All Trips > Washington > San Juan Islands Kayaking and Camping San Juan Islands Kayaking and Camping Book Your San Juans Trip AT A GLANCE Washington 14 Explorer Chicks Glamping, Camping Glamping, Hiking, Multisport, Paddling, US-Based, Water Sports, Weekend, Wildlife 5 Days 3 - Active Physical demand level for this trip By Foot, Paddle, and Fork Photos Itinerary Logistics Activity Level What's Included Book Your San Juans Trip Share By Foot, Paddle, and Fork The 2024 Trip is Confirmed! Let’s Go!!! Do you identify as orca? Are you craving stupid-fresh air, dense-as-night forests, weird sandal tanlines, and probably the best kayaking in the world? Get your paddle-happy butt on this women-only sea kayaking and camping adventure in the San Juan Islands! We treat you to Washington’s most stunning archipelago from the comfort of glampsites (with perfect cocktail decks) and traditional backcountry camping. Over the next 5 days, you’ll explore Orcas Island, San Juan Island, and Stuart Island by foot, paddle, and fork. There will be cheese. The San Juan Islands are home to three pods of killer whales. Over 80 tail-flapping giants call these waters home, along with harbor seals, river otters, Steller sea lions, common minke whales, Dali’s porpoises, and bald eagles. Catch a guided whale watching tour at sunset on Day 1 and explore the secret universe of tide pools on the shoreline. It’s okay, blowholes make us misty too. Live like a Wilderness Queen as you explore the mighty forests and mountain lakes of Orcas Island, the largest of the San Juans. Hoof the best trails including a steep hike to the highest point, Mount Constitution. From the top, you’ll gaze upon rugged coastlines, insane ocean views, and snow-capped mountains before breaking for a picnic lunch and winery visit. The rest of our adventure is filled with backcountry kayaking to Stuart Island. Feel like a pioneer as you load up your two-person kayak expedition-style––all your camping gear, food, and personal items are coming with, Explorer Chick! We’ll paddle up to 15 miles, making our way across channels and straits to reach Stuart Island to set up our homey primitive camp. Here we’ll do more hiking and paddle to other nearby islands while your co-workers back home collate copies. Whenever we’re back at camp, your guides cooking up bougie backcountry meals. Sink your pearlies into fresh, organic, locally sourced ingredients that you didn’t have to lift a finger to make. Expect wine pairings also. And dessert. And never wanting to leave. Are you coming or what? Photos Itinerary Expand All Days Day 1 - Sunset Whale Cruise Gather round your new besties at noon in Memorial Park/Circle on San Juan Island. Make a beeline for your Explorer Chick guide (the one wearing all the swag) for quick intros before transferring to our glamping home for the next two nights. Once on site, we’ll settle in and walk through orientation. We know you’re buzzing to just GET IN THE WATER ALREADY so we’ll sneak in a quick sea kayak lesson or hike. Look at us already making inside jokes about butt sweat! Once we’re all loosey-goosey giggly, we’ll board the boat for our sunset whale watching tour. Our captain will not only keep his eyes peeled for the infamous Orcas, but for any wildlife that calls these islands home. Accommodations: Glamping Meals: L-D Day 2 - Hiking Orcas Island and Winery Anyone else emotionally hungover from those whales? After a big breakfast, we’ll take the ferry to Orcas Island, the largest island in the San Juan Archipelago. You’ll encounter fluffy forests, pristine mountain lakes, and views that look like paintings. Lace up those hikers nice and tight as we explore the best trails in Moran State Park. You’ll enjoy leisurely strolls around Cascade Lake and Mountain Lake, keeping an eye out for bald eagles swooping down for a fresh catch. We’ll also take on the highest point of the San Juans: Mount Constitution. (Appropriately named.) Climb the tower atop the 2,409’ mountain for panoramic views of Mt. Baker, Mt. Rainier, and the rest of the snow covered Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges. Naturally, (’cause we’re Explorer Chicks) all this hiking will be rewarded with a yummy picnic lunch plus a winery experience before taking the ferry back home to our glamping site. Perfect Day #2 achieved! Transfer: 20 minute ferry ride Mount Constitution Hike: 6.7 miles/1,490’ gain Accommodations: Glamping Meals: B-L-D Day 3 - Sea Kayaking to Stuart Island It’s your first big day on the open water! Channel your inner sea lion as we pair up into kayaking teams. We sea kayak expedition-style, meaning you’ll be loaded up with a share of the camping gear, food, and personal items. If you can bring all the groceries inside in one trip, YOU CAN DO THIS! Your guides will review kayaking techniques and navigation before you set out for Stuart Island. We embark from Roche Harbor on San Juan Island and cross the Speiden Channel with views of Speiden Island. The island was once used for big game hunting in the 1970’s-80’s. Today, it is privately owned and home to Mouflon sheep, the European fallow deer, and Japanese