Kayak with Orcas - Johnstone Strait | Adventure Unbound

Kayak with Orcas - Johnstone Strait, British Columbia Kayaking Tour

The Johnstone Strait is a magical, glacier-carved waterway that is truly a sea kayaking dream. With gorgeous summer weather, glass-calm waters, and some of the most spectacular wilderness scenery on earth, the location alone makes for a stunning trip. But, there’s more - the Johnstone Strait is the single best place in the world to sea kayak with orcas (killer whales). More than 220 orcas swim through this protected channel each summer!

Along with wildlife-watching, we kayak in the heart of orca territory in Johnstone Strait. Our basecamp location provides opportunity for hiking, tide-pooling, and learning about the natural history of the area. A comfortable camp is already set up and waiting for you at our site! We hike through forests filled with old growth cedars and admire an entire ecosystem including starfish, anemones, porpoises, eagles, and sea birds.

All tours are fully-catered (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and happy hour) with gourmet meals prepared daily by our guides—from scratch. Each day, you enjoy scrumptious meals before laying your head on a pillow merely meters from passing orcas.

This trip is ideal for families with older teens, novice to intermediate kayakers craving adventure, and whale lovers who want to experience up-close encounters with orcas! Guides bring hydrophones on all tours so you can hear the orcas communicating underwater while watching them interact. This trip is focused on observation and respect for the orca habitat, as we maintain our "Leave-No-Trace" ethics. All of our basecamps remain eco-friendly with temporary structures, allowing guests to enjoy the whales without harming their habitat.

Images & Videos

Sea kayaker looking to her left where an orca whale is breaking the surface of the water on a cloudy day in Canada
Canvas tent unzipped set in a dense forest in British Columbia
Sunset over the Johnstone Strait in British Columbia
Orca fins sticking out of the water on a misty morning in the Johnstone Strait
Sea kayakers paddling through a section of water full of kelp with a hill full of green trees behind them
Family in sea kayaks smiling on a sunny day on the water with the Canadian Rockies behind them
Orca whale tail slapping the water creating a big spash
Sea kayakers paddling past a colorful port town on Vancouver Island
People in a tandem sea kayak smiling in the Johnstone Strait off the coast of Vancouver Island
Kitchen set up cooking breakfast potatoes while camping on a small island in British Columbia
Seals perched on a rock in the Johnstone Strait making perfect eye contact
Person on a rocky beach surrounded by drift wood and sea kayaks holding their book while laying in the sun
Person looking out onto the ocean while in a sea kayak with their paddle across their lap
Sea kayaker looking to her left where an orca whale is breaking the surface of the water on a cloudy day in Canada
Canvas tent unzipped set in a dense forest in British Columbia
Sunset over the Johnstone Strait in British Columbia
Orca fins sticking out of the water on a misty morning in the Johnstone Strait
Sea kayakers paddling through a section of water full of kelp with a hill full of green trees behind them
Family in sea kayaks smiling on a sunny day on the water with the Canadian Rockies behind them
Orca whale tail slapping the water creating a big spash
Sea kayakers paddling past a colorful port town on Vancouver Island
People in a tandem sea kayak smiling in the Johnstone Strait off the coast of Vancouver Island
Kitchen set up cooking breakfast potatoes while camping on a small island in British Columbia
Seals perched on a rock in the Johnstone Strait making perfect eye contact
Person on a rocky beach surrounded by drift wood and sea kayaks holding their book while laying in the sun
Person looking out onto the ocean while in a sea kayak with their paddle across their lap

Itinerary

Collapse all days

Day 1

Telegraph Cove and Arrive at Basecamp 

You'll start the day with a morning commute to the launch site in Telegraph Cove. On arrival, our superbly talented guides teach a lesson in kayaking safety. After launching from the cove, we begin our paddle within the roadless, densely-forested Johnstone Strait in the heart of orca territory. After marveling in the beauty of orcas, eagles, seals, and other marine animals, we paddle to our base camp in the heart of the "orca loop."  After settling in, enjoy a happy hour of local wines and hors d'oeuvres while our guides prepare a salmon bake for dinner. After dinner conversation drifts to the highlights of the day, relish a freshly baked dessert around a crackling campfire. As the stars rise and gain brilliance, we settle in for a restful night of slumber. Oftentimes, the sound of orcas blowing offshore will sing us to sleep.

