Vancouver Island Explorer

Transfer from the airport with the hotel-owned shuttle bus. Meet the guide and your fellow adventurers group in the airport hotel this evening for pre trip information.

You and the other travellers in your small group board your mini bus for the 90 minute ferry crossing across the Strait of Georgia to the island. Now you follow the coastal highway to downtown Victoria with the picturesque Inner Harbour framed by the stately Empress Hotel and the Legislature Building. Free time for some window shopping on Government Street, stroll down to Fisherman’s Wharf, the quiet of Beacon Hill Park or visit one of the museums. Hotel in downtown Victoria, the capital city of British Columbia, for the next two nights.

A mere 16 kilometers from downtown Victoria is Goldstream Provincial Park with massive trees, majestic waterfalls, a small river where salmon return every fall in order to spawn the next generation, flowers, birds and fascinating marine life. The guide suggests the steep 4 km round trip hike with 410 m gain (2.5 mi, 1345 ft) up Mt. Finlayson, or an easier 3 km hike with 60 m gain to waterfalls. Planned for this afternoon is a fun filled outing on electric bikes (included) on the Galloping Goose Trail. The name comes from a noisy gasoline rail car a hundred years ago which ran the 60 km through several small communities between Victoria and Sooke. The trail passes through all types of terrain: forests merge to streams, rivers, and lakes as you pass close to beaches, above roaring rivers, and around pristine lakes. Highly recommended for this evening would be an oyster and sea food feast in one of the excellent restaurants. Hiking time 2 hours.