River Rafting & Tubing • Nature & Wildlife Areas
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Lake Cowichan Tours
Top Tours in Lake Cowichan, British Columbia
Lake Cowichan Tours
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Sports Camps & Clinics • Adrenaline & Extreme Tours
What travellers are saying
- Dale K3 contributionsHad a blast, so much fun!......a big thanks to Mireille for her help!
I highly recommend this if you are in the area!.
DaleWritten August 29, 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - jeffY9367JR1 contributionMy buddy and I booked a drift on the Cowichan River and it was simply the best,
We hooked into a massive Steelhead, caught countless beautiful trout and had an amazing adventure drifting the river. Kenzie's fishing and guiding knowledge is superb and he's a great person as well. The entire day was top notch. I've already booked a second trip!!Written April 9, 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - JJLVictoria, Canada152 contributionsWanted to stay on the Island and explore some more of the beauty it has to offer. Wow - glad we did this. Booked this holiday a bit late with another family. We were a total of 7 people and managed to get a Max8 boat - spacious for our group. I think doing this trip anytime would have been a treat but we totally lucked out with amazing weather the week we were on the water (28C everyday)! This is a massive lake with ample room even for all the weekend traffic and boating. Lots of places to get away from everyone and enjoy tranquility. Kids (all under 11) had an fantastic time - swimming, beachcombing, etc.
The GREAT: Amazing, amazing, amazing lake. Crystal clear water in some areas, warm, clean. Just about every spot on this body of water was paradise! Jeff's customer service is A+++. He does his best to make sure you have a great experience. Explains things clearly and goes out of is way.
TIP: Head to the further part of the lake around Shaw Creek. Daytime be on the North Side of the Lake to get all the sun. Moorage on the South Side so you get nice warm sun in the morning. Even though we had hot days, it really cools down at night. Close your windows and have a decent sleeping bag. Try to stay away from Sandy Beach - it's close but also busy.
Cell coverage - we didn't care so much as we wanted to disconnect but in case you need Jeff's help, south side has better coverage and the east half of the lake.
TIP: If you have kids, bring lots of different games (board games, card games). There is sometime only so much swimming you can do and there will be colder times you can't convince them to go in the water.
TIP: Bring a clothesline with lots of pins so you can hang your wet stuff. It gets windy on the lake - we had lots of stuff fall off the sides because we just hung on the railings.
TIP: Fishing - lots of cruising (BIG) trout. Bring a rod (Jeff rents for $20/day). Shaw Creek seems to be the place.
TIP: If you have kids - bring extra toilet paper.
The NOT SO GREAT: Some aspects of the boat could have been improved (see below).
IMPORTANT: This lake can get windy and choppy. Don't drive west through the Narrows during these times! Also, be prepared for rocking around at night. First night you feel like your drifting but if you tied properly then nothing to worry about!
Booking: Jeff seems to be a 1-person show. He's fast to respond with answers. He initially did not have any openings but tried his best to fit us in. After a first failed attempt to find a date, he came back and let us know he added a boat to his fleet and we were good to go! The website is ok but could definitely include more photos of the inside/outside of the boat, especially layout (e.g. sleeping arrangements with multiple guests). There is a gallery on the website but it doesn't tell you what type of boat the photos come from. Read the "what's included" as it is very clear. FEES: Note them. Expect to pay ~$150 for a full week ($1.38/L). We stayed moored for 4 of 6 nights, but did travel the entire length of the lake at slow speed. ~$40/sewage dump.
The boat: Our Max8 did not come with hot tub and was a fairly older boat - you can see a lot of wear on the in/outside. This boat *IS* finicky. Older Volvo Penta Engine - can't pilot from the upper deck. On a cold start, we had to warm up in idle ~2000rpm for 15 mins or else it would cut out when you shifted into reverse/forward. Throttle was also touchy. In the end we figured it out but it took some trial/error and luckily never flooded the engine. Shower head did not work on our boat. The electrical was finicky too. First day we had no electricity. Had to text Jeff and he tried to walk me through turning on the inverter (not intuitive), etc. Unfortunately, we were in a cell coverage dead spot but managed to send a text to Jeff. Long story short, had to shut all the electrical charge down for 30 minutes and the rebooted. Could not get back in touch with Jeff but he came out the next morning to see if we needed anything (we were on the far north side of the lake so it must have taken him at least a hr to come out!). I found the battery did not hold much charge. We only had it on at night for lights just before bed or quick warm up for food but it went low pretty quick. Also could not have more than one outlet drawing power or the entire system would overload. Charging is done while main engine on or with a gas powered generator. Charging was also finicky. And for some odd reason the fridge would alarm (nice sized fridge but tiny freezer - bring LOTS of ice!). Large cooler provided on upper deck. Outdoor slide was tonnes of fun! Canopy was perfect for our sunny days. The step ladder coming out of the water is way too short - some kind of extension is needed. BBQ was great - did almost all cooking outside.
Will do this again!Written August 11, 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Peter DVictoria, Canada10 contributionsDrop in to see Gord and get all the best info on fishing in the area. He carries everything for Lake/River/Ocean Fishing and also carries an interesting array of great collectibles at great prices. Bring in your Dog and don't worry about your wet waders, they are both welcome. About the only thing he doesn't carry are fishing licences. You never know he might even offer a free coffeee.Written May 8, 2018This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
