... Discovery Expeditions kayak tours est. 1986 ... Discovery Expeditions kayak tours est. 1986 ... Discovery Expeditions kayak tours est. 1986
Download our Adobe PDF Brochure
Broken Islands of Barkley Sound 
Days in the Broken Group are filled with maximum hours of sea kayaking amongst giant cedar trees twisted by the storms of winter; or viewing giant sea caves sculptured by the chisel of the relentless waves; or standing beside a blowhole on the rocky shore and listen to the "breath" of the ocean swells.
This archipelago of islands is amazing for paddling and wildlife during the long daytime or star lit evenings. All this on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. Highlights of these trips include investigating gigantic tidal pools, exploring the native origin of these unique islands, hiking the solemn trails that traverse the islands. And walking sheltered and exposed sandy beaches to find the days treasure, or simply enjoy a restful evening sitting around a small beach fire.
Explore the meeting place of the vast Pacific Ocean and the dense coastal rainforest. This is the perfect adventure for families. This tour starts in Nanaimo Vancouver Island which makes it very easy to customize this tour to suit your needs. As we travel from Nanaimo to Barkley Sound we encounter many sightseeing areas the along the way.
Encompassing almost 50 islands in two groups, Barkley Sound is the saltwater kayaker's equivalent of the Boundary Waters in northern Minnesota.
Barkley Sound is where one can experience sea kayaking amongst exciting wildlife and remote passages. As this is a tour that invites the whole family you will find that your kayaking skills need not be that great to enjoy these sheltered waters.
The Broken Islands are known internationally for awesome kayaking and wilderness camping enjoyed by organized adventurers seeking escape to the acessible islands within Barkley Sound Natural features of this tranquil group of islands include lagoons, sandbars, blowholes, arches and secluded anchorages. Ancient native middens, village fortifications, stone fishtraps and archaeological sites that will stimulate the imagination of visitors to this traditional territory of the Nuu-chah-nulth people.
Features of the park include long sandy beaches, an island archipelago, old-growth coastal temperate rainforest and significant Nuu-chah-nulth archaeological sites.
The territory now known as the Pacific Rim National Park has a significant history, having been inhabited by the Nuu-chah-nulth people for thousands of years. A rich natural heritage evolved as Vancouver Island became isolated from the mainland, retaining a great diversity of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish species.
There are eight designated camping areas in the Broken Group Islands within national park boundaries, located on Hand, Dodd, Willis, Turret, Clarke, Benson, Gilbert, and Gibraltar Islands. All island visitors and users must camp in these designated campsites. Random campers will be asked to move to one of the designated campsites. All the campsites are small, and cannot sustain large groups. Please practice low impact camping techniques.
Day 1: Trip starts with a scenic paddle through a dozen remote islands. By the afternoon you will be exploring a small cluster of islands and walking rainforest trails to remote beaches.
Day 2: As you begin to gain confidence in your kayaking skills, you will start to notice the fun in weaving your own kayak through the many groupings of small scenic islands in the Inner Group.. Wildlife experiences highlight each day. Experiences paddling into tidal lagoons and gentle ocean swells are the focus of this days paddling. Often a sunset and a beach fire help us saver this memorable day.
Day 3: Today our destinations include a sea-lion rookery, beach combing the hidden beaches of the outer islands in the Broken Groups and the investigation of the Great Tidal Pool on one of the outer islands. The Great Tidal Pool gives us an incredible area to explore the intertidal marine life of the area.
Day 4: Our final day is often our best. After we pack up we will have the opportunity to visit the sea caves on the outer islands of the Broken Group. On our way home we take a different route featuring open waters, gray whales and maybe even a black bear on the beach at low tide. Arrival back from the trip in around mid-afternoon.
Note: Discovery Expedition reserves the right to alter the itinerary.
Broken Islands Trips ...
The Broken Group of Islands are sensitive habitats. We have visited these waters for over thirty years, twenty of which we have been a commercial operator.
We have seen few changes and a growing respect by the public for the conservation of this part of Pacific Rim National Park.
Our choice is to do our trips in the months of June and September. The fewest number of the public visit during these two summer months which ensures more vacancies at campsites and less traffic in the area.
To contact us about these trips or other trips on our website at
Office 1-250-756-0094
Cell Phone 1-250-619-2714
Fax # 1-250-756-1908
Email Us info@orcaseakayaking.com