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Paddle in Paradise with us in Costa Rica Tours operating weekly from January to March...Learn More

Guided Kayak Tours

Join us for a 3-6 hour guided tour exploring the sheltered waters and islets of Trincomali Channel and the wave-sculpted sandstone shores of Galiano Island

No Experience Necessary!

All tours include:

Choice of single or double kayak, 30 minute dockside instruction prior to departure customized to your experience level. Topics covered include: how to adjust your seat and foot pedals, how to use your rudder, basic paddle strokes, stability, how to wet exit, and how to perform an assisted-rescue.

Tour guides that are passionate and keen-eyed naturalists who are exceptional at finding wildlife and eager to share their wealth of knowledge about the local flora, fauna, and natural history of the area.

About Our Tour Guides:

Our tour guides are naturalists, kayaking instructors, and also experienced leaders with first-aid training. Your guide will be happy to help you hone your paddling skills and keen to share their knowledge of intertidal life, marine birds & mammals, coastal geology, and local history & culture.

Wildlife sightings:

Often include bald eagles, great blue herons, harbour seals, river otters, mink, belted kingfishers, pelagic & double-crested cormorants, pigeon guillemots, black oystercatchers, and many intertidal creatures, such as sea stars, sea cucumbers, sea anemones, sea urchins, chitons and crabs. If you are lucky, you might also encounter osprey, peregrine falcons, harbour porpoises, sea lions, or orca whales! On every tour, you will also see and learn about the trees and tafoni (eroded sandstone formations) that make the southern Gulf Islands so unique and beautiful.

Pricing:

Prices are listed per person in Canadian dollars and do not include tax (5% GST). Standard prices assume a group size of 3 or more clients, and are subject to change without notice. Bookings for one or two people will generate the price for three people, which is our minimum price for a tour. .  If the tour subsequently books for three or more people your tour cost will be reduced to the lower price per person.

Kids are always welcome on our tours! Children 5-12 receive a 10% discount (when paddling with an adult in a double), and toddlers under 5 are just $5+gst (when paddling with two adults in a double). Discounts for schools are also available.

Please click on the tours below and book your preferred dates for the tour. We will then confirm the booking via email and send a link for payment.

Magical Montague Morning Tour (3 Hours)

Time: 9am – 12pm (30 min. instruction, 2.5 hrs paddling)

Price: $105/person
Children ages 6-12 paddling in the front or back of a double kayak are 10% off.  To book a three hole kayak, with a small child in the middle hatch, for a 50% discount please call the office at 250 539 2442.

Our tour prices are based on a minimum of three people.  Bookings for one or two people will generate the price for three people, which is our minimum price for a tour.  If the tour subsequently books for three or more people your tour cost will be reduced to $105 per person.

Enjoy a quiet morning paddle in calm, placid waters, exploring the diverse intertidal life and sculpted sandstone coastline of Montague Harbour Provincial Marine Park and its environs. During the summer months, this tour typically coincides with the lowest tide of the day, when intertidal creatures are most visible, and otters, herons, and kingfishers are most active. Perfect for paddlers of all skill levels, and those with an interest in ecology, this tour includes hands-on learning experiences facilitated by our knowledgeable local guides.

Honeycomb Sandstone Afternoon (3 Hours)

Time: 1pm – 4pm (30 min. instruction, 2.5 hrs paddling)

Price: $105/person
Children ages 6-12 paddling in the front or back of a double kayak are 10% off.  To book a three hole kayak, with a small child in the middle hatch, for a 50% discount please call the office at 250 539 2442.

Our tour prices are based on a minimum of three people.  Bookings for one or two people will generate the price for three people, which is our minimum price for a tour.  If the tour subsequently books for three or more people your tour cost will be reduced to $105 per person.

Kayak in sheltered waters surrounded by islands, honeycombed sandstone cliffs and sunning seals. Learn how wave action and salt weathering sculpt the soft sandstone bedrock, resulting in the dramatic tafoni formations that riddle the shoreline. Afternoon is when seals take their siesta, and are often found asleep on the rocks, camouflaged amongst the sandstone. Mink, eagles, herons, and other wildlife are also regularly encountered. Our guides have a keen interest in local ecology, and are happy to share their passion. No experience necessary!

Seals & Sandstone Afternoon Tour (4 Hours)

Time: 1pm – 5pm (30 min. instruction, 3.5 hrs paddling)

Price: $115/person

Children ages 6-12 paddling in the front or back of a double kayak are 10% off.  To book a three hole kayak, with a small child in the middle hatch, for a 50% discount please call the office at 250 539 2442.

Our tour prices are based on a minimum of three people.  Bookings for one or two people will generate the price for three people, which is our minimum price for a tour.  If the tour subsequently books for three or more people your tour cost will be reduced to $115 per person.

Similar to our 3hr afternoon tour, but the extra hour allows us to explore much farther and have the option to see seals or split our time on the water with a beach break to stretch our legs and have a snack (not included). A popular destination is the Ballingall Islets, a nature reserve frequented by cormorants, black oystercatchers, harlequin ducks and other sea birds, and a popular haulout for harbour seals. Our guides customize the route and pace to fit your energy level. Frequent wildlife sightings and learning opportunities facilitate a leisurely pace. Beginners are welcome!

