Paddling a Warm Water Paradise
Length:
5 Days
Location:
Desolation Sound
For Who:
Everyone, focus on scenery and relaxed pace
* Kayaking trips & tours are priced and charged in Canadian dollars and are subject to 5% GST and $25 / person environmental sustainability fee. Please see our Terms and Conditions for complete terms. To check live availability on any trip, click the Book Now tab and select a trip date.
KAYAKING & ADVENTURING IN A PADDLERS’ PARADISE
Desolation Sound Marine Park is a world-class sea kayaking destination. Enjoy the warmest waters north of Baja, nestled beneath the towering mountains of the BC Coast Mountain range for a truly awe-inspiring adventure. The area provides great kayaking among protected islands and bays and opportunities for freshwater swimming. A few walks and hikes can be included in the trip, depending on your interests. Desolation Sound is a great place to simply relax and immerse yourself in the best that BC coast has to offer. This tour is suitable for all experience levels.
THE DESTINATION
Nestled between the Canadian mainland and Vancouver Island, Desolation Sound offers sheltered conditions and diverse paddling options, along with spectacular camping locations. The rugged mountain terrain has kept this part of the coastline free of road access: making kayaks the perfect way to visit this majestic and unspoiled area. We enjoy views of soaring peaks and dramatic cliffs that fall away into the ocean. This region is ripe for exploring, providing an intricate web of river mouths, inlets and small islands.
Our days will be filled with circumnavigating these idyllic islands, exploring the deep-water inlets created by glaciers, exploring the intertidal life in the warm shallow bays, stretching our legs to reach some beautiful viewpoints overlooking the area and swimming in freshwater lakes. While most of the paddling takes place in relatively sheltered waters, we do also experience a few more exposed and open water crossings. Your guides will provide training and assistance to ensure everyone is safe and comfortable. Please also be aware that the shorelines in Desolation Sound plunge steeply into the ocean. Landings can be small, rocky and uneven underfoot. Some boat carries are steep and some landings require you to move quickly. Your guides will assist where they can, but good mobility is required for this tour.
THE TOUR
Our adventure begins from Squirrel Cove on Cortes Island. A short 40-minute ferry ride from Quadra Island and a 10-minute drive across Cortes Island brings you to Squirrel Cove, where we begin our adventure via kayak. This tour is an out and back expedition style trip where we begin and end the paddling portion of our trip in Squirrel Cove. From here we journey out to the islands where we will camp for the trip’s duration. Although this tour is a true expedition style trip, packing everything we need into our kayaks and changing campsites, it also offers the option of staying at one centrally located site for multiple nights and enjoying day paddles from there.
Camping & Dining
We paddle from campsite to campsite, setting up our tents on small islands and majestic bluffs overlooking bays, small beaches and secluded coves in the heart of Desolation Sound. The lush temperate rainforest that stretches down the mountainsides to the coast, offers trails winding through the unspoiled wilderness. Visit old-growth trees and stretch your legs after a day in the kayak. The long summer days and Mediterranean like climate make it inviting to take a refreshing swim in one of the many fresh-water lakes or the warm ocean water- there are no shortage of beautiful locations to dive right in.
Your multi-talented guides are not only experts on the water but also skilled in the kitchen, crafting delicious meals at camp. From preparing dishes with fresh vegetables and local ingredients to accommodating a variety of dietary needs, no one ever goes hungry! Tasty, wholesome meals are crafted daily, starting with a nourishing breakfast to fuel your day of exploration. A picnic lunch is prepared each day and enjoyed during a relaxing break on one of the stunning beaches along the coast. Upon reaching your destination, enjoy an appetizer to celebrate a fantastic day of paddling. To wrap up the day, enjoy in a delicious dinner, followed by a nightly sweet treat—after all, dessert tastes even better in the wild! Learn more on our Food page.
Crawl into your tent after watching stunningly beautiful sunsets, falling asleep to the sound of gentle waves crashing onto the rocky beaches.
Other Activities
Other activities include hiking, kayaking skills development, shellfish harvesting, and lots of opportunities to swim in the nearby lakes as well as the warmest ocean waters north of Mexico.
INTERTIDAL LIFE & ANIMALS
Discover and learn all about the awe-inspiring intertidal world. Every 6 hours the tide uncovers a fascinating variety of marine plants and animals such as colonies of big and small starfish, sea urchins, colorful sea anemones and much more.
We are often fortunate to view marine mammals such as seals, sea lions, river otters, the occasional sea otter, deer, black bears. While not seen on every tour, we do sometimes also have the privilege of watching humpback whales and or orca whales who enjoy the abundance of plankton and food sources that live in these rich waters year-round. There is also incredibly rich birdlife include many different types of sea birds as well as the majestic North American bald eagle.
Your professional guides have extensive training & experience in sea kayaking and in sharing the natural and cultural history of the area. Our groups are small with maximum 10 guests and 2 guides, and our tours all-inclusive. We provide everything you need for the adventure! Join us for a once in a lifetime kayaking adventure.
WHAT’S INCLUDED?
- Professional guiding service
- All kayaking equipment
(including kayaks, PFDs, paddles, pumps, ropes and sponges) - All meals and snacks from lunch on day 1 to lunch on day 5
- Non-alcoholic beverages (coffee, teas, juices, water)
- Camping equipment including tents, camp pillows, Therma-rest sleeping pads, tarps, and more.
- Park and land use permits
If you are planning on bringing any of your own equipment please double-check the packing list to ensure you have the appropriate gear and please let our office know in advance of the tour to avoid us bringing duplicates.
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED?
Not included in the tour cost are accommodation before or after the kayaking portion of your trip;
- Flights, airport transfers, ferries, taxis,
- Travel/medical insurance
- Alcoholic or carbonated beverages
- Rain gear*
- Sleeping bags*
- Personal items (toiletries, clothing, etc.)
- Guide gratuity
*Sleeping bags and rain gear may be rented if you prefer not to travel with them (please reserve in advance; may be booked online with your trip reservation).
Also Available for private group Reservations
If you have a large group that would like to book a the whole tour as a private group, ask us about booking out the whole trip for just you & your group.
Spirit of the West acknowledges and operates in the unceded traditional territory of the Mamalilikulla, 'Namgis, Tlowitsis, Kwikwasut’inuxw, Nuu-chah-nulth, We Wai Kai, Homalco, Klahoose and Heiltsuk First Nations.
