Why We Love This Trip
Our 6-Day Gwaii Haanas Adventure offers the perfect opportunity to escape the everyday and paddle through some of the most pristine, less-explored waters in Gwaii Haanas. Whether you’re a novice kayaker or an experienced adventurer, this tour is designed to cater to all levels, ensuring an unforgettable experience for everyone.
With a flexible itinerary, we personalize the journey to match your group’s preferences and goals. Beyond just paddling, this tour immerses you in the rich cultural heritage of the Haida people, offering experiences you won’t find anywhere else. The countless islands in the region provide a stunning variety of kayaking opportunities, each framed by awe-inspiring sunrises and sunsets.
About the Area
The word “BIG” perfectly captures the essence of this tour. Haida Gwaii’s expansive skies give way to breathtaking views from nearly every campsite, allowing you to experience nature on a grand scale. The towering old-growth forests, dramatic coastlines, and vast open waters are truly awe-inspiring.
A highlight of the tour is camping among the colossal trees at Hik’yah GawGa (Windy Bay), one of the most iconic spots in Gwaii Haanas. This is the only Haida Watchmen site in the park where paddlers can stay overnight, offering an intimate and educational experience. Here, you’ll have the rare opportunity to walk beneath ancient giants, some of the oldest trees in the world. The area is also home to the Legacy Pole, a powerful symbol of the Haida people’s enduring relationship with the land. You can learn more about the Legacy Pole and the significance of this site through this link.
A Historic Land
Haida Gwaii is not only known for its natural beauty but also for its deep cultural significance. Nearly 40 years ago, a small group of Haida activists took a stand to protect their land by blocking a road on Lyell Island. Their act of resistance led to the arrest of over 70 people and remains an important chapter in Haida history. In November 2024, the documentary The Stand will bring this pivotal moment to the world stage, continuing to educate future generations on the Haida people’s fight to protect their ancestral lands.
Rich Marine Life and Vibrant Waters
Haida Gwaii boasts some of Canada’s largest tidal variations, second only to the Bay of Fundy. These nutrient-rich waters support an abundance of marine life, including vibrant bird colonies, Humpback whales, and the occasional pod of transient killer whales. Our journey through Murchison Narrows, Gwaii Haanas’ second Marine Ecological Reserve, offers the chance to witness the spectacular wildlife that thrives in these waters.
The diversity of islands throughout the tour means you’ll never tire of the landscapes, with each new shoreline offering unique scenery and opportunities for exploration. Whether you’re paddling in the calm of the inlet or venturing out to more rugged coastlines, the variety of experiences keeps the adventure fresh.
A Relaxing Dip in Natural Hot Springs
Another unique feature of this trip is a visit to the Gandl K’in Gwaay.yaay (Hot Springs Islands), where you can soak in the rejuvenating natural thermal pools. After a day of kayaking, the warm, mineral-rich waters provide the perfect way to relax and reflect on the stunning beauty that surrounds you.
Cultural Immersion in T’aanuu Linagaay (Tanu)
As part of this unforgettable journey, you’ll also visit the peaceful Haida village of T’aanuu Linagaay (Tanu), the resting place of the iconic Haida artist Bill Reid. While no monumental art stands here, the village’s tranquil atmosphere and cultural significance make it one of the most spiritually enriching spots on the tour. It’s a place where you can pause, reflect, and deepen your connection to the Haida heritage.
Why You’ll Love This Tour
This 6-day adventure is the perfect way to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of daily life and reconnect with nature, culture, and history. With its unparalleled natural beauty, fascinating cultural immersion, and world-class kayaking, the 6 Day Gwaii Haanas Adventure offers something for every traveler. Whether you’re seeking adventure, relaxation, or deeper cultural understanding, this tour delivers an experience you’ll cherish for years to come.
Reviewing the Tour Map allows guests the opportunity to get familiar with the highlights, wildlife, and geographical locations of the tour. The goals of our Haida Gwaii kayak trips are to be fun, engaging, educational, and relaxing.
Kayaking Gwaii Haanas – Haida Gwaii is a true wilderness experience and requires a flexible mindset to travel safely in a self-propelled vessel. The success of the tour depends on weather, tides, guest interests, and the overall ability of the group. No one person (guides included) can have any control over such variables.
Below is an itinerary, created from over two decades of travel thru Gwaii Haanas, that guests have enjoyed. That said, it is your tour, and you may have your own personal bucket list to check off, so OSK will try to facilitate any deviations from the below schedule.
One of the greatest features of this tour is flexibility. Ultimately tides, weather, the general interests of the group, along with the guides, will set the agenda. This is a self-supported kayak tour, which uses a mixed fleet of kayaks for your convenience, confidence and enjoyment.
Day 1
Designed to be educational, fun, and relaxing, your vacation will begin from Sandspit, BC, the location of the island’s airport. Our friends from Moresby Explorers will pick you up from your accommodations in k’il Kun (Sandspit) at 7:30 a.m. They will transport you to Moresby Camp, where you will have short zodiac ride to K’uuna Llnagaay (Skedans), located on the Eastern shores of Louise Island.
The Village of Skedans is one of the highlights to this tour. The Haida name for this village is K’uuna Llnagaay, which means Grizzly Bear Town. Abandoned well over a century ago, the remaining standing totem poles tell the stories of past ancestors. Though the site is outside Gwaii Haanas, it is co-managed by Parks Canada and Haida Heritage Sites.
Days 2-5
From a remote camp in Gwaii Haanas, a trip to Gandll K’in Gwaay,yaay (Hot Springs islands) allows you to rejuvenate in the natural pools. Composed of many islands and islets, the shoreline offers a new experience every day from Haida cultural sites, seal haul outs, bird colonies (Ancient Murrelet, Blue Heron and Peregrine Falcons), old growth forests, and hopefully a whale or two.
