KAYAK WITH WHALES – BASE CAMP KAYAKING
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. This can all happen on a “Kayak With Whales” base camp kayak tour with Kingfisher Wilderness Adventures.
There is no better place in the world to kayak with both killer whales and humpback whales than Johnstone Strait off the northeastern corner of Vancouver Island. This area is recognized as one of the most predictable places in the world to see these great marine mammals and Kingfisher’s base camps are located right in the heart of these wildlife-rich waters on an island covered in old growth rainforest.
During a four day and three night stay at the base camp you explore the variety of kayaking routes the area has to offer. Killer whales and humpback whales regularly pass by the camp, often while you are enjoying the morning’s first cup of French-pressed organic coffee or a dinner of locally caught salmon around the campfire. The nearby waters are home to harbour seals, porpoises, Minke whales, and rich intertidal life. A number of bald eagle nests and a Steller sea lion haul out are all within easily paddling distance of camp and it is not uncommon to see humpback whales lunging through schools of small fish as they fatten up for their migration south.
Kingfisher’s guides are well acquainted with the natural history, whales, and other wildlife of British Columbia’s coast, knowledge which they eagerly share. It is hard to miss a killer whale’s six foot dorsal fin as it passes your kayak, but your guides also help you spot the less obvious sea stars, urchins and anemones in the shallows and educate you about the other whales, seals, porpoises, and dolphins that frequent these waters.
The base camps offer a very comfortable camping experience and with Kingfisher’s knowledgeable kayak guides this tour is suitable for adventurous travellers even if they have little or no kayaking or camping experience. Roomy canvas tents, each 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 to ensure a good night’s sleep. 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.
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.
Tours run every Tuesday to Friday from June through September.
Price: $1795 CAD per person plus 5% Goods and Services Tax (GST) *additional charges for some dietary restrictions
Dates: This tour runs every Tuesday to Friday from mid-June to late September. See the calendar below for availability.
Group Size: Maximum of ten guests and three guides.
Participants: This tour is adult-oriented but participants as young as 15 may be accepted.
Suitability: Beginner to advanced kayakers. Is this tour right for you?
Departs: Port McNeill, Vancouver Island.
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A note on June and early July departures: June and early July is a great time to be kayaking in Johnstone Strait and there is an unbelievable assortment of wildlife. The resident (fish-eating) orcas, however, are not reliably seen until mid-July. They may be intermittently seen during June and early July along with the transient (mammal-eating) orcas but are not as consistent as later in the summer. You can be assured that an early season tour provides a great kayaking experience and a wide variety of wildlife is present without all the extra people that visit mid-summer.
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.
Sea Otter Viewing Day Trips: (opens in a new tab) Add a sea otter viewing day trip before or after you join us 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. We’re proud of our menu that includes abundant fresh fruits and vegetables, a wide variety of international dishes, and freshly baked treats. Most dietary restrictions can be accommodated given sufficient prior notification. 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.
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. There is a pre-trip meeting at 8:00 pm 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. Your guides provide you with an overview for your trip, distribute dry bags to pack your clothing, and answer any questions you may have.
Meals Included: None
Day 1: We meet in the morning to head down to the marina to load our water taxi. 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 45 to 60 minute water taxi ride takes us to our base camp. Upon arrival at the base camp your guides provide a site orientation, plus a kayak and safety briefing. We kayak for a short time before lunch, giving you time to get used to the kayaks, the wilderness setting, and each other. The afternoon is spent kayaking and viewing the area's diverse wildlife.
Meals Included: Lunch – Dinner
Days 2 and 3: Each day brings a new journey; our base camp is ideally situated for exploring the area. The base camp is located on killer whale travel routes and humpback whales often feed within sight of camp. The islands and small islets close to the camp are home to numerous sea birds, bald eagles, and seals. There is always plenty to see.
Both killer whales and humpback whales regularly pass by our camp, and we have enjoyed many dinner shows from the beach. When we encounter killer whales on the water, we often drop a hydrophone into the water so we can listen to their vocalizations.
Your kayak guides plan each day according to weather conditions, wildlife viewing opportunities, and guest interests. Lunches are usually spent on a secluded beach. We return late each afternoon to the comforts of the base camp.
Every day is different, but rest assured, our goals are the same as yours-- exploring, kayaking, whale watching, wildlife viewing, and enjoying the scenery.
