm mummy-style sleeping bags with liners are also provided. A library of natural history books is on every trip.
For our base camp tours, the camps have two out-houses made from locally milled cedar. The outhouses incorporate a holding tank and cedar sawdust to cover the waste. The tank is replaced every few days. Guests often comment on the cleanliness of our system. We pack out all holding tanks to be properly disposed of at a sewage disposal station. When away from camp during the day we use the inter-tidal area for low impact toilet use.
For our explorer tours, we generally use the inter-tidal area for low impact toilet use. These tour run in wilderness areas and there are limited or no facilities in the areas we visit.
All of our kayak tours take place in wilderness locations with varying degrees of remoteness. Our Haida Gwaii and Great Bear Rainforest kayak tours are the most remote and see the least number of other kayakers and boaters.
Our Haida Gwaii tours take place in Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage site that has strict limits on the number of tour companies and visitors enter the area.
In the Great Bear Rainforest we have kayaked for more than a week without seeing any other people or boats!
Each of our kayak tours operate in the traditional territories of many different First Nations and we try to incorporate interpretation of their culture and history into our trips.
Our Haida Gwaii tours have the strongest First Nations aspect as we visit many of the parks Haida cultural sites, including a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ninstints on most tours.
Our Great Bear Rainforest tours start with a tour of the Klemtu Big House and we may visit an ancient cultural site during the trip.
On our Broughton Archipelago tours we sometimes visit the ancient village of Meem Quam Leese which is slowly being reclaimed by the forest.
For our Base Camp and Orca Waters Explorer tours we work with three local First Nations to lease campsites. These tours include rainforest hikes to view culturally modified trees.
We highly recommend our Vancouver Island guests visit the Umista Cultural Centre in Alert Bay and our guests in Haida Gwaii visit the Haida Heritage Centre in Skidegate to learn more about the local First Nations culture.
At Kingfisher we provide premium kayaks and equipment and all equipment is included in the cost of the trip.
We use both single and double kayaks made by Vancouver Island’s Seaward Kayaks. On a full base camp trip with ten guests and three guides we use seven single and three double kayaks. On full Explorer tours with eight guests and two guides we use six single and two double kayaks. The mix of single and doubles allow you to spend time in each type. Our kayak paddles are lightweight carbon/vinyl paddles made by Werner Paddles. A Kokatat paddling jacket and neoprene paddling mitts are provided to keep you warm and dry while kayaking. We also provide personal floatation devices.
We provide all camping and cooking equipment. We also provide dry bags to pack your gear in. All you really need to bring are your clothing and toiletries.
If you prefer to stay in a double kayak for the duration of the trip, that can be arranged. If you prefer a single kayak you will likely be in a single for at least half of the trip, but we rotate guests so that everyone who wants to spend time in a single has the opportunity, so you will have to spend time in a double as well. If other guests on your trip prefer to be in a double kayak for the duration of the trip this may increase the amount of time you spend in a single kayak.
A comprehensive list of what you should bring for each tour is included under the “Preparation” tab of each tour. The packing list is also provided in the guest handbook that is emailed to you when you book.
We have a solar-powered charging station for camera batteries at the Base Camps that have both 110v and USB charging outlets. Please bring your chargers with you. For international visitors please bring an appropriate plug adapter. On explorer tour we do not have a charging station, so you will need to pack extra batteries. Visit our blog for more information on kayak photography.
If you require a CPAP machine overnight, you can join our Base Camp tours. We have a solar-powered charging station at the Base Camps that have both 110v and USB charging outlets, and is backed up by a generator. We can run a power cord to your tent overnight. If you have spare batteries, we do recommend bringing them, just in case. Please contact us to notify us that you require this setup when booking.
For our tours departing from Port McNeill (Vancouver Island):
You can leave your vehicle at your accommodations if you are staying at the Black Bear Resort or Haida Way in Port McNeill. If you are staying elsewhere, you can park your vehicle at the Kingfisher Office while on tour. Ask your guides at the pre-trip meeting where to park.
If you are driving an RV, you can park it at our office as long as it less than 30 feet long. If longer than that we can help arrange something.
For our tours departing from Sandspit (Haida Gwaii):
You can leave your vehicle at the Seaport B&B or Moresby Explorers office while on tour. Ask your guides at the pre-trip meeting where to park.
For our tours departing from Port McNeill (Vancouver Island):
You can leave your extra luggage at your accommodations if you are staying at the Black Bear Resort or Haida Way in Port McNeill. If you are staying elsewhere, you can leave it in your vehicle or inside at the Kingfisher Office while on tour.
For our tours departing from Sandspit (Haida Gwaii):
You can leave your extra luggage at your accommodations if you are staying at the Seaport B&B or Sandspit Inn while on tour.
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Wet Coast Wonderland Interesting to read the other recent reviews of Kingfisher. My husband and I were not aware of Kingfisher Expeditions, but were lucky enough to be invited on a 6-day kayak trip north of the God's Pocket area this July 2022 with friends, when a couple had to drop out of the trip. We have only done a handful of guided kayak trips over the years, so did not know what to expect. But Kingfisher was pretty amazing, I have to say! But let me qualify that.....if you actually want to be paddling for a good portion of the day, like the wilderness camping experience and want a true west coast experience with lots of wildlife...then this is the company for you. Although, I do see that Kingfisher offers a variety of types of trips.
