Travel to the edge of adventure, but inside your comfort zone, secure in the knowledge that our wilderness guides have all the training and experience necessary to make your Ecosummer adventure not only memorable, but safe and secure as well.
There’s an entire alphabet of wilderness guide training designations – ACSKG sea kayaking leadership, ACMG backpacking/day hiking certification, and advance wilderness CPR. We never leave camp without a well-outfitted first-aid kit and the knowledge to use it – If you encounter trouble along the way, you can rest easy knowing our guides are certified in a whole alphabet of wilderness and first-aid training – from A to Z.
With any Ecosummer expedition, providing a memorable experience will never come at the expense of your safety. Whether you’re hiking the West Coast Trail , exploring ancient rainforests and wild running rivers on the West Coast & Wilderness tour, or kayaking with whales at Orca Camp, your adventure only begins after a pre-trip orientation and all of your safety questions have been answered.
The West Coast Trail presents an exhilarating adventure with an inherent element of risk. To ensure a safe expedition, Parks Canada conducts a mandatory pre-trip orientation, as do our guides, before setting out on the trail. The same holds true for the West Coast & Wilderness tour, wherein our guides and their local counterparts provide a safety briefing before embarking on hikes, snorkeling trips, or ocean kayaking tours to ensure your utmost comfort and confidence. Moreover, we prioritize refining your water-based activity skills to empower you with the necessary techniques to respond to emergencies swiftly. At Orca Camp, we offer group and one-on-one instruction to develop your paddling technique and in-kayak coaching to mentor you before heading out on the water. Starting with the basics on day one like which end of the paddle is up, we seamlessly move onto more complex topics such as quick wet-skirt release, exiting the kayak, and ways to conserve energy for long days on the water. With our holistic approach towards safety and learning, the entire experience is both stimulating and rewarding.
Whether hiking the West Coast Trail, kayaking with orcas in the Johnstone Strait or venturing off the beaten path and into old-growth rainforests and wild-running rivers, our goal is to show you a wild time with minimal impact on both the wildlife and the environment.
Our expert guides prioritize your safety and the welfare of the wildlife you'll encounter during our wilderness tours. With a careful attention to detail, we limit group sizes and maintain a flexible itinerary to account for variations in weather and migration patterns. As experienced expedition leaders, our guides hold the responsibility of choosing when, where, and how you'll interact with the incredible wildlife surrounding you. Additionally, our guides act as adept observers, sharing their vast knowledge of the animals you'll encounter, allowing for a truly unforgettable and enriching opportunity.
EWe want you to be aware that our Ecosummer expedition takes place in a raw and rugged wilderness setting, each with its own fragile ecosystem. Our goal is to minimize our environmental impact while maximizing your adventure. This means that we pack out everything we pack in, and local regulations require you to do the same. We also bear proof our camps, use only environmentally friendly cleaning materials, re-use, recycle, and compost wherever possible. When it comes to the animals, we observe whales and other wildlife from a safe viewing distance, respecting international law that prohibits approaching marine mammals within 100 metres. While it's true that whales sometimes approach us inside of that limit, we encourage you to simply sit back and enjoy the show when this happens!