“ONCE A YEAR GO SOME PLACE YOU’VE NEVER BEEN BEFORE”

For over 30 years, we’ve welcomed guests of all ages and abilities from around the world to experience the beauty of Haida Gwaii. Our goal is to ensure you know what to expect before your adventure begins, so you can arrive prepared and confident.

First – Adventure has no age limit. If you’re in good general health, comfortable around water, and excited to experience a remote wilderness, and wish to help with the occasional camp chore – you’ll fit right in.

No previous kayaking experience is required. We travel in a self-supported fleet of single and double sea kayaks with no support boat, so a positive attitude, willingness to learn, and camping experiences are often more valuable than paddling experience.

Teamwork Makes the Adventure

A successful kayak expedition is built on collaboration, shared purpose, and a willingness to pitch in. Every member of the group brings unique skills, strengths, and perspectives that help us navigate challenges, celebrate successes, and create an exceptional wilderness experience together.

Our trips are participatory adventures, which means everyone plays a role in the journey. From helping in the kitchen, and cleaning up camp to gathering firewood, carrying kayaks, collecting water, and helping with food storage, these shared responsibilities are all part of the expedition experience. Working together not only keeps camp running smoothly but also builds camaraderie and a genuine sense of accomplishment.

In a remote wilderness setting, teamwork is one of our most valuable tools. Some people are great help in the kitchen, others are natural organizers, strong paddlers, or enthusiastic fire builders. Whatever your strengths, there is a place for you to contribute. Supporting one another allows us to accomplish more as a team than we ever could individually.

Along the way, strangers become friends, confidence grows, and lasting memories are created. Our guides are there to lead, teach, and support the group, but the best expeditions are those where everyone shares in the experience. Together, we create a safe, inclusive, rewarding, and unforgettable adventure.

A Typical Day on the Water

One of the questions we hear most often is, “How far will we kayak each day?”

The honest answer is that every day is different. Our route and daily distance are influenced by tides, wind, swell, weather, and the pace of the group. Because our expeditions are fully self-supported, we remain flexible and adapt to the conditions to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.

Rather than measuring the day in nautical miles, it’s more helpful to think in terms of time on the water. Most days include approximately 2½–3 hours of paddling in the morning and another 2½–3 hours in the afternoon, with plenty of opportunities to stop for snacks, explore the shoreline, stretch, and enjoy the surroundings.

Our focus isn’t on covering the greatest distance—it’s on travelling efficiently, safely, experiencing the beauty of Haida Gwaii, and enjoying the journey together.

Lifting & Camp Life

Our trips are team-based adventures, and everyone is encouraged to lend a hand with camp life. Daily tasks may include preparing meals, cleaning up, setting up camp, collecting water and firewood, and helping move kayaks above the high-tide line each evening.

We can accommodate many physical limitations, but guests should be comfortable carrying approximately 20–30 lb (9–14 kg) and participating in shared camp responsibilities.

Washrooms & Bathing

There are no outhouses in Gwaii Haanas. We follow Parks Canada low-impact practices, including the intertidal flush method, and your guides will explain these procedures while providing privacy at rest stops and camps.

Many camps have fresh water for drinking and bathing, and we carry water when natural sources are unavailable. Unscented biodegradable wipes are a useful addition to your personal gear.

Our Wilderness Ethic

Our goal is simple: replace cell phones with solitude and streetlights with stars.

Haida Gwaii is often called the “Galápagos of the Pacific Northwest” for its remarkable biodiversity. We are committed to protecting this extraordinary place by following Parks Canada and Haida Nation guidelines for low-impact camping, respectful wildlife viewing, and responsible travel. On the first day of your trip, your guide will provide an orientation covering Haida culture, ecological stewardship, and the practices that help keep this wilderness truly wild.

Reservations require a non-refundable 300$ Canadian deposit per participant to secure all tour reservations.

This deposit will hold a participant’s space on the tour, while final payment is required 90 days from your tour start date.

Cancelation Policies

The cost to make an expedition successful begins well before the departure date.  The following payment schedule will apply.

• >90 days to departure date – Full Refund minus 300$ deposit
• <90 – 60 days prior departure date – 50% Refund of full cost
• <60 days prior departure date – No Refund

If for any reason you are to cancel your tour, 90 days prior the tour start date, and you or Ocean Sound Kayaking can find a suitable replacement, a full refund less deposit can be granted.

