Water Sports · Camping & Hiking · Ontario
A guided kayak tour and rental outfit in Ontario's Thousand Islands, with half-day and full-day trips past shipwrecks and island homesteads. Guests rave about the guides' teaching and local stories.
1000 Islands Kayaking Co runs guided sea kayak tours among the islands of the St. Lawrence, and with well over a thousand reviews averaging close to five stars, it's one of the best-loved outfits in the area. Visitors describe clear, warm water in summer, calm channels between small islands, and plenty of stops for photos.
Guides get named again and again for being patient, upbeat and full of history, legends and wildlife knowledge. Tours start with a paddling lesson on land, then more coaching on the water, which several first-timers say gave them confidence. One family noted the guide took photos for the group at no extra cost. Stops mentioned include a shipwreck, Half Moon Bay, an osprey nest and turtles sunning on rocks.
The half-day tour runs about three hours and roughly 9 km, and suits families with children as well as beginners. The full-day tour is about seven hours, and people who worried it would be too long say the time flew. The company also runs boat shuttles: one couple camping on an island with their dog was ferried out by pontoon and given a history tour on the way.
Complaints are rare. Bring a picnic lunch, as one reviewer suggests, and note that washrooms and parking are at the launch. Full-day trips are a real commitment, so plan for sun and water on a long day.
Summarised from visitor reviews on Google Maps. Based on 1,266 Google reviews. Details change — confirm hours, prices and bookings with 1000 Islands Kayaking Co directly.
