This route is a traveler’s dream come true. You’ll hike the legendary West Coast Trail, through forests, canyons, and the Pacific Coast. See two of the greatest mountain ranges: Columbia and the Canadian Rockies. Drive through British Columbia and Alberta, walk in some of Canada’s most popular and beautiful parks: Pacific Rim, Banff and Jasper…and 6 smaller ones. Get up close and personal to the “calling cards”: Mount Robson (3959m), Lake Moraine, Lewis, Joffrey and Seton Fjord. Take a snow bus ride on the oldest glacier in the world. There will be lots of waterfalls, bears, Indians, kayaks, salmon steaks and more.
You’ll travel in a cozy, warm and comfortable motorhome that will take you through the Icefields and Sea to Sky Parkway. Imagine the views out the window – and you with a cup of coffee! The most beautiful and wildest country is what you will see on this expedition.
Day 1. Group Meeting
The instructor awaits tourists in Vancouver, British Columbia’s largest city. It was once sprawling thanks to the Gold Rush on the Fraser River. Walk between the downtown skyscrapers, see the parliament building, the famous Lyons Gate Bridge over Burrard Bay, and the waterfront. Sit in a fish restaurant and get to know each other better. Overnight at the hostel.
Day 2. Nitinat
We take a ferry across the Georgia Strait admiring the scenic mountains around us. We arrive in Nanaimo, where the shuttle takes us to the center of Vancouver Island. Here we have a place to eat, store, or just drink coffee. The next shuttle is to the first campsite on the West Coast Trail. Here we’ll hear a lecture from the trail rangers, get our permits processed, and rest up before hiking.
Day 3. Nitinaht Narrows.
In the morning, we board a water cab and it takes us to the start of Canada’s most popular trail. The trail was originally paved by lifeguards. The fact is that the coasts of British Columbia are very dangerous and many ships have been wrecked here. The trail was intended to help the survivors and search for cargo carried by the waves. Now, because of its beautiful and unusual views, it has become very trendy. There is even a saying in Vancouver that you are not a Vancouverite if you haven’t hiked the West Coast.
We walk along a section called Nitinaht Narrows. The trail winds up the coast, then dives into the shade of the forest, and leads through a picturesque canyon lined with moss and tree lianas. The ocean shoreline is narrow here, and the coastline is rocky. We will pass tide pools along the way, where we will see a lot of strange creatures. We will stay overnight in a campsite.
Day 4. Karmanagh Lighthouse – Bonilla Falls.
We walk to the lighthouse at Karmanagh Cape, where the light keepers tell wonderful stories to the tourists. Next to the lighthouse there is a small Indian cafe where you can taste the freshest seafood. Further the trail leads to Cape Bonilla. From the sea rises huge stones, on which the sea lions bask. We visit the Bonilla Falls and return to our campsite via cable car and some wooden stairs.
Day 5. Camper Creek .
We have our toughest trek yet – over suspension bridges, systems of high stairs, through dense wilderness and beaches surrounded by sheer Gotham-style cliffs. The trail crosses streams and canyons. This is exactly how you imagine the West Coast in your dreams! We go deep into the woods and out to the coast: beautiful mountains, ocean, fresh air, peace, quiet, and stunning unspoiled nature…what more do you need for a great outdoor experience? 😉 Tired and happy we come to the campsite to rest.
Day 6. Thrasher Cove.
Today we will walk up close to the rock arches and caves that made the West Coast famous. We will walk between them as if we were walking a labyrinth. The caves at Cape Owen, carved by the ocean over millennia, are a patchwork of brightly colored minerals and sea salts. It’s a tricky place to walk – you have to wade over huge boulders and crevices washed into the sandstone by the waves. If the tide is high that day, we choose the safe upper trail through the forest. It is literally teeming with wildlife: you may see elk, fox, owl, maybe a wolf and of course a bear!
Day 7. Gordon River.
We have breakfast in the morning and begin the steep climb from the shore to the main trail – one last look at the West Coast from the highest point on the trek. From here the forest trail takes us to the picturesque banks of the Gordon River. In the afternoon we reach the crossing, call the ferryman and head off to our last campsite (with a much-anticipated shower and wi-fi:), relaxing and getting ready to meet civilization.
Day 8. Back to Vancouver.
Back in the familiar metropolis, resting after the trek. From here our trip in Canada starts with auto-phase. We rent a car that will help us to explore this vast country.