silk deer. We’ll make a pit stop at yet another island for a tasty picnic lunch on a pebble beach. Come late afternoon, we’ll drag our kayaks onto the shores of Stuart Island where we’ll set up base camp followed by some free time to dip our toes in the water. After dinner we can take a sunset hike, enjoy an evening paddle, or gossip around the campfire. Paddling: Approximately 5 hours and 7-10 miles Accommodations: Backcountry Camping Meals: B-L-D Day 4 - Day-Tripping by Boat and Foot With our basecamp established on Stuart Island, you’ll enjoy an entire day of scoping out the trails and tiny coves along the shores. Today we can go wherever the group decides. We can hike to Turn Point Lighthouse or paddle to more tiny islands like John Island and the Cactus Islands. Along the way, be on the lookout for bald eagles, river otters, and harbor seals. Your EC guide will drop all the local knowledge and show you the most scenic pee spots. 10/10 would drop trow here again. Once back at camp, your guides will prepare one last backcountry gourmet meal with the perfect wine pairings. Soak it all in, sista: the wilderness, the quiet, the disconnect, the gentle tide. You’re doing life right. Paddling and Hiking: Varies, but a full day mix of both! Accommodations: Backcountry Camping Meals: B-L-D Day 5 - Kayak to San Juan Island Morning already?! We’ll pack up our little backcountry home and load up our kayaks to paddle back to Roche Harbor. You’re basically sea kayaking elite by this point. Enjoy the final pristine views as we glide back across the Spieden Channel, keeping those peepers peeled for basking seals. Once back to Roche Harbor, you’ll have a chance to wash those spicy pits at the marina showers before we transfer back to Friday Harbor. Hug it out, airdrop all the photos, and start planning the next adventure with your new sisters! Plan to depart the island around 4:30pm. Paddling: Approximately 5 hours and 7-10 miles Meals: B-L *Explorer Chick reserves the option to modify trip itineraries at the discretion of your tour director as necessary due to weather, conditions, illness, injury, group dynamics, or other unforeseen incidents. Logistics Arrival Major Gateway Airport: Seattle, WA (SEA) See Notes below for options from Seattle to San Juan Island Pick Up Location: Friday Harbor, San Juan Island Meeting Time: 12pm on Day 1 Departure Major Gateway Airport: Seattle, WA (SEA) Drop Off Location: Friday Harbor Return Time: 4:30m. Transfer Instructions from Seattle to Friday Harbor, San Juan Island Full travel details including transportation service recommendations will be in your travel guide. Option 1 – Fly: Charter flights from Seattle to Friday Harbor (here or here). Option 2 – Ground: Shuttle (3.5 hours) or Drive (2.5 hours) from Seattle to Anacortes, then Ferry (1.5 hours) from Anacortes to Friday Harbor Rendezvous point is in walking distance of both the Ferry Terminal and the Island airport. We recommend arriving a day early into Seattle, Anacortes, or Friday Harbor to avoid any problems with tight transportation schedules, delayed flights, ferries, or luggage. You will receive a Travel Guide with all the rendezvous hotel, packing, and additional information you’ll need to prepare for your epic trip. We require a minimum of 5 Explorer Chicks for this trip. Please confirm your trip is guaranteed before booking airfare. Activity Level Rated 3 – ACTIVE This trip is rated a 3 – Active because of the final 3 days of your trip where you’ll kayak up to 15 miles and 6 hours per day with tides, waves, and currents. You will be paired with another Explorer Chick in an “expedition” style kayak that will be weighed down with gear. This trip can be enjoyed by beginners, but you should be in good physical condition. You can also expect some soreness/fatigue during the kayaking portion. Our daily kayaking routes will include stops to use “natural toilets,” rest, hydrate, and snack. However, when we have channel crossings there will be no chance to get out of your kayak to use the “toilet.” Channel crossings can take up to 2-2.5 hours. Although you are not required to be able to swim, it is recommended so you’ll feel more comfortable in the open water. Daily Activities: Day 2: Mount Constitution Hike. 6.7 miles. 1,490’ gain. Day 3-5: Kayaking. Up to 15 miles daily. Up to 6 hours daily. Please consider your ability to meet the physical demands very seriously. It is for the safety of both you and our group. All Explorer Chicks will be required to sign an Acknowledgement of Physical Demands as part of their waiver upon booking. Read more about our Activity Levels. What's Included Lodging: 2 nights Glamping on San Juan Island shared 2 per tent. Big, beautiful Pinterest-worthy canvas glamping tents decked out with furniture and porches. Equipped with bedding, bath linens, tables and chairs, outdoor chairs, and fire pits. Shared shower house and restrooms. No electricity and spotty cell service 2 nights backcountry camping shared 2 per tent. Includes shared tents, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and pillow. Primitive camping with pit or compost toilet. No showers