At Tofino Expeditions we are proud that among the places we visit on our sea kayak tours and trips there are no less than fourteen UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These inspirational places of exceptional cultural and natural value are on our:  Baja - Sea of Cortez;  Brazil - Kayaking the Costa Verde;  Canada - Haida Gwaii ( Queen Charlotte Islands ) Heart of Gwaii Haanas; Italy Kayaking Cinque Terre and the Italian Riviera,  Italy - Kayaking Wild Sardinia;  Italy - Kayaking Sicily;  Italy - Kayaking the Italian Lake District;  Italy - Kayaking Tuscany;  Galapagos Kayaking Adventure, Croatia Kayaking the Dalmatian Coast;  Amazon Kayaking Adventure;  and Norway - Kayaking Fjords to Coast. 

What makes the concept of World Heritage exceptional is its universal application.

World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.

UNESCO's World Heritage mission is to:

• encourage countries to sign the World Heritage Convention and to ensure the protection of their natural and cultural heritage
• encourage States Parties to the Convention to nominate sites within their national territory for inclusion on the World Heritage List
• encourage States Parties to establish management plans and set up reporting systems on the state of conservation of their World Heritage sites
• help States Parties safeguard World Heritage properties by providing technical assistance and professional training
• provide emergency assistance for World Heritage sites in immediate danger
• support States Parties' public awareness-building activities for World Heritage conservation
• encourage participation of the local population in the preservation of their cultural and natural heritage
• encourage international cooperation - in the conservation of our world's cultural and natural heritage.