For meals not included, you usually eat out in local restaurants recommended by the tour leader. To help you budget, meals cost on average:

Hotel breakfasts: 15-20 Canadian dollars (US$11-US$15)

Lunches: 20-25 dollars (US$15-US$19)

Dinners: 30-50 dollars (US$23-US$38), this does not include alcoholic beverages

Drinks cost on average:

Wine: 15-20 dollars (US$11-15) per glass

Beer: 8-12 dollars (US$6-US$9) per bottle

A tip of approximately 17%-20% is added to group meals in Canadian restaurants. Applicable taxes will also be added to all listed menu prices.

Vegetarians and vegans can be well catered for – please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests so our local team can be well prepared.

In MacMillan Provincial Park, stand beneath 800-year-old Douglas-firs and towering western red cedars along easy trails that reveal the scale of Vancouver Island’s ancient forests. Shafts of light filter through layered canopies, illuminating carpets of sword fern and salal.

This pocket of old growth survived logging and storms to showcase the island’s pre-colonial natural heritage. Your guide explains how deep roots, nurse logs and rich soils support giants that define the coastal temperate rainforest.

Board rigid-hull inflatables and head out with a naturalist guide to scan the Pacific swells for humpback and gray whales. Skirting the reefs and islets off Vancouver Island’s west coast, you’ll feel the salt spray and agility of the Zodiac while covering productive feeding grounds.

Encounters can include Bigg’s orcas, sea lions and soaring seabirds around Barkley and Clayoquot sounds. Your crew shares insights on migration routes and behaviours, balancing close views with a conservation-minded approach for superb photography and respect for wildlife.

Back in the city, join a guided panoramic tour to orient yourself to Vancouver’s highlights, from the sails of Canada Place to the chiming Gastown Steam Clock and the Stanley Park totem poles set amid coastal cedar and fir.

Gain a concise overview of neighbourhoods, waterfront vistas and mountain backdrops, plus pointers for further exploring food markets and seawall paths during your own time. Hear how Indigenous, Asian and European influences shaped this Pacific port.

Glide through sheltered inlets as tides recede and scan rocky shorelines for black bears turning boulders for crabs and clams. Travelling by Zodiac keeps you close to the action yet at a safe distance, with low-tide foraging creating remarkable viewing windows.

Expect sightings of bald eagles on driftwood perches and seals in quiet coves across Clayoquot Sound’s fjordlike waterways. Guides interpret tracks, feeding signs and forest ecology while you pause for photos and reflection amid misty spruce and cedar.

Depart Victoria’s Inner Harbour by high-speed vessel to search the Salish Sea for humpbacks, Bigg’s orcas and sea lions. With a certified marine naturalist on board, learn how currents, bait balls and seamounts draw wildlife close to these protected waters.

Expect expansive views toward the Olympic and Vancouver Island ranges, with seabirds wheeling above tide rips. Sightings vary by season, but the focus remains respectful viewing and rich interpretation that deepens your connection to this vibrant marine ecosystem.

Follow boardwalks through fragrant rainforest to walk the Nuu-chah-nulth Trail, threading past old-growth cedar and hemlock before emerging onto the wild Pacific shore. Feel the surf breeze and beach-grass crunch underfoot as you explore this meeting place of forest and ocean.

Interpretive signs share Indigenous perspectives and coastal lifeways. When tides allow, peer into intertidal pools to spot lime-green anemones and purple sea stars, while ravens and oystercatchers animate the headlands. Guides highlight coastal ecology and respectful ways to tread lightly.

Step into a cathedral of moss-draped giants on the Rainforest Figure Eight, two raised boardwalk loops that wind among western red cedar and Sitka spruce. The air is cool and resinous, and nurse logs cradle ferns and saplings at your feet.

Your leader points out temperate rainforest ecology—from banana slugs to lichen-coated branches—while birds such as Steller’s jays and Rufous hummingbirds add flashes of colour. Gentle gradients make this an accessible immersion in one of Earth’s richest forest systems.

Cross Discovery Passage to lace up for a day of exploration on Quadra. Depending on conditions, trace wave-sculpted shorelines on the Shallaligan Pass Trail or climb to Heriot Ridge for panoramic views across Discovery Passage and the Coast Mountains.

Arbutus (madrona) trees cling to sun-warmed bluffs while eagles ride thermals overhead. Your guide tailors pace and route to match the group, blending natural history with local stories so you can soak in the island atmosphere at every viewpoint.

Stretch your legs among towering evergreens before walking the wide tidal flats of Rathtrevor Beach. Settle in for a relaxed picnic with views across the Strait of Georgia, where distant coastal ranges frame the sands.

At low tide the beach extends for nearly a kilometre, revealing rippled sand and warm shallows ideal for wading. Shorebirds work the flats as your leader shares insights into dune ecology and the park’s rare old-growth groves just inland.

Begin your journey by meeting your Tour Director and fellow travellers for a relaxed welcome dinner in downtown Vancouver. Share introductions, trip goals and a preview of the adventure as you settle into the rhythm of the Canadian West Coast.

Your host outlines wildlife-viewing etiquette, safety on boats and boardwalks, and how the group will operate. Expect Pacific Northwest flavours and a convivial atmosphere that sets the tone for the days ahead.

From Quadra’s sheltered shoreline, join a guided sea kayaking excursion to slip across glassy channels among forested islets. Paddle at an easy pace while scanning for seals and bald eagles, with mountain ridges anchoring every horizon.

This three-hour outing is suitable for beginners, using stable kayaks and expert local guides. It is at additional cost and bookable on tour, with departures tailored to tides and weather for calm, rewarding conditions.

Experience a full-day expedition to the remote Orford River, travelling by covered boat and bus to purpose-built lookouts. From safe vantage points, observe grizzly bears from elevated viewing platforms as they patrol salmon-rich channels and gravel bars. You’re guided by Homalco or Klahoose First Nation hosts whose deep knowledge of the land brings every sighting into focus.

Along the route through the coastal fjords of Bute Inlet, keep watch for black bears, orcas, humpbacks and sea lions. Hear stories of Indigenous stewardship and seasonal cycles, gaining context for the bears’ behaviour and the river ecosystem that sustains them.