Eco Tours
3 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 96% of travelers
96% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
$75
$68
per adult
Ocean River Sports
Ocean River Sports
5
Gear RentalsNature & Wildlife ToursStand Up PaddleboardingKayaking & Canoeing
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Full view
About
Come enjoy the ultimate Victoria Kayaking Experience with Ocean River Adventures. Located in Victoria’s Inner Harbour, kayaking is a great way to explore our historic city. Join us on one of our Harbour Kayak tours or SUP Tours. We also offer an Oak Bay Shoreline Kayaking Tour, recognized as one of the top tours in Victoria. Offering expeditions, tours and courses throughout the Vancouver Island region, our guests will experience all the wild West Coast has to offer. Hands-on education about water and marine conservation is a key theme and we only employ certified guides that respect sensitive ecosystems and species while teaching about the importance of ocean sustainability, preservation and conservation. Victoria’s premier paddling and outdoor adventure company. Want to try something different? We are also a premium stand up paddle tour operator in the southern Vancouver Island and Victoria region.
Tours and Tickets by Ocean River Sports
Kayaking Tours
2–3 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travelers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
$83
$74
per adult
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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 wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
624 reviews
Excellent
581
Very good
37
Average
2
Poor
1
Terrible
3
Rowan Tree
3 contributions
Jul 2021
A good friend and I booked the Basic Kayaking Skills and we were greeted on the dock by a very friendly guy named Nick Barker. He immediately made us feel at ease and showed us the office and the 'classroom' under a shaded area at the end of the dock. For the next 1.5 hours, Nick went through the five required items needed for kayaking, Paddle Canada's certification program, the various parts of a kayak, and other essential details. Next he took us out onto the waters of Victoria's inner harbour and showed us the six paddle stokes that we would need, using various little bays to concentrate on each stroke. He assessed our techniques and provided invaluable feedback. After this introduction, I could feel how much better I was able to handle the kayak. After lunch we headed to a quiet area near Johnson St. Bridge and he demonstrated evacuation and rescue techniques to use when someone's kayak capsizes. I was anxious about this section of the course but Nick was calming and encouraging. In the end, it was quite a lot of fun and my friend and I were laughing and enjoying the new found confidence. Overall, Nick was an excellent teacher - patient, encouraging, knowledgeable, and passionate about kayaking. I would recommend this beginner course to anyone, and I thank Ocean River for providing a great teacher. Well done Nick!
Written July 4, 2021
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.
Jin L
Port Moody, Canada4 contributions
Jul 2020
I rented a tandem kayak for three hours at the Oak Bay location and it was fantastic. This was my first time kayaking, and the experience could not have gone better. We decided to go to this location because the website advertised it would be a more 'rugged' area. It was a beautiful area, and we even got to see a few eagles and river otters! The customer service is awesome as well. I would highly recommend this place for anyone interested in some scenic kayaking.
Written August 2, 2020
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.
Rita C
9 contributions
Jul 2020
A lot of fun and learned a lot. I knew I could rely on solid equipment and services from Ocean River, but the highlight was the course Itself. Our instructor, by Jon Badger, clearly had extensive knowledge and experience kayaking and a keen interest and success in demonstrating communicating and teaching. His clear love and respect of his sport and the marine environment was infectious. He made sure we were safe at all times and had lots of fun.
Written July 7, 2020
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.
Trevor R
1 contribution
Aug 2020 • Solo
Took the Basic Sea Kayak Skills course with Ocean River. Our instructor, Nick, was amazing! Course content was smoothly covered in the morning and a fun afternoon was had on the water going over practical skills. Highly recommended!!
Written August 20, 2020
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.
Thanks Trev for the wonderful review, Nick is a great instructor with a huge passion for what he does. We hope to see you on a Level 1 next where you can further develop your kayaking skills. Cheers, Mark
Written August 21, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Terrie
1 contribution
Sep 2020
I took the Paddle Canada Level One course in September, 2020, with Gordon Brown. I am very new to kayaking, having had limited experience in 'social paddles' this summer. I also had no idea that for my very first intensive learning weekend I would be so fortunate to have a world renowned kayaking coach, helping me get it right, right from the start. Gordon carefully introduced the skills and information, gradually building our confidence, never compromising and always showing faith in us and our abilities.
Lots of time on the water, learning by doing.
A memorable experience. Thank you so much.
Lots of time on the water, learning by doing.
A memorable experience. Thank you so much.
Written September 23, 2020
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.
Stuart
Victoria, Canada1 contribution
Feb 2020
Four of us did a two-day rough water kayak course with Gordon. The first weekend we went out of Oak Bay Marina and I couldn't believe how much I learned just heading out to Trial Island where we learned how to deal with strong currents, then back along the shore to the Marina. After 6 or 7 hours, we had all learned a lot, even though we'd been paddling for decades. The second day we left from Whiffin Spit in Sooke. There were standing waves, wicked winds, and rolling surf to play and learn in. The whole time, Gordon paced us expertly, giving us time to practice each skill in the best conditions to learn, before moving onto the next skill. I would highly recommend getting your paddling skills tuned up with Gordon!
Written March 8, 2020
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.
Thank you so much for joining Gordon on a two day session. We are so happy you had a great time and got to experience Gordon's excellent coaching style.
Written March 10, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kennely J
2 contributions
Jan 2020
I just finished a rolling client with Lee and Ben, at Pearson College. It was a great learning experience how they went through each step on how to learn to roll. I for one had a great day it was lots of fun. The expertise of Lee training was 10 out of 10, I recommend anyone to take a course through Ocean Rivers top notch teachers.
Written January 31, 2020
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.
Thank you very much for joining Lee and Ben on the rolling course. They are great instructors and we are very proud to have them with us. Hopefully we will see you again on another skill development program!
Written February 1, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
K.Ashton
3 contributions
Jun 2020
We just completed a one day Basic Kayak skills program with John of Ocean River Sports. It was at Thetis Lake - what a gorgeous day! John was excellent. Our small class had a range of ages and he was so great with everyone. We had lots of fun while mastering the necessary technical skills - enjoyed this very much, would recommend it to anyone.
Written June 29, 2020
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.
Kara
Nanaimo, Canada11 contributions
Nov 2020
Did the "rough water and tidal paddling" kayak course with Gordon Brown a few weeks ago and it was by far the most informative and confidence building course I have completed to date. I went out there with a lot of different fears in those conditions and I left that day feeling capable and with a whole new appreciation for kayaking.
Highly recommend.
Thanks Gordon!
Highly recommend.
Thanks Gordon!
Written November 24, 2020
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.
CriticalLINK
Edmonton, Canada5 contributions
Apr 2022
Lee Philips customized a fabulous wet exit training and recovery for a group of 4 of us out of their Oak Bay location. Lee worked through some anxieties with careful 1 on 1 attention and met each of us, where we were, to instill confidence. He went above and beyond in every respect in terms of making it safe and fun - no small feat in cold salt water. Thanks Lee!
Written April 25, 2022
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.
No questions have been asked about this experience