Johnstone Strait Orca Kayaking Tour

Travel to Port McNeill + Evening Orientation Meeting

Begin your adventure in Port McNeill, a working fishing village that lies on the north coast of Vancouver Island. Most of our guests opt to stay at the Haida Way Motor Inn on the night before the tour officially begins. Your guides will host an orientation meeting at the hotel in the evening where you’ll meet your fellow travelers and can pick up your wetsuit booties and dry bags.

ACCOMMODATION : Haida Way Motor Inn or Black Bear Resort

MEALS INCLUDED : NA

Transport to Telegraph Cove + Kayak to Base Camp

Early in the morning, you’ll be transported to our kayak launch site in the nearby town of Telegraph Cove where your guides will conduct a safety briefing and provide paddling tips. Once you’re feeling comfortable and confident about being in the water, we’ll launch into the thickly forested and sheltered waters of the Johnstone Strait. This is the heart of orca territory and home to the world’s only designated orca preserve. 

Depending on the weather, we will be staying at wilderness basecamps on three different islands, each of which is equipped with pre-assembled tents and sleeping cots. On arrival at camp, take the time to settle in and relax with a glass of local wine and hors d’oeuvres as your guides prepare a delicious dinner. The rest of the evening will be spent around the crackling campfire and gazing up at the starlit sky or the glowing bioluminescence in the water.

ACCOMMODATION : Camping

MEALS INCLUDED : Lunch, Dinner

Sea Kayak the Johnstone Strait and Blackfish Sound

Wake to the smell of freshly-brewed coffee and tea as the sun slowly rises, followed by a warm breakfast prepared by your guides. As you’re waiting for the rest of the group to get ready, you can stroll along the beach and fossick in the tide pools or relax with a book while watching a pod of passing orcas. 

Our kayaking excursions over the next two days will take us into the Johnstone Strait’s prime orca territory and through the magnificent channels and islands of Blackfish Sound where humpback whales are occasionally spotted. You can expect to kayak for around 4+ hours each day, with plenty of floating rests and lunch stops. 

ACCOMMODATION : Camping

MEALS INCLUDED : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Robson Bight Orca Preserve + Sea Kayaking + Hiking

Over the next two days, you will venture towards the boundary of the Robson Bight Orca Preserve and visit several First Nations pictograph sites that dot the region. We’ll be continually keeping our eyes peeled for orcas as they swim through the strait hunting salmon and your guides are equipped with hydrophones so you can hear them vocalizing to one another beneath the water. Seals and porpoises may also be spotted on our daily excursions, together with a variety of birdlife that includes soaring eagles. Each evening we’ll settle in at the campsite to toast the day’s adventures and hear tales from your guides recounting local legends.

ACCOMMODATION : Camping

MEALS INCLUDED : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Telegraph Cove + Whale Museum + Return to Port McNeill

After your final breakfast at camp, we’ll begin our paddle back to Telegraph Cove, with a stop for lunch along the way. You’ll have the opportunity to visit the Whale Museum Interpretation Centre in Telegraph Cove before being transported to Port McNeill in the afternoon. It’s recommended that you spend an additional night in Port McNeill, which enables you to enjoy a farewell dinner with your group.

Please Note: The above itinerary is dependent upon the wind, waves, and weather and is subject to change at short notice. Basecamp tours are run back-to-back and you may be able to take a water taxi to and from the basecamp, depending upon the schedule. 
 
Although there is a very good chance of spotting orcas during the trip, the frequency and proximity of sightings are dependent on their travel patterns.

ACCOMMODATION : Haida-Way motor Inn or Black Bear Resort

MEALS INCLUDED : Breakfast, Lunch