Northern Vancouver Island holds a special adventure for families who wish to spend their vacation in a pure, crisp wilderness and majestic landscape. Families with teens will enjoy camping at our exclusive base camp in Johnstone Strait, the best place on planet Earth to observe and kayak with orcas. The magic of seeing these beautiful cetaceans from a kayak cannot be expressed in print, but we guarantee your family will never forget it. This base camp is carefully suited to the pace of your family, whether you have active loved ones who wish to hike and kayak as much as possible or those who would prefer to spend happy hour on the beach.
Picture yourself in the sheltered orca waters of British Columbia off northern Vancouver Island, hiking through lush rain forest dotted with bald eagles, feasting on baked salmon and relaxing next to a campfire under the stars. Words cannot describe the thrill-of-a-lifetime watching a powerful but gentle orca (a.k.a. killer whale) as its six-foot dorsal fin pierces the water's glassy surface with a powerful exhale. Share this breathtaking experience with your loved ones and give your kids a wilderness adventure they will treasure for years to come.
Departing from Telegraph Cove, you’ll paddle to our base camp, located in the center of whale activity. Orcas regularly pass directly in front of our campsite! The orcas in this area are peaceful, fish-eating residents. Each year, as these orcas following migrating salmon through Johnstone Strait, there is simply no better place on earth to view them. We'll paddle to the edge of Robson Bight Orca Preserve (only researchers allowed inside), a natural area set aside specifically for orcas. The surrounding waters are home to humpback whales, seals and porpoises, too. One of the highlights is listening to whale vocalizations from our hydrophone.
You and your family will discover natural environments, explore sheltered bays, watch wild salmon leap or observe a curious seal all from the intimate closeness of a sea kayak. Our expert guides will educate and entertain you and your kids with freshly prepared meals, nature talks, kelp horns, and camp games. The basecamp offers everything from trails for hiking, beaches for lounging, tidepools for exploring and great orca viewing right off shore, without having to make and break camp every day. After each day's adventure, we relax around a campfire and listen to the sounds of wild rain forest in comfortable dome tents.