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Sea Kayaking the Central Coast's Great Bear Rainforest Tour Itinerary

Below is a sample itinerary and exact routes will vary depending on possible wildlife sightings, currents, tides and weather.

Day 0:

Plan to be in Port McNeil the night before the trip departs, as there is an 8:00 pm pre-trip meeting with your guides at the Haida-Way Inn. We’ll provide you with an overview for your trip, distribute dry-bags to pack your gear in, and answer any questions you may have.

Meals Included: None

Day 1:

Meeting at 8:00 am in the lobby of the Haida-Way Inn, we’ll load up our van and head out to meet our water taxi. The boat leaves promptly, so please ensure that you’ve checked out and had breakfast by this time. Vehicles and extra bags can be left at the motel – just ask at the front desk.  It’s a quick 25-minute drive up to Port Hardy, where we’ll board our water taxi for transport.

The hour-long ride takes us to our campsite at Shelter Bay, where we’ll settle in.  The guides will provide a site orientation and paddle briefing, and you’ll have time to set up your tents.  The first day is generally spent getting familiarized with the camp, practicing your strokes in sheltered waters, and settling in before heading out for a short afternoon paddle.

Meals Included: Lunch - Dinner

Days 2 to 7:

As this trip is run ‘expedition’ style, we leave our itinerary very open to ensure our flexibility.  This is a beautiful area to paddle, but we must work with the conditions and remain open to adventure.  Each day, your guides will assess the weather, tides, and sea state to determine the destination for the day.  Flexibility is key.

We’ll explore the mainland coast for at least half the trip, heading up towards the sandy beaches of Burnett Bay and the rugged headland of Cape Caution.  Along the way, we’ll try to paddle through Nakwakto Rapids (BC’s fastest tidal rapid) at slack tide when the water calms.  Gray whales are commonly seen at the mouth of Schooner Channel, and colourful inter-tidal creatures abound.

Returning along the coast, we’ll check weather conditions and island hop across Queen Charlotte Strait to our final objective, the Gordon Group.  Here, we can explore the myriad of islands, complete with first nations middens, historic homesteads, and fantastic intertidal life.  Our water taxi will pick us up here.

As this is a nomadic tour, camp is usually moved each night.  We may have an opportunity to stay in place for two nights, conditions allowing.  On these ‘expedition style’ trips, we generally paddle several hours more each day than on our regular tours. We also paddle in more challenging conditions.  Swell, wind, and open water crossings are common.

Meals Included: Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner

Day 8:

Our voyage comes to an end; we linger over a leisurely breakfast, snap a few last photographs, and take a short paddle before packing up.    After lunch, we load up the water taxi and head back to civilization.  Arrival time at the Haida-Way Inn is approximately 4:00 PM.

We usually arrive back in Port McNeil in enough time for you to fly out of Port Hardy or catch a late ferry back to the mainland, but delays do happen.  We suggest that our guests spend the last night in Port McNeil, enjoy the hot showers, and slowly transition out of vacation mode.  Most guests choose this, and we often get together for a no-host farewell dinner at the Haida-Way Inn.

Meals Included: Breakfast – lunch

What to expect on our Great Bear Rainforest tours:

On our Great Bear Rainforest trips we we supply a mixed kayak fleet of singles and doubles. On a full trip of 6 guests we will have one double kayak along and on less than full trips we may supply only singles if warranted.  Due to the expedition style of this trip, our groups are kept small; there is a maximum group size of 6 guests with 2 guides accompanying.

Previous paddling experience is required; we usually paddle for 5 – 7 hours per day, with breaks for lunch, snacks and shore exploration.  Participants on this trip should have a sense of adventure, as we may encounter adverse paddling conditions.  Wetsuits are provided, and we will wear them for any challenging sections of the trip.

What is provided on our all of our tours:

We provide you will all the necessary kayaking and camping equipment, including: kayaks, paddling jacket, life jacket, group shelters, tents, sleeping pads, camp chairs and with enough notice, we can even provide sleeping bags, although most guests bring their own. A comprehensive list of required personal items can be viewed here. 

All meals from lunch on the first day to lunch on the last day are provided and prepared.  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 the Haida-Way Motel in Port McNeil.  Our network of vans and water taxis will transport you to and from your journey in comfort.

What is not included on our tours:

We do not provide transport from your home to Port McNeil, nor do we provide airport transfers.  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.  We suggest 5 to 10% of the trip cost, based on the service and attention provided.