Vancouver Island kayaking holiday, Canada
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
The company supports local conservation and educational efforts in Barkley Sound. To this end we donate $50 for every seat sold to the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, a remote coastal and marine facility for teaching and research near Bamfield. As a member of the Sea Kayak Guides Alliance of BC, our kayak practices follow low impact guidelines that are based on "Leave No Trace" principles. Our bear viewing and whale watching guides are local to the area and are also committed environmentalists. We adhere to "Be Whale Wise" guidelines established by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Placing a maximum of 8 guests for each tour enables us to more effectively manage the group around marine mammals and other wildlife and also lessens our impact on wildlife, the environment and other users. We provide all gear to minimize what guests need to bring or purchase for a one time only experience. Our comprehensive recycling program includes packing out all food waste from our base camp to composting and recycling facilities in Ucluelet.
The company's environmental and educational practices also include adhering to ‘bear aware’ practices on all camping trips, discouraging plastic water bottles and encouraging our guests to bring their own travel mugs and soliciting and acting upon client comments as how to improve our sustainable tourism practices.
Community
Our pre-departure information is tailored to the specific destinations we travel to. Each document contains information on travelling responsibly and social and environmental issues in the particular area. Our small group adventures utilize local outfitters, stay in small scale, locally owned accommodation and frequent local shops for meals, supplies and crafts. These practices facilitate a high degree of contact with locals and ensure that the economic development our business brings goes directly to local businesses and communities.
Our established kayak business in Ucluelet supports local causes that impact community health and local conservation. Our support and efforts include assisting parks in tracking and recording wildlife activity in Pacific Rim National Park, and participating on the Rain Coast Education Society, the local Chamber of Commerce, the Wild Pacific Trail Society and the local Volunteer Fire Department. We teach guide certification programs at the local secondary school and every year we hire an apprentice and help them advance their career in outdoor guiding. We also assist the coast guard with water rescues in the National Park when they are unable to promptly respond.
As part of our staff training we invite the Nuu-chah-nulth to educate our staff in their ways. We also assist the Nuu-chah-nulth in helping them protect their burial caves in the park by notifying them of any infractions that we witness.
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