Overview

The Vancouver Island, British Columbia coast is one of the most rugged and dramatic on earth, and one of the finest sea kayaking areas anywhere. Heavily forested islands and mountains are laced with thousands of miles of intricate waterways. It is a sea kayaking paradise, and our sea kayak tours are designed to offer you the very best that this region has to offer.

Inside Passage

Inside Passage sea kayaking trips begin in Port McNeill, near the northeastern end of Vancouver Island. From there, we explore the islands and waterways within a 25-mile radius. Orca encounters here are very common. There are two Inside Passage options:

 

 

Wildlife Discovery and Orca Humpback Odyssey tours.

Wildlife Discovery
The astounding variety and abundance of wildlife in our area, combined with the vast possibilities of wonderful kayaking routes, set the stage for our Wildlife Discovery kayaking adventures. We strive to spend time in the proximity of all the whales in our area on these trips, but we also measure our "whale time" with the desire to fully experience the variety of wildlife that can be encountered.

For many, this is the perfect balance of pure sea kayaking pleasure with experiencing and learning about the entire area, from the smallest seashore creatures to the black bears and blacktail deer who casually stroll the shoreline in search of food during low tide periods. We may hear a pack of wolves howling in the distance or see signs of the presence of the mysterious and rarely sighted cougars. Our guides will help identify the area's edible plants, trees, birds, deer, otters and seals.

Still, we all want to see the magnificent whales: orca, humpback and minke, who are more easily encountered in these waters than anywhere else. By our mere presence in these waters, searching for all the wildlife that lives here, our whale encounters should be a highlight for all.

We have carefully chosen the weeks of our Wildlife Discovery adventures to coincide with the larger tides of the full and new moons, when the animals of the forest spend more time on the beaches we pass by while kayaking. The fascinating intertidal life is far more exposed during these weeks of low tide. Currents are stronger and the sea birds are most active with their fishing.

Price: $1695.00 per person


Orca Humpback Odyssey 
Ever since Northern Lights pioneered sea kayak exploration in the Inside Passage in the early 1980's, the thrill of encountering whales has been at the top of many guests' lists of their lifetime experiences. Traveling by kayak through some of the most beautiful islands on earth, while knowing whales could be discovered around almost any corner, gives our guests an ever-present sense of wonder and excitement.

Our Orca/Humpback Odysseys are six-day adventures for whale lovers who want to focus on experiencing these creatures while still making time to have a richly rewarding sea kayaking adventure, spotting eagles, deer, porpoises and seals in their natural home. With making whale sightings a priority, itineraries, routes and campsites will be chosen with those goals in mind.

Our Orca/Humpback Odysseys are scheduled for the weeks of the summer when the currents that effect kayakers' ability to move in any direction they please are at a minimum. That means we can quickly alter a kayaking route when we hear of whales in one direction or the other and be less likely to be limited in our movements by currents.

Price $1695.00 per person

Wild Orca Adventure trips take place in the best area in the world to see orcas and other whales in the wild. These trips will focus on whale watching from camp and our kayaks, in the finest orca waters on earth.

When your No. 1 goal is seeing a wild killer whale, or a minke whale or humpback whale for that matter, our Wild Orca Adventure trips are your best choice. With 24 years of experience in this area, we have chosen the No. 1 spot on Earth to see and encounter orcas in the wild. At this spot we have built a camp that will serve as a base for our "guaranteed whales" adventures.

Still a sea kayaking trip, our focus each day will be on seeing and encountering orcas and other whales in the wild from land and by kayak. Killer whales pass through the waters surrounding this camp more than any other place on the planet and we'll be there when they do. Humpback whales and minke whales are also occasionally seen in the area.

When we get up each day, whales will be our main focus. Your guides will talk about whales, help you identify individuals and family groups, and tell you about over twenty-five years of research that has gathered information on the whales who live here, in an attempt to understand them and possibly ensure they have a safe, viable habitat to live in in the future.

These trips are shorter than our six-day Inside Passage adventures. Here we spend four days kayaking in prime orca waters. If your group does not see any whales on the trip, including the water taxi rides to and from your camp, you are welcome to return in the same year or the following year for a free trip of the same or lesser value, or receive credit toward any of our trips, excluding Lodge Trips.

Price $1195 per person.


Whale Watching one day excursions

Grizzly Watching one day trips and

Mothership Voyages available upon request or special charter. Please call dor details.