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Walk-in safari tent with two made beds, a timber deck and folding chairs under a corrugated roof in the forest

Discovery Islands · Sea Kayaking Tours

Spirit of the West Adventures

4.9 · 247 TripAdvisor reviews ↗

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From the Journal

The realm of the whales, at paddling speed

Orca and humpback move through Johnstone Strait all summer, and the best seat is eighteen inches off the water. I paddled and filmed with Spirit of the West out of Quadra Island — base camps, expeditions, and the hot tub that ruins you for ordinary camping.

Words, photography & film by Ben Taft ·

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About Spirit of the West Adventures

Spirit of the West has run guided sea kayaking out of Heriot Bay on Quadra Island for more than twenty-five years, and splits its British Columbia programme into two kinds of trip. Glamping trips work from a fixed base camp — walk-in tents with real beds and private bathrooms, an oceanside hot tub — with day paddles into Johnstone Strait and Blackfish Sound, where orca and humpback move through from midsummer. Expeditions carry everything in the boats and move camp daily, covering Johnstone Strait, the Broughton Archipelago, Desolation Sound, Nuchatlitz on the west coast and an eight-day Great Bear Rainforest route. Trips run four to eight days and prices are published per trip, including kayaks, camping gear, all meals and guiding. There is a dedicated family departure for children under twelve, and a wellness-focused trip. Minimum age on expeditions is twelve.

The essentials

Rate band
$$ — $500–1,000 per person / night
Season
late June to late September for the British Columbia departures
Sleeps
12 guests
Region
Discovery Islands, British Columbia
Access
Ferry, Road, Boat
Typical per person
$2,395 (estimated from published rates)

Trips stage from the company's base at Heriot Bay on Quadra Island, reached by BC Ferries from Campbell River, with a boat or water-taxi transfer to the launch point.

Amenities

  • All inclusive
  • Camping equipment provided
  • Kayaks provided
  • Guided programme
  • Licensed guides
  • Hot tub
  • Shared bathroom
  • No mobile signal
  • Equipment included

Best for

  • Couples
  • Families
  • Solo travellers
  • Small groups
  • Paddlers
  • First timers
  • Photographers
  • Wildlife viewing

Virtual tour

Video

Photographs

14 photographs of Spirit of the West Adventures. Select any image to enlarge it.

Location

50.1000, -125.2100 · nearest gateway Campbell River

How we verified this

Compiled from the operator's own published material and rewritten in our own words. Last checked 31 July 2026. The following could not be confirmed against a published source and are marked unverified: avgTicketValue, capacity, season, seasonText, lat, lng.