Ecosummer Expeditions
Ecosummer Expeditions
Ecosummer Expeditions
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The original Orca Camp kayak guides, providing memorable & safe guided whale-watching kayak tours on BC's Johnstone Strait since 1976. Choose a guided whale-watching tour or our Orca Base Camp, next to Robson Bight Ecological Reserve - the best place in the world to see Killer Whales in the wild.
Telegraph Cove, British Columbia, Canada
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Ecosummer Expeditions
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
5.0
29 reviews
Excellent
28
Very good
0
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Hanna B
5 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
We spent 4 days and 3 nights at base camp and just loved it. The kayaking was incredible with whales, sea lions, porpoises, dolphins and eagles all around us. The guides, Dan, Dane and Ricci, were awesome. We felt safe, well taken care of and well fed the whole time. The tents are already set up with cots and pillows. There are even hot showers! Bring lots of layers and warm clothes. The early morning sunrise paddle and laughs by the campfire were highlights for sure.
Written August 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rebecca
Vancouver, Canada2 contributions
Aug 2019
I spent 4 days at the Orca Camp beginning of August, and it was such a wonderful experience. The guides Sinead, Rae and Ken were amazing and so knowledgeable. We spent most of our time on the water kayaking and looking out for wildlife, and the highlight was when we saw a pod of orcas all around our kayaks one day. Such an unforgettable experience! The evenings were spent around the campfire with delicious, fresh food prepared by our guides. All in all the camp was such a positive and fulfilling experience, and the orca sighting topped it all. I would say the orca camp is the most memorable travel experience I've had so far!
Written August 25, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Buster D
3 contributions
Jul 2019
In 2015 we visit the Orco Camp for the first time 3 days.
Now we are back for 6 fantastic days at the Orca Camp.
The team was great with helpful people.
The cooking was amazing en deserves an Michelin Star.
The chef Heather did a great job.
Under accompaniment from Ken, Rai and Sid we saw a lot off wildlife. The are great guides.
The nature is wonderful, and we make a lot off pictures.
It was a lifetime experience, and we allready looking forward to come back again.
Thanks for a great time.
Piet en Rina
The Netherlands
Now we are back for 6 fantastic days at the Orca Camp.
The team was great with helpful people.
The cooking was amazing en deserves an Michelin Star.
The chef Heather did a great job.
Under accompaniment from Ken, Rai and Sid we saw a lot off wildlife. The are great guides.
The nature is wonderful, and we make a lot off pictures.
It was a lifetime experience, and we allready looking forward to come back again.
Thanks for a great time.
Piet en Rina
The Netherlands
Written August 17, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Claudia Heidemann
Graubünden, Schweiz1 contribution
Jul 2019
We spent 6 days at Orca Camp and it won't be the last time! The campsite is beautifully located in the rainforest near the beach. An amazing place! There's nothing left out to let everyone feel as comfortable as possible. There's a good working hot shower! How cool is that, hotshowering in the middle of the rainforest! A modern composttoilet does also a lot for a comfortable stay. The cooking is absolutely amazing! I never expected such foodvariety in the wilderness. Heather does real magic in that kitchen! The guides were amazing as well. Everyone felt very comfortable and save at any moment, the kayaktrips were a great experience. Ken knows Johnstone Strait from the inside out. He always guided us to the best possible locations to see humpbacks, orcas, porpoises, eagles, seals - basically everything that lives in the strait. This was the experience of a lifetime. Many thanks to everyone at ecosummer expeditions!
Written August 15, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jjjeffreys
London, UK3 contributions
Jul 2019 • Couples
Firstly, I think it’s fair to say that orca camp far exceeded our expectations and was a fantastic experience. We were incredibly fortunate to see such a wide variety and number of wildlife, especially orcas, which I think can partly be accredited to the location of the camp, but mainly to the quality and experience of the guides, Ken and Rai (not sure on the spelling!). Seeing Orcas from a kayak was a real once in a life time experience.
However the experience was really enhanced by individuals such as Heather, who’s cooking was absolutely amazing!
Sid and Rai were equally incredibly friendly, helpful and a pleasure to spend time with. Their company and enthusiasm really helped make the experience. My girlfriend
and I particularly enjoyed Rai’s company and input when guiding. There was a moment where she asked the group to be silent to listen to an orca resting line moving by and it really was one of those moments I’ll never forget!
And, of course, Ken provided such great experience and input. His stories round the campfire were great fun!
Overall the experience was fantastic and I’m sure will be a real highlight of our experience
However the experience was really enhanced by individuals such as Heather, who’s cooking was absolutely amazing!