Experience Galiano Day Tour (6 Hours)

Time: 11am – 5pm (30 min. instruction, 5.5 hrs paddling)

Price: $149/person

Children ages 6-12 paddling in the front or back of a double kayak are 10% off.  To book a three hole kayak, with a small child in the middle hatch, for a 50% discount please call the office at 250 539 2442.

Our tour prices are based on a minimum of three people.  Bookings for one or two people will generate the price for three people, which is our minimum price for a tour. If the tour subsequently books for three or more people your tour cost will be reduced to $149 per person.

Our full day tour is for those who want to see it all – five to six hours on the water allow us to explore both the islets north of Montague Harbour and the cliffs of Galiano, visiting bird and seal sanctuaries and sculpted sandstone galleries. Learn about the local ecology, geology, and island culture in a small tour group of 3 – 6. Bring your camera, as close encounters with eagles, otters, seals, herons and more are the rule, rather than the exception. This all-day adventure is a great option for intermediate paddlers or adventurous beginners. Pack a lunch to enjoy on the beach! (Food & lunch are not provided).

Sunset Tour (3 Hours)

Time: varies with sunset (30 min. instruction, 2.5 hrs paddling)

Price: $105/person

Children ages 6-12 paddling in the front or back of a double kayak are 10% off.  To book a three hole kayak, with a small child in the middle hatch, for a 50% discount please call the office at 250 539 2442.

Our tour prices are based on a minimum of three people.  Bookings for one or two people will generate the price for three people, which is our minimum price for a tour.  If the tour subsequently books for three or more people your tour cost will be reduced to $105 per person.

Enjoy the stillness of the evening as you paddle in the warmth of the setting sun. During summer months, this tour coincides with higher tides, allowing us to better appreciate the beauty of the sculpted sandstone shoreline as it glows in the warm evening light. Summer nights are typically warm and windless, providing glass-like water at sunset and crimson colours above and below the horizon. This slow-paced tour is accessible to paddlers of all skill levels, and is a wonderful end to your day on the island!

Bioluminescence or Full moon Night Tour (2.5 Hours)

Time: varies with sunset (30 min. instruction, 2 hrs paddling)

Price: $135/person
*Not recommended for first time paddlers.

Children ages 6-12 paddling in the front or back of a double kayak are 10% off.  To book a three hole kayak, with a small child in the middle hatch, for a 50% discount please call the office at 250 539 2442.

Our tour prices are based on a minimum of three people.  Bookings for one or two people will generate the price for three people, which is our minimum price for a tour.  If the tour subsequently books for three or more people your tour cost will be reduced to $105 per person.

Join us for a memorable evening experiencing and learning about bioluminescence – the production and emission of light by microorganisms. Bioluminescence occurs in the Gulf Islands year-round, but is strongest in the summer months as warmer temperatures allow dinoflagellates and diatoms – single-celled plant-like organisms – to flourish. When disturbed, these microorganisms emit light, presumably as a defense mechanism. As the light fades and your paddle becomes harder to see, its movement through the water is soon illuminated as it agitates the living ocean. Although wildlife is difficult to see above the water in darkness, movements of other creatures below the surface become more pronounced, as they too are illuminated. Schools of fish that remain elusive during the day reveal their presence by the comet’s tail of sparkling light each fish leaves behind as they swim. This unique tour is accessible to all paddlers (provided you have no fear of the dark!).

Active Pass Currents & Wildlife Tour (5 Hours)

Time: varies with tides (30 min. instruction, 4.5 hrs paddling)

Price: $220/person

Children ages 6-12 paddling in the front or back of a double kayak are 10% off.  To book a three hole kayak, with a small child in the middle hatch, for a 50% discount please call the office at 250 539 2442.

Our tour prices are based on a minimum of three people.  Bookings for one or two people will generate the price for three people, which is our minimum price for a tour.  If the tour subsequently books for three or more people your tour cost will be reduced to $220 per person.

A tour for intermediate paddlers or adventurous beginners with an interest in intertidal diversity; this tour is also a guide favorite! As the constriction point between Galiano and Mayne Islands, Active Pass is an area of strong currents and eddies, where the higher flow of water and nutrients facilitates more complex food webs, resulting in greater intertidal diversity and more frequent wildlife sightings. Starting in Montague Harbour, we catch the ebbing current south to Collinson Point, and the mouth of Active Pass, arriving at low slack tide to learn about the intertidal creatures exposed above the waterline. After passing by a seal haulout, we stop at a sandy beach for a lunch break (make sure to pack a lunch! No food is provided), and watch the ferries go by. Once back in our kayaks, we ride the rising flood current through the pass, crossing eddylines and fighting backeddy currents to our take-out point in Sturdies Bay, where a van will be waiting to transport us and our kayaks back to Montague Harbour.