Testimonials

We were a group of six with our amazing guide/driver David Hopper and a seven seater vehicle, this enabled us to go off road and see things not possible for larger tour groups. David is an excellent guide, he shared the history and culture of Haida Gwaii, and took us to so many interesting places. He is well respected by the local people, and has many contacts so we were made welcome everywhere. We were even invited to dinner by a local family. A great trip.

Thank you to David, Vivian, Heather, and Jay for an enjoyable week on Haida Gwaii. David was an attentive and knowledgeable tour guide, sharing his vast knowledge about the flora and fauna, Haida culture, and geography of the islands. Viv was attending the tour for a second time, and Heather and Jay had long-held dreams of visiting the islands. I was looking to learn more about the Haida culture and their territory as well as spend time in a place not affected by the summer heat and wildfire smoke of other parts of BC and North America. Highlights include - Haida Style boat trip to the village sites of Ḵ’uuna Llnagaay (Skedans) and T’aanuu Llnagaay - walking in the forests and along beaches - Saahlinda Naay - the Haida Gwaii Museum in Skidegate - meals at KEENAWAII’S KITCHEN (Roberta Olsen) in Skidegate, at the home of Trevor and Myrna in Old Massett, fish and chips in Daajing Giids - Jag's Coffeeshop and Guest Rooms in Skidegate - visiting the carving sheds of 7idansuu Jim Hart and Kihlyaahda Christian White as well as the home of artist SGaana Jaad April White. I usually travel to more urban places and create my own itinerary, but I found this small group van tour to be perfect for getting to know Haida Gwaii, with its small communities and wilderness areas. David and Midnight Sun Tours were able to take us places and offer experiences that we may have missed otherwise. We flew into Sandspit and out of Massett Airport. I was surprised that many shops and restaurants were open limited days and hours, despite it being the summer tourist season. I suggest that if you travel there, if you like something, you purchase it when you first see it because you may not see it in another shop. The days were generally a mix of sun and clouds, with just a few rain showers. I was happy in a t-shirt or light sweater most of the time, but other members of the group wore layers of clothing and jackets. Visitors to Haida Gwaii are asked to sign a pledge and respect Haida Ways of Being: 1. Yahguudang • Yahguudáng - Respect for all Beings 2. Ad kyaanang • Ahl kyáanang tláagang - Ask Permission First 3. Tll yahdah • Tll yahda - To Make it Right 4. Gina ‘waadluuxan gud ad kwaagid • Gin ‘wáadluwaan gud ahl kwáagiidang - Everything Depends on Everything Else Finally, thank you to the Haida people for allowing us to be guests on their unceded traditional territory. Haawa / Haw'aa

I wanted to leave a review of a trip 21-28 August 2024 to Haida Gwaii and was not sure how to do it so ... "I wanted a trip to get to know the Haida and their culture and see the magnificence of Haida Gwaii. Midnight Sun Adventure Travel delivered. Their planning and B&B selection and the travel through the islands was perfect. I was particularly impressed by the respectful relationship that our guide, David, had with the Haida people we met. We were also very fortunate to see the launch of a Haida dugout canoe, the first in more than a decade. It was very moving. The trip exceeded my expectations."

Jay Haarburger 3 reviews • 0 photos starstarstarstarstar Yesterday NEW I went on the Haida Gwaii tour to learn about the history and culture of Haida civilization...and that is exactly what I got out of it! I was very pleased that my cravings of curiosity were totally fulfilled with this trip. It is a very interesting experience, especially for those who want to take a trip to learn new things. Plus, a few of the Haida meals are now some of the most memorable and unique culinary experiences I've ever had!

Our recent (July 2024) Midnight Sun Adventure Travel trip to Haida Gwaii was one of the best trips we have ever taken. Haida Gwaii is a unique cultural destination and the small group (5 people) tour offered visits to traditional ancient village sites and museums as well as boat trips and hiking to see both wildlife and coastal forests. Being able to travel in an SUV with a guide allows for flexible touring! Our guide David Hopper kept us on schedule (without rushing us) despite changeable weather and the local weather conditions. David is sensitive to the local Haida culture and very familiar to unique opportunities and activities that an independent traveler would not be aware of. He knows the shops and artisans and he kept us busy seeing canoe building, carving, and other crafts plus interesting walks and beach combing. The food was wonderful – lots of fresh seafood plus the opportunity to try native foods. Some meals were included- some at our choice - which was a good mixture. Hearing about Haida culture from the local tribal people was an especially great treat. Highly recommend the tour company.

“Dawn was a treasure not only was she excellent at her job but she bent over backwards to make sure we enjoyed every minute of our trip”.

Helen Parson (Google) 1 review 2 weeks ago I was part of the July 15, 2022, Haida Gwaii tour run by Midnight Sun. This was a very small group with four participants along with first Nina and then David as guide. It was apparent that they have close contacts in the local community and they drew ably upon this wealth to provide us with a wide experience of local Haida culture including: a superb boat trip to SGang Gwaay and Windy Bay; a tour of the Haida Cultural Centre and Museum; explanation by a Haida guide of local artifacts including poles and longhouses … a trip to the abandoned village of Yan; a great dinner of Haida items at Keenawaiis’ Kitchen; visits to carving sheds; hikes on interesting trails to scenic locations and stops at many other local attractions. The tour was comprehensive, educational and fun. I highly recommend it.

