Hot Springs and Whales-Kayak Central Gwaii Haanas

2027 marks our 36th season operating trips in Haida Gwaii. We run our Haida Gwaii kayak tours in the remote central and southern portions of Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve. The trips are timed for the best weather and structured as journeys that include what we feel are the two most compelling features of the Park: the tapestry of brightly coloured sea stars at Burnaby Narrows, the highest density of intertidal life on the planet, and the newest Gwaii Haanas totem pole and ancient trees at At Hlk'yah G̱awG̱a (Windy Bay), along with the standing totem poles at the SGang Gwaay village (Ninstints), a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Located 130 kilometers (80 miles) off Canada’s extreme northwest coast, the islands of Haida Gwaii (meaning Haida Place) are home to the Haida, an indigenous people with a formidable sea-going lineage and a remarkable artistic tradition. Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve (Gwaii Haanas means Place of Wonder) was founded to protect the natural and cultural integrity of the remote southern portion of the archipelago.

Since we began running trips in Haida Gwaii in 1991, one of the most remarkable changes has been the number of Humpback whales we see. The net change in the North Pacific Humpback whale population since 1989 is a large increase — the population roughly doubled or more, from the low tens of thousands to today's ~30,000 in the North Pacific.  As a result, these days,  our Gwaii Haanas trips are marked by encounters with Humpbacks, offshore and, most excitingly, shallow-water feeding close to our campsites. Rarer but very memorable encounters with transient pods of Orcas are a feature of early-season trips.

Sea kayaking routes on the west coast of Canada are some of the best in the world, and experienced paddlers regard Haida Gwaii, formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands, as the best of the best. You’ll travel the Islands in style using the best equipment available. Each day, your guides will surprise and delight you with freshly prepared meals that reflect Tofino Expeditions’ reputation for high-quality trip food and campfire cuisine.

National Geographic named Gwaii Haanas National Park the top park destination in North America — “Beautiful and intact. A great model for other regions.” Outside Magazine Travel Awards named Haida Gwaii “Best Islands.” UNESCO has declared the village of SGang Gwaay, with its intact totem poles, a World Heritage Site.

Your guides take you on a multi-day kayak camping journey through the central portion of Gwaii Haanas, a place where bald eagles keep watch from tree tops, sea lions lounge on rocky haul-outs; gulls, cormorants, and petrels perch on cliffs; humpback and orca whales glide through the channels and straits; and tidal shallows are scattered with brightly colored sea stars.

Tofino Expeditions has been operating trips in Haida Gwaii since 1991. As one of the most experienced kayak guide teams working in the Gwaii Haanas, we know the Park in a way few paddlers do. All of our trips are run with tandem expedition kayaks because their added speed (at least 25 percent faster than singles) and stability ensure safety, comfort, and route success. Our Gwaii Haanas program is operated by the same Canadian company that I founded in Tofino in 1988 and has been running trips on the BC Coast ever since. Have questions? Call me at 800-677-0877 — Grant Thompson, Founder and Owner, Tofino Expeditions