I would have preferred to paddle my own Cosma, but I understand the need to be in the company's boats, as they know the volume and can fit all the shared gear and food in them. Happy the boats were Seawards as we love them!! As we are experienced backpackers and mountaineers, I choose to bring my own sleeping pad, sleeping bag, tarp and PFD and was happy I did. I am older and fussier about my comfort and know what works for me. The guides were fine with that after checking out our gear, BTW :) The tents provided were spacious and paddling jackets the best. I swear our jackets did not let in a single drop of the wet coast weather! Kudos on the choice of paddling jackets.
Our guides Jen and Connor, were supremely competent, kept us well informed and in the loop on plans and were just plain fun to boot. We could not have asked for better guides and "paddling buddies". Some of the weather conditions were challenging, but our group was quite experienced and game and tackled what the elements threw at us. However a planned crossing from Nigei to Vancouver Island was too much. Try as we did, between wind, waves and current, it was not going to happen, but luckily Jen and Connor had a backup plan to return to a orevious campsite to wait for better weather the next day....which did come! We were in good hands with local knowledge. And man do those two have a lot of energy to manage a group on and off the water, cook, clean up, etc., etc....!! They do a tremendous job and I cannot compliment them enough.
The multiple wolf sightings were truly amazing, as were the many eagles, sea otters, superb blooms of jelly fish, ochre stars, anemonies, and other underwater life we could see from the surface or along the coast lines. It is truly a blessing to be able to experience a somewhat intact environment so close to home. The food was amazing and we are now addicted to the Tate's gluten free cookies (even though we are not sensitive to gluten)!!
Kingfisher is an excellent guiding company for the active adventurer. I must admit I could go for a slower paced kayaking trip as those National Geographic's I brought along are still unread!! So I hope we can return again, as there are so many places left to explore on the north island.read moreread lessPeggyhiking8/26/2022 -
SO much wildlife, incredible food, and awesome people!!!!! We had such an awesome time on our trip. We had exceptional luck seeing wildlife, we saw humpback whales, orcas, porpoises, dolphins, sea lions, seals, and more!!! It was such a great time. The food was UNREAL and the accommodations were really nice. I feel as though we really did get our moneys worth. Our guides (Kelsey and Connor) were awesome, they cooked, they cleaned, and they put up with our groups obsession with finding orcas.
Overall, I would highly recommend this experience to anyone who is interested in seeing marine life in the wild and respects wildlife/nature.read moreread lessP6420ZHsabrinac8/27/2021 -
Wow, just wow! We did the 6 day Whales and Wilderness Explorer trip very near the end of a 7 week long trip to Canada. We expected to like and enjoy the trip, but we didn't expect to be absolutely blown away by it! We had done lots of other outdoor adventures during our trip, all of which we'd loved, but this was so special.
Our trip was the last one of the season, but you wouldn't have known it. Our guides, Julian and Jess, were so friendly, personable, knowledgeable, hard working and good fun whilst always being conscious of the different skills, abilities, confidence levels and safety of the 6 members of the group.
The kayak combination of singles and doubles worked well for carrying all the food, equipment and personal belongings, but also allowed the group to swap and change between kayaks when we wanted to. The daily 3D Tetris challenge of repacking the boats was always done with good humour.
The tents, mats and sleeping bags were cosy and comfortable and all the food was plentiful, tasty and excellent - I never knew powdered hummus was a thing until this trip!!! Preparing such amazing food in such basic circumstances is a real skill.
Both Julian and Jess were very observant at spotting both land and sea-based wildlife - and we saw plenty: humpbacks, Dall's porpoises, Stellar sea lions - we had one keep us company for about 1/2 an hour one day, plus seals, deer and eagles to name but a few. The sheer joy of sitting on a rock at sunset watching and hearing whales in the Sound below us is something we'll never forget.
This is a trip which will live long and strong in our memories, but I really, really hope we get to go back and do another trip with them!read moreread less347liz10/23/2019 -
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 -
Amazing six day adventure We went on a six day Whales & Wildlife expedition with four other guests and our two guides - Kyle and Jody. It was a wonderful way to experience the islands and wilderness surrounding Vancouver Island and to disconnect from the city and our daily routine. The food was excellent (great vegetarian options). The campsites chosen along the way were beautiful. All gear was provided. Kyle and Jody were very knowledgeable and told us many interesting stories about the area and about the local wildlife - and we saw a lot of wildlife on our trip. We can't wait to head out again on the water! Highly recommend!
read moreread lessflorencec7268/22/2021 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
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 -
Wow, just wow! We did the 6 day Whales and Wilderness Explorer trip very near the end of a 7 week long trip to Canada. We expected to like and enjoy the trip, but we didn't expect to be absolutely blown away by it! We had done lots of other outdoor adventures during our trip, all of which we'd …
read moreread less347liz10/01/2019