wildcoast adventures - day tours

We started an Upper School this year and wanted to plan a trip that would create an opportunity for students to bond with each other, get out of their comfort zones, learn about the environment and have a good time on a rigorous outdoor trip. Wildcoast put together an experience that met these goals and exceeded our expectations. Not only was the trip perfect for our group, Valerie and Damon (owners) were incredibly helpful in the planning process. They were easy to get a hold of; always answered the phone or responded quickly. We called them many times with tons of questions about gear, safety and trip logistics and they answered them happily and in detail. While the company normally does more “pampered” trips they did a great job of adjusting the trip to meet our needs. We had a rugged, adventurous experience with amazing food and knowledgeable friendly guides. The gear they provided was high quality from the boats to the sleeping bags. We highly recommend this trip to any group, it is in a beautiful part of the country and you couldn't pick a better outfitter than Wildcoast. We have already reserved our trip for 2015!-Alcuin School

Wildcoast Adventures tailored a trip specifically for our 9th level students from Dallas, Texas. We spent 7 days kayaking and camping around the Discovery Islands. Bender and Rob were GREAT guides! Food was delicious, accommodations were appropriate and complete (tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, even pillows!), and the sights were beautiful! Our students loved spending time together (disconnected from technology) exploring the gorgeous views of the region. We're already looking forward to our next trip!

Thanks for your review! I’m glad you loved our Orca Camp, and the amazing staff we have with us! We will be using your feedback to ensure we continue to provide the best possible experience out in the wild. We will add a sign in our shower to advise guests to use the ecological soap we provide. And we’ll ensure our staff take extra steps to keep the toilet smelling fresh. Mother nature (along with everyone following the composting guidelines) typically works very well, but there can be times when more attention is required.It’s unfortunate that the fishermen disturbed your trip. As 2014 was forecasted to have a record salmon return, it saw more openings than usual. This, as you mentioned, is beyond our control. The silver lining is that In addition to salmon being an important food source for us humans, its also the food source for the Northern Resident Orca population. Like the fishermen, the Orca also follow this food source. These fishermen confirm we’re located in the best possible place to see Orca in the wild!I’m so glad that you enjoyed your Wildcoast adventure. Thank you for joining us this past summer!Adventure on,Val, Damon and the entire team at Wildcoast

Thank you so much for sharing your experience!We are so proud of our amazing team that take such good care of our guests! I agree, they are quite multi-talented! I'm glad you felt safe on all your kayak trips: I admire your sense of adventure and open-mindedness to try something new. We strive to provide a comfortable camping experience for our guests without compromising on the awesome natural elements that we are surrounded by. Thank you for your compliments: I'm happy you enjoyed the facilities, and the rejuvenation of the outdoors!Happy adventuring,Damon, Valerie and the entire Wildcoast team.

A friend and I went on the Orca Camp trip the 2nd week of September. The two guides Clay and Calvin were so wonderful! They both are very passionate about their jobs and went out of their way to ensure we all had a great time! The food, tents, kayaking, water taxi ride, etc. was all wonderful. Unfortunately we weren't lucky enough to see any whales but we saw dolphins, seals, sea lions, etc. Oh, and the sauna experience was something I will never forget! Can't wait to come back and do it again!!!

Incredibly fun. We took the luxury 7day orca camp + kayaking package in august 2014. Both my teens were very impressed and had a great time. We saw orcas almost everyday when we were in the camp. No electricity but had hot showers. Knowledgeable guides were also good cooks....I like very much how the wild lives were so well respected.