available. Activities All activities and entrance fees as outlined in the itinerary Kayaking including instruction, safety equipment, 20L and 5L dry bag for personal belongings. Gratuities for all excursions Meals Meals and cocktails with a focus on local ingredients and purveyors. Backcountry bougie! All meals as indicated in itinerary: B-4, L-5, D-5 Gratuities for included meals Practical Professional leadership team with local guide and Explorer Chick Guide Gratuities for local guides A detailed Travel Guide with everything you need to know for your trip The freedom to enjoy your vacation and mindlessly wander! Not Included Airfare Airport Transportation Alcoholic beverages Travel Insurance Meals exclusive of itineraries Costs for additional activities Gratuity for your Explorer Chick Guide (read our tipping guidelines here) Explorer Chick reserves the option to modify trip itineraries at the discretion of your tour director as necessary due to weather, conditions, illness, injury, group dynamics, or other unforeseen incidents. More from the San Juans 📍The BEST place to see Orcas in the Wild... is waiting for you in Washington’s San Juan Islands🐳Join our all-women’s adventure next summer. 💬Comment “Waitlist” to be the first to get in on the 2025 San Juan Islands trip.🗓️2025 San Juan Islands Trip drops July 2nd.#explorerchick #sanjuanislands #orca #solofemaletraveler #seakayaking #explorerchicksanjuans Open 🚨 BEST PLACE in the WORLD to spy Orcas?📍 San Juan Islands, WA.The Southern Resident orca population of the San Juan islands is made up of three distinct pods: J, K, and L pods which feed almost exclusively on fish (especially their fave: Chinook Salmon 🦈)✌ Each pod consists of multiple matrilineal families (#girlpower), with each whale having it`s own unique markings that researchers use for identification and tracking. Right now, there are 89 resident whales in the San Juans!👀 We take advantage of PRIME whale watching season (March - October) to witness the pods breach, breath and sing during a guided whale-watching tour at sunset!🐋 Have you ever been whale watching? What did you spy? 👇2024 Dates released on August 29th!#ExplorerChick #WomenWhoTravel #AmongTheWild #IdHikeThat #WanderWomen #AdventureTravel #OutdoorWomen #EasyDoesntChangeYou #WomenWhoHike #WeAreExplorerChick #HikingCulture #HikeLikeAWomen #SheIsNotLost #WeAreNature #PositiveMindset #OutdoorTherapy #BucketListTrip #BucketListTravel #wildernessexplorer #pnw #sanjuanislandswa #orcawhale #seakayaking #glamping #explorerchicksanjuans #saveouroceans #whalewatching #discoverwildlife #cetaceans Open 🦅 What`s home to the densest population of breeding bald eagles?📍(Nope, it`s not our political capital)... The OTHER Washington!The stunning San Juan Islands claim this notoriety thanks to the 145 pairs of majestic raptors that nest here!🐟 Why raise a birdie family in the San Juans? Food is abundant and not a stressor (🙌y`all moms know... anything to avoid stress 😅)! The inland sea is stocked full of salmon and other fish, seabirds, and waterfowl; the prairies host rodents and snakes to feed on.Plus, with over 450 islands, there is plenty of space for everyone to spread their wings in this recently designated National Monument! And let`s not forget about all the others who call this area home... humpbacks, minkes, gray whales, sea lions and orcas! 🐋🛶 with us in the San Juans, WA ⏰4 Spots left: Aug 20-24 #ExplorerChick #WomenWhoTravel #AmongTheWild #IdHikeThat #WanderWomen #AdventureTravel #OutdoorWomen #EasyDoesntChangeYou #WomenWhoHike #WeAreExplorerChick #HikingCulture #HikeLikeAWomen #SheIsNotLost #WeAreNature #PositiveMindset #OutdoorTherapy #NatureTherapy #BucketListTrip #BucketListTravel #wildernessexplorer #pnw #sanjuanislandswa #orcawhale #baldeagles #seakayaking #glamping #explorerchicksanjuans Open This error message is only visible to WordPress admins HTTP Error. Unable to connect to the Instagram API. Feed will not update. Let's Do This Starting from $2899 Book Now Save $200 with our Early Bird Discounts! Just book at least 6 Months in Advance! Discount is automatically applied. Non-Refundable Deposit: $200 due at booking to secure your spot Book with Confidence Your wanderlust doesn’t have to wait. Our payment plans make booking your dream trip easier than ever. The best part? Zero additional fees. Payment Plans We want nothing more than for you join us. However, we understand emergencies do occur that may cause you to cancel your reservation. Cancellation Policy To protect your travel investment and your hide, we recommend purchasing travel insurance. Receive a no-hassle, online quote in less than 2 minutes. Trip Insurance In Her Words Shelly B. ★★★★★ I did the 2024 Slovenia trip. My guide, Katie Klos-was awesome! And the trip was truly amazing! From the hut-to-hut hiking in the Alps- to the rest of trip adventures which included rafting, biking wine country, paddleboarding, hikes, delicious food and wine. Everything was planned and taken care of from start to finish and it was a grand adventure! It was my 3rd Explorer Chick trip and my favorite! HIghly Recommend!Kimberly S. ★★★★★ I had a