Coastal Wilderness
Delve into the heart of western Canada on this exciting self-drive holiday which combines adventure activities with wildlife viewing to create a truly unique holiday experience.Â
Day 1: Vancouver
Pick up your rental car at Vancouver airport to make your way downtown.
Day 2: FREE DAY Vancouver
Spend the day exploring Vancouver. Take a stroll around Stanley Park, stopping at the Totem Poles; visit Canada Place and the waterfront, Chinatown, historic Gastown and Granville Island with its famous public market, art and craft shops. You may also wish to visit the North Shore home of Capilano Suspension Bridge, and the Skyride to the top of Grouse Mountain for panoramic views over the city.
Pick up your rental car at Vancouver airport to make your way downtown.
Day 2: FREE DAY Vancouver
Spend the day exploring Vancouver. Take a stroll around Stanley Park, stopping at the Totem Poles; visit Canada Place and the waterfront, Chinatown, historic Gastown and Granville Island with its famous public market, art and craft shops. You may also wish to visit the North Shore home of Capilano Suspension Bridge, and the Skyride to the top of Grouse Mountain for panoramic views over the city.
Day 3: Vancouver – Egmont / Sunshine Coast (131 km plus ferry) Drive over Lions Gate Bridge to Horseshoe Bay. Board the BC Ferry to Langdale on the Sunshine Coast. Drive along the coast through Gibsons, and Sechelt to the small village of Egmont where you will overnight.
Day 4: FREE DAY Sunshine CoastÂ
Explore the Sunshine Coast, or try some of the activities offered by the lodge. Near Egmont, are the tidal rapids at Skookumchuck Narrows, one of the most exciting sights on the Coast. The difference in water levels can exceed two metres, causing currents of more than 30 km per hour.The word “skookum†is the Sechelt Natives’ term for strong, “chuck†means water - an apt name for this impressive natural phenomenon.
Day 5: Egmont - Lund (84 km plus ferry)Â
Take a short drive from the lodge to the Earls Cove ferry terminal to board the ferry over to Saltery Bay. From there continue on past Powell River to Lund. Stroll the boardwalk around the harbour and watch the constant hustle and bustle of the busy little harbour, and visit the arts and crafts shops.
Day 6: Lund – Quadra Island (74 km plus ferries)
Leaving historic Lund you will make your way back to Powell River where you will board the ferry to Little River. Continue North on the Island and board the ferry to Quadra Island. Arts, culture, adventure recreation, scenery and the laid-back island lifestyle are just a few of the reasons people come to live or visit Quadra Island.
Day 7: FREE DAY Quadra Island
Enjoy a free day on beautiful Quadra Island, one of British Columbia’s premier recreation destinations. Surrounded by stunning scenery the island provides numerous possibilities including: sea kayak tours, marine tours, hiking trails, cycling, sport fishing, diving, grizzly tours in the fall, and much more. The local community is rich in arts and culture. Local artisans display their crafts in a variety of galleries and other locations.
Day 8: Quadra Island -
Tofino / Ucluelet area (266 km plus ferry) Coming back on Vancouver Island, you will pass through some nice villages. Make a stop at Little Qualicum Cheeseworks on Morningstar Farm, nestled in the cool moist climate of Vancouver Island in the shadow of Mt. Arrowsmith, where you will find a selection of world-class cheeses to delight the senses. From Parksville travel to the westcoast and Pacific Rim National Park. En route stop at Cathedral Grove for a walk through a towering stand of 800 year old trees.
Day 9: FREE DAY Tofino area
Included Activity: Coastal Bear Watch
A quiet-water excursion – travel along fjord inlets; stops in sheltered bays. Black
bears come out of the rainforest to feed on crunchy crab, clams & barnacles. Your knowledgeable guide shares information about Black bears and other inlet wildlife, including seals, eagles, porpoise and heron. be sure to bring your camera!
Day 10: Tofino / Ucluelet – VictoriaÂ
(316 km)
Today you will travel south along the Island Highway to Victoria. En route make a stop at Chemainus where you can view interesting murals created by local artists and visit some of the quaint boutiques. Continue south to Duncan where you may want to visit the Quw’utsun Cultural Centre. The tour begins with the Long House Story Centre and a viewing of ‘Great Deeds’, a dramatic multi-media show, which presents the history of the Cowichan nation. Visit the carving sheds to see artists carving in their family’s traditional way and tour the Bighouse, a traditional coastal long house. Continue along the Malahat to Victoria for overnight.
Day 11: FREE DAY Victoria
Today enjoy free time in Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. Highlights of the city include Beacon Hill Park, Bastion Square, the Parliament Buildings, Chinatown, the Inner Harbour, the Royal BC Museum and the historic Empress Hotel.
Day 12: Victoria - Vancouver (64 km plus ferry) [Departure]
Depart from Victoria to Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal. On your way back (time permitting) you may want to stop for a visit to the world famous Butchart Gardens one of the most spectacular floral displays in Canada. Created early this century from a stone quarry, the different areas of the garden are planted such that they bloom year-round. Some of the highlights of the Gardens include the Italian gardens, Japanese gardens, the English rose garden and the Star Pond. Then, drive to Swartz Bay for the 90-minute cruise to Tsawwassen from where it is a short drive to Vancouver Airport.
|
Night |
City |
3-Star |
4-Star |
|
1 - 2 |
Vancouver |
BW Plus Sands |
Metropolitan Hotel |
|
3 - 4 |
Sechelt |
West Coast Wilderness Lodge |
West Coast Wilderness Lodge |
|
5 |
Lund |
Historic Lund Hotel |
Historic Lund Hotel |
|
6 - 7 |
Quadra Island |
Tsa Kwa Luten Lodge |
Tsa Kwa Luten Lodge |
|
8 - 9 |
Ucluelet / Tofino area |
Tin Wis Resort |
Black Rock Oceanfront Resort |
|
10 - 11 |
Victoria |
Quality Inn Downtown |
Marriott Victoria Inner Harbour |
Package Includes
- 11 nights hotel accommodation on room only basis
- Tofino Bear Watch (Day 9) - 2.5 hour zodiac tour - A CTC Signature Experience
- Document pack at hotel on arrival with maps and information
- Applicable taxes and GST rebates for visitors to Canada