What Is Hot Springs Cove?
Hot Springs Cove is about 90 minutes by boat from Tofino, and the only way in is by water or floatplane. It sits inside Maquinna Marine Provincial Park, and the springs are fed by geothermal water that shoots straight out of the rock and flows down into a series of natural pools right on the edge of the Pacific Ocean.
Getting there is half the experience. You're looking at a boat ride through Clayoquot Sound, a 2 km boardwalk through old-growth temperate rainforest, and then the springs themselves. The whole thing takes about six hours door to door, and it's a day well spent in Tofino.
Who Should You Book With?
Book with Ahous Adventures.
We are not affiliated in any way with Ahous Adventures, but we did our tour with them and had a great experience.
Ahous is an eco and cultural adventure tour company owned and operated by the Ahousaht Nation, who are the Indigenous people who have lived on and stewarded these lands and waters for thousands of years. Their philosophy is built around inviting visitors to explore Ahousaht haḥuułii (their territorial lands, waters, and culture) through the lens of the people who actually belong to it.
Throughout the trip, your guide shares knowledge about Ahousaht culture, history, language, and storytelling, including the cultural significance of the hot springs themselves, which have been used by the Ahousaht Nation for centuries for their medicinal and spiritual benefits. Stories vary from guide to guide, too, which means no two trips are quite the same. The guides are also open to questions, so don't be shy.
Ahous also has special access timings at the springs, which means you're more likely to arrive during a quieter window than if you showed up independently. Fewer crowds make the experience much more enjoyable since the pools are beautiful but not enormous.
One more thing worth knowing: They also offer a multi-tour discount if you book more than one experience. So if you're already eyeing their whale watching or bear watching tours, just let them know at checkout or after your first tour, and they'll apply it.
How Much Does It Cost?
Here are the current prices as of Spring 2026:
| Ticket Type | Age | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | 19–64 | CA$239 |
| Senior | 65+ | CA$229 |
| Youth | 12–18 (must be 48"/122cm+) | CA$219 |
| Child | 6 and under (must be 48"/122cm+) | CA$209 |
It's not cheap when you compare it to lounging on the beach for free, or even a 24-hour surfboard rental, but in my opinion, the price is 100% worth it. It's a six-hour experience that covers a boat ride through Clayoquot Sound, a hike through old-growth rainforest, and 1.5 to 2 hours soaking in natural hot springs. If you luck out with some amazing wildlife sightings on the way (which is not rare at all), you're basically getting two tours in one.
Before You Go
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What Is the Tour Actually Like?
The tour runs about six hours total.
The tour starts at the office near the dock, where you will sign in and get your safety demo. Then you will meet your captain, who will bring you down to your covered boat for the day. Once you're settled in, you will head out on the roughly 1.5-hour trip through the protected waters of Clayoquot Sound toward Hot Springs Cove.
The landscape on the boat ride is incredible as you follow the coast and weave between small forested islands. The guide points out wildlife along the way and shares stories about the Ahousaht haḥuułii (the territorial lands and waters you're moving through).
On our trip, we spotted multiple groups of bald eagles, sea lions, and sea otters. We also caught a glimpse of a whale twice, briefly in the distance, and apparently, that was one of their slower wildlife days of the week. During peak whale migration season (March through October), sightings are even more common.
Also, your guide will be constantly looking for whales and other wildlife throughout the tour, and you can hear other boats calling in on the radio when there's been a sighting. So if there are whales out and about during your tour, you're almost guaranteed to see them.
Once you arrive at Hot Springs Cove, you will dock right at the start of the boardwalk that leads to the springs. There are camp-style toilets here if you've been holding it in for the last half of the boat ride, otherwise head down along the boardwalk and follow the 2 km trail through the old-growth rainforest.
It's an easy walk, and the boardwalk extends all the way from the dock to the hot springs, so there is no muddy or uneven terrain, but there are quite a few steps throughout, so it would be a challenge with a stroller or a cart.
