6 Day SEA OTTER EXPLORER – EXPEDITION KAYAKING
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 watching a humpback whale feeding along the tideline are truly special experiences—experiences you can have on a Sea Otter Explorer Tour with Kingfisher Wilderness Adventures.
After being hunted almost to extinction in the last century, the sea otter population has been steadily growing, and now in the waters west of Port Hardy we can view small groups of females otters with their pups and larger adult rafts of these playful creatures.
Our water taxi drops us off on a remote island for this six-day adventure. Days are spent exploring the many channels and islands of God’s Packet Provincial Marine Park and Western Queen Charlotte Strait. We usually move between three different camps during this trip, depending on weather, wildlife sightings and group interests.
Group Size: Maximum of eight guests and two guides.
Participants: This tour is adult-oriented but participants as young as 15 may be accepted.
Suitability: This tour is suitable for a wide range of abilities. Previous kayaking and backcountry camping experience is beneficial.
Departs: Port McNeill, Vancouver Island.
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This tour is suitable for a wide range of abilities. Previous kayaking and backcountry camping experience is beneficial. A certain level of physical fitness and mobility is required as well as the ability to enjoy what can sometimes be less than ideal conditions, like wind and rain. Below is a bit of what you can expect on this tour.
- Paddle a fully loaded single and/or double kayak for 4-6 hours per day for multiple days.
- Expect to spend time in a double kayak during your tour. With advance notice, we can often accommodate guests who want to spend their entire trip in a double kayak but we cannot accommodate guests who want to spend their entire trip in a single kayak.
- Paddle into wind ( up to 20 Knots) and waves of 1 meter ( 3 feet) Some swell conditions can be experienced on this tour
- Climb down a ladder from the water taxi to start or end the trip.
- Assist with loading and offloading of gear and supplies from water taxi.
If you have physical limitations that may make this difficult contact our office before booking to ensure this can be accommodated.
- Back-country camp for five consecutive nights
- Break-down, move, and set-up camp at least 3 of the 6 days
- Carry heavy kayaks and gear up and down the beach (this is often the most physically demanding part of the trip)
If you have physical limitations that may make this difficult contact our office before booking to ensure this can be accommodated.
- Use the inter-tidal area for low impact toilet use. This is a wilderness area and there are limited – no facilities (outhouses) in the areas we visit.
- Please note that wildlife does not operate on our schedules. Our guides are very knowledgeable and attempt to provide as many wildlife viewings as possible. However, there are no guarantees when it comes to viewing specific species.
Recognize that there are certain realities in joining a public tour. The abilities of other tour participants may not be the same as yours. You may need to push yourself outside your comfort zone or need to scale back your expectations so the group can function in a productive manner.
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 +$115
- Gluten intolerant +$115
- Lactose intolerant +$115
- 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.
- View our guest handbook (currently being updated for 2024) for more information on preparing for this tour.
- If you wish to discuss your suitability for this or any of our other kayak tours contact us at info@kingfisher.ca or phone 1-866-546-4347 in North America or +1-250-856-4617 internationally.
Exact kayaking routes may vary depending on possible wildlife sightings, currents, tides and weather.
Day 0: Plan to be in Port McNeill the night before the kayak tour departs, as there is an 8:00 pm pre-trip meeting with your guides at our office, located at 1790A Campbell Way, across the street from the Haida Way Inn and next to the Black Bear Resort. We’ll provide you with an overview for your trip, distribute dry-bags to pack your gear in, and answer any questions you may have.
Meals Included: None
Day 1: We meet at 7:30am to load up our van and drive to Port Hardy where we load our water taxi. Port Hardy is about a 35 minute drive from Port McNeill. Vehicles and extra luggage can be left at your hotel while you are on your kayak tour. If you are not staying at a hotel or B&B with parking, we have limited free parking and luggage storage available at our office.
The hour long water taxi ride takes us to our first campsite, where we’ll settle in. The guides provide a site orientation and paddle briefing. We head out for a paddle before lunch giving you time to get used to the kayaks, the wilderness setting and each other.
Meals Included: Lunch – Dinner
Days 2 to 5: These days are spent exploring the area and wildlife viewing. There are extensive islands and channels to explore amongst Gods Pocket Provincial Marine Park and at the western edge of Queen Charlotte Strait where we meet the open Pacific Ocean and this is where we often see the largest concentrations of sea otters.
The sea otters are abundant in this area and humpback whales are often a common sight as well. While less likely, other wildlife sightings could include orcas, black bears, and coastal wolves.
We will likely have three different camps during this trip, depending on weather, wildlife sightings, and group interests.
Itineraries vary from trip to trip, but rest assured that wildlife viewing, exploration, and relaxing are always key factors in our trips.
Meals Included: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Day 6: On the last day, we’ll enjoy a last breakfast and linger over a cup of coffee before breaking camp for the last time. We kayak back to Port Hardy where we the unload our kayaks and load our van for the drive back to Port McNeill to end the trip.
We arrive back in Port Hardy early afternoon and if you chose to stay in Port McNeill, we arrive back at around 4:00 pm giving you enough time to fly out of Port Hardy or catch a late ferry back to the mainland, but delays do happen. We strongly suggest that our guests spend the last night in Port McNeill, enjoy a hot shower, and slowly transition out of vacation mode. Most guests choose to do this, and guests and guides often get together for a no-host farewell dinner at a local restaurant.
Meals Included: Breakfast – Lunch
Our Guest Handbook contains details on preparing for your kayak tour. Included in the handbook is travel and accommodation information, a list of what to bring, what you can expect while you are kayaking, wildlife viewing etiquette, participant detail form and release forms.
