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Rugged scenery and wildlife of Western Canada
Those on the group flight will be met at the airport and transferred to our hotel in Vancouver. Those on Land Only arrangements should make their own way to the start hotel this afternoon/evening. There will be an opportunity to meet your guide and fellow travellers this evening. Accommodation: The Listel Hotel (or similar)
Vancouver is often hailed as Canada's most beautiful city. This cosmopolitan and diverse metropolis is in stark contrast to the rest of British Columbia, but always proves to be a highlight. We have an orientation tour this morning with time to take in the sights of Gastown and Granville Island, from which they are some great viewpoints overlooking the city. In the afternoon transfer to the port to board a ferry to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, a one and a half hour journey across the Strait of Georgia. We spend some time visiting this gateway city before settling into our hotel for the night.Accommodation: Travelodge Nanaimo (or similar)
After breakfast we begin our drive to Ucluelet or Tofino, our location for the next three nights. On the way we will make a stop for a walk at Cathedral Grove Provincial Park to see the last remains of the temperate rainforest that covered the island more than a thousand years ago. This is one of the most accessible areas of giant Douglas-fir trees in the province and there are many trails enabling us to meander through Douglas-fir, Western Hemlock, Grand fir and Western Red Cedar trees. Today's total journey time is around 3.5 hours.Accommodation: Tofino Motel Harbourview (or similar)
Pacific Rim National Park is nestled between the mountains of the Vancouver Island Range and the Pacific coastline. We walk inside the park this morning in order to admire the rich natural heritage of the west coast of Canada. With almost 10 miles of sand and a huge collection of driftwood, the next stop from the rugged beaches is Japan! We usually take one of the trails to the beach and visit during low tide to explore some of the intertidal pools and rocky islands. In the afternoon we board Zodiacs with a naturalist guide who will lead a 2.5 - 3 hour whale observation excursion (depending on the low-tide schedule, this activity may take place earlier in the day). Our goal is to see Humpback and Grey whales, but it is also common to come across Orcas, seals and sea lions amongst the rocky headlands. Today's driving time should not exceed two hours.Accommodation: Tofino Motel Harbourview (or similar)
Obtain a greater understanding of the rainforest environment this morning at the Tofino Botanical Gardens. There is a lovely birdwatching area where woodpeckers, songbirds and hummingbirds can be found and Bald eagles are sometimes seen circling overhead in search of prey on the neighbouring Tofino Mudflats.Late this afternoon we board Zodiacs for a 2.5 hour expedition to observe Black bear and Bald eagle (depending on the low-tide schedule, this activity may take place earlier in the day). In the wilderness of Clayoquot Sound, Black bears can be found searching for crabs and clams on the rocky beaches. We'll travel the fjord inlet by Zodiac, looking in sheltered bays and stopping to see any Black bears that we find from the comfort of our Zodiac.Accommodation: Tofino Motel Harbourview (or similar)
Depart Ucluelet and drive for four hours to Campbell River on the North Shore of Vancouver Island. Campbell River is known as the 'Salmon Capital of the World' for its hugely impressive salmon runs where five species of Pacific salmon can be found in the river. It has been designated as a Heritage River for its importance in British Columbia - following the fish are bears, seals, kingfishers and eagles. This afternoon we take a short walk in Elk Falls Provincial Park with its thundering, impressive waterfalls.Accommodation: Painters Lodge (or similar)
Board a covered boat for a full day excursion to the Orford River area (on the mainland of British Columbia) to observe Grizzly bears in their natural habitat. Conservative estimates suggest there are 10,000 Grizzly (Brown) bears living in British Columbia, with 92% of the original habitat of Grizzlies still occupied. The abundance of spawning salmon in the Orford River at this time of year brings Grizzlies down to feast. A two-hour journey by boat with a spectacular backdrop of mountainous scenery brings us to the mouth of the Orford River. From here we take a short bus journey inland, where there are five viewing platforms from which to spot the bears. We visit one or sometimes two of these platforms, from where we hope to observe the bears catching and feeding on salmon, sometimes with cubs in tow. On the boat journey to and from the Orford River we may also see Black bears, Orcas, Humpback and Grey whales, dolphins, porpoise and Sea lions.Accommodation: Painters Lodge (or similar)
Board a ferry for a 10-minute journey across the Discovery Passage to Quadra Island where we spend the day exploring the islands trails and beaches by foot. There is also an optional excursion from Quadra Island to try sea kayaking. This three-hour excursion is accompanied by kayak and marine life observation guides and is suitable for beginners. There is never a dull moment paddling by kayak around Quadra Island - we could see soaring eagles, Oyster catchers, herons, cormorants, gulls and if we are lucky, we may come across seals, Sea lions, dolphins and porpoise! In addition there will be lots of inter-tidal life including starfish, sea urchins, jellyfish and crabs. The mountain views offer a stunning backdrop to this excursion.Accommodation: Painters Lodge (or similar)
We drive for around four hours to Victoria, making stops along the way to enjoy the scenery of Vancouver Island for the last time. This afternoon we board a ferry across the Strait of Georgia, admiring the small islands and breath-taking panorama of the city of Vancouver as it comes into view. In the late afternoon there will be some free time to explore Vancouver at your own pace, visiting Stanley Park or China Town.Accommodation: The Listel Hotel (or similar)
Those on the group flight will be transferred to the airport today. Those on Land Only arrangements are free to leave at any time.
