Sky to Sea | Open Spaces of the West - Islands in the Pacific | Adventure Van Tours

Tour Duration: 20 Days | Tour Price: CAD 2,620.00/person | Tour Season: June - September

Exploring Alberta and British Columbia

Highlights during this 3-week journey are the famous parks of the Canadian Rockies, the Coast Mountains and Pacific Rim National Park. You travel through some very remote regions of the north west, experience the variety and vastness of the country from huge cattle ranches to tiny fishing outposts. Grizzlies of the Cariboo River, whale watching at the coast. You take the Discovery Coast Ferry to Vancouver Island and here, at the westernmost edge, you find yourself in an ancient forest which borders the endless sandy stretch of Long Beach. Hot springs and kayak trips in sleepy Tofino and finally the cities of Victoria and Vancouver.

Itinerary
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Itinerary

Day 1: Calgary
Arrive in Calgary, transfer from the airport to the hotel. “Welcome to the West” dinner and pre trip information with your guide.

Day 2: Banff/Lake Louise
Short city tour of Calgary and 170 km drive into Banff National Park. In the forested campground you pitch your tent for the next two nights. This afternoon your guide takes you on for a warm-up hike on one of the many trails near Banff. Walking time 2 – 3 hours

Day 3: Banff National Park
A longer hike on one of the many trails in this national park is on today’s menu. Your guide knows the best destinations for the times of the season, even the lesser known. An easy forested trail ends in an alpine meadow with wide angle vies in all directions, ideal for further explorations. Maximum height at 2300 m with 655 m gain. Later you might want to relax in the warm sulphur pool and browse the many stores and boutiques of the little town. Walking time 7 hours.

Day 4: Lake Louise / Yoho National Park
Countless photo opportunities along the Bow River and in the high alpine of Lake Louise. Here you can rent a canoe, hike to a romantic tea house and even further up the trails, or just sit and admire. The tents are set up in Yoho Park at the western flank of the Rockies. Walking time 2 – 4 hours.

Day 5: Lake Louise / Yoho National Park
This park boasts the most outstanding trails in mountain wilderness, with glaciers, lakes and waterfalls. Planned for today is an 18 km loop through 2 passes at 2180 m. Walking time 5 hours.

Day 6: Shuswap Lakes
Glacier Park is reached through the Rogers Pass. Snow avalanches have scarred the slopes of the steep valleys. A 5 km hike to 2290 m is rewarded with an almost 360 degree view of the surrounding peaks. The Transcanada Highway takes you into the warm and dry plateau of British Columbia. Camping by one of the many lakes, time for a swim Walking time 3 hours.

Day 7: Shuswap Lakes
This area is a favourite holiday playground for many Canadians. Vast clear lakes for fishing, swimming and water sports, mountain solitude, lots of space and fresh air. Unless you wish to take it easy on the beach you can join the guide for another hike. One suggestion is the Silver Star ski area where a ski lift saves you the long ascent.

Day 8 and 9: Williams Lake
Near 100 Mile House you reach the Cariboo Trail. During the 1870 gold rush this was the route from Vancouver to the Cariboo Mountain gold fields. At Quesnel Lake you are in the heart of gold rush country. Camping with beach and small gold rush museum. Not far a ghost town and Bullion Pitt, today still the worlds largest hydraulic gold mine. Between 1880 and 1930 miners created a canyon 400 m deep and 1400 m wide by water pressure alone, an astonishing site. Highly recommended is a jet boat excursion into remote Cariboo River Park. Grizzlies, elk, deer, moose, black bear and wolf don’t mind the cameras.

Day 10 and 11: Tweedsmuir Park
Stretches of the road leading west into the remote Chilcotin Plateau are not paved. Heckman Pass at 1525 m is entrance to the province’s largest and probably most scenic park. It is first of all a wilderness park, access is limited. The trail into the Rainbow range leads into one of the most spectacular sights. Highly recommended is a flight in a small plane over glacier crowned mountain tops. Bush planes which are an important means of transportation for this region. Walking time 4 – 7 hours.

