Day 1
Fly to Vancouver and independently make your way to your hotel and check in for two nights
Overnight: Georgian Court or similar
Day 2
Vancouver
Enjoy a full day in Vancouver where you can enjoy a massive array of experiences from foodie to floatplanes. As this itinerary has a cultural focus, we suggest starting at the Vancouver Art Gallery, where there is an excellent permanent exhibition of the work of Emily Carr, an artist and writer who lived in BC in the early part of the 20 century – the artwork will give you a great feel for the wilderness of the province, the lives of the indigenous peoples and the early settlers. Also visit the BC Museum of Anthropology, which is situated in a magnificent building overlooking the sea and mountains. It features impressive collections of Coast Salish and First Nations works of art and look out for the Raven and the First Men Sculpture, which features on the $20 Canadian bank note.
Overnight: Georgian Court or similar
Day 3
Vancouver – Victoria (71 miles)
Pick up your hire car and take the ferry over to Vancouver Island, where you’ll be spending the next few nights. First stop is the capital of British Columbia – Victoria – a lovely walkable, waterfront city. Here the key cultural attraction is the Royal BC Museum, which you’ll recognise by the great collection of totem poles in its grounds. This museum focusses on the land and people of British Columbia, and features literally millions of artefacts and specimens!
Overnight: Coast Victoria Hotel or similar
Day 4
Victoria
A full day to explore Victoria and its surrounds. If the Emily Carr exhibition in Vancouver piqued your interest, then you can visit her house her in Victoria, and there is also a slice of the Victorian era at Craigdarroch Castle – built for Robert Dunsmuir who was the richest man in western Canada at the end of the 19 century. We’d also highly recommend the Maritime Museum of British Columbia, which is a small but perfectly formed museum.
Overnight: Coast Victoria Hotel or similar
Day 5
Victoria – Nanaimo (69 miles)
Take the short drive northbound along the east coast to the second city Nanaimo. A must-visit is the renowned Nanaimo museum with engaging exhibits about indigenous peoples. Later in the afternoon, enjoy a stroll along the harbour front walkway, browse the shops and enjoy a drink and a bite to eat.
Overnight: Best Western Dorchester Hotel Nanaimo or similar
Day 6
Nanaimo – Campbell River (96 miles)
Today you’ll continue heading north to the town of Campbell River, and after the drive, a good place to stretch your legs is the Elk Falls Provincial Park. Park the car and follow the trail through the forest to the suspension bridge where you’ll have a great view of the falls. Then you’ll have time this afternoon to visit the museum with its popular First Nation exhibits and galleries showing the history of logging and fishing. Or if the weather is good, you might prefer to take a longer hike with a picnic at Ripple Rock – follow the marked trail up to the top of the cliff where you will have spectacular views of the Inside Passage, Quadra Island and the Seymour Narrows with its super-strong tidal currents. You have a night in Campbell River so perhaps try out one of the restaurants overlooking the water.
Overnight: Coast Discovery Inn Campbell River or similar
Day 7
Campbell River – Port Hardy (145 miles)
You might want a lie-in this morning, as tomorrow will be an early start. So after a leisurely morning continue with your journey to the north of the island. Arrive in Port Hardy perhaps visit the Port Hardy Museum and Archives where you will find some fascinating snippets of local history and also a good gift shop selling First Nation souvenirs.
Overnight: Pier Side Landing Hotel Port Hardy or similar
Day 8
Port Hardy – BC Ferries – Prince Rupert (325 miles)
Early morning you’ll board the BC Ferry “Northern Expedition” for a cruise along the British Columbia coastline to the remote port of Prince Rupert, close to the Alaska border. En route you will see stunning natural beauty with snow-capped mountains and jagged fjords. You’ll pass tiny fishing villages, and should be able to spot seals and eagles, and if you’re lucky you could see orcas too. You’ll be on board for around 16 hours, so we advise you book a cabin to allow you to relax in your own space. The ship has lots of panoramic seating areas, plus a dining room and gift shop.
Overnight: Crest Hotel Prince Rupert or similar
Day 9
Prince Rupert
You’ll have arrived late the previous night after the cruise north, so you’ll probably want a leisurely start and then some exercise, and so head for the Butze Rapids Park to walk the beautiful trail for a couple of hours, through ancient forests and wetlands. If you can time your walk to be at the rapids viewing platform (about a mile from the car park) just after high tide, then you’ll see the natural phenomenon of the reversing tidal rapids.
Overnight: Crest Hotel Prince Rupert or similar
Day 10
Prince Rupert
If you’re short of time, then you could leave Prince Rupert this morning, but we’ve built another day into this itinerary so that you can visit the grizzly bears of Khutzeymateen Provincial Park. Truly a bucket-list experience, when a camera really is a must. We can book this awe-inspiring day for you, cruising out of Prince Rupert through Chatham Sound then heading east into pristine wilderness, home to the largest population of grizzly bears on earth. On this trip you will also get up close to other wildlife including orca whales, eagles, seals, mountain goats and black bears.
Overnight: Crest Hotel Prince Rupert or similar
Day 11
Prince Rupert– Smithers (216 miles)
Today you’ll be driving Highway 16, also known as the Yellowhead Highway after an early fur trader, through northern British Columbia to Smithers. Visit Moricetown Canyon to see the fish ladders and admire the view, and you may be able to see First Nation people catching fish in the traditional way. Pop into the Smithers Visitor Centre to learn more about the area.
Overnight: Aspen Inn Smithers or similar
Day 12
Smithers – Prince George (230 miles)
Drive to Prince George today. A unique community where Highways 16 and 97 meet and the Fraser and Nechako Rivers converge. A regional centre for shopping, arts and sports, this is where the BC wilderness and urban life coexist. Relax in one of the parks, visit the railway museum, enjoy a meal or perhaps do a tasting at the local winery.
Overnight: Coast Inn of the North Prince George or similar
Day 13
Prince George – Williams Lake (149 miles)
Today head south along Highway 97 to Williams Lake, and perhaps on arrival, stroll to the Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin which houses memorabilia of local life through the ages including gold panning, ranching and the fur trade.
Overnight: Coast Fraser Inn Williams or similar
Day 14
Williams Lake - Kamloops (179 miles)
Keep on heading south to the town of Kamloops for an overnight stay to break up the journey. The name Kamloops comes from “T’Kemlups” from the language of the First Nation Shuswap people meaning “The Meeting of the Rivers”. Here you’ll find a handful of winery’s that you could visit for a tasting, or perhaps stroll the Kamloops River Trail.
Overnight: The Plaza Kamloops or similar
Day 15
Kamloops – Harrison Hot Springs (153 miles)
Your exploration of British Columbia is now coming to an end, so what better way to wind down than a stay at the lovely resort of Harrison Hot Springs. Relax and enjoy the water!
Overnight: Harrison Hot Springs Resort or similar
Day 16
Harrison Hot Springs – Vancouver Airport (82 miles)
After a relaxing morning, drive to the airport to drop off your car and fly home.
