A trip of a lifetime, all expectations were exceeded, thank you for the lasting memories.
Where Adventure Meets Destination – Embark on the Ultimate Kayaking Expedition in Gwaii Haanas!
Prepare for an unforgettable 10-day journey through the pristine wilderness of Gwaii Haanas, a place where adventure and natural beauty converge. This unique expedition begins at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of SGang Gwaay, the ancient Haida village, and concludes with a rejuvenating soak in the natural thermals of Gandll K’in Gwaay.yaay (Hot Spring Island).
In October 2012, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake temporarily drained the hot springs, but since 2018, the pools have returned, ready for your enjoyment. Ocean Sound Kayaking is thrilled to offer this unique10-day expedition, combining cultural history, awe-inspiring wildlife, and unparalleled natural beauty.
Discover SGang Gwaay and the Haida Legacy
Your adventure begins at the southern tip of Gwaii Haanas, where the magnificent village of SGang Gwaay awaits. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a testament to the rich Haida culture that once thrived here. Abandoned for over 120 years, the village is home to a remarkable collection of standing totem poles—some of the last of their kind in the world. These ancient symbols of Haida history stand tall as a powerful reminder of the enduring legacy of this once-thriving culture. SGang Gwaay is home to the largest concentration of original standing totem poles anywhere on Earth.
A Relaxed Expedition for Curious Explorers
Our 10-day journey is perfect for kayakers who crave a blend of exploration and tranquility. We designed this expedition with you in mind, offering a pace that allows ample time for exploration, relaxation, and connection with nature. Paddle through Gwaii Haanas National Park and Reserve, uncovering its untouched forests, remote beaches, and hidden coves. Explore pristine intertidal zones, discover new campsites, and immerse yourself in the serenity of secluded locations.
As you travel the diverse shorelines, you’ll encounter sea caves, sweeping estuaries, and expansive beaches, all surrounded by ancient old-growth forests and awe-inspiring landscapes. Carefully chosen campsites offer solitude and breathtaking views, often situated near ancient Haida village sites, historical homesteads, and towering, centuries-old trees.
Wildlife Encounters Like No Other
Gwaii Haanas is a wildlife haven. Paddle through nutrient-rich waters that sustain an extraordinary array of marine life, including humpback and minke whales, with the occasional pod of killer whales (Sgaana) passing by. The archipelago is also home to thriving seabird colonies, as well as abundant seals and stellar sea lions—witness their playful antics from your kayak or as they haul out on rocky shorelines.
As you travel deeper into the islands, you’ll experience an ever-changing wildlife spectacle. Look for globally rare seabirds like Cassin’s Auklets and Ancient Murrelets, and if you’re lucky, you might spot a spout from a passing whale or hear the haunting calls of birds from the cliffs above.
Your Expedition Ends in Paradise
Your journey culminates at Gandll K’in Gwaay.yaay (Hot Spring Island), where you’ll enjoy a well-earned soak in the natural hot springs, surrounded by breathtaking views south across Juan Perez Sound. The stunning vistas of the island’s rugged shoreline, combined with the serene warmth of the pools, make this the perfect ending to a truly extraordinary adventure.
Crafting Unforgettable Moments in Haida Gwaii Since 1989
What does your summer vacation look like? Let us take you on a journey where history, nature, and adventure collide in one of the world’s most extraordinary places.
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. This is a self-supported kayak tour, which uses a mixed fleet of kayaks for your convenience, confidence and enjoyment. 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 three 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.
Day 1 Your tour starts with our friends from Moresby Explorers picking you up at your accommodations in K’il Kun (Sandspit), the location of the island’s main airport. They will transport you by Zodiac to a remote camp, where your Gwaii Haanas kayaking tour will begin by setting up camp in the sheltered waters of Houston Stewart Channel and the homestead of Rose Harbor. From 1905 to 1942 this was a flourishing whaling station. Rose Harbor now has a population of four hardy west coast characters. Today, this special place offers rustic accommodations and excellent local cuisine for travellers, which can be arranged if a group wishes.