Travel by minibus, ferry and Zodiac Group normally 5 to 12, plus local
leader/driver8 nights comfortable hotels, 1 night standard hotelNo meals
included
No meals are included on this trip. The leader may suggest organising a kitty
at the start of the trip to cover picnic lunches. If everyone is in
agreement, a set amount will be collected (in the region of CAD40 - 50) and
the leader will coordinate and top up the purchase of supplies for lunch.
This enables lunch to be taken in some wonderful beauty spots, making the
most of Canada's great outdoors!For breakfast and dinner, the leader will
recommend various options in convenient locations, usually booking
restaurants and eating with the group.Vegetarians and vegans can be well
catered for on this holiday - please do inform us before departure of any
special dietary requests so that our local team can be well prepared.
Travel by minibus, ferry and Zodiac Group normally 5 to 12, plus local
leader/driver8 nights comfortable hotels, 1 night standard hotelNo meals
included
This trip has been graded 1 (Leisurely) with a Safari Rating of 3.As a lot of
our time will be spent outdoors a degree of fitness and a sense of adventure
is required. We have the opportunity to explore some of the incredible
natural history, scenery and wildlife of Vancouver Island on this itinerary.
Inevitably some time will be spent travelling as there is a fair distance to
cover, however, we have kept this to a minimum and the longest journey of 4
hours will be broken up with stops.
Hotels There are 8 nights in comfortable hotels and 1 night in a standard hotel.In
Vancouver we stay either at the Moda Hotel or the Executive Vintage Park.
At Ucluelet we stay at the Canadian Princess, a traditional fishing resort
overlooking a pretty harbour (please note that on some departures we will
stay in Tofino at the Tofino Motel Harbourview instead of in Ucluelet). Our
comfortable, spacious hotel rooms are located in the on-shore part of the
resort and have en suite facilities. At Campbell River we have a three night
stay at the Painters Lodge in garden view rooms overlooking the grounds. 
There will be a local leader who will also drive the vehicle, local guides
will also be used where necessary.
No meals are included on this trip. The leader may suggest organising a kitty
at the start of the trip to cover picnic lunches. If everyone is in
agreement, a set amount will be collected (in the region of CAD40 - 50) and
the leader will coordinate and top up the purchase of supplies for lunch.
This enables lunch to be taken in some wonderful beauty spots, making the
most of Canada's great outdoors!For breakfast and dinner, the leader will
recommend various options in convenient locations, usually booking
restaurants and eating with the group.Vegetarians and vegans can be well
catered for on this holiday - please do inform us before departure of any
special dietary requests so that our local team can be well prepared.
Transport is by 15-seater minibus, ferry and Zodiac. Most of the roads are in
very good condition. The longest driving day will be about four hours when we
travel from Tofino to Campbell River. We have tried to keep travelling to a
minimum on this trip, although most days involve some driving due to the
distances covered.
Travelling flight inclusive from London: 11 daysThe group flight from London
is a daytime flight departing on Day 1 of the itinerary.Flights from London
We normally use the scheduled services of British Airways (depending on
availability). As flight timings and schedules change regularly we recommend
you call one of our specialist sales staff or your agent to confirm
up‐to‐date timings. Please note timings may change at a later date and
cannot be confirmed until approximately two weeks before departure.Travelling
land only: 10 days starting and ending in VancouverYour trip normally starts
at our accommodation in Vancouver, Canada in the afternoon of Day 1 of the
itinerary. Details of how to reach the start point are provided in the Final
Joining Instructions ‐ sent approximately two weeks before departure.
Private transfers are available on this trip or alternatively it is easy to
organise a taxi from the airport to the start hotel. This should cost in the
region of $50 CAD (GBP 30).
With a latitude and maritime situation much like the UK, temperatures in the
coastal region average 22ºC on Vancouver Island, but can reach as high as
30ºC in the low-lying interior. June and September are usually a bit cooler,
and the coast can get rain at any time. The mountains have typical mountain
weather, and sun, cloud, rain and even snow can all be experienced in a
morning.
Most useful will be clothing that can be worn in layers; i.e. jeans, shorts,
light shirts and sweatshirts or jumpers. If you have a choice, a fleece
jumper and waterproof jacket are much better than bulky sweaters and jackets.
It will be cold in the evenings in September, whilst it can be surprisingly
warm during the day. Other items to take: a warm jacket, waterproofs, strong
shoes or walking boots, daysack, swimwear.
Tracksuit pants, torch, insect repellent, sunhat.
It is a good idea to allow approximately $70 CAD (excluding alcohol and
tips) a day for food on average. In Canada, sales tax (of approx. 5%) and
tips (of between 15-20%) should be added to the menu cost.Optional Excursions
(approximate costs, depending on group sizes)Sea kayaking at Quadra Island
$75 CAD (or rent a kayak for around $45 CAD)
Tipping is a way of life in North America and, while obviously not
compulsory, it is expected. If you feel that your leader has performed well
over the course of your trip, you may want to show your appreciation of their
services. The sum you choose to give is entirely personal, but as a
reasonable starting point, we suggest a contribution of around $60-70 CAD per
person for your leader. Smaller groups may wish to give a little more per
person. It is also common to give a tip to other local guides, staff or taxi
drivers in Canada (normally around 15%).
Travel insuranceSingle accommodation (available on request)Visas or
vaccinationsAll meals
Ved skriftlig aksept av vårt tilbud bekrefter du/dere at våre betingelser er både lest og forstått og at evt kansellerings gebyrer kan tilkomme ved en evt. avbestilling av reisen.
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