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Maple Leaf Adventure Cruising

  • Multiple Durations Available
  • June to October

Maple Leaf Adventures has provided conservation-focused, big adventures aboard small ships since 1986. With a reputation as one of Canada’s top operators of small ship cruises, these multi-day excursions give guests one-of-a-kind experiences in some of the most beautiful and rare places in British Columbia, often in areas that were once under threat of destruction or in dire need of protection. 

On the west coast, these Canadian wildlife tours explore the best regions. There are no roads, so you’ll travel by beautiful, classic expedition yachts. You will experience nature, wildlife, and cultural history in all areas you visit. Your crew includes naturalists, expedition guides, mariners, and a personal chef. Destinations the tours visit are Haida Gwaii, Great Bear Rainforest, Broughton Archipelago, Desolation Sound, Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands National Park.

The Ships

MV Swell (Tugboat)

Swell is a beautiful, classic, converted tugboat. She accommodates up to 12 guests in 6 private cabins, all with full en-suite heads (bathrooms with showers), and a crew of 5. 

Maple Leaf (Sailing Ship)

Maple Leaf is a classic, 92-foot schooner. She accommodates up to 8 guests in 4 sim-private sleeping areas, with 3 shared bathrooms, and a crew of 4 or 5. Maple Leaf is a sea-kindly vessel with a long-range. She can take you to the coast’s wildest, remotest corners more comfortably and safely than most other vessels. Her sails and 40,000-pound keel keep her steady, and her crew’s warmth and culinary delights keep your soul soaring.

She is outfitted for engaging with the natural world.

Cascadia (Catamaran)

Cascadia is a go-anywhere, expedition-style catamaran. She accommodates up to 24 guests in 12 luxurious cabins, with a crew of 10.

She is unlike any other vessel offering expeditions on the BC coast, having been built specifically for high-quality, boutique cruises. Light, spacious, and comfortable, she is also capable of reaching the wildest, most naturally rich places on the coast. Her small size and guest numbers provide an authentic, human-scale experience that respects the carrying capacity of coastal inlets and communities.

What's included with Maple Leaf

  • All accommodation
  • Superb meals by our chef
  • Wine with dinner
  • All shore excursions
  • Use of gear on board including kayaks
  • Fishing gear and more
  • Interpretation from A-List naturalists, including top scientists and educators
  • Conversations with leaders on the coast – First Nations leaders, scientists, and others
  • Personalised care and attention by Maple Leaf’s stellar crew and staff
  • The chance to steer and help sail the Maple Leaf

The Destinations

Haida Gwaii

Haida Gwaii, formally known as the Queen Charlotte Islands, is an archipelago of islands on the continental shelf off Canada’s west coast. You’ll explore the famed, rich marine life and rainforests, as well as the Haida culture. Includes the whole archipelago, from north to south, ancient to modern, including Gwaii Haanas and UNESCO World Heritage Site SGang Gwaay (Ninstints).

Broughton Archipelago

The Broughton Archipelago is rich in biodiversity. The 200+ islands are frequented by an abundant array of marine mammals, fish, and invertebrate species. Sea lions haul out along rocky shorelines, both fish-eating and marine mammal-eating killer whales cruise the waters around Hanson Island, humpback whales gorge themselves on small schooling fish, and Pacific White-Sided dolphins speed through in numbers of 50+, all making it an ideal destination for a whale watching holiday. Seabirds, kelp forests, and sea stars add brilliant splashes of colour to this diverse paradise.

Desolation Sound

A place where towering mountain peaks, from the adjacent mainland coastal range, plunge into deep water fjords, waterways, and passages. Rocky islets laden with arbutus trees and towering forested hillsides on islands make up the topography of Desolation Sound.

Great Bear Rainforest

The Great Bear Rainforest is a land of fjords, islands, and great river estuaries. It’s the world’s largest intact temperate rainforest. Bears and wolf packs thrive as they have for millennia. Explore the wildlife, the waterfall-filled wonder, and the human history of one of the planet’s most spectacular coastlines – often called “the last stand of the great North American rainforest”.

Vancouver Island

Rising from the rich Pacific Ocean, the legendary Vancouver Island offers so much raw wilderness and wildlife, yet most are inaccessible by road. The Vancouver Island trips take you off the beaten track, to discover our diversity — from the oceanic northwest coast to the quieter channels and archipelagos of the inside passage, from the rainforest in the north to the balmy Mediterranean islands in the south. Wildlife includes whales, bears, birds, and many other marine mammals. All of this is punctuated by the region’s rich culture: from the elders at Kyuquot who teach you traditional skills, to the boardwalk communities of the Broughton Archipelago, to the culinary artisans of the south.