The afternoon will be spent kayaking and getting familiar with our mixed fleet of single and double kayaks.
Days 2 Kayaking westward we will explore an established bird colony, with Tufted Puffins and a possible sighting of the well-dressed Horned Puffin. Leaving the channel brings us to one of the highlights of this tour, the village of SGang Gwaay. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located on Anthony Island. This island jewel boasts the largest number of original standing totem poles in the world! Guests will have the opportunity to view Stellar Sea Lions and seals that haul out on the many islets surrounding the island.
We paddle out into open ocean just a short distance but the vast coastline usually sends tingles through even the seasoned visitor, and the underlying Pacific Ocean sets the rhythm for the day.
Take a virtual tour of SGang Gwaay.
Day 2/8: Using the tides to our advantage provides efficient travel from Houston Stewart Channel towards Benjamin Point. The open waters and currents around Benjamin Point create ideal conditions for plankton, krill and herring, attracting a plethora of wildlife. Whales, seals, sea lions, and birds, some that are not often found in the northern waters of Gwaii Haanas, congregate here. Once around Benjamin Point, Ww will explore the inlets of Ikeda Cove and Collison Bay, both known for their mineral extraction and canneries at the turn of the century.
We then come upon the Rankin Islands, another Ecological Reserve found on this tour, which are home to the Rhinoceros and Cassin Auklet seabirds as we paddle northward to Skincuttle Inlet. Skincuttle inlet, is sheltered from the open waters of Hecate Strait by a chain of Islands known as the Copper and Bolkus Islands. These islands are Ecological Reserves creating habitat for the Cassin’s Auklet, Forked-tailed Storm-Petrel, Marbled Murrelet, and the Ancient Murrelet, an at-risk species. There will be ample time throughout our journey to explore old growth forests and experience cultural sites where fish weirs, canoe runs, or CMT’s (Cultural Modified Trees) of a time long ago are in evidence.
Mid way through your journey, you will explore Burnaby Narrows – one of two Marine Ecological Reserves found within Gwaii Haanas National Park. The Reserve was founded to protect the fragile marine ecosystem and to protect the Northern Abalone- a species that is listed as endangered. In 1990, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) put a total ban on stocks that had reached near-crash during the commercial fishing heyday of the 1970s and 1980s.
conducted by Parks Canada determined that there are more than 290 aquatic species, and found that bat stars were counted at a density of 74 per square meter, (in contrast to a survey done on Vancouver Island that found just seven per square meter), meaning this area has some of the highest levels of living material (called Biomass) of any intertidal zone in the world!
Throughout your journey, you will kayak corridors that provide ample feed for migrating Humpback whales. A Humpback will consume over 1.5 tons (1,361 kg) of food a day. While the female is slightly larger than the male (45- 50 feet), these whales are capable of breeching their entire 40 tons completely out of the water – a sight never to be forgotten!
Days 9/10 Your journey culminates at Gandll K’in Gwaay.yaay (Hot Spring Island), where you’ll enjoy a well-earned soak in the natural hot springs, surrounded 
by breathtaking views south across Juan Perez Sound. The stunning vistas of the island’s rugged shoreline, combined with the serene warmth of the pools, make this the perfect ending to a truly extraordinary adventure. Keep your eyes peeled for the occasional whale spout or seabird sightings as you unwind in the natural waters.
Our final night will be spent on one of the many islands found within the vicinity of Hot Springs Island, while on. our final day, we will enjoy a morning paddle amongst the many islands and islets found in the channel. The afternoon is spent preparing for your return to your accommodations in K’il Kun (Sandspit).
On your return zodiac ride to Moresby Camp, we will organize a stop at the village of T’aanuu Llnagaay (Tanu), the resting place of Haida Artist Bill Reid. Although there are no standing Haida Monumental Art, the calm and peaceful energy of the village makes it one of my favorite sites to visit.
A Journey to the Extraordinary… What does your 2026 vacation look like!
2026 Kayak Vacations
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.
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.
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.