All cancellations must be submitted by email, and confirmed by Ocean Sound Kayaking.

As a small business, we accept the following payment types.

1. Etransfer: a free Canadian online banking service
2. Credit Cards: a 2.8% processing fee is applied to all Credit Cards through the platform – Square
3. International Guests: an additional 1.5% processing fee (total 4.3%) is also applied when using your Credit Card

Using your credit card for payment can have valuable benefits depending on the specific card, including medical coverage, evacuation insurance, trip cancellation or trip interruption insurance – helping you to protect your travel plans.

Please Note – All prices are in Canadian Dollars, and excludes the 190$ Gwaii Haanas Park Fees, and 5% GST

Please take the time to review “Travel Responsibly” to further understand how and why you should protect your travel investment.

Travel insurance is strongly recommended. It helps protect your travel investment and reduces stress if you are unable to travel as planned.

Many travellers have coverage through their credit cards; however, you should confirm with your provider that your policy includes adequate trip cancellation, interruption, and medical coverage. Credit card insurance is often limited in coverage amount and may not include cancellation, medical expenses, or COVID-19 related issues.

Please note that a 2.8% processing fee is applied to all credit cards through the secure platform Square, while an additional 1.5% processing fee is applied to all international payments as well.

Ocean Sound Kayaking is not responsible for ensuring that guests obtain appropriate travel insurance coverage. You are responsible for confirming that your insurance adequately covers your entire trip.

Personal equipment, baggage, and valuables (including cameras, electronics, and jewellery) are carried at the owner’s risk. Ocean Sound Kayaking is not responsible for lost, damaged, or delayed property.

If a tour must be cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control or a force majeure event—including but not limited to war, political instability, civil disturbances, terrorism, natural disasters, fires, epidemics, pandemics, acts of God, labour disputes, transportation failures, airport or port closures, severe weather, or other similar events—Ocean Sound Kayaking will not provide refunds. Guests should contact their travel insurance provider to initiate a claim.

Ocean Sound Kayaking is not responsible for expenses incurred in preparing for a trip that is later cancelled. This includes non-refundable airfare, visa fees, vaccinations, equipment purchases, or other travel arrangements.

Guests are strongly advised to have travel insurance to cover unexpected events or illnesses before and during the tour, particularly when travelling to remote locations such as Haida Gwaii, where medical evacuation costs can be significant.

For out-of-province and international guests, travel insurance is essential. Medical care and emergency evacuations in British Columbia can be very expensive. Please consult your travel agent or insurance provider to confirm your coverage.

Additional costs resulting from tour delays—including those caused by weather, transportation disruptions (flights, ferries, or zodiac), illness, or similar circumstances beyond the control of Ocean Sound Kayaking—are not included in tour pricing and are the responsibility of the guest.

To participate in the tour, each participant must complete in full a Medical Information Form and Liability Release Form. Ocean Sound Kayaking requires the completed forms to be submitted along with your deposit when registering on our Haida Gwaii kayak tours.

We are happy to accommodate many dietary restrictions. However, please be aware that dietary restrictions add complexity and costs to preparing for your tour. Below are the dietary restrictions we can accommodate and the associated costs for substitutions:

• $125 fee: gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, nut-free, and soy-free
• No additional cost: vegetarian, no red meat, no fish, no seafood

If you have dietary restrictions or allergies not listed above, please contact us at info@oceansoundkayaking.com to discuss if we can accommodate your needs and any additional charges.

Haida Gwaii is a spectacular place full of life and culture.  Everyone in Haida Territory shares a responsibility to care for the Air, Ocean, Land, and People.

Take the Haida Gwaii Pledge

Council of Haida Nation

Haida Gwaii Visitor Orientation

Specializing in Haida Gwaii kayak vacations over the past three decades allows OSK to offer a variety of tours ranging in duration, skill, and location.  Here is a short trip comparison and an interactive map for you to review.

Most kayak outfitters divide Gwaii Haanas into thirds, offering trips in the South end, central/ middle, and in the North end of the park, which ultimately offer different experiences. This interactive map shows the various kayak tours offered by Ocean Sound Kayaking and their location on Gwaii Haanas.   This map also outlines the various Haida Cultural Sites or Watchmen Sites that paddlers could experience, while many guest find this map a good reference when getting to know the lay of the land.