Sid and Rai were equally incredibly friendly, helpful and a pleasure to spend time with. Their company and enthusiasm really helped make the experience. My girlfriend
and I particularly enjoyed Rai’s company and input when guiding. There was a moment where she asked the group to be silent to listen to an orca resting line moving by and it really was one of those moments I’ll never forget!
And, of course, Ken provided such great experience and input. His stories round the campfire were great fun!
Overall the experience was fantastic and I’m sure will be a real highlight of our experience
Written August 8, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
noahtra
Canton of Zurich, Switzerland21 contributions
Jul 2018 • Couples
We spent a 4-day trip at Ecosummers Orca Camp at the end of July. The camp was the absolute highlight of our Canada trip! We saw orcas every day. Sometimes even several times a day! We saw them from both the kayak and the beach sometimes at binoculars distance and sometimes even very close to the beach about 20 meters away. Another beautiful encounter we had with Dall's harbour porpoises, which swam around our kayak and under the kayak. We also saw humpback whales twice from the beach with the binocular.
Other animals we saw were: a black bear (from the kayak), seals, sea lions, bald eagles, otters, starfish, sea urchins and other marine life visible at low tide.
The camp has a packing list online, we recommend to follow it. A power bar for the camera and a good telephotolens (200mm and more) as well as a high quality binocular are recommended. By the way, there is no cell phone reception in the camp.
The camp:
Everything was always very clean in the camp. The camp's amenities included two spacious showers providing hot fresh water. The house's own stream, which comes from a spring provided excellent drinking water. The toilets are compost toilets that are ventilated, with no or minimal odour emissions.
Kayaking:
As absolute beginners we found the camp well doable. There is an introduction and the speed is adapted to the slowest kayak. There are always smaller breaks due to the many animal encounters. You sit in double kayaks, which are very stable. The equipment is of high quality. Spray jackets are available for kayaking. At noon you will have a longer lunch break on a beautiful beach.
On the first and last day you go on a short kayak tour for about two hours.
Food:
The food exceeded all our expectations! Breakfast was better than in most hotels. The camp kitchen is fully equipped and it is cooked with gas. Dinner was great and there was always fresh salad and vegetables. They have responded to wishes such as vegetarian. Little snacks and tea and coffee were always available in between.
The guides did the cooking, help with the dishes were welcome.
Guides:
The guides (Brenda, Jordan and Sinead) were great! Always helpful and full of knowledge about the region. With enthusiasm they told us about the animals and the surroundings and answered all our questions. Jordan is a true whale encyclopedia and alert. He hasn't missed one Orca. The guides have identified the whales we have seen by catalogue. Through radio contact with other whale-watchers, we were always informed if whales were swimming to our place.
We also enjoyed the beautiful sunsets and evenings around the campfire with good and funny conversations with the guides and the other whale-enthusiastic fellow travellers. We can only recommend the camp! We are already planning our next trip here!
Other animals we saw were: a black bear (from the kayak), seals, sea lions, bald eagles, otters, starfish, sea urchins and other marine life visible at low tide.
The camp has a packing list online, we recommend to follow it. A power bar for the camera and a good telephotolens (200mm and more) as well as a high quality binocular are recommended. By the way, there is no cell phone reception in the camp.
The camp:
Everything was always very clean in the camp. The camp's amenities included two spacious showers providing hot fresh water. The house's own stream, which comes from a spring provided excellent drinking water. The toilets are compost toilets that are ventilated, with no or minimal odour emissions.
Kayaking:
As absolute beginners we found the camp well doable. There is an introduction and the speed is adapted to the slowest kayak. There are always smaller breaks due to the many animal encounters. You sit in double kayaks, which are very stable. The equipment is of high quality. Spray jackets are available for kayaking. At noon you will have a longer lunch break on a beautiful beach.
On the first and last day you go on a short kayak tour for about two hours.
Food:
The food exceeded all our expectations! Breakfast was better than in most hotels. The camp kitchen is fully equipped and it is cooked with gas. Dinner was great and there was always fresh salad and vegetables. They have responded to wishes such as vegetarian. Little snacks and tea and coffee were always available in between.
The guides did the cooking, help with the dishes were welcome.
Guides:
The guides (Brenda, Jordan and Sinead) were great! Always helpful and full of knowledge about the region. With enthusiasm they told us about the animals and the surroundings and answered all our questions. Jordan is a true whale encyclopedia and alert. He hasn't missed one Orca. The guides have identified the whales we have seen by catalogue. Through radio contact with other whale-watchers, we were always informed if whales were swimming to our place.
We also enjoyed the beautiful sunsets and evenings around the campfire with good and funny conversations with the guides and the other whale-enthusiastic fellow travellers. We can only recommend the camp! We are already planning our next trip here!
