Clayoquot Sound Kayaking Tours

Treat yourself to some of the finest paddling on the west coast of this continent. Launching from the fishing village of Tofino on the west coast of Vancouver Island, we will enjoy four enchanting days of discovery as we paddle the inlets and waterways of magical Clayoquot Sound. Our path leads us through a timeless land of virgin Giant Cedar and Sitka Spruce rainforests, hidden lagoons teeming with brightly coloured sea-life and miles and miles of deserted sand beaches. As well as seals, deer, otters, porpoises, wolves and eagles, a resident population of Grey whales inhabit the Sound from early Spring till Fall and chance encounters with these magnificent giants are an exhilarating and memorable experience. Camp on gorgeous deserted sand beaches and enjoy cozy campfires with a canopy of stars like you’ve never seen before…Book early as these expeditions fill up fast!

What we Provide:

• All kayaks, paddling and safety gear.
  
• Certified and skilled guides.
• All meals and snacks while on tour with us
• Beverages – We supply a wide range of teas and coffee as well as juices. You are welcome to bring along soda pops or alcoholic beverages. Please note however that we do expect our guests to consume alcoholic beverages responsibly and we strictly enforce a no alcohol on the water policy.
• All cutlery, plates, bowls
• All Group Kitchen supplies and Group Shelters
• Re Usable Cup per person for drinks
• Paddle Jackets with hoods for rainy cold paddling days, lets you save your rain jacket for in camp warmth and comfort.
• Wilderness Toileting Essentials
• Deck chart (maps)
• Gear Haul bags – Ikea bag for hauling all your dry bags, one time, too and from your kayak.
• Waterproof dry bags

Meeting Point Location: All participants meet at Grice bay Park at 9 am.  This location is a little tricky to find, but is below “The Maq” Hotel . Link to location here

DAY #1:
All participants meet at 8.30 am

Here the guides will assign you to a kayak and help you get your personal gear stowed away. When everyone is ready, we’ll go over some basic paddling fundamentals and a safety orientation and then launch into  the Busy waters of Tofino Harbour.

With helpful advice and instruction from your guides, it won’t take long till you feel you’re getting the “hang of it” as we paddle out into Clayoqout sound and towards Vargas Isand

this spectacular area will have you bathing in the glory of the west coast feel. After a couple of hours, we’ll land on one of beaches and you can sit back and enjoy a delicious lunch the guides will prepare. After lunch we’ll launch the kayaks and make our way to our First campsite at Vargas Island. We’ll then unload kayaks, make camp, set up our tents and you are free to explore the beaches, trails, relax or perhaps join one of the guides fishing (great salmon opportunities in these waters).

A sumptuous dinner around a cozy campfire with a canopy of stars above is the evenings entertainment.

DAY #2 & #3:
With another spectacular day ahead of us, we’ll wake to a hearty breakfast. After everyone has had their fill, we’ll pack for the day and push off through the surf and work our way around the island over the next 2 days. Our Goal is to circumnavigate Vargas Island, though Weather and swell are the ultimate deciders in if this is possible.

As we go we will stop for lunch on the beaches and hopefully witness plenty of wildlife. Some of the wildlife the area boasts that we may see are bald eagles, deer, bear, porpoise, dolphin, seals and even sometimes the occasional humpback or grey whale.  In the afternoon, we’ll make our way to find our campsite for the night.Another delicious meal around a warm campfire to put a great end to another magnificent day!

DAY #4:
We’ll wake to the aroma’s of coffee, cooked breakfast and the sounds of the lapping waves for our final day. After breakfast, we’ll break camp and load up all the kayaks with our gear…”this stuff should all fit, shouldn’t it?”.

We’ll take the route back across the harbour to arrive back at the ramp between noon and 1:00pm. We’ll then haul the kayaks back up to the launching area where we’ll unload our gear, exchange emails and bid our goodbyes and adieus.

It’s a 3 hour drive back to the ferries in Nanaimo.

Meeting Point Location: All participants meet at Grice bay Park at 9 am.  This location is a little tricky to find, but is below “The Maq” Hotel . Link to location here .

DAY #1:
All participants meet at 8.30 am

Here the guides will assign you to a kayak and help you get your personal gear stowed away. When everyone is ready, we’ll go over some basic paddling fundamentals and a safety orientation and then launch into  the Busy waters of Tofino Harbour.

With helpful advice and instruction from your guides, it won’t take long till you feel you’re getting the “hang of it” as we paddle out into Clayoqout sound and towards Vargas Isand

this spectacular area will have you bathing in the glory of the west coast feel. After a couple of hours, we’ll land on one of beaches and you can sit back and enjoy a delicious lunch the guides will prepare. After lunch we’ll launch the kayaks and make our way to our First campsite at Vargas Island. We’ll then unload kayaks, make camp, set up our tents and you are free to explore the beaches, trails, relax or perhaps join one of the guides fishing (great salmon opportunities in these waters).

A sumptuous dinner around a cozy campfire with a canopy of stars above is the evenings entertainment.