For our honeymoon we wanted to go whale watching and see the orcas in their natural habitat.Going through many websites of companies we fell for Wildcoast.The biggest reason to choose for them was because they put the focus on experiencing wildlife without disturbing it.Where other tours will take you up in a noisy zodiac boat that will scare wildlife off these guys take you out in a kayak and let the animals decide how close they want to get to you.And they wanted to get close...Before we arrived (they take you to their orca camp by watertaxi) we already had our first encounter with orcas.At their camp you experience all the comfort of home but in a way nicer setting.The camp is located close to an orca reserve and we had orcas passing by our beach each day (seeing them come close to shore on a misty morning is the most magical thing you will ever experience!) The tents and beds were very comfortable, the surroundings were mind blowing, the food was amazingly good and the guides were extremely helpful and could tell us so much about all the wildlife around us.You don't get the feeling you are on an expedition with guides. You feel like you are experiencing an amazing trip with friends/family. We had THE most amazing experience with Wildcoast and are hoping to return to their camp soon!Thank you Wildcoast and your awesome guides for the best honeymoon one could ask for. We will surely miss you!!!

I went on the 7 day luxury Orca Camp with WildCoast and can say, without a doubt, that it was the best holiday I have ever had.In a world where customer experience so often comes second to profit making, WildCoast takes a refreshing approach to their clients. From the moment we booked Val and Damon went out of their way to answer our questions and ensure our experience was to be enjoyable. This continued at Orca Camp with our fantastic guides; Clay, Calvin and Julie. They have an in-depth knowledge of the wildlife you encounter, and ensure the guests' comfort is prioritised at every point.My partner and I had never kayaked before, and were with a group where several members had kayaked extensively, which didn't matter at all. The kayaking is a sedate way to see the incredible coastline and scenery, and allows guests to get close to the rocks to see the wildlife. It is almost too difficult to explain how it feels to see orca in their natural environment: we were lucky enough to see different pods at least twice a day. Our best sitings were from the beach at camp, where the kelp line attracts the orcas close to the shore in pursuit of the salmon. We saw several breeches as the pods left the rubbing beaches just a few hundred metres from the camp. While we were in the kayaks we were also surprised by a humpback whale surfacing only several metres away from us. We also saw bald headed eagles, dolphins and sea-lions.The food is all provided by Gowlland Harbour Resort, which was the perfect place to start and finish our trip from. At orca camp there is a hot shower on the beach, and a sauna, though sadly we couldn't benefit from this as there is a fire ban in BC due to the arid conditions. We were lucky with the weather (sunny and warm every day) but if it was chilly the main dining tent warms up very well with the wood stove: this was also an ideal place for drying damp clothes or towels.The beds are raised from the ground and very comfortable: clean sleeping bags are provided for each guest and come with a liner for those that may feel the cold. The loo facilities are also first class - probably the most scenic loo you'll ever use.I really cannot recommend WildCoast and Orca Camp enough: my only criticism - how am I ever going to beat this holiday?

Our trip with Wildcoast was a blast. My brother, his sons and my son enjoyed the views, the paddling and the food was excellent. Damon and Val are very knowledgable and easy to work with. if you get the chance, don't miss the opportunity to spend time with Wildcoast

Wow! Thank you so much for your kind words! We are so glad you were a part of this incredible season. While our job is to make sure we provide an awesome outdoor adventure, the icing on the cake is getting to meet wonderful people like yourself. We certainly have an excellent team of guides that bring their all to each and every trip. Thank you for sharing your experience with Wildcoast with other travelers, and we hope we get the chance to host you again! Adventure on, Valerie, Damon and the entire Wildcoast team.

I just returned from Orca Camp with Wildcoast Adventures. It was an incredible experience. The location is remote - about two hours by boat from Campbell River - a comfortable tented oasis tucked between the towering evergreens. No tv, no wifi - just the sounds of the stream behind the camp, of pine needles dropping onto your tent and the sound of fellow campers excitedly yelling "ORCA" when the killer whales appear. The tents are large, on platforms and comfortable - even on the coldest night, the freshly laundered sleeping bags were cozy and warm. The kayaking was fabulous and well paced, with picnic lunches and even a hike to a lovely waterfall included on one excursion. The food was fantastic - inspired by the amazing chef at the Gowlland Harbour Resort - fresh salmon, local herbs and vegetables - even eggs benedict on our final morning for breakfast. Plus, hot coffee, tea and snack available around the clock. But best of all - the guides - Kory, Clay and Julie. Hard working, funny, encouraging, kind and clearly passionate about killer whales, the outdoors and their guest's experiences. They kept us safe, well-fed and opened our eyes to the vast beauty of the Robson Bight area. This was a bucket list trip for me - so I feel very grateful that I found such a fantastic group of fellow travellers, that I saw whales almost every day and that I went with Wildcoast Adventures. It was beyond my expectations!!