wonderful experience with Explore Chicks' trip to Quito and the Galápagos Islands. Guide Mary Caperton Morton was helpful, friendly, fun, and armed with the best snacks and facts around. We hiked, snorkeled and kayaked and saw more sea turtles, sea lions and tortoises than I had dreamed possible.Aishwarya R. ★★★★★ I recently went on the Explorer chick Peru trip (multi sport adventure) in July 2024. It was an amazing trip with a lifetime worth of memorable experiences. Our guide was Ms. Christina Bruno and every travel arrangement from Cusco sight seeing, to walking tours, visiting archeological sites, river rafting, biking, MACHU Picchu hiking and rainbow mountain trek was impeccable and curated in detail. The best part of the trip was to experience the Peruvian culture including the traditional cuisine which made the experience even more fascinating. I would highly recommend this trip to many explorer chick adventurers if they are contemplating a trip to Peru.Mara K. ★★★★★ I highly recommend Explorer Chick! My trip to Red River Gorge was even better than I expected. Our guide, Jess, was AMAZING. She not only embodies the vision and mission of the company, but is also a great mentor for both amateurs and experienced trekkers. For me, this wasn't just a vacation, it was a life changing experience. I loved every minute!Christine P. ★★★★★ Our guide Kirsty was amazing! Such a great experience hiking up Half DomeShelly R. ★★★★★ Great experience. Ashley was an incredible guide.Amanda M. ★★★★★ I traveled to Alaska in June 2024 and the trip truly was the trip of a lifetime. I have done group travel before with a different group and it’s clear the guides Nicole and Kirstie truly love their jobs. They were professional and had everything planned out to the smallest detail while also being fun and encouraging the whole trip!Kim H. ★★★★★ I had an absolutely INCREDIBLE experience on a backpacking trip with Explorer Chick. Ashley was a wonderful and smart guide - perfect for beginners and backpackers that need a review. I will definitely do more trips with Explorer Chick.Megan M. ★★★★★ Explorer Chick is incredible! I just got back from an Alaska trip with Explorer Chick (June 2024) and it was one of the greatest experiences I've had. This was my second trip with a travel group, but first with EC, and there really is something so special about the female focused aspect. Our guides Kirstie and Nicole made us feel so comfortable and safe throughout every experience and fostered such a fun and warm environment. The communication prior to and during the trip was top-notch and it's clear there is an extraordinary amount of planning and thought that went into the trip and every last detail. I'm so grateful to have been able to take this trip & to meet Nicole & Kirstie and all of the girls in the group!Dana Alonso - B. ★★★★★ I recently got back from the 7 day Alaska trip and I couldn’t be happier with the time I spent there. The trip was phenomenally organized and executed by our guides Kirstie and Nicole! They were absolutely amazing keeping us informed and energized the entire trip. I loved that they also participated in ALL the activities and were so encouraging to the whole team! I definitely recommend explorer chick - they are experienced and know what they are doing! Can’t wait to book another one with them☺️Jennifer E. ★★★★★ What a wonderful trip! This is the first "blind date" girls trip i have ever taken, and I was so glad I did. I have 4 boys, and so I often forget how women support and love each other...in an entirely different way than the male sex does! Traveling with women that I have never met was a lovely experience; one that all women should experience. Mary and Kayla meshed so well as guides...they complimented each other in every way. I am a doctor with 4 grown boys, and having 2 "Moms" that dispensed sunscreen, snacks, bandaids, hand sanitizer and more to "take care of me" was beyond lovely. FINALLY- I didn't have to be the one in control!I suspect most of you reading this review are moms, with careers, and most of you probably know how difficult it is to balance different levels of ability in your kiddos, your staff, and your daily interactions. Kayla and Mary took a complex group of women with different experiences in life, different fears, and different physical capabilities and tended to each one of us as we challenged ourselves both physically and mentally. None of us felt left behind, and our fears ended up as achievements. KUDOS to both of them!Sarah W. ★★★★★ The Croatia multi-activity trip was amazing! This was my second trip through Explorer Chick and it exceeded my expectations once again. Our guide Kat was organized, knowledgeable, and engaging. Each activity was so much fun but the Via Ferrara was. by far the most exciting for me! I would recommend Explorer Chick to anyone looking to do an adventure trip. Questions About The Trip? Name(Required) First Name Last Name Email(Required) Enter Email Confirm Email Send us your San Juan questions!(Required)NameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. 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