Gulf Islands National Park

With expert local guides, you will be led throughout the Gulf Islands National Park to little-known island havens where wildflowers grow and striking red bark Arbutus line the shoreline. Explore in comfort from your expedition ship the wild and eclectic southern Gulf Islands.

MAPLE LEAF ITINERARIES

  • Vancouver Island’s Wild Side (Northwest) – 6 nights
    Explore Vancouver Island’s rugged and beautiful northern coast. Brooks Peninsula (a glacial refugium), Solander Island (home to puffins), Kyuquot Sound (including sea otters and the village of Kyuquot), lush inlets and sandy beaches, as well as a cruise around the northernmost tip (Cape Sutil) and on the protected eastern coast.
    Sailing dates: 11th July 2024. Ship: Cascadia. Starts and ends in Port Hardy.
  • Vancouver Island’s Wild Side with Canadian Geographic (Northwest) – 6 nights
    Explore Vancouver Island’s rugged and beautiful north coast with Canadian Geographic explorer, George Kourounis. Go beyond the classic Wild Side itinerary (above) and dive deeper into learning about weather systems and local culture.
    Sailing dates: 21st July 2024. Ship: Cascadia. Starts and ends in Port Hardy.
  • Vancouver Island’s Inside Passage – 7 nights
    An amazing journey through the wild island archipelagos on Vancouver Island’s east coast. Highlights of Gulf Is National Park, Desolation Sound, Discovery Islands, and the Broughton Archipelago, including wildflowers, beaches, waterfalls, seabirds, marine mammals, rainforest, and exploring. Sailing dates: 10th May 2024. Ship: MV Swell. Starts and ends in Port McNeill.
  • Vancouver Island To Great Bear Rainforest – 8 nights
    This Vancouver Island to Great Bear Rainforest tour covers the length of its inside passage, from the dry Gulf Islands national park in the south to the steep-sided, rainforest islands in the north. Wildlife includes marine mammals, seabirds and sometimes bears. Cultures include First Nations and European pioneer cultures, as well as Vancouver Island’s growing culinary arts. You’ll cruise from south to north, along protected passages, an inland sea, and from island to island, with frequent shore trips. Sailing dates: 9th May 2024. Ship: Maple Leaf. Starts in Campbell River and ends in Bella Bella.
  • Great Bear Rainforest in Spring – 7 nights
    The Great Bear Rainforest, British Columbia tour is alive with colour each spring. Wildflowers and brilliant green sedges fill the estuaries where grizzlies come out to forage. Enjoy these sights on a Great Bear Rainforest Spring tour where you will explore deep fjords, walk through estuaries, and watch wildlife emerge during the vibrant spring season. Sailing dates: 19th, 22nd and 20th May or 7th and 23rd June 2024. Ship: MV Swell or Maple Leaf. Starts in Bella Bella or Kitimat and ends in Prince Rupert or Kitimat..
  • Great Bear Rainforest & Kitlope – 6 nights
    Dramatic landscape surrounds you as you cruise deep into the coastal mountain range towards the stunning Kitlope River. From the Kitlope witness, steep snow-capped peaks, grizzly bears relaxing among tall green sedges, and colourful wildflowers in shades of purple and blue. Take shore excursions with the knowledgeable crew to explore the Kitlope River Estuary. Relax on secluded beaches, trek through ancient rainforests, and learn about the historical significance of the Kitlope. Sailing dates: 27th May, 15th June and 21st August 2024. Ship: Cascadia or MV Swell. Starts and ends in Kitimat.
  • Whales & Wild Isles – 8 nights
    This epic summertime super voyage along the remote north and central coast of the Great Bear Rainforest (BC, Canada) specialises in whales, far-flung islands, and the oceanic world they inhabit. Step onto wild, white-sand beaches, spend hours with humpback whales and other marine mammals, visit the best place on earth to see orcas (killer whales), and visit with whale researchers who are making new discoveries from their station at the aptly named Whale Channel. Sailing dates: 21st and 28th July or 6th, 16th and 21st August. Ship: Maple Leaf or Cascadia. Starts in Kitimat or Port McNeill and ends in Bella Bella, Prince Rupert or Port McNeill.
  • Whales & Totems Summer By Sail – 5 nights
    Sail away on summer breezes into Blackfish Sound in the southern Great Bear Rainforest. View orca, humpback whales, and other marine wildlife. Explore islands with white shell beaches (ancient village sites) and the ancient rainforest of the mainland fjords. Visit villages brimming with culture.
    Sailing dates: 3rd, 9th and 15th August 2024. Ship: Maple Leaf. Starts and ends in Port McNeill.
  • Desolation Sound & Fjords Of British Columbia – 6 nights
    This journey among the islands and fjords of the storied British Columbia coast includes Desolation Sound and the Broughton Archipelago as well as neighbouring inlets. Snowcapped mountains, glacier-fed fjords, calm and scenic cruising are the backdrop to this journey through the nature and wildlife of the west coast – from rainforest to bears and dolphins. Local hamlets, culture, and citizens provide coastal lore, culinary, and way of life insight as you take the path of the ocean and the pace of the tides to explore what it is to be a denizen of the west coast. Sailing dates: 19th and 20th October 2024 . Ship: MV Swell or Cascadia. Starts in Port McNeill and ends in Nanaimo.