ACCOMMODATION : Beachside Camping
MEALS INCLUDED : Lunch, Dinner

Day 2-3

Sea Kayaking and Whale Watching

Leisurely rise with the sun as it crests over rainforest boughs. Your guides are already hard at work preparing a warm breakfast, coffee, and tea. Spend part of the morning strolling along the beach, reading, or watching for orcas. Plan to kayak nearly four hours per day, with time for lunch and floating rest-breaks. A morning paddle leads us to our lunch site, where we can also hike and learn about the natural history of the area. An evening paddle brings us back to our base camp for another happy hour and dinner. Then, there's time to relax around the cozy campfire and listen to your guides tell stories and narrate local legends. During the trip, we paddle to Robson Bight Orca Preserve as well as First Nations pictograph sites. Orcas may appear any time on our tour.

ACCOMMODATION : Beachside Camping
MEALS INCLUDED : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4

Whale Museum, Telegraph Cove, and Return to Port McNeil

After breakfast, we break camp and paddle to our take-out location at Telegraph Cove. Along the way, we stop for lunch and a visit to the Telegraph Cove whale museum. In the afternoon, a taxi returns guests to Port McNeill. We invite you to stay overnight in Port McNeill so you can join us for a no-host farewell dinner as a group! You can depart this evening by car, or fly out the next day.

 

ACCOMMODATION : Haida-Way motor Inn, Black Bear Resort
MEALS INCLUDED : Breakfast, Lunch

Map

Dates & Rates

DatesAdult (USD)Child (USD)
Jul 16, 2024 to Jul 19, 2024 $1,560£0€0$0$0$1,450£0€0$0$0
Jul 23, 2024 to Jul 26, 2024 $1,560£0€0$0$0$1,450£0€0$0$0
Jul 30, 2024 to Aug 02, 2024 $1,560£0€0$0$0$1,450£0€0$0$0
Aug 06, 2024 to Aug 09, 2024 $1,560£0€0$0$0$1,450£0€0$0$0
Aug 13, 2024 to Aug 16, 2024 $1,560£0€0$0$0$1,450£0€0$0$0
Aug 20, 2024 to Aug 23, 2024 $1,560£0€0$0$0$1,450£0€0$0$0
Aug 27, 2024 to Aug 30, 2024 $1,560£0€0$0$0$1,450£0€0$0$0

Supplementary Information

Looking for an alternative basecamp option? Check out our Humpback Basecamp Tour! In the early season, late June to early July, we host this Humpback viewing adventure from our base camp in the Blackfish Sound!

FAMILY DEPARTURES (For children as young as 9):  Ask your Adventure Consultant for more details!

Single Kayaks are available for $100 supplement

INCLUDED: 
•    All meals as indicated on the itinerary
•    Transportation to and from the launch site
•    All kayaking instruction
•    All kayaking and camping equipment
•    Full service of our certified professional Guides and Adventure Consultants

NOT INCLUDED:
•    Transportation to and from Port McNeill
•    Hotel before and after the tour
•    Meals before or after the tour
•    Gratuity for guides
•    Items of a personal nature.

ALL PRICES IN US DOLLARS. We will do our best to adhere to the itineraries and trip descriptions listed on our website. However, tour itineraries or sub-contractors (such as taxi, cruise boats or hotels) may change slightly due to reasons beyond our control including but not limited to Acts of God, wind, waves, inclement weather or other. We always welcome you to call us to clarify any item - often this is the best way to fully clarify expectations - call us collect or on our toll-free number. You will be sent pre-trip email with latest details within a month of your tour - it is your responsibility to check in with us prior to your trip to see if you have all the information you need. We will always do our best to provide you with the best possible tour and to fully meet your expectations to the best of our ability.

 

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FAQ & More

Which is right for me: the 4 or 6-day kayaking with orcas trip?

The four-day trip utilizes one campsite for all four days. You have more time to relax and enjoy the beautiful wildlife and scenery. Families with teens, novice kayakers, or those who prefer a slower pace would be ideal for this tour. The campsite we use on the Vancouver Island side of Johnstone Strait, by exclusive permit, is close to Robson Bight. The base camp's shoreline is composed of sea-polished stones that lure an orca to rub its 6-ton body along the beach, or herd salmon into the curve of the shore. Orcas regularly pass by directly in front of camp. Paddlers can scramble down the rock outcropping and stand at water's edge to watch orcas cruise by just below their feet. The camp offers great orca viewing right off shore. We never just "wait around for orcas" on the base camp. We take daily day trips, paddling to different beaches for lunch, hike, observing wildlife. Each trip includes about 4 hours per day of kayaking: two hours paddling in morning, and another two hours paddling in the afternoon after lunch. Often there is a hike at the lunch stop, and the evenings are filled with campfires, games, or fishing. On the 6-day tour, you'll enjoy 2-3 different sites (including the aforementioned basecamp) that are located along the travel routes used by the orcas. Given this loop route and the length of the trip, you are likely to see more wilderness areas and a more diverse selection of marine life. For instance, the six-day tour includes a visit to an area that's frequented by humpback whales. You will also have a chance to explore First Nations pictograph areas, and the base of the Broughton Archipelago, while remaining firmly in whale waters.

