Trip Itinerary
Kayak Guesthouse Vacation - 5 Days
Group size is six guests plus two guides.
Each person is equipped with a single kayak.
This tour is suitable for both novice and experienced paddlers.
Previous kayaking experience is recommended, yet not required.
Personal Preparation
The Kayak Guesthouse Vacation provides an opportunity to explore the remote wilderness of Gwaii Haanas, while enjoying the comforts of indoor accommodations each night.
The first night is spent at the Moresby Explorers Floating Lodge.
The next three nights are spent in the rustic Rose Harbour Guesthouse, near the southern tip of the archipelago. This lovely accommodation was carefully hand-built by resident musician Tassilo.
The tiny, charming community of Rose Harbour is our base for kayak explorations. The kayak guesthouse vacation allows for plenty of flexibility each day. Guests have the option of joining daily kayak excursions, or staying in Rose Harbour to relax at the guesthouse.
Enjoy wood-fired hot showers after your kayak day-trips. Experience marvelous organic meals hosted by the local residents. These fascinating homesteaders are happy to provide a glimpse into their unique self-sufficient lifestyles. For photos, please see the Rose Harbour album.
Day One - Kayak Guesthouse Vacation
This vacation begins in Sandspit; guests are picked up in the morning at Seaport Bed & Breakfast for the one-hour drive to Moresby Camp. Here, you board a large Zodiac-style speedboat to begin exploring the northern regions of Gwaii Haanas.
Visit the ancient Haida villages of Tanu or Skedans. Explore Hecate Strait; spotting whales, sea lions, dolphins and a large variety of sea birds.
In the afternoon, you arrive at the Moresby Explorers Floating Lodge for dinner and your first night of accommodation.
Day Two
After breakfast and a short boat ride, enjoy a luxurious soak in the natural pools of Hotsprings Island. Later, the boat passes through Burnaby Narrows on your way to the tiny, isolated community of Rose Harbour.
Arrive around midday and move into the Rose Harbour Guesthouse. Two guests generally share each room in this cozy and rustic establishment. Amenities include a common room with a table, chairs, couch, library and woodstove. Enjoy the soft chairs and great views from the covered deck.
There is a private, well-maintained composting outhouse. The guesthouse's indoor sink has running cold water. The hot running water is located at the ingenious wood-fired shower facility a few steps away.
Three meals a day are served at Susan's place - the neighboring house in Rose Harbour. (Some days we pack our lunch and enjoy it on a beach during an extended kayak day-trip.)
After lunch in Rose Harbour on day two, we provide an orientation to the kayaks and embark on an afternoon paddle.
Days Three and Four
There are numerous and varied day-trip possibilities from Rose Harbour. Kayaking options include sheltered local excursions, as well as more challenging adventures to Hecate Strait and the Pacific outer coast. Ride the current down Houston Stewart Channel as we paddle to the Gordon Islands to explore the lagoon at the centre of this delightful island cluster. Kayak up Rose Inlet and hike through the magnificent rainforest to a picturesque waterfall, then journey to the head of the inlet where remains of an ancient Haida fish-trap are still visible.
Walk along shorelines to witness the vast array of marine life clinging to the inter-tidal regions. Discover the rich bio-diversity existing between sea and forest.
Visit the ancient Haida village of Ninstints on Anthony Island. This extraordinary historic settlement is a United Nations World Heritage Site, also known as SGang Gwaay. Numerous totem poles overlook the village and longhouse ruins are still visibly prominent.
Haida Watchmen on the island can explain the carvings on the poles and provide insightful interpretations of the village and their ancestors who once lived there. Spend a day exploring the site and experiencing the sense of mystery that lingers in this ancient village.
Day Five
The speedboat arrives in Rose Harbour to transport the group to Sandspit. Tour the coastline of Gwaii Haanas and stop to enjoy various wilderness sites along the way. At the end of the day, you are returned to Seaport B&B in Sandspit.
- What is Included - Kayak Guesthouse Vacation
- Van and speedboat transport from Sandspit to the Moresby Explorers Floating Lodge, where accommodation and dinner are provided on the first night.
- During Day One and the morning of Day Two; explorations by Zodiac-style speedboat, stopping to visit Hotsprings Island and the ancient Haida village of Tanu or Skedans. Continue to Rose Harbour on Day Two, arriving around noon.
- Three nights accommodation at the Rose Harbour Guesthouse.
- Delicious organic meals, from lunch on Day One to lunch on Day Five.
- Certified and experienced sea kayak guide and assistant guide in Rose Harbour.
- Three types of Seaward single kayaks for you to choose from in Rose Harbour:
- One Cosma TX kayak
- Two Tyee TX kayaks
- Six Chinook TX kayaks
- One Cosma TX kayak
- One Necky Looksha T double kayak is also available.
If you would prefer paddling the double, please be sure to arrive with a paddling partner.
- Boat transportation between Rose Harbour and the ancient Haida village of Ninstints (SGang Gwaay).
- National Park entrance fee.
This $120 per person fee is included in our price.
- Speedboat and van transport from Rose Harbour back to Seaport B&B in Sandspit on Day Five.
Alternate boat or floatplane transport may be substituted.
- In the unlikely event of delayed transport due to weather or other factors on the last days of the tour, meals and accommodation are provided to guests in Rose Harbour.
- What's not Included - Kayak Guesthouse Vacation
- Transportation between your home and Sandspit, British Columbia.
- Accommodation and meals in Sandspit prior to and following the tour.
- Appropriate outdoor clothing and items of a personal nature.
Arriving with appropriate outdoor clothing is essential to each person's comfort and safety during the trip. A detailed clothing & equipment list is provided upon registration.
- Optional gratuities.
- In the unlikely event of delayed transport due to weather or other factors on the first days of the tour, additional expenses such as accommodation and meals in Sandspit are not included.
Routes and itineraries remain very flexible to accommodate changeable west coast conditions. Alternate boat or floatplane transport may be substituted. In order to confirm the Kayak Guesthouse Vacation and secure our reservations at the Moresby Explorers Floating Lodge and Rose Harbour Guesthouse, four people must register well in advance. Please consider registering early to ensure this trip becomes confirmed.