DAY #2 & #3:
With another spectacular day ahead of us, we’ll wake to a hearty breakfast. After everyone has had their fill, we’ll pack for the day and push off through the surf and work our way north along the island.  on this day or the next We aim to cross over to Flores island and head further north ideally along the outside and explore more stunning beaches.

As we go we will stop for lunch on the beaches and hopefully witness plenty of wildlife. Some of the wildlife the area boasts that we may see are bald eagles, deer, bear, porpoise, dolphin, seals and even sometimes the occasional humpback or grey whale.  In the afternoon, we’ll make our way to find our campsite for the night.Another delicious meal around a warm campfire to put a great end to another magnificent day!

Days #4 & #5

Weather and swell permitting we have just explored the outside beaches of Flores and Vargas, or we wiggled our way up the inside in preparation for the better forecast for these days, and now we work our way back towards Tofino on a different side of the islands. Of course mother nature has the final say, and some times we find our selves base camping of the southern end of Flores doing day trips. On day 5 we aim to be camping back on Vargas Island to allow for an easy last day back to the launch spot.

DAY #6:
We’ll wake to the aroma’s of coffee, cooked breakfast and the sounds of the lapping waves for our final day. After breakfast, we’ll break camp and load up all the kayaks with our gear…”this stuff should all fit, shouldn’t it?”.

We’ll take the route back across the harbour to arrive back at the ramp between noon and 1:00pm. We’ll then haul the kayaks back up to the launching area where we’ll unload our gear, exchange emails and bid our goodbyes and adieus.

It’s a 3 hour drive back to the ferries in Nanaimo.

Meeting Point Location: All participants meet at Grice bay Park at 9 am.  This location is a little tricky to find, but is below “The Maq” Hotel . Link to location here .

You can travel to Tofino /Ucluelet by car, bus or plane.

Flying

Fly non-stop to Tofino-Long Beach Airport (YAZ) from Vancouver (YVR) on scheduled flights with Pacific Coastal Airlines.
or
Fly right into Tofino Harbour with Harbour Air!

It is about a 30 min taxi ride to Ucluelet.

Rental Cars are possible in Tofino with Budget Truck and others

Fly – Drive Options:

If you are planning on renting a car on Vancouver Island you can fly to two airports on the east coast of Vancouver Island, a  3 – 3.5 hour drive to/from Tofino:
Nanaimo (YCD) served by Air Canada and WestJet, and Comox (YQQ)    served by Air Canada, Pacific Coastal Airlines, and WestJet Fly daily from Calgary and Vancouver to both Nanaimo and Comox Valley airports; and from Edmonton to Comox Valley Airport.

Victoria International Airport (YYJ) is a hub, and a five to six hour drive to Tofino. It is served by a number of carriers.

Driving

For updates on Highway 4 to Tofino/Ucluelet Use this link to Drive BC.

Follow Highway 1, either north from Victoria/Nanaimo, or South from Courtenay/Comox.

Take Exit 60 and merge onto Highway 4 (West) until you hit a well marked junction leading south to Ucluelet, or north to Tofino.

If Driving from the mainland you will first need to use BC Ferries from one of two points near Vancouver to Vancouver Island:

1. Tsawwassen (Southern Vancouver) to Duke Point (Nanaimo):  The Tsawwassen terminal is  closer to the USA border. This ferry route cuts 2.5 hours north and west, arriving at the Duke Point terminal, From here it is 15 minutes to Nanaimo.
2. Horseshoe Bay (North Vancouver) to Departure Bay (Nanaimo):  The Horseshoe Bay terminal is 45 mins north of Vancouver and 30 mins from Squamish. This ferry route takes just under 2 hours, arriving in Nanaimo’s Departure Bay close to downtown.
3. Tsawwassen (South Vancouver) to Swartz Bay (Victoria):  Tsawwassen is closer to the USA border. This ferry route is approximately 2 hours, arriving in Swartz Bay terminal, about 30 minutes from Victoria.

Click here for more information on BC Ferries.
NOTE: it is highly recommended you book your ferry in Advance especially during weekends and holidays.

Vancouver Island can also be accessed via Washington in the USA on three ferries:

1. The Clipper Ferry:  year-round, daily passenger ferry service between Seattle and Victoria.
2. Black Ball Ferry Line:  year-round, daily vehicle and passenger ferry service between Port Angeles and Victoria.
3. Washington State Ferry:  seasonal vehicle and passenger ferry service between Anacortes or the San Juan Islands and Sidney (30 minutes north of Victoria)

Getting from Ucluelet to Tofino for those who stay the night before in  Ucluelet is about a 30 min drive.

Recommended Tofino Accommodations

there are Loads of options in Tofino here are a few

Tofino Paddlers Inn Paddlers Inn Rustic Charm right on the water with a paddlers swing and walking distance to our launch spot.

Whalers on the Point Guest House an amazing Hostel right on the water

Long Beach Lodge and Resort for those looking for an amazing luxury night or two.

Recommended Ucluelet Accommodations

Ucluelet Hostel
Dalewood Inn
Waters Edge Suites
Bayshore Water Front Inn

A Snug Harbour Inn