Four-Day Whale Watching and Kayaking Tour along Blackfish Sound, Discovery Islands

Safari tent in Swanson Island, British Columbia

2 guests • 3 beds

4.5
4 reviews

Set in the Broughton Archipelago, this private cove on Swanson Island offers a five-day/four-night whale watching and kayaking tour of Blackfish Sound, Discovery Islands. The premier way to experience the best of Canada’s west coast! Glampers can travel by boat to this exclusive camp, kayak each day, and experience the coastal beauty up close, all the while enjoying these luxury safari tents.

These safari tents are large—10-by-12-feet in size—with bright and spacious cotton canvas and made right on Vancouver Island. They are eight feet high at their peak, allowing ample room for standing up and moving around with ease. The screened windows and front door provide sweeping views of the forest and ocean. The tents are perched off the ground on cedar platforms, helping to protect the delicate ecosystem below.

Inside the tents are two singles beds which can be pushed together to make a king-size bed if desired. These beds are handmade by the crew on-site with locally milled red cedar and beach driftwood accents. The beds each have a six-inch thick soya foam mattress, two pillows, crisp white linens, a warm duvet and fleece blankets for cooler nights. Furthermore, guests will enjoy having bedside tables, crafted from local wood, a lamp for reading and a hot water bottle to help take the chill off when guests crawl into bed.

Guests will have a professional guiding service, all kayaking equipment including, kayaks, PFDs, paddles, pumps, ropes, dry bags and sponges, a hydrophone for listening to the whales and meals. Additional amenities include bath towels, flashlights, headlamps, a hot water bottle, a water bottle and a library of natural history books and camp binoculars.

The base camp offers a well-established kitchen for our in-house chef to prepare daily meals. Guests will enjoy having mostly organic fresh fruits and vegetables to prepare gourmet meals, topped off with home baking. This site will provide 24-hour snacks just in case guests get a hankering for something late at night.

Here, guests will never go hungry, even after a day’s paddle in the fresh air. On the first evening, guests will enjoy a fresh locally-caught ling cod meal and, from thereon, the creative, tasty and hearty meals keep coming. This is not one's typical camping food!

The departure dates are every five days throughout the summer, beginning from mid-June to mid-September.

2023 tour departure dates are as follows:
June 17th, 21st, 25th and 29th
July 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, 20th, 24th, 27th, 31st
August 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, 20th, 24th, 28th
September 1st, 5th, 9th, 13th, 17th

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Features and services

Beds

  • 1 King-size bed

  • single-bed

    2 Twin/Single beds

Most popular features

  • All meals included

  • Private Jacuzzi/Hot tub

  • Private Kitchen

  • Heating

  • Swimming

  • Fishing

  • Fireplace

  • Wildlife watching

  • stove

    Stove

  • barbecue

    Private Barbecue

  • Spa

  • 1 King-size bed

  • 2 Bathrooms

  • Fire pit

  • kayak

    Kayaking/Canoeing

  • Restaurant

  • Whale watching

  • Pick-up/Drop-off

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Where you will stay

Get in touch to book your luxury camping rental

Swanson Island, British Columbia

Detailed location provided after booking

Scenic views
This property is located on Swanson Island, set between Vancouver Island and the mainland, and is a beautiful site surrounded by water. Blackfish Sound is the heart of orca and humpback territory on northern Vancouver Island and on the edge of the Broughton Archipelago. Sandwiched between the mainland mountains and Vancouver Island, tidal currents stir up the water column and create an environment rich with nutrients and oxygen.

Abundant marine life of all shapes and sizes make their home here, from the smallest crustacean to the largest whales. From the camp, guests have the opportunity to look out into the open waters of the Sound and paddle among the small islands and narrow passages, an ideal combination for the wildlife enthusiast.
Activities near Swanson Island
  • Swimming

  • kayak

    Kayaking/Canoeing

  • Fishing

  • Boating/Sailing

  • Meditation

  • Yoga

  • Whale watching

  • Wildlife watching

Each day hosts and guides will share their love and passion for the coast and kayaking with guests. After a hearty and healthy breakfast, and of course hot coffee and tea, glampers and guides will head off in kayaks to explore the many nooks and crannies of the shoreline. Guests will be sure to encounter the telltale blow of some of the area’s more famous residents, like orcas, humpback whales, minke whales, dolphins, and porpoises. On day three, guests will head out on a three-hour trip in a covered boat to look further afield for wildlife.

Top off these perfect days in an idyllic setting with amazing food, laughter, good company and a soak in the wood-fired hot tub overlooking the ocean. Then head off to a spacious tent and comfortable bed for a good night’s rest. Guests can also roast a few treats over the glowing campfire before they head to bed, borrow a book from our extensive coastal library, play a board game with friends or chat with the friendly, knowledgeable naturalist guides on site.
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Property reviews

4.5 overall rating
Overall experience
4.5
Cleanliness
4.5
Activities
4.5
Nature surroundings
4.5
Uniqueness
4.5
Comfort
4.5
4 Reviews

Things to know

Arrival and departure

  • Check-in: 08:00 AM

  • Check-out: 12:00 PM

House rules

  • No infants allowed
    Under 2 years old

  • No children allowed
    2-12 years old

  • No pets allowed

  • No smoking

  • No parties

  • Events allowed

  • Open fires allowed

  • Minimum age to rent: 12

  • Some spaces are shared

Cancellation policy

Thirty

Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before check-in day

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Additional info

This five-day, four-night package includes meals, guided kayaking excursions, water taxi transport to and from Alder Bay on Vancouver Island, as well as parking and land use permits.

The departure dates are every five days throughout the summer, beginning from mid-June to mid-September.

2023 tour departure dates are as follows:

June 17th, 21st, 25th and 29th
July 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, 20th, 24th, 27th, 31st
August 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, 20th, 24th, 28th
September 1st, 5th, 9th, 13th, 17th
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