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Your Paddle’s Clean and Bright. And desperate for a trip to BC

There’s nothing quite like the solitude provided by a canoe: the rhythmic dip of a paddle followed by the plip-plop of water droplets on the surface is both calming and mesmerizing. And when combined with exceptional views of British Columbia’s mountains and forests, the activity becomes absolutely enchanting. Even on the province’s wilder rivers, canoeing is an entrancing experience as the sounds of our daily lives melt away to be replaced by rushing water and excited laughter.

Humans have been building and using canoes to travel in and around British Columbia since time immemorial. Coastal First Nations fashioned large war canoes as well as smaller foraging ones from western red cedar and plied the waters of the Salish Sea. Other indigenous peoples used birch bark and willow trees in the crafting of their canoes that they then used to travel inland waterways. For example, the yaksumit, or Sturgeon-nosed canoe, has a design resembling its namesake fish and was used by members of the Sinixt nation on Kootenay Lake for thousands of years.

These days, canoeing is much more than a means of travel in British Columbia. Yes, world-class trips exist such as the 116-kilometre-long Bowron Lake Circuit in the province’s interior or the northern Alsek River that runs from the Yukon, through BC and into Alaska. But given the canoe’s cultural importance in the province, there are also canoe-making workshops offered as well as a variety of events and festivals, such as the BC Canoe Festival held in Hope every year. There’s even a community named Canoe on the shores of Shuswap Lake!

Paddle Pros

Meet the experts, businesses, associations, and clubs that have a handle on all things canoe related.

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lessons, rentals, tours & retail
Alpha Adventures- Outdoor Adventure Store

Whether in Sechelt, Gibsons, or Pender Harbour, Alpha Adventures offers paddle rentals and more at each location.

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Paddle board rentals
rentals and lessons
Aquabatics

Aquabatics sells a wide variety of gear and equipment for different paddle sports.

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BC Marine Trails

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rentals
Bear River Mercantile, Bowron Lake Museum

Relax at Bear Camp with their eco-friendly cabins and enjoy time out on the water with canoe and kayak rentals available.

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rentals
Becker’s Lodge

Surround yourself with nature at Becker’s Lodge located on Bowron Lake.

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Canoeing on Bowron Lake
rentals
Bowron Lake Lodge

Plan a perfect self guided trip with the kayak, canoe, and paddle board rentals at Bowron Lake Lodge.

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Rafting in the Yukon
tours
Canadian River Expeditions

Canadian River Expeditions will take you on beautiful tours throughout Northern BC.

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Canoeing with Cariboo Canoe & Kayak Rentals
rentals
Cariboo Canoe and Kayak Rentals

Explore the waters of the Cariboo-Chilcotin with Cariboo Canoe and Kayak Rentals.

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rentals, lessons & tours
Coastal Bliss Adventures Ltd.

Experience amazing sea kayaking tours with Coastal Bliss Adventures.

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lessons, rentals & tours
Coastal Expression

If you’re looking for a canoe or kayak rental, lesson or guided tour Coastal Expression offers them all!

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Canoeing in the Columbia wetlands
rentals and tours
Columbia Wetlands Outpost

Located between the scenic Rocky and Purcell Mountains, Columbia Wetland Outpost offers self guided tours to explore the surrounding nature.

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lessons, tours & rentals
Cowichan Bay Kayaking and Adventure Centre

Choose from different kayaking tours or check out their other watersports rental options at Cowichan Bay Kayaking and Adventure Centre.

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rentals
CRIS (Community Recreational Initiatives Society) Adaptive Adventures

At CRIS Adaptive Adventures the offer canoe, kayak, and SUP rentals for all your paddling needs.

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lessons, rentals & tours
Dog Mermaid Eco Excursions, Kayak Rentals & Retreats

Providing eco-excursions via guided kayaking and paddle board tours, Dog Mermaid Eco Excursions is a great place to reconnect with nature.

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Canoeing in the wetlands of Golden
rentals
Golden Paddle

Golden Paddle provides many different watersports rentals for their guests.

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rentals and tours
Gulf Island Kayaking

Rent or book a kayak tour with Gulf Island Kayaking.

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Overnight rafting trip
tours
Interior Whitewater Expeditions

Experience whitewater rafting trips with Interior Whitewater Expeditions, no matter your skill level they have something for everyone!

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rentals
Jeff’s Kayak and Bike Rentals

Rent kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards with Jeff’s Kayak and Bike Rentals.

