SABLE ISLAND NPR: Helicopter

Sable Island by helicopter

300 kilometers off the coast of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and at the edge of the continental shelf lies a lonely bar of sand shaped by wind and ocean currents.  It is a terminal moraine pushed by glaciers 10,000 years ago that is home to over 500 wild horses and the largest grey seal colony in the world, nearing 300,000. Far away from any modern amenities and services, in the exposed open Atlantic ocean with the Gulf Stream and Labrador currents nearby. This is the wild of wild, so remote and extreme, yet positively beautiful and gentle. This expedition is for those who seek wild reality and remoteness, to be immersed in an environment that functions entirely on it's own and to visit it with just a handful of others.  It is a place unlike any other in the world. - Fred Stillman, Expedition Leader

Expedition overview

As a licensed Parks Canada tour company, we are proud to offer an experience of a lifetime. An opportunity to visit Sable Island National Park in a single day.  With it's stunning, ever changing sand dunes, hundreds of wild horses and the largest grey seal colony in the world, this will be a trip that you'll remember for the rest of your life.

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On this full day expedition we will be travelling by twin-engine, Sikorsky S-76 A++ offshore helicopter. The aircraft itself is an adventure and with it's agility and ability to fly great distances in a variety of conditions, it is the perfect vehicle to ensure your trip to Sable Island is a successful one. The helicopter will land on the helipad and does not require specific beach landing conditions.

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Our expedition starts at Vision Air Services located at the Halifax International airport. Upon arrival you'll be greeted by your guide and pilots. After completing the island's pre-boarding biosecurity process and receiving a safety orientation, we'll board the  aircraft, a 1.25 hour flight has us landing on the helipad at Sable Island NPR.  After an introduction to the island by Parks Canada staff, your Kattuk Expeditions guide will lead a hike along the beaches and dunes to the areas most frequented by the island's horses and seals. A delicious picnic lunch is included and prepared by your guide.  After lunch we we continue our hike to other areas of the island. When the hike concludes we'll gather at main station and prepare for our departure back to the mainland.

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Whenever possible, we'll visit with researcher Zoe Lucas, head of the Sable Island Institute. In order to lend our support to the research taking place on the island, a portion of your tour cost goes to the Institute.

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Trip highlights

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• Return 300km helicopter flight to Sable Island National Park Reserve from Halifax
• Meeting with Zoe Lucas from the Sable Island Institute (whenever possible)
• Orientation by Parks Canada
• 6-8 hours of guided walking and exploration by fully equipped Kattuk Expeditions guide
• Visits to the many grazing areas of the island's wild horses
• Delicious picnic lunch
• Guided walk will include the main station and some outbuildings (exterior), the areas most frequented by horses and Grey Seal colony
• Insight into daily life on the island