Travel Insurance
Kingfisher strongly recommends all booked guests to purchase travel insurance for their trip that includes cancellations and trip interruptions as well as medical expenses and evacuations in Canada.
Most insurance policies need to be booked within so many hours or days after your trip or tour booking. For policy options check with your local travel agent or book online through your bank or regular insurance provider. Due to different policy options per country you’re travelling from as well as the ever-evolving nature of insurance policies, the information below is compiled from the research we have recently done and we recommend guest to do their own research in addition to find the best policy for your personal situation.
What you are looking for in your insurance is the following
- Trip Cancellation and Interruption insurance: in case unforeseen events such as unexpected illness or injury prevent you from going on your trip. Or if you are required to interrupt your trip and return home pre-maturely. This also covers canceled or delayed flights, ferries or other types of transport that prevent you from going on your tour with us.
- Medical Travel insurance: in case you need to receive medical attention and/or evacuation during your trip. Due to the nature of our kayak tours, you want to ensure it includes wilderness activities and that it not only covers the cost of medical attention but also the cost of evacuation from a remote wilderness setting.
What you want to keep in mind is that events that are considered “known or foreseeable” are not covered by most travel insurance policies. This can include a known health concern that could eventually prevent you from travelling in the future.
One way to be insured in these uncertain times is to opt for the “Cancel for Any Reason” coverage (CFAR) as an optional upgrade to most travel insurance plans. CFAR allows you to cancel your trip, whatever your reason may be, and receive a partial refund—usually 50% or 75% of the value of your prepaid and non-refundable expenses, such as airline tickets, tour and hotel reservations. Events that are considered “known or foreseeable” will also be covered under this upgrade. The CFAR upgrade has to be purchased within days of making the initial trip deposit (this varies by provider so make sure to know when the exact cut-off is). The trip also has to be cancelled no later than 48 hours prior to departure, in order to qualify for refunds from your insurance company.
As mentioned above, insurance policies can vary for company to compnay and can change frequently. In the past, some of our guests have used SafetyWing for travellers from Canada, Heymondo for travellers from the USA, Europe and other parts of the world, and Staysure for travellers from the UK. There are more options available through your local travel agent, so this list solely acts as a suggestion.
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Fantastic kayak tour This kayak camp exceeded all expectations. The guides were so professional, knew the area, and always kept an eye on the changing weather patterns, so I felt completely safe on the water. They adjusted plans and worked with the capacity of our group. The tents at base camp were dry and comfortable - And the food was so amazing !! I was in BC for 2 months and this week was the highlight of my holiday.read moreread less
caron6554/06/2025 -
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 less
travelbuddies397/18/2022 - Best food we had on the base camp tour ever, not even hotels can match this taste an quality. Besides that, the guides where awesome and always managed based on weather conditions a wonderfull paddeling tour each and every day through the stonishing landscape of hudson isalnd. Defently a recommendaitonread moreread less
Dominik S.10/01/2023 -
Incredible experience and trip! Wow! This was such an amazing trip. Our guides, Liz and Renee, were so incredible. They were welcoming, funny, knowledgeable, and great cooks. I learned a lot about marine wildlife and how to kayak better (I had some prior experience but not a ton). Renee prepared a detailed kayaking plan each day that felt safe, the right amount of exercise, and ensured we saw some cool nature.
The base camp was great, beds were comfortable, tents were nice, and the food was delicious. The camp is situated right between the Orca/Humpback “highway” so we sat and watched whales all evening after finishing kayaking and could hear them breathing all night long. Truly magical.
The kayaking was fun, safe, and we saw some amazing wildlife from the kayaks, the boat tour, and camp. My guess is 100 orcas, 50 humpbacks, hundreds of porpoises, 3 grizzlies, some otters, + tons of seals, sea lions, and eagles! We also lucked out with a really fun tour group that loved playing games and hanging out together! I would love to go again at some point!read moreread less
P2251KWshelbyw8/01/2024 - Kingfisher Wilderness Adventures is the best. My wife and I did the 4-day Base Camp Whale and Bear Adventure. The base camp accommodations with the tent cabins were super comfortable and located on a strategic point where we could see so much just from camp. Brenda and Ben, our guides, were kind, fabulous and shared SO much valuable information about the water, sea and animal life we were immersed in. We woke up every morning to laughter, hot coffee and breakfast. Our days were filled with great kayaking and animal sightings. We saw everything we were hop[ing to see and more - dolphins, sea lions, bears (mama and cub), orcas, humpbacks, sea otters, eagles, and a lot of underwater life. I would recommend these guys to anybody without hesitation.read moreread less
Les B.8/13/2024 -
Perfekt 4 days Our trip was the highlight of my entire stay in Canada – four perfect days! We saw so many animals: humpback whales, seals, deer, bald eagles, oystercatchers, salmon, starfish, jellyfish, and even orcas. Our guides Wendi, Kailey, and Emma made the experience unforgettable. They shared their vast knowledge about the ocean, tides, sea life, plants, and wildlife, and also gave us great paddling tips that made kayaking easier and more fun each day.
The camp on Hanson Island has several beaches where you can watch wildlife. The tents are well spaced out and very comfortable, and there’s an outdoor kitchen with a big table where meals are enjoyed together when at camp. In good weather, we also had meals on the beach or at a viewpoint on the rocks – simply magical.
The food was outstanding – fresh, creative, and delicious, with three meals a day plus snacks and desserts. As vegans, we were always provided with special dishes that were just as tasty and inventive as everyone else’s.
At night we could hear whales blowing near the camp – an incredible experience. Sea kayaking was new for us, especially with the pedal-operated rudder in addition to the paddles, and it was so much fun.
I would book this tour again without hesitation and recommend it wholeheartedly.
Michèleread moreread less
Michèle F.8/16/2025 -
Whales and Grizzly Bears Base Camp Kayaking a wonderful experience. I feel very privileged to have been able to stay in such a unique location, teeming with wildlife. Highly recommend the Sea Otter safari add-on too. It is the often the same wildlife, but it's a very different experience for wildlife and viewer from all 3 watercraft types. Guides & facilities excellent. Recommend staying in the Black Bear too, at both ends of the kayaking trip.read moreread less
Tanya J.9/20/2024 -
Simply a Must Do My Daughter and I have recently returned from the whales and wildlife, 5 night tour.
From a personal perspective, if you do nothing else when you visit Vancouver Island, do this. We cannot over emphasise how knowledgeable and professional our guides were.
Both Nick and Lauren, as well as the close proximity of the whales, made this a trip that will leave a lifetime of memories. Further, the food, especially the fresh egg omelettes, were superb and one can only be impressed with Lauren’s culinary prowess. However, Nicks eloquent talks relating to the First Nation peoples were a wonderful addition and totally unexpected.
To both of you, from both of us, thank you!read moreread less
Fraserrich8/22/2023 -
Amazing Kayaking experience off Northern Vancouver Island The Whales and Wildlife Expedition trip with Kingfisher was the highlight of my summer. From the pre-departure videos guiding my packing list to the amazing guides, Claudio and George and the stunning environment - it was a fabulous experience. Kingfisher provided us with reliable camping equipment. The camp sites were wonderful and the kayaking itself was just challenging enough. Claudio and George took such good care of us - with humour and deep care and delicious food! I would highly recommend this trip !read moreread less
Pam J.11/10/2023