Meals Included: Breakfast - Lunch – Dinner
Day 4: On the last day, we enjoy a hearty breakfast before heading out for one last kayak paddle. Returning to camp for a late lunch, you then pack up your gear, and snap a few last photographs. Our water taxi picks us up between 3:30 and 4:00pm for the trip back to Port McNeil, arriving by 5:00pm.
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
This tour departs from Port McNeill on northern Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. You can travel to Port McNeill by car 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.
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
Cluwewe Resort
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.
While each of our kayak tours and routes will vary based on possible wildlife sightings, currents, tides and weather the below map highlights the general area that our base camp kayak tour operates in.
Charts: You do not need to bring charts on this kayak tour. Your guides have charts of the area and will review them with guests each day. If you wish to bring your own chart(s) they are listed below. Each chart is linked to the corresponding page on the Canadian Hydrographic Service's website and you can search where to buy these charts locally (links will open in a new window).
We think our tours are pretty great and so do our guests.
Below are excerpts from a few TripAdvisor reviews.
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"What a great trip. Fantastic for beginners like us - not too strenuous. We saw so much wildlife - orca whales, humpback whales, dall porpoise, sea lions, seals, bald eagles, ravens, and a mink!
The tents and cots were very comfortable, really close to the water, and what a blast to hear the whooosh of a whale passing by in the middle of the night!
The guides, Agnes and Kelly were very well informed and interesting and they kept the camp running smoothly. The food was simple, but good - and the nightly campfire on the beach was lovely."
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"As two couples, we booked the 4 day Kayaking with Orcas from a base camp. It was a trip of a lifetime! Wildlife showings included porpoises, seals, sea lions, bald eagles, and the grand prize: several episodes of orca sightings. Three very competent and knowledgeable guides led us on kayaking trips around Hanson Island and the Plumpers, and did double duty in the preparation of meals morning, noon and night. No shortage of delicious food servings... The majesty of the region and all it holds was on full display. So rewarding."
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"Wonderful - 4 day Kayak with Whales trip.
My husband and I had a fantastic time on this trip. We did a similar trip in the past out of San Juan Island in the U.S. and this trip far surpassed that experience. ...
Never a guarantee of wildlife but we saw orcas, humpback whales, seals, sea lions, dolphins, porpoise, lots of eagles and other sea birds, mink and deer. The camp setup is very comfortable and they took great care of us.
Our 2 guides Andrew and Agnes were amazing! We learned so much about the area and the people that live there. Can't wait to go back!..."
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"Orcas, humpbacks, dolphins and porpoises!
All the above marine animals were spotted a few times... It was the noises of the fins of the killer whales hitting the surface water only meters from our camp site on Hansen Island that I remember most...
The kayaking, the guides, the professionalism of the company and the guides made the trip very memorable. Comfort is a highlight starting with the high spacious tents, the wonderful established camp with its covered eating kitchen, state of the art outhouse, and its two beaches giving eye sight access to the marine life.....all add to a terrific trip. Will definitely go back to paddle with Kingfisher again soon..."
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"This was our 2nd trip to Orca base camp with Kingfisher and once again we had an amazing time. Ally and Silke were our guides and chefs for the 4 days and they did a fantastic job. Full of knowledge, culinary skills and fun they gave us a great few days kayaking. The weather was perfect, bright blue sky and calm water. The wildlife also showed up in abundance, Orca, Humpback, Dolphin, Sea lions, Minke and Bald eagles. On the island we had the usual cheeky squirrels and a deer that wandered around the camp. Also the group of people we shared the trip with were great company, lots of stories and laughter around the campfire at night."
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"My husband, 21yr old son and myself did the 4 day camping and kayaking trip with Andrew and Ali as our guides. This trip exceeded my expectations in all areas. The campsite was in a beautiful setting with comfortable beds, the food was superb, the guides were brilliant and the animals were outstanding.
We were treated to the sight of so many whales, seals , sea lions, and bald eagles. I know Andrew and his guides cannot guarantee what visitors will see but they ensure that you get the best opportunity to see what's out there at the time...
The groups they take out are small, we had 3 others in our group and had a lot of laughs around the dinner table as well as out on the water.
I would not hesitate in recommending this trip to anyone, my husband hates camping but would not have missed this for the world..."
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