Written August 9, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We cannot thank you enough Noahtra for this fantastic and detailed review! July was truly an incredible month at our kayak camp, and we are so happy you were able to be a part of it! Thank you for appreciating all the little details, and taking the time out of your day to post this fantastic review. Your guides Brenda, Jordan, and Sinead are so grateful that you appreciated all their hardwork and knowledge. If you have any suggestions for us in the future, we'd be happy to hear additional feedback at info@ecosummer.com. Many thanks again and wishing you a fantastic rest of the summer!
Written August 15, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Collect Footprints
Norderstedt, Germany4 contributions
Sept 2018 • Couples
We spend 3 days at the very beautiful Orca Camp. We slept in a tent near the beach in the rainforest. The tents and sleeping pads were very comfortable. The guides Jordon & Steven were awesome. Jordon told us lots of storys & worth knowings about the whales. So interesting! We had also a wonderful cook, Heather. She cooked delicious meals. There was always enough food, snacks and special meals if you are e.g. vegetarian.
Because of the weather (it was stormy and rainy) we were not the lucky ones who saw orcas...but this is nature! It doesn't matter, we had wonderful days with our group of 10 people. We hope we can come back to see the whales!
Because of the weather (it was stormy and rainy) we were not the lucky ones who saw orcas...but this is nature! It doesn't matter, we had wonderful days with our group of 10 people. We hope we can come back to see the whales!
Written October 6, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anne P
Copenhagen, Denmark1 contribution
Jul 2018 • Couples
We went to the orca camp three years ago. At that time we had a wonderfull trip, but nature is changeable, so the orcas didn't show up. It's hard to be disappointed when you see bears, humbags, porpoises, seals and sea lions instead.
But this year we returned to the camp - an we saw orcas several times a day. The nearest one was around 10 meters away!
Also our guides Sindead, Jordan and Brenda did whatever to make us fell comfy; great food, great sleeping and great company.
We need to go back a third time - nothing else to say!
But this year we returned to the camp - an we saw orcas several times a day. The nearest one was around 10 meters away!
Also our guides Sindead, Jordan and Brenda did whatever to make us fell comfy; great food, great sleeping and great company.
We need to go back a third time - nothing else to say!
Written August 7, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dear Anne, how privileged we are to have had you return to visit us a second time around! You are so right in that nature is changeable, yes, and the whales aren't always in our area. Gratefully they are still so wild in that way! How happy we are that this time around you had much better luck with the wildlife and got to have so many great encounters. Thank you for taking the time to review your experience and publicly thank our wonderful guides. Thank you for your business and especially for giving us a second chance!
Written August 15, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
HolstDenmark
Campbell River, Canada2 contributions
Aug 2017 • Family
We stayed four days in the Orca Camp. The weather was perfect and both Jordan and Ken are skilled guides. However, we think the advertisement and pre-trip mail correspondence with the company gave a falls impression on the condition for whale-spotting. We were under the impression that the area was full of wildlife and we would be observing whales or bears every day. The tour is very pricey especially if it is mostly kayaking up and down the cost line. In our case we didn't see any killer whales before the morning on the last day. In order to compensate for the lack spotting we were promised a whale tour, but this offer was withdrawn when we came back to Port Hardy.
Written August 18, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MToonen
23 contributions
Jul 2018 • Couples
I believe we kicked of the 2018 summer season for ‘ecosummer expeditions’ with a three day visit of the camp.
The camp is beautifully located in the nature. Nice tents and a cool path leading through the rainforest from the tents to the kitchen. On the sea we saw a lot of wildlife!
We saw orca’s but far away and from the beach. Also we saw dalls porpoises, seals, crabs and humpbacks and of course the black bear on the beach!
Our life changing experience was when on the third day a humpback decided to come up close to our kayak, it came to the surface appr. 4 meters away... unbelievable. We were very lucky, and scared!!
We would like to thank the guides Brenda and Jordan for being awesome!
We will come back again!
Michel and Marian
The camp is beautifully located in the nature. Nice tents and a cool path leading through the rainforest from the tents to the kitchen. On the sea we saw a lot of wildlife!
We saw orca’s but far away and from the beach. Also we saw dalls porpoises, seals, crabs and humpbacks and of course the black bear on the beach!
Our life changing experience was when on the third day a humpback decided to come up close to our kayak, it came to the surface appr. 4 meters away... unbelievable. We were very lucky, and scared!!
We would like to thank the guides Brenda and Jordan for being awesome!
We will come back again!
Michel and Marian
Written October 30, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Where are you located and how do we get in touch with you? Were here for a week (5 of us) and would like to do some tours.
Thanks
Dana
Written July 16, 2016
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.