  • Desolation Sound In Spring – 4 nights
    Explore the stunning waterways, fjords, and islands of Desolation Sound, one of the world’s most popular cruising destinations. Your small boat tour here in spring lets you experience the power of nature without the summer crowds.
    Sailing dates: 25th, 29th and 30th April or 1st, 4th and 5th May 2024. Ship: MV Swell, Maple Leaf, or Cascadia. Starts and ends in Campbell River.
  • Haida Gwaii Catamaran Tour – 7 nights
    Embark on an eight-day Haida Gwaii tour that explores both modern-day Haida Gwaii communities (Graham Island) and ancient historical sights in Gwaii Haanas (Moresby Island and south). Enjoy the first day and a half on a land-based tour led by a local expert, then join the good ship Cascadia for days of cruising and adventure as your Haida Gwaii tour continues south into Gwaii Haanas. Sailing dates: 9th, 16th, 23rd and 31st May or 15th, 22nd and 30th June 2024. Ship: Cascadia. Starts and ends in Vancouver.
  • Haida Gwaii Sailing Ship Tour – 8 nights
    Explore Haida Gwaii from the northern town of Masset to the southern reaches of Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, Marine Conservation Area Reserve & Haida Heritage Site. Tour Graham Island by land for a day and a half with a knowledgeable guide before joining the crew aboard SV Maple Leaf for an 8-day Gwaii Haanas tour. Sailing dates: 5th, 13th, 22nd and 30th June or July 8th 2024. Ship: Maple Leaf. Starts in Masset and ends in Sandspit.
  • Haida Gwaii With Canadian Geographic – 8 nights
    This special edition trip, with Canadian Geographic and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, brings you a VIP resource person and special extras. Haida Gwaii / the Queen Charlotte Islands is a must-see destination for those who love wildlife, far-flung places, and/or northwest coast First Nations culture. Sailing dates: 7th June 2024. Ship: Cascadia. Starts and ends in Vancouver.
  • Gulf Islands In Spring  – 4 nights 
    Walk through wildflower meadows, historic homesteads, and beautiful beaches this spring in the Gulf Islands, BC. Home to southern resident killer whales and many marine birds, seals, and sea lions- enjoy ample wildlife viewing and possible whale watching. Sail among eclectic island communities, under spring skies, and over sparkling waters.  Sailing dates: 22nd April 2024. Ship: Maple Leaf or MV Swell. Starts and ends in Sidney.
  • Gulf Islands In Autumn – 5 nights
    This small ship cruise explores the Gulf Islands, Canada, an archipelago of islands in the protected Salish Sea between Vancouver Island and the mainland (where Vancouver, BC, is) in British Columbia. It is one of the world’s best small-boat cruising destinations. You’ll island hop in the National Park, visit wildlife colonies, walk the rainforest and rocky bluffs, and explore remote beaches and tiny islands. Sailing dates: 21st and 25th October 2024
  • . Ship: Maple Leaf. Starts in Nanaimo or Sidney and ends in Sidney
  • Wines And Islands – 4 nights
    Explore the breadth of BC wine, its people and place through this special tasting, culinary and nature adventure. Guided by our on-board experts, as well as other wine industry leaders and pioneers, each day you’ll learn about and taste the best wines from BC’s distinct wine regions. Sailing dates: 29th October 2024. Ship: Cascadia. Starts and ends in Sidney. 
  • Craft Beer & Culinary Cruise – 4 nights
    A beer tasting tour with a twist. This combination beer tour, cultural history adventure, and small ship cruise explores B.C.’s rich and colourful craft brewing scene — a hotbed of the renaissance in North American brewing. Aboard the classic tugboat Swell, you’ll cruise the southern Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island region of British Columbia, Canada, going ashore frequently for tastings, nature walks, and wildlife viewing.  Sailing dates: 27th October 2024. Ship: MV Swell. Starts in Nanaimo and ends in Swell.

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Our team of travel professionals focus on providing you with the very best advice when it comes to planning your holiday to the USA and Canada. They have experienced the destinations, hotels, tours and excursions for themselves, so if its expert advice and guidance backed by faultless customer service that you are looking for, you couldn’t’ be in safer hands. We will listen to your wish list of ideas as well as add our own personal recommendations to create a unique itinerary, personalised just for you.

For a quotation based on your preferred travel date and to check availability please contact one of our team of professional consultants who will be happy to assist you.

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