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rentals and tours
Kaatza Adventures

With tour and rental options Kaatza Adventures is a great way to explore Cowichan Lake.

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Kamloops Canoe & Kayak Club
lessons
Kamloops Canoe & Kayak Club

Kamloops Canoe & Kayak Club offers many different programs while being as inclusive and accessible as possible, so that everyone can enjoy what they have to offer.

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Paddle board rental
rentals
Kamloops Water Sport Rental

Kamloops Water Sport Rentals offers three different locations. From paddle boards to pedal kayaks and canoes they have something that will work for everyone!

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tours
Kelowna Canoe and Kayak Club

The Kelowna Canoe & Kayak Club is a great place to go on a canoe or kayak tour with many other passionate paddlers.

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rentals and lessons
Kelowna Paddle Centre

Join the Kelowna Paddle Centre for safe and accessible paddle sports activities.

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Kayaking at Knouff Lake
rentals and tours
Knouff Lake Resort

Being one of the oldest four season resorts in BC Knouff Lake Resort would be the perfect get away to unwind and explore the outdoors.

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rentals
Manning Park Resort

Manning Park is your four-season, activity-packed destination.

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rentals
Mitchell’s Canoe, Kayak & SUP, Sales and Rentals

Paddle the Powell Forest canoe route with Mitchell’s Canoe, Kayak, & SUP Sales & Rentals.

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tours
Moccasin Trails

In order to truly learn about our culture we felt the only way was to touch, smell, see, hear, and feel it. Our journey started hundreds of years ago but your journey will start right now with us at Moccasin Trails.

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lessons and rentals
Okanagan Beach Rentals

With a lot of rental options Okanagan Beach Rentals is a great way to explore Okanagan Lake in Kelowna.

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rentals, tours & lessons
Outer Coast Outfitters

Outer Coast Outfitters in Prince Rupert specializes in guided canoe trips.

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rentals and tours
Pedals & Paddles

Explore the beautiful Sechelt Inlet with Pedals & Paddles.

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retail, lessons, rentals & tours
Pender Island Kayak Adventures

Pender Island Kayak Adventures is a perfect place to try anything from kayaking to canoeing and even paddle boarding.

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Paddle Boarding with Rocky Peak Adventure Gear
retail
Rocky Peak Adventure Gear

Rocky Peak Adventure Gear has a great retail selection of different paddle sports gear & equipment.

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rentals and tours
Salt Spring Adventures

Salt Spring Adventures has many tour and rental options available.

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Paddle boarding on Scoop Lake
rentals
Scoop Lake Outfitters

Scoop Lake is the perfect wilderness get away where you can explore over a dozen lakes on a paddle board. 

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tours
Sea to Sky Expeditions

Book an unforgettable guided kayaking tour with Sea to Sky Expeditions.

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Squamish Paddling Club
Squamish Paddling Club

Squamish Paddling Club is perfect for paddlers that have a strong focus on the environment and keeping local waterways safe.

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Kayaking with Squamish Water Sports
lessons and rentals
Squamish Water Sports

Explore the waters of Howe Sound while paddling, kiteboarding, and even wakeboarding there is something here for everyone!

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Group canoeing trip
tours
Takaya Tours

Experience a cultural get away by exploring the local waters on a 35 foot long traditional canoe.

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Canoeing in Kamloops
rentals
True Outdoors

True Outdoors is a local equipment store that carries a variety of outdoor gear for different watersports activities.

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tours
Whitegold Adventures

Whitegold Adventures is located at Bowron Lake which is known to have some of the best paddling trips.

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Canoe, Experiences, Kayak, Lakes & Waterways

The Best Paddling In And Around Kelowna, British Columbia

The Okanagan city of Kelowna boasts one of the warmest climates in the country and offers incredible paddling experiences. Here are the best.

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Canoe, Experiences, Lakes & Waterways

Ten of the Best Flat Water Paddle Trips in British Columbia

The Kicking Horse is only one of many whitewater experiences that make British Columbia one of the best rafting destinations in the world.

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Canoe, Kayak, Kayak Fishing, Lakes, Ocean, Paddleboard, Rafting & Rivers

How To Paddle Safely in British Columbia

From sea kayaking Howe Sound to rafting the rapids of Golden’s Kicking Horse River, the province of British Columbia offers something for every kind of paddler. But it’s important to know how…

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