The walk will take around 30 minutes, and then you will arrive at the hot springs. You will likely smell them before you see them. Once you catch a big whiff of sulphur, look to your left to see the piping hot water shooting out of a rock right up by the boardwalk. Then look to your right to see it flowing down across the smooth rockface into a few channels, then into a small pool that feeds a noisy waterfall that's dropping the steaming water right into the big pools at the bottom.
There are change rooms and more camping-style bathrooms just above the hot springs. Strip down (only to your bathers because nude bathing is prohibited!) and head down to the hot pools. There are a few saltwater pools to the left that you can ignore. Head straight for the ones to the right near the waterfall.
The naturally formed rock pools are a pretty ideal hot tub depth and can fit easily 15 to 20 people. You can hear the waves crashing against the rocks while the thermal-fueled waterfall provides a noisy and steady stream of new heat into the pools.
Depending on how long you spent walking and getting changed, you should have around 1.5 to 2 hours to enjoy soaking in the pools. Your captain will tell you when to meet back at the boat, and give yourself about 40 minutes to dry off, change, and walk back to the dock.
The way home is just as fun as the way there (although a bit sleepier). You will get a second look at some of the wildlife and get a second chance for whale sightings. Our guide sang a song for us and the whale we were following, and we all ate some banana bread and took turns nodding off as we bumped up and down on the waves.
Is It Worth It?
100% Yes
If you've been coming to Tofino for years, this is a way to see a side of the area you've likely never seen before. If it's your first trip, it's a near-guaranteed way to make it memorable.
The cost is the main barrier, and that's fair, especially for families. But when you're weighing it against another beach day you could do for free, consider what you're actually getting: a boat trip through one of the most beautiful sounds in BC, a walk through a temperate rainforest, wildlife encounters that are just fantastic, and a long soak in natural hot springs on the edge of the Pacific. There's nothing else like it in the area, and completely worth the money.
What to Pack
A few things you'll be glad you brought:
- Bathing suit and towel: obviously, but don't forget these
- Water shoes: the rocks around the springs are slimy and uneven.
- Waterproof layer: for the walk between the dock and the springs, and for the boat ride if conditions are misty or rainy
- Snacks and a packed lunch: the tour is six hours, so fuel accordingly. We chose to pack sandwiches and banana bread, and we would highly recommend it.
- Band-Aids: this one comes from hard experience. Three people in our group came out with minor cuts from the rocks, and we hadn't packed any.
- Binoculars (if you have them): great for wildlife spotting on the boat ride. But if you don't have them, don't stress, because your guide will slow the boat down and get you close enough.
Do Tours Run in the Rain?
Yes, and honestly? Don't let the rain put you off.
Tofino is a rainforest. A full dry day is a rarity, and the coast is beautifully moody in the mist. On the day we went, it drizzled all morning steadily, and I loved it. The boat has a covered section, the boardwalk trail is sheltered by the forest canopy, and soaking in warm water while rain mists down around you is actually a perfect feeling that a spa could never re-create.
Ahous will only cancel a tour if conditions are genuinely unsafe, and in those cases, they will rebook or refund you.
How to Book
Head to ahousadventures.com and book directly. Tours can fill up, especially in summer and during whale migration season, so don't leave it to the last minute. If you're planning to combine it with another Ahous tour, book them together to take advantage of the multi-tour discount.
It's one of the best things we've done in Tofino, and we've been going for years.
Final Thoughts
I've done so many trips where I've mixed expensive tours with slices of life experiences. Like a luxury cruise followed up by some street food at a viewpoint, and for me, it's often the smaller things I look back on more fondly, but I think this experience is an exception. Seeing the wildlife, exploring the surrounding areas, walking through a remote rainforest, and soaking in the natural springs all combine to be well worth the price tag. The mix of history, wildlife, nature, and sensory experience is just the perfect Tofino day encapsulated.
If you're building out a Tofino itinerary, this works well as a full day on its own, ideally somewhere in the middle of your trip once you've settled in. I'd recommend booking an early tour and then spending the evening grabbing some warm food and heading to the brewery or your favourite beach.
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