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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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 - The 6-day kayaking tour exceeded our expectations. Declan and Babs were the best guides you could wish for for this experience. They gave us ALL THE INFO on camping and kayaking. We saw whales every day and learned a lot about life on and in the water.
We expected a lot or fun and a good time but surely didn't expect a trip this spectacular and full of so many interesting facts. The camps were chosen daily depending on the group and the weather, and we always felt included in the decision-making process. We were very comfortable with the group, especially given thé small size. The food was always delicious and varied. We definitely recommend this tour. Once in a lifetime experience.read moreread less
Jennifer F.7/21/2025 - We did the 4 day orca/grizzly bear tour. The Kayak portion was excellent but I did not like how the cabins were assigned. The guides say, “you figure it out between you” and this resulted in a competitive race to get the cabins. We were left with the tent closest to the kitchen (because we did not join the race) which meant that as a light sleeper, I did not sleep well and it impacted the enjoyment of the trip. Unless there was a change in this process (suggest that people draw numbers and get their choice accordingly), I would choose a different company. If they made a fairer process for tent selection then I would recommend Kingfisher. My advice to future groups is to determine your method for selecting cabins at your pre-trip meeting. For the grizzly tour, know that you cover a lot of ground on the boat and we did not see any grizzlies.read moreread less
Charmaine M.9/13/2023 - I did the 4 day family base camp whale watching tour with my husband and 2 kids (6 yrs and 9 yrs) and it is one of the best things we've ever done. The guides were amazing, the food was delicious and we were lucky enough to see humpbacks and orcas.
Andrew the owner was super accommodating of all our needs and was so passionate and knowledgeable about the local wildlife and the local area, and we loved our guides who made the whole experience so smooth and fun.
Definitely book a family tour with Kingfisher if you want a unique experience with your kids that they'll always remember.read moreread less
Sarah J.8/09/2023 - Tausend Dank an Kelsie und das Team für die tolle Tour, die wir in den letzten 4 Tagen hatten. Ganz viel erlebt, viele Tierbeobachtungen, tolles Essen, super Betreuung und Anleitung, und dann auch noch sehr gutes Wetter - wenn wir nicht so eine weite Anreise aus Berlin hätten, würden wir immer wieder mit den Kingfishers fahren.read moreread less
Gabriela T.8/16/2023 -
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 -
Guiding at it's very best!! Our Whales and Wildlife Kayaking trip was a fabulous experience from start to finish. Our guides, Ben and Jeff were super knowledgeable and friendly. They looked after us all amazingly well and the whole experience totally exceeded our expectations.read moreread less
Wendy J.7/27/2025 -
WOW - The best experience with a professional no what they are doing company! From start to finish, our trip exceeded all expectations. Every detail of the trip was even better than we imagined. The guides fantastic, made us feel safe and looked after their knowledge and expertise on the surroundings and wildlife, The equipment - 5 star, The camp and food fantastic. We all have family memories to cherish and its a trip our 10 year old will never forget especially eating at camp watching & listening to the Orca's.read moreread less
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