The Sea Kayak Adventures Difference
Sea Kayak Adventures is the world’s leading sea kayaking company. Founded in 1993, our mission is born from a passion to experience the world by kayak. With each stroke and glide, kayaking allows time to observe the world. It’s the most intimate way to watch whales and other marine wildlife, and to share the richness of nature with others. For nearly three decades, Sea Kayak Adventures has been providing high-quality kayak tours for active, curious travelers taking people to world-renowned sea kayaking and whale watching destinations, often also combining hiking and cultural exploration.
Our trips go to iconic sea kayaking destinations such as Baja, Mexico; Vancouver Island in British Columbia; and the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador. We also travel to other less famous but equally spectacular sea kayaking destinations. In the Americas these include Alaska, Patagonia and Quebec. In Europe we have sea kayak trips in Scotland, France (Corsica), Croatia, Albania and Turkey. In the Caribbean we pioneered new routes and kayak tours in Cuba and in Africa, there is no other trip like our Primates and Paddling journey. For wildlife viewing, our Antarctica ship-based tours are superb. Each year we unveil new destinations. Let us know where you’d like to go!
We are passionate about every destination and tour that we offer, and many of our guests return year after year. Some trips are amazing wilderness experiences that offer once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounters. Others are a creative blend of local culture, history and culinary elements. Whichever you choose, you will return home rejuvenated from your time spent in nature with like-minded adventurers, kayaking, laughing and learning.
Read testimonials from our guests about why they love Sea Kayak Adventures! We are an award-winning company and are proud to have been voted by AFAR Magazine readers in their annual AFAR Travelers’ Awards, as the #1 kayaking company in 2019 and 2020!
Here are some of the reasons we are the top-rated sea kayaking tour company:
INVOLVED COMPANY OWNERS
Because Mother Nature often throws curve balls, consistency and leadership experience are critical for an adventure travel provider. We are a family-owned business with owners that remain active in the company's operations.
SMALL GROUPS
Most of our trips are for groups of 8-12 and we are also happy to arrange custom trips or private charters if you prefer to travel only with people you know.
YOUR CHOICE – LODGE-BASED OR CAMPING PLUS
As you look through our various itineraries, you will discover a mix of lodge-based trips as well as camping trips. While camping trips certainly immerse a person more fully in nature, we recognize that for some, the comfort of a bed and hot shower at the end of the day is a better fit. For those who want to camp, we have created a class of camping all our own that we call "Camping Plus". The exact way this is executed differs by location. For example, in British Columbia, we set up permanent camps with walk-in canvas tents that have cots. In Baja, our camps are set up each night, but are supported by a motorboat that carries the group camping gear including dining tables and chairs. Wherever we go, our camping trips are designed to provide as much comfort as is practical, while recognizing that there are limitations when exploring remote areas. We also do our best to find the most spectacular and best-situated camps. We're all about truly "getting away", but not quite "leaving it all behind". It's a rugged adventure with some worldly amenities. And best of all, you'll receive unbeatable support and camaraderie from each of our guides.
LOCAL, SUPERB GUIDES
Our guides are locals and have years of guiding experience. Many have wilderness medical training, hold degrees in relevant fields such as marine biology and some are also certified in natural history interpretation. On trips in non-English speaking countries, our guides are bi-lingual (or more) and eager to share their country's cultural and natural history.
Most of our guides are with us for the long-term, even though there is a seasonal nature to the work. Our top-notch equipment, unique itineraries, and perfected operations attract extraordinary guides. We provide extensive training, with annual staff trips in many of our locations, an investment that our guides appreciate and a time together that we all cherish. On your trip, there are usually 2-3 guides working as a team to make your kayaking tour the best it can be. Our guides are friendly professionals that love to engage you in conversation, and share knowledge, games and laughter.
RICH CULTURAL AND NATURAL INTERPRETATION
At Sea Kayak Adventures, we take pride in our intimate and extensive knowledge of the destinations we explore, but more importantly, how we share this knowledge with you. Our guides have a passion for getting you involved in the natural history, traditions and culture of these special places. They regale you with stories, history, and information throughout your tour; adding to your enjoyment and appreciation of the destination. Many of our guides hold degrees in marine biology, geology, anthropology and other related fields. We also pack in a small library of books and guides for your enjoyment while at camp!
LEGENDARY CUISINE
Our renowned wilderness meals, prepared daily by our guides using fresh, local, healthy ingredients, include savory dishes like chiles rellenos, baked salmon, and vegetable lasagna. We serve delicious desserts like brownies and pineapple upside-down cake! Each morning, we serve up freshly brewed coffee or tea. Throughout the day we provide an abundance of local fruits, vegetables, and other snacks. We provide complimentary adult beverages when we serve hors d’oeuvres each evening for happy hour. We do our best to accommodate special dietary requests, working within the parameters of the destinations in which we operate.
SUSTAINABILITY
We practice “Leave No Trace” camping techniques and ethics. Respecting not only the wildlife we encounter, but also the environment we visit, is of utmost importance. Rest assured you will leave the special places you visit as pristine as you found them. We support a number of conservation organizations, choosing one or two in each of the regions where we operate. See our sustainable travel page for more detail about our commitment to the environment and to causes that promote responsible, transformative, regenerative travel.
We make unique and meaningful trips easier for you by taking care of the details so you can just show up and focus on being totally engaged in your adventure.
PASSION FOR WHAT WE DO
The entire Sea Kayak Adventures team has a deep passion for what we do. We are driven to provide life-altering travel experiences to all of our guests. Our staff is motivated by our love of travel, nature, paddling and helping others.
COMMITMENT TO SERVICE
Guest service is at the core of everything we do. Impeccable service starts at our office, with extensive pre-trip information, communication, and immediate responses to your questions. Your reservation will include the full service of our Adventure Consultants who guide you through our booking process, set you up for trip success, get your feedback when you return home, and become a trusted friend in adventure.
Our guides carry our torch of superlative guest service by making every effort to ensure your vacation is as enjoyable and memorable as possible. We love what we do here at Sea Kayak Adventures, and the biggest part of that, is helping you have an incredible vacation! We can't wait for you to meet our Team.
RENOWNED LOCATIONS
We select the very best places on Earth to go sea kayaking, whale watch and discover the wonders of our world. Many of our trips are in UNESCO World Heritage Sites and National Marine Parks, providing unparalleled whale and wildlife encounters, often coupled with calm paddling waters.
HIGH-QUALITY EQUIPMENT
We know that it’s our job to provide uncompromising comfort, safety, quality service and gear. We paddle ahead of the competition by combining our outstanding kayaking destinations with top quality gear and kayaks. In Baja and British Columbia, our fleet is comprised mostly of Seaward fiberglass kayaks – considered among the best in the world. We also use Necky kayaks in some destinations and Prijon in others. Sea Kayak Adventures provides all of the gear you need – kayaks, camping gear, snorkeling equipment, etc –while also teaching you the necessary skills to perform the various activities, and we naturally always have your safety in mind.
COMMITMENT TO RISK MANAGEMENT
Sea Kayak Adventures ensures the quality of its risk management practices in many ways. Most of our guides hold certification from the British Canoe Union (BCU), American Canyon Association (ACA) or the Sea Kayak Association of British Columbia (SKABC). We also participate in the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), risk management program. NOLS is an organization with over 40 years of experience managing risk in wilderness environments. This extensive training has aided Sea Kayak Adventures in developing a risk management strategy for all levels of our organization. In order to mitigate the inherent risks of wilderness and adventure travel, we continue to invest significant time into developing these practices. We are and will continue to be dedicated to the peace-of-mind, health, and well-being of our guests.