When is the best time to see whales?

The northern resident pods of orca are found in the Johnstone Strait between mid-July and mid-September when salmon, their primary prey, come from the ocean to spawn in the rivers of mainland British Columbia. There are more than 220 individually-identified whales in 17 separate pods within the region. The whales usually arrive around the second week of July and stay through September. The weather tends to be the best in late July through mid-August.

How close can I get to an orca from a kayak?

"Be Whale Wise" define regulations for the protection of the whales. According to these principles, no one is allowed to get within 200 yards/meters of an orca. We're privileged to have the opportunity for viewing these beautiful creatures from close vantage points. The survival of the orca and the wonder of seeing them in the wild, depends on everyone's cooperation with the "Be Whale Wise" regulations. Occasionally, because orcas are much fast than us while in a kayak, they approach us much closer than the above guidelines. That said, many of our closest encounters have been from land, as the whales often come within meters of the shoreline! Understanding the behavior and range of the orcas helps to better-set your expectations for your orca kayak tour. Feel free to explore www.BeWhaleWise.org to read more about these regulations.

How dangerous are orcas?

Many believe that all "killer whales" are seal-eaters, but some do not even eat mammals. The orcas of the Johnstone Straight, in particular, come to eat the salmon specifically. Whales are very aware of their surroundings and we feel safe being in their presence. To our knowledge, Johnstone Strait orcas have never bumped a kayak, nor attacked a swimmer. And in recorded history, a wild orca has never killed or severely injured a human.

What if I don't get enough orca time on my kayak trip?

Trip extensions are available through our friends at Stubbs Island Whale Watching or Mackay Whale Watching tours. Both are experienced operators located on Vancouver Island. They can take you by boat where orca sightings are reported (faster than by our slow-moving kayaks).

How do I get to Port McNeill?

The easiest way to get to Port McNeill by air, is to fly through Vancouver International Airport (airport code YVR) to Port Hardy, BC (airport code YZT). From Vancouver International's South Terminal you can catch a flight on Pacific Coastal Airlines direct to Port Hardy. Once in Port Hardy, it's a 35-40 minute taxi ride to Port McNeill. If arriving from outside of Canada, be sure to give yourself 1.5-2 hours between your arriving flight at Vancouver International and your departing flight from the South Terminal to Port Hardy, as you will have to clear customs and take a 15 minute shuttle from the International Terminal to the South Terminal (there should be signs to guide you). Port McNeill is also accessible by car, via a beautiful drive following BC Route 19 from Nanaimo to Port McNeill. Vancouver Island can be reached from the Canadian or U.S. mainlands by utilizing one of multiple ferry crossings from the Vancouver metro or greater Seattle areas. The BC Ferries and Washington State DOT Ferry websites are very helpful resources if you are planning to drive to Northern Vancouver Island.

How do I get from Port Hardy to Port McNeill

If you fly into Port Hardy, you will need to arrange a taxi for the 35-minute drive South to Port McNeill. You can expect to pay about $45-60 CAD for the one-way fare, however rates do vary. We recommend sharing the ride with other members of the tour if you meet one another on the plane (or are on the same flight when departing). Please bring cash to pay the driver. The taxi companies change regularly, but we recommend Waivin Flags Taxi, 1-250-230-7655 and Town Taxi 1-250-949-7877 on the North Island.

Where do I stay before and after my tour?

We recommend making arrangements at the Haida Way Motor Inn in Port McNeill, BC, particularly if you do not have a car, as this is the site of the orientation meeting, as well as the pickup point for your transport to the launch site on the first day of the tour. The hotel is very basic, but clean and well-kept. Their in-house Northern Lights Restaurant has the best seafood in town. Indicate you are traveling with ROW Sea Kayak Adventures. We also recommend the Black Bear Resort, which is directly across the street from the Haida Way, and also features basic but comfortable accommodations. All hotels on northern Vancouver Island fill well in advance for summer, so wherever you choose to stay, we recommend making reservations early. Please note, hotel nights before and after the tour are not included in your tour cost.

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