JoanWV wrote a review Aug. 2022 (Trip Advisor) West Vancouver, Canada22 contributions9 helpful votes Haida Gwaii Safari Review of: Haida Gwaii Haida Gwaii “Safari” conjures up African Wildlife Parks and searching for wild animals. However, the term derives from both Swahili and the Arabic word Safar meaning “to journey”. With this definition, our recent 8 day trip to Haida Gwaii, was indeed a journey into the world of the Haida. Our plans to visit Haida Gwaii started in 2019 for a trip in 2020. Covid changed those plans but in 2021, We took small group tour to Haida Gwaii … with Midnight Sun Adventure Travel with only 5 guests. In the time of Covid the small group appealed to us very much. Our tour concentrated on Graham and Moresby Islands, rather than the more popular southern area of Gwaii Haanas, due to scheduling issues with float planes and the availability of pilots. However, our journey introduced us to members of the Haida Nation who were more than willing to share their culture and traditions with us. We had the privilege of meeting and visiting with three well respected carvers in Old Masset, who shared their current work and explained the significance of each. We would never have met these artists without the knowledge and good relationships they had with David our Midnight Sun guide/driver. In addition, we met jewellers, painters, and musicians. We met two jewellers at Haida Arts who made me a pair of red beaded earrings. We also enjoyed the amazing beaches, where we were able to enjoy walks everyday. In fact, everyday included a hike into the forest or on a beach or even in a cemetery. We enjoyed the food of renowned chef Roberta Olsen in her cosy beachside home, as well as food in our accommodations. We had three different accommodation experiences. A local motel with its lovely attached rooms that served the most delicious breakfasts: Smoked Salmon breakfast bagels and their homemade scones were a must. A bed and breakfast by the beach on Hecate Strait, introduced us to the ingenuity of people who live on Haida Gwaii, where resources are limited and infrastructure for visitors not fully developed. And a lovely lodge located in the rainforest overlooking the beach for our final three days where we had a personal chef provide dinners and lunches. One of the highlights of this week (there were so many) was the trip to Skedans or Kuuna Linagaay, on the Northeast Corner of Louise Island. This village is outside the boundary of Gwaii Haanas National Park but is still a Haida Heritage Site with a resident Watchman. We enjoyed the site, a picnic on the beach, and on our way back, pods of Orca hunting seals on a neighbouring beach, and Sea Lions sunning themselves on a rocky outcrop. We were accompanied on this trip by Vera, a Haida elder, who sang traditional Haida songs, provided traditional tobacco to the Orca and drummed a “thank you” for presenting themselves to us. Another, highlight was being educated by Haida members in the art of crabbing on North Beach at Taw Hill. Haida Gwaii has little infrastructure for independent travel on the islands, and with few roads and even fewer rental cars, taking a tour such as this one ensured that we got an immersive experience into the Haida Culture. A Safari indeed!

Jim Hill – August 4, 2021 (Google) one review My wife and I attended the Haida Gwaii tour from August 4 to 11 of this year. The tour was excellent overall. We could not have had such a rich experience without the guide aspect of the tour. Our group was very small, 2 couples, and our guide, David Hopper, did a tremendous job helping to ensure that our individual objectives for the tour were met. We visited many interesting places and met Haida guides, watchmen and artists that David had made connections with over the years he has been guiding. Logistical issues … like accommodation, meals, transportation, tours and walks were all expertly managed by Midnight Sun. We would definitely book tours with Midnight Sun again.

”My travels to Haida Gwaii were most memorable for the range of experiences, acquired knowledge about Haida history, art and culture and the people with whom we interacted during our journey. I would rate this trip a 5 (excellent!). TY so much”.

"We had an amazing trip to Haida Gwaii guided by David Hopper from Midnight sun Adventure Travel. David went over and above our expectations. He was quick to adjust our schedule when needed to provide us with the best experience of Haida Gwaii. You could feel his love for the Island and its people.”

We recently Toured Haida Gwaii with Midnight Sun Adventure . It was an awesome time with beautiful scenery , tons of history , great accommodations and food , amazing culture and people . Our Tour Guide , Dave , couldn’t have been more informative , friendly or helpful . He was with us every step of the way and took us to places I’m sure not many get to see . Inside personal Long Houses . carving sheds with totems and war canoes being worked on , watching carvers making jewelry etc. , museums …… and believe it or not , Chinese Food . What a memorable time .

The whole tour could not be faulted, supremely well organised from start to finish. They even organised the bears to come and see us as well as the whales. If anybody wants to reconnect with nature, quietness and learn some Culture then I can’t recommend this highly enough. I left the Island a different person and couldn’t fault one part of this trip. I want to thank everybody involved in this Adventure because you are all Bloody Brilliant!”

“The whole trip went very well and I was very lucky with both whale and bear sightings. I would also like to mention Rich and Emma as they made my stay at the lodge excellent and were always available to help with any of my travel or trip arrangements.”

Fantastic Alert Bay adventure! Nina and Scott went out of their way to make our experience in Alert Bay special. We had a great trip up from Victoria with stops and stories along the way. Toured Alert Bay and learned a lot about the locals and the history of the area. Very special visits at the lodge from First Nation members who shared songs, lore and salmon preparation. A memorable experience!

“All the arrangements worked really well, the whale and bear watching were completely awesome (not a word I use often or lightly!). We loved Vancouver Island and Alert Bay, and we’d love to be back there again one day”