While the summer months in British Columbia are mostly warm and sunny, we still have a few cold and wet days. After all, the coast of British Columbia is the world’s largest temperate rainforest. For maximum enjoyment on your trip in all types of weather please bring the items listed in the guest handbook. Some dry bag sizing may differ from what is shown in the video.
We provide high quality three season tents. For couples we provide three person tents, and for solo travelers a slightly smaller 2 person tent. Therm-a-rest sleeping pads, and warm mummy-style sleeping bags with liners are all provided to ensure a good night’s sleep. A small 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 and neoprene kayaking mitts are provided to keep you warm and dry while kayaking.
Includes: We provide you with all the necessary kayaking and camping equipment, including kayaks, paddling jackets, PFD (life jacket), group shelters, tents, sleeping pads, camp chairs and sleeping bags (you may bring your own). A comprehensive list of required personal items can be read by clicking on the “Preparation” tab above. All meals during the kayak trip are provided and prepared by your guides. Transportation is all-inclusive from Port McNeill by our network of vans and water taxis.
What is not included: We do not provide transport from your home to Port McNeill, nor do we provide airport transfers. Accommodation in Port McNeill is not included. Any meals outside the kayak portion of the tour are your responsibility. Travel insurance for accidents or emergency evacuation is not provided; we recommend you purchase a policy before leaving home. The trip price does not include guide gratuities; should you feel that the service was exemplary, it is always appreciated.
When using our online booking from you can choose the below optional items to add to your kayak tour.
Black Bear Resort: (opens in a new tab) We can arrange your pre and/or post night accommodations in Port McNeill at the Black Bear Resort
Grizzly Bear Viewing Day Trips: (opens in a new tab) Many of our guests add a grizzly bear watching day trip before or after they join us kayaking.
This tour departs from Port McNeill on northern Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. You can travel to Port McNeill by car, bus, or plane.
Driving
If driving from the Vancouver area on the Mainland of British Columbia to Port McNeill you need to sail on BC Ferries to either Nanaimo or Victoria on Vancouver Island. From Washington State, Coho Ferry sails between Port Angeles and Victoria. Drive time from Victoria to Port McNeill is approximately 5.5 hours, and from Nanaimo to Port McNeill is approximately 4 hours.
Driving to Port McNeill is quite straightforward. From Victoria drive north on highway 1 to Nanaimo. From Nanaimo head north on Highway 19 until you see the sign for Port McNeill. Port McNeill is 1 minute off the main highway. The only other option to this route is north of Nanaimo just before you reach Parksville you can take the seaside route on Highway 19A. This route rejoins the main Highway 19 at Campbell River. The seaside route may add an extra hour to your trip.
Buses
Island Link offers a convenient daily bus service connecting Victoria and Port McNeill, making stops at various locations along the route.
Flying
Flights to Port Hardy (YZT), the closest airport to Port McNeill, depart from the south terminal of Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and are approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. These flights are operated by Pacific Coastal Airlines. Port Hardy airport is a 30 minute taxi ride from Port McNeill.
If you are planning on renting a car on Vancouver Island (and not stopping in Vancouver), you can also fly with Air Canada to either Nanaimo (YCD), Victoria (YYJ) or Campbell River (YBL) on Vancouver Island. Another option is to fly with WestJet Airlines via Calgary (YYC) or Edmonton (YEG) to Comox (YQQ) on Vancouver Island. Comox is about 2 1/2 hour drive south of Port McNeill.
Kenmore Air operates float plane service to Port McNeill from Seattle, Washington.
Recommended Port McNeill Accommodations
Black Bear Resort – Can be booked with your kayak tour.
Additional Port McNeill Accommodations
Humpback Inn
Haida Way Motor Inn
Dalewood Inn
Ocean Comfort B&B
Cluxewe Resort
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.
What are your best tours to see whales?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.
When will I have the best chance of seeing orcas?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.
When is the best time for wildlife in general?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.
What are the accommodations like on the base camp 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.
What are the toilets like?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.
How many guest and guides are on each tour?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.
For answers to more frequently asked question please visit our complete FAQs page.- 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
- 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 - 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 …read moreread lessYvonne R.9/01/2019
- What a trip Wonderfull Kayak trip around basecamp.
On our 1st day we already saw orcas and humpback whales from basecamp, sitting whit a beer watching the sun go down
We kayaked every day and met whales and sealions.
Last day they picked us early, and we went on a bear watching tour we saw grizzly and black bears
Sleeping in a tent where you can here the whales breath at night when the are passing,Wonderful
Great guides, they make the best breakfast ,lunch and diner!
Its a must do when you visit Vancouver island!read moreread lessIvar197010/24/2018 - 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
- 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
- Unplug and enjoy beautiful northern Vancouver Island Our whole trip was wonderful. We were very excited about the kayak base camp trip we had signed up for and everything lived up to all our expectations and more. Our guides, Julian and Katie were such great people firstly and our trip was immeasurably more enjoyable because of their friendship, leadership, hard work, culinary skills and of course their exemplary knowledge of the outdoors, wildlife, ocean tides and kayaking skills. It was never a stressful time paddling or at camp. I would absolutely come back for another visit with Kingfisher. It was very well organized and all the pre-trip information and packing lists were great. Those large dry bags held much more than I thought they would so we could pack everything we wanted. We ended up not needing all of the warm weather clothes due to our fantastic weather and crazy warm sleeping bags Kingfisher provided. I WILL be back one day and I still cannot say enough about our guides Julian and Katie. I hope to see them again.read moreread lessH341PImarkd8/10/2021
- 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 - 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