Day 12: Bella Coola
The winding road down from the Coast Mountains ends at the head of a long fjord. Life is quiet in this friendly, remote fishing village, nestled between the mountains and the sea. This a wonderful chance to visit and meet local Canadians, go salmon fishing, find the historic native rock paintings or explore one more mountain trail before leaving the mainland.

Day 13: Discovery Coast Passage
For the next 24 hours you cruise past forested shores, many islands and the Hakai Marine Park. Eagles and sea birds are easy to spot, sea lions rest on the rocks, safe from the orca whales. It is a working ferry, not necessarily designed for tourists. In the relaxed, easygoing atmosphere on board it is easy to make new friends.

Day 14: Port Alberni
Arrival early morning in Port Hardy on the northern tip of Vancouver Island. Your bus takes you south through forests, past lakes and fjords. The town of Campbell River calls itself North America’s Salmon Capital. Cathedral Grove is a forest of gigantic cedars and Douglas firs, some over 800 years old. Interpretive paths wind between fallen giants under blankets of moss and ferns. Camping near Port Alberni by a lake (showers) with the backdrop of cragged mountains. Hiking time 1.5 hours.

Kayak Trip at Pacific Rim National Park

Day 15: Tofino
Today’s 6 km hike opens views of smaller islands, lakes and neighbouring peaks. Now another dramatic change of scenery as you cut through the centre of the island to the far western coast. The road is winding between swift rivers, lakes, mountains, through forests and finally down to the Pacific Ocean. We set up camp under ancient Douglas fir and hemlock trees in PACIFIC RIM NATIONAL PARK. Hiking time 4 hours.

Day 16: Tofino
It is a magical place to relax or to explore, dig clams in the tidal flats at low tide, watch tremendous waves rolling in all the way from Asia, hike mysterious trails in a fairy tale forest of ferns and mosses and thousand year old trees. There is more: many artists have made the charming villages of Ucluelet and Tofino their home, small shops offer and unique and special souvenirs. A 7-hour boat excursion (optional) features a stop at natural hot springs. Sea kayaking is another safe and fun activity and either this or whale watching are highly recommended options.

Day 17: Victoria
Along the picturesque coastal highway past the beaches of Parksville, Chemanius with it’s colourful downtown murals, Duncan, the city of totems, to the capital city of British Columbia. Your campground under giant cedar trees has it’s own little waterfall.

Day 18: Victoria
Free day in Victoria with a large choice of sights and activities.

Day 19: Vancouver
You catch the ferry back to the mainland. Early afternoon you arrive at the hotel in downtown Vancouver. Rest of the day is free in what many call the most beautiful city in North America. So much to see: Robson Street, Chinatown, Gastown, museums, the harbour or the totem poles in Stanley Park. All easily reached by foot. Your tour ends with arrival at the hotel

Day 20: Vancouver
Transfer to the airport for the flight home.

(As the trip is done in expedition fashion changes in travel itinerary are a possibility and are left up to the discretion of the guide.)

Availability

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On Request

Available, guaranteed departure

Available departure

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Details

Tour Duration

20 Days

Tour Price

Double Room/Tent: CAD 2,620.00
Single Room/Tent: +CAD 225.00
All Rates per person (+ GST)

Group Size

6 - 12 participants per tour

Demands

Easy to moderate mountain hikes with light day pack, always accompanied by the guide.

Included

All transfers
Transportation in passenger van
2 nights hotel (twin) with breakfasts
Other nights in tents (2 pers./tent)
Welcome gift
Camping equipment (except sleeping bag)
Hard-foam mattress
Admission to the National Parks
Camping fees
Fare for the two ferries as mentioned
Services of a guide

Not included

Meals (allow about $12 per day for the “food kitty”)
Ski lift Silver Star: $12.00
Bear watching by jet boat $173.00
sightseeing flight: $370.00 for 6-pers. / plane
Sea kayaking or whale watching in Tofino $77.00
7 hour cruise to hot springs in Tofino $115.00
Gratuity

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