5-Day Humpback Whale Expedition | Sea Kayak Adventures

Trip Details

Trip Overview

Come kayak with humpback whales in Johnstone Strait and Blackfish Sound located in Vancouver Island’s incredible inside passage, one of the best locations in the world to observe humpbacks in their natural habitat. Spend 5 days and 4 nights in the heart of humpback territory, optimizing your opportunity to witness these extraordinary creatures as they feed in the surrounding waters. Relax at camp each evening with a glass of wine while our guides prepare fresh gourmet hors d’oeuvres and dinners. Turn in for a restful night’s sleep in our full-height canvas tents before starting the next day’s adventure in this one of a kind base-camp to base-camp tour.

Trip Length:

5 days

Season:

July-September

Activities:

Sea Kayaking

Whale Watching

Sea Kayaking with Whales

Camping

Family Focus

Minimum Age:

14 years

Trip Begins/Ends:

Port McNeill, British Columbia

Nearest Airports:

Port Hardy, BC

Call: 1-800-616-1943

Request More Info

Full Itinerary

Free Brochure

Itinerary

Day:

Join us in Vancouver Island’s stunning northern coast to begin your humpback kayak adventure. The town of Port McNeill is a quaint waterfront fishing village just 30 minutes south of the Port Hardy airport. We recommend staying at the Haida Way Motor Inn, where your guides will host an orientation meeting on the evening before you start your trip. Durring the meeting you will have the opportunity to meet your fellow guests and select your drybags and wetsuit booties.

Accommodations:

Haida-Way Motor Inn (Not Included In Trip Price)

Meals included:

0 (travel day)

Day:

Early in the morning, we will transport you from the Haida Way Motor Inn to our launch site in charming Telegraph Cove. After arrving in Telegraph Cove your guides will provide a kayaking safety and orientation lesson. We launch from the Cove, paddling immediately out into the roadless, lush, sheltered Johnstone Strait. Weather permitting, you will kayak to three different wilderness basecamps on three different islands during this loop trip. Each base camp is equipped with pre-assembled, full-height canvas tents and sleeping cots. Relax during happy hour enjoying local wines and hors d’oeuvres while the guides prepare a fresh gourmet dinner. Relive the day's highlights over fresh baked dessert around a crackling campfire and gaze at the starlit sky or the glowing bioluminescence of the ocean before settling into your tent for the night.

Meals included:

L, D

Day:

2-4

Wake up to the smell of fresh brewed coffee and tea as the sun rises over rainforest boughs. Your guides will be hard at work in the kitchen preparing a warm breakfast, but you can relax with a steaming mug of your prefered drink while reading a book, wandering the beach for tidepools, or watching the nearby seals at play. You will kayak throughout the Johnstone Strait, and explore the channels and inlets around Blackfish Sound where humpback whales are often spotted. You can also spot eagles, dolphins, seals, porpoises or other marine mammals and seabirds at any time. Evenings and dinner will be spent relaxing in camp around a crackling campfire, reliving the day's adventures and listening to the guides spin tales and recount local folklore. Expect to kayak over four hours per day, broken up by floating rest breaks and lunch stops with hiking options.

Meals included:

B, L, D

Day:

Following breakfast and breaking camp, you will spend the morning kayaking to our take-out at Telegraph Cove. After unpacking the kayaks, your guides will prepare lunch before giving you the opportunity to explore the charming shops, historical buildings and visit the Telegraph Cove whale museum. In the afternoon, a taxi will return your group to Port McNeill. Clean up with a hot shower before joining the group fro a no-host farewell dinner with your guides. We recommend that you overnight in Port McNeill.

Note on Itinerary: We will do our best to adhere to the schedule listed above; visiting our base camps on each island. However, the itinerary may change due to reasons outside our control such as wind, waves or inclement weather. Please Note: Although there is a good possibility we'll see Whales throughout the week, the frequency and proximity of these sightings will ultimately be determined by the Whales' and their travel patterns. Rest assured, our guides know the best places to see these magnificent creatures as they roam their natural habitat.

Accommodations:

Haida-Way Motor Inn (Not Included In Trip Price)

Meals included:

0 (travel day)

Call: 1-800-616-1943

Request More Info

Full Itinerary

Free Brochure

Supporting Trip Docs:

Files are pdf - download adobe reader

Gear List

Natural history of Johnstone Strait

Dates & Rates

Current Rates & Dates

TOUR INCLUDES: Meals while on tour, all kayaking/camping equipment & instruction, tents, neoprene booties, chairs, sleeping bag/pad/sheets, drybags, sleeping cots, and professional guide services.

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.

Terms & Conditions:

Call: 1-800-616-1943

Supporting Trip Docs:

Files are pdf - download adobe reader

Gear List

Natural history of Johnstone Strait

Videos

Call: 1-800-616-1943

Request More Info

Full Itinerary

Free Brochure

Supporting Trip Docs:

Files are pdf - download adobe reader

Gear List

Natural history of Johnstone Strait

FAQs & More

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to see whales?

Humpback whales return from their breeding grounds in Hawaii early summer, and remain through autumn feeding on the local schools of fish. Our trips are scheduled only during the times when the whales have historically populated the area. Though once hunted to extinction from the area, humpbacks have returned to the area as a tremendous success story, and are sighted often!

Is there a danger while kayaking near whales?

All whales are acutely aware of their surroundings, and can use echolocation to track objects in the water. During our many years in Johnstone Strait and Blackfish Sound and hundreds of close encounters with humpbacks, we feel very safe being in their presence.

Will I definitely get to see the humpback whales?

While we have a 98% success rate for seeing humpbacks, they are wild animals that roam at will and thus, sightings are not guaranteed. To increase your opportunities for seeing the humpbacks, or simply to enjoy even more whale watching, you may want to add an extra day to your vacation to participate in a Stubb's Island Whale Watching trip. Their motorized boat allows them to cover more area in search of sealife and and humpbacks throughout the waterways near Telegraph Cove.

How do I get from Port Hardy to Port Mc Neill for my tour?

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.