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One of the most peaceful ways to experience Victoria and Vancouver Island is by kayak or canoe. These vessels allow you to view the Island from a unique vantage point and venture into many places inaccessible by boat or car. As you explore the coastal waters around Victoria and the inland lakes and rivers of the Island, the only sound you will hear is your paddle dipping into the water.
Victoria and its surrounding area is considered to have some of the best kayaking and canoeing in the world. Vancouver Island has approximately 3,500 kilometres of ocean coastline, 700 lakes, 160 rivers and 890 streams in which to paddle. These waterways are located amid spectacular West Coast scenery and are shared by an abundance of marine creatures and wildlife.
Whether you are new to paddling or looking for an exciting adventure getaway, allow a local guide to introduce you to some of the prime areas to kayak and canoe. Visitors can rent kayaks and canoes upon arrival, or bring their own equipment. If you bring your own kayak or canoe, BC Ferries treats them as hand baggage with no extra charge.
Vancouver Island’s paddling tours take care of everything; all you need to bring is your adventurous spirit. Follow your guide past a colony of sea lions or a pod of orca whales. Discover abandoned native villages with toppled totem poles or ride in the largest native whaling canoe of its kind in North America. Relax your mind, body and soul as you paddle into the sunset and soak up the last of the day's sunshine.
Kayak trips aboard motherships are also popular tours. A mothership (a large, luxurious sailboat or a rustic tugboat or barge) takes kayakers out to the more desolate stretches of Vancouver Island's coast. Motherships provide a home base for paddling and offer warm beds, hot showers and good food to kayakers after a long day on the water.
Please see the Tourism Victoria member businesses offering Kayaking and Canoeing. For a complete listing of all Tourism Victoria businesses, please visit our Business Directory.
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