I spent early August at the Orca Camp which is beside the Robson Bight ecological reserve. The camp is in a beautiful location and it is definitely not camping in the traditional sense. The tents were spacious with cushioned mattresses on cots and full size pillows and sleeping bags provided. I was warm and cozy. The dining tent is nice and big and has a wood burning stove. Coffee/tea and snacks are always available, meals were great and the guides were very helpful. Also, loved the outdoor heated shower :) The headliner was of course the Orcas which we saw everyday, on one day 3 times! All in all a great vacation, enjoyed the kayaking, camp amenities and the incredibly beautiful scenery and wildlife. Go, you won't regret it.

Waterfalls thundering, purple sun rises and sunsets, fog as thick as cloud, water as smooth as glass. The smell of cedar and the taste of amazing food, warm beds and a wonderful hot shower. Loons calling, ravens catching crabs, mink fishing, hawks perching. Eagles flying, seals watching, bears passing, otters diving. Sea lions swimming, salmon jumping. Turning rocks to find sea cucumbers, guppies, suction fish, star fish, anemones. Most of all, pacific white-side dolphins hunting, humpbacks diving and orca, the orca. I heard them calling, watched them blowing, watched them feeding their young, and most of all, seen them free.Five stars doesn't appropriately sum up the last week. If your thinking about booking, just do it. It is SUCH an experienceThank you to Bender, Calvin, Julie, Kory, and Val. It has been amazing. Until next time xx

This trip was remarkable form start to finish. The staff did everything to make our trip successful for us. From planning it with Val’s help…yes call her. The Gowlland Hotel has a good way to start the trip…yes stay here, great staff and food. Orca camp was beyond just checking off the bucket list. The people at WildCoast make this experience magical. The food was just amazing and tailored to our individual preference and needs. The accommodations made me expand my definition of camping to include comfortable and relaxing. The incredibly engaging, witty and knowledgeable guides made each day at Orca Camp memorable one. They went out of their way to teach us and inform us of all the animals, though the Orcas were the stars here. I will never forget this experience…yes book with WildCoast!

I got a deal on Travelzoo for a 3N/4D camping/kayaking adventure with Wildcoast Adventures. The Orca camp is located on North Vancouver Island, BC about a 2.5 hour boat ride from Campbell River, right beside Robson Bight ecological reserve. The water taxi dock was right across the street from where we stayed at Coast Discovery Inn. The boat ride took longer than expected due to going against an incoming high tide and wind but the boat captain did a great job of making a choppy ride as comfortable as possible. The scenery is beautiful. On arrival we disembarked onto a small rowboat which took us to shore..wear water shoes as it's inevitable your feet will get wet. Within one hour of arrival, a pod of orcas swam by! We were lucky enough to see Orcas at least twice a day, 2 Humpback whales, porpoise and a couple of Sea Lions surprised us! The tents and sleeping cots were comfortable. A battery powered lantern was provided in the tent but also bring flashlights, and plenty of warm, fast drying clothes. The guides, Corey, Calvin and Rob were absolutely fantastic! They work very hard at camp, from early morning to late at night, cooking delicious meals, socializing with the visitors to taking us all kayaking. Great instructions were given to newbie kayakers.. at no time did I ever feel unsafe in the water. The kayak tours were just long enough to enjoy without feeling exhausted. The only downside to the camp is it is quite small. There is no hiking available as the camp sits on a small peninsula with a large mountain behind it. A pristine creek separates the camp from Robson Bight, but you are not allowed to cross it onto the Bight as the whole 10km length of the reserve is off limits to boats and people. We were not able to use the "sauna" as there was a campfire ban on. We did use the rustic shower and found it to be refreshing.. Really glad we took this trip,Orcas, beautiful scenery, it'll be one trip I'll always remember.