Whether it is playing with a sea star or a nudibranch in a tidal pool close to camp or enjoying the marine ecosystem while paddling along the shore at low tide, you are guaranteed to enjoy the intertidal life that Haida Gwaii is known for.
This nutrient rich corridor also provides feed for whales such as Minke, Humpback and the occasional pod of Orcas. Feeding on krill, and small fish, Humpback whales which often visit the area will consume over 1.5 tons of food a day. While the females are slightly larger than the males (45- 50 feet), these whales are capable of breeching their 40 tons completely out of the water – a sight never to be forgotten!
Haida Gwaii is known for BIG trees! The provincial tree of BC is the western red cedar (Thuja Plicata) and is also known to the northwest natives as the “Tree of Life”. There will be opportunities to view these giants and reflect on how the resourceful Haida used this tree for housing, canoes, totem poles, and clothing.
One of the largest recorded Sitka Spruce trees can be enjoyed at Hik’yah GaawGa (Windy Bay), the stand-off location which led to the creation of the Gwaii Haanas Agreement, and Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve, and Haida Heritage Site, or as we like to say Gwaii Haanas.
Besides big vistas and amazing sunsets, you can have the opportunity to fish from a kayak. Yes, fishing is often a highlight to a trip, as you have the chance to provide yourself with a freshly caught meal- something no restaurant can offer.
Day 6
The afternoon of the final day will be spent travelling back to your accommodations in Sandspit but the adventure does not have to stop there! There could be opportunities, weather dependent, to stop while travelling back to Moresby Camp and visit T’aanuu Llagaay (Tanu) and the resting place of Haida artist Bill Reid.
We look forward to sharing the many cultural treasures and natural wonders with you.
2025 Kayak Vacations
Anniversary Sale Pricing has been extended into our 2025 season for you to Enjoy !
This trip will return to our regular tour program in 2027
Review all Haida Gwaii Kayak Tour Dates
Click Here – For details on wildlife, highlights, and geographical locations regarding this tour.
Below is an overview, created from over two decades of travel through Gwaii Haanas, that guests have enjoyed. Kayaking Gwaii Haanas – Haida Gwaii is a true wilderness and requires a flexible mindset to travel safely in a self-propelled kayak. The success of the tour depends on the weather, tides, guests’ interests, and the overall ability of the group. No one person, including guides, has no control over such variables.
The perfect vacation looks different for everyone, so it’s important to ask yourself some initial questions when planning a trip to Haida Gwaii.
Please take note that Ocean Sound Kayaking does not accept direct online bookings.
Instead, we prefer to communicate with our guests over the phone when possible. This allows us to introduce ourselves, answer any questions you may have about designing the perfect trip for you, or about Haida Gwaii in general. Additionally, this process allows OSK to create a cohesive group well before we even meet on Haida Gwaii.
This is what sets us apart – the OSK difference.
We have been introducing people of all ages, abilities, from around the world to Haida Gwaii for the past 30 years, and we want to ensure that all our guests have a clear understanding of our trips before we start, so that your expectations are met.
Personal Fitness
First and foremost, it’s important to note that age is just a number to us. We see that you are an adventurous soul who seeks intrinsic wilderness experiences, and that’s exactly what we aim to provide. If you’re in good physical condition and willing to share in occasional camp chores, you’re welcome on our tours.
We travel in a self-propelled mix fleet of single and double sea kayaks, without any support boat on any of our kayak tours. Kayak experience isn’t required, but we ask that guests feel comfortable around water. More important than your paddling skill is your past camping experience, which will assist you greatly in ensuring your comfort in a remote wilderness setting like Haida Gwaii.
Lifting and Carrying
To make any trip successful, all guests must participate in the daily chores and contribute to the overall team environment, such as food cache, meal prep and clean up, setting up camp, collecting firewood, and drinking water. We can accommodate guests with physical limitations in this department, but we expect guests to be able to carry up to 20-30 pounds, as kayaks must be placed above the high tide line nightly in teams of 6-8 people.
Toilets
There are no outhouse facilities throughout Gwaii Haanas. We use low-impact practices such as the “intertidal flush,” which is a standard set by Parks Canada for all kayakers in Gwaii Haanas. Your guide will brief you on this practice and present a private area for the group washroom at each rest stop and campsite.
Bathing and Water
Many of our chosen camps have a freshwater source to collect water and take a bath. Your guides will create the boundaries along with a private location for guests. The kayak tour can carry 110 liters of water to sites that do not have a suitable or reliable water supply. Non-scented wet wipes are handy items around camp as they are convenient and easy.
OSK Principles
Our goal is to offer a wilderness experience that will remove you from your everyday distractions, replacing cell phones with solitude, and streetlights with stars. Let’s keep the wild, “WILD.” With this in mind, it’s our responsibility to travel through Haida Gwaii with an ethical approach. Haida Gwaii is known as the “Galapagos of the Pacific Northwest” and can offer some incredible wildlife experiences. Your guide will provide you with a trip orientation on day one, a Parks Canada requirement for all Gwaii Haanas guests. The orientation is to offer insight into the Haida Culture, the sensitivity of Ecological Reserves, and to deliver awareness of how our tours will practice industry standards regarding low-impact camping and wildlife encounters.
The OSK Team has designed a few tutorials for you.
A compressive Trip Planner and further videos will be presented to all guest once registered on a tour with Ocean Sound Kayaking, referencing over 30 years of questions and answers.