Frequently Asked Questions

Most businesses on Haida Gwaii are closed on Sundays, including many restaurants and shops. The BC Ferries inter-island service runs on Sundays, and most accommodation is available across the islands. We recommend calling ahead for anything specific. When we are open, we can tell you exactly what is running that day — hours vary by season, so check our current hours before you visit.

Five days is enough to get a real sense of the islands if you are organized. A rough shape that works well:

• Day 1 — Arrive, settle in Daajing Giids. Walk the Seawalk, visit the Haida Heritage Centre in Skidegate. Get oriented.
• Day 2 — Drive north. Stop in Tlell, Port Clements, continue to Masset and Old Massett. Tow Hill and the North Beach at Naikoon Provincial Park are not optional.
• Day 3 — A boat tour into Gwaii Haanas if you have booked one. This requires advance planning — tours fill weeks ahead in summer.
• Day 4 — Slower day. Drive the Rennell Sound road to the west coast if conditions allow. Kayak, fish, or simply sit somewhere quiet.
• Day 5 — Yakoun Lake. Walk through old-growth forest to a large, pristine lake that has never known a motor on its surface. Then catch your ferry or flight.

Come in and talk to us — the best five days depends on who you are and what matters to you.

From Sandspit Airport to downtown Daajing Giids daily. Pickups and drop-offs by reservation at Eagle Transit · 250-876-1866.

Masset Airport has no shuttle, but Masset Car and Truck rentals will deliver your rental car from the airport.

The Northern Health Connector bus runs Monday to Friday, departing Masset at 8:45am, returning from Daajing Giids at 2:45pm. Reserve 48 hours in advance: 250-559-4461.

BC Ferries travels hourly between Alliford Bay on Moresby and Skidegate Landing on Graham.

Gwaii Taxi And Tours · 1-250-637-1162

The largest stands are in Gwaii Haanas National Park, which requires visitor registration.

Smaller stands on Graham Island are accessible without registering — see Hike Haida Gwaii. Note that trail descriptions use words like “alley” and “trees” rather than “forests.”

View old growth maps at Ancient Forests — BC Government.

Registration for an orientation session is mandatory to visit the southern half of the archipelago. Book through Parks Canada or your tour guide.

The northern portion of Moresby and all of Graham Island are open without formal registration. Visitors are encouraged to take the Visitors’ Pledge.

May through September: about a month ahead.
October through April: a week ahead should be fine.

The Daajing Giids Visitor Centre has two overnight parking spots. A dozen or so additional spots are available at the head of the dock where tour operators gather. All parking is first come, first served.

Yes — there are two dog boarding services on the islands, one in the mid-island area and one in the north. Supply is limited and they book up in peak season. Stop in or call us for current contact information: 250-559-8316.

The Daajing Giids Seawalk starts at the Visitor Centre and follows the waterfront — a pleasant short walk with good views across Skidegate Inlet.

For something more substantial, the Tarundl Loop at Kagan Bay Recreation Site is about four kilometres south of town. The trail follows a beautiful estuary and is one of the quieter, less-visited spots near Daajing Giids. Well worth the short drive.

Gore Brook Trail and Crabapple Creek Trail are two further community trails within the village itself. We can point you to trails suited to your time and fitness level — just ask.

The closest English equivalent is “dodging geese.” It means “common hat” in the southern Haida dialect.

See our food guide for what is open and when. We can also offer a printed list if you drop by during open hours.

BC Ferries operates the Kwuna inter-island ferry between Alliford Bay and Skidegate Landing on a near-hourly schedule, 7am – 10:30pm, with some additional evening sailings. Seasonal schedule.

Only in Masset at Coastal Propane: 250-626-5068. See their Facebook page.

Hike Haida Gwaii shares updates on less well-known and user-maintained trails. Note: contrary to information at Hike Haida Gwaii, the Golden Spruce Trail is open again as of March 2025.

• Daajing Giids to Sandspit — 14 km + 25 minute ferry
• Daajing Giids to Skidegate — 7 km
• Daajing Giids to Tlell — 47 km
• Daajing Giids to Port Clements — 68 km
• Daajing Giids to Masset — 108 km
• Daajing Giids to Old Massett — 112 km
• Daajing Giids to Taw Tldaaw / Tow Hill — 138 km

We are building a list. Meanwhile, see this review by Emma Kivisild.

For guided challenging hikes and climbs, contact the Gould Beach House in Sandspit.

Three things we would not leave Haida Gwaii without:

• The Haida Heritage Centre at Kay Llnagaay in Skidegate — one of the finest cultural centres in Canada. Allow at least half a day.
• SGang Gwaay (Anthony Island) — a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the southern reaches of Gwaii Haanas. The standing mortuary poles at the abandoned village of Ninstints are among the most significant and moving sites in the country. Accessible only by boat or floatplane, by permit, accompanied by a Haida Watchman.
• Naikoon Provincial Park — specifically Tow Hill and the North Beach. The scale of the landscape — old growth, open ocean, and the feeling of genuine remoteness — is difficult to describe to someone who has not been there.

Yakoun Lake.

You reach it on foot through old-growth forest — the trees are large and old in the way that makes you recalibrate what those words mean. The lake itself is large, pristine, and completely still. No motors have ever run on it. On a clear day the reflections are perfect.

It is not the most famous place on the islands, and it does not need to be.

Please do. Fill out our Contact Form, call 250-559-8316, or email info@dginfo.ca. Include “FAQ” in the subject.