Canada · CANOES & KAYAKS
Good canoe & kayak trips fill up weeks ahead; the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Paddle the Bow River in Banff’s 12-seat Big Canoe, spot wildlife, hear local stories, and enjoy an easy family-friendly outing.
“Our guide, Ethan, was OUTSTANDING!! He made the experience fun & so memorable!! We could not ask for a better guide. I only gave 4 stars because it was more strenuous than I thought it would be. But still fun & LOVED Ethan!”
Escape Toronto for a full day of canoeing, hiking, waterfalls, wildlife, and lookout views in Algonquin Provincial Park.
“For one day, great to be able to do some canoë trip, a hike and go to the visitor center from Toronto. Good expérience.”
Paddle Banff’s Bow River on an easy 90-minute canoe tour with Rocky Mountain views, local stories, wildlife chances, and lemonade afterward.
“Our guide, Bri was awesome! Learned a lot about Banff during our tour from her. She also gave us more great recommendations for things to do afterwards. We had our 5 year old daughter along with us. Bri made sure she was safe and had a great time. We definitely recommend!!”
Paddle Cape Chignecto to the Three Sisters, explore tidal cliffs, enjoy a homemade picnic, and experience Nova Scotia from the water.
“Unforgettable Kayaking Tour at The Three Sisters! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I had the pleasure of joining a kayaking tour at The Three Sisters yesterday July 31, 25 and it was absolutely magical. The scenery was breathtaking. Towering C statues, clear pristine waters, and the kind of coastal beauty that stays with you long after you leave. Our guide, Ethan, made the experience even more memorable. He shared fascinating stories rooted in folklore and Indigenous history, weaving them into the landscape around us. His knowledge of local ecology, wildlife, and edible plants was impressive—we even got to try different types of seaweed, which were surprisingly delicious! Ethan was funny, engaging, and clearly pa...”
Review the Vancouver seal adventure with snorkeling, kayaking, mountain views, practical tips, pricing, and advice on who should book.
“This was the most incredible experience! The guides were so nice and very knowledgeable. Also Kevin was a great sea captain. The seals were adorable and very playful! One jumped up in my husband’s kayak and another nosed and softly bit at my kayak paddle playing with it. The snorkeling was also super fun and it wasn’t too cold since we had the wetsuits. Plus they provided hot chocolate and soup once we got back on the boat. Overall the experience of a lifetime and would recommend this tour a million times over!”
Paddle the Bow River in Banff’s big canoe, with mountain views, local stories, easy group rowing, and a guide-led look at the park.
“Our guide Cam was awesome! So knowledgeable sharing lots of great info about the area. He was so much fun! The ride was so beautiful- very easy to canoe- we highly recommend it!”
Paddle the Bow River in a 12-seat canoe, spot wildlife, hear local stories, and enjoy Banff mountain views on a family-friendly evening tour.
“Had a brilliant time during this activity with my family. Saw some beavers and a couple of elks. Our guide, who I think was called Tom, was excellent and he answered the questions the little boy had on our canoe really well.”
Try ice canoeing on Quebec City’s Saint Lawrence River, with crampons, hot chocolate, digital photos, and a Nordic sauna afterward.
“What an awesome experience! Completely unique and memorable. I highly recommend this to anyone looking to try a new adventure in Quebec during winter.”
Paddle Canoe Lake, leap from cliffs, hike to a lookout, and learn Algonquin stories on this active six-hour guided tour.
“Goed verzorgde lunch op een mooie plek en eveneens daar waar men de lake in kon om te zwemmen, springen of duiken. Gids Diego was heel aardig en vertelde e.e.a. op specifieke plaatsen met ook enige humor. Fijne dag gehad!”
Paddle Quebec’s Saguenay Fjord from Anse-de-Roche, with cliffs, wildlife, warm gear, and a bilingual guide for $58.
“Activity was not bad but not the best kayaking”
Paddle Victoria Harbour past the Empress and Parliament Buildings, with expert instruction, wildlife views, and a small six-person group.
“Excellent guide, magical weather, very helpful staff. Safe experience with staff ready to address questions and provide gear if necessary”
Paddle Ottawa’s Grandmaître Ecological Reserve, spot turtles and wildlife, and learn about Petrie Island with a friendly bilingual guide.
“Great way to explore the water around Ottawa! We went without a guide, and three hours was plenty of time to meander our way through the river. The guide gave us some tips on how to spot turtles before we left, so we ended up seeing lots of turtles. You also get sent with a map of the waterways so you know where you're going. We also had the option to do a single or double kayak which was nice. Overall, it was a very nice experience and would recommend it to anyone interested in spending some time on the water near Ottawa!”
Review of Algonquin Park’s 3-day canoe camping trip, with meals, gear, wildlife walks, sauna, sunrise paddling, costs, and practical tips.
“Wonderful experience! Our guide Baz is very experienced, efficiënt and, most important, a very caring guide with a great sense of humour. The food was excellent as well as the sleeping bags. Top activities were, amongst others, canoeing, camp fires, the sauna, and watching sunrise. We also had a great social group and enjoyed each others' company. As a family we enjoyed this adventure very much.”
Spend a full day at Moraine Lake and Lake Louise with easy access, flexible hikes, canoe time, wildlife viewing, and local guidance.
“We loved our guide Dave! He was very informative and allowed us to customize our day! He was very willing to help and answer any questions! We had the right amount of time at each lake. We even saw a grizzly bear on our drive! Thank you for a great day!”
Review of Vancouver’s 5-hour seal tour, with snorkeling, kayaking, mountain views, snacks, practical tips, costs, and honest drawbacks.
“I loved everything about this trip. We did it all and saw incredible seals, herring, and starfish. The staff was super friendly and really looked after us. Such an incredible trip. We had brocoli soup, crips and hot chocolates. Then ended with a jump off the boat which was so freeing. Definitely book this trip such a lovely day out.”
Every kind of Canadian day out, and the best of each.
