Self-Launched Ultimate Adventure in British Columbia & Vancouver Island

Fly into Vancouver International Airport (YVR). Take the Canada Line rapid transit directly from the airport to downtown Vancouver — it's under 30 minutes and costs around CAD $5 (£3). Check into a central hostel or budget hotel in the downtown/Gastown area. Spend the evening exploring the city: grab dinner in Gastown or Granville Island, grab a craft beer, and get an early night ahead of an action-packed morning.

🚌Canada Line from YVR to Yaletown-Roundhouse or Waterfront Station (~£3)

🛏HI Vancouver Central Hostel or similar (dorm ~£28–35/night, private ~£60–75/night)

• →Arrive at YVR and take the Canada Line to downtown (~£3)
• →Check into hostel or budget hotel in downtown Vancouver
• →Explore Gastown and Granville Island on foot
• →Grab dinner at a local restaurant or food market

Take an early morning bus from Vancouver to Whistler via the Sea-to-Sky Highway with BC Ferries/Greyhound or the Whistler Bus (Pacific Coach Lines, ~£20–25 one way). Buy a Whistler Blackcomb sightseeing gondola ticket (Peak-to-Peak included) online in advance. Hike the Half Note to High Note Trail (8.5km, ~4 hours) for jaw-dropping views over Garibaldi Provincial Park. After the hike, catch a local bus or rideshare south to Squamish (~1 hour). Check into a campsite or hostel in Squamish and cook your own dinner or grab food locally.

🚌Pacific Coach Lines / BC Bus North Vancouver–Whistler (~£22); Squamish Transit or rideshare Whistler–Squamish (~£10)

🛏Squamish Valley Campground or Basecamp Lodge Squamish (camping pitch ~£20–25/person, dorm ~£28)

• →Bus from Vancouver to Whistler via Sea-to-Sky Highway (~£22 one way, BC Bus North / Pacific Coach)
• →Whistler Blackcomb Peak-to-Peak Gondola sightseeing ticket (book online, ~£45–55)
• →Hike Half Note to High Note Trail (8.5km, 650m elevation, ~4 hours) — free, no permit required
• →Bus or rideshare south to Squamish (~£8–12)
• →Set up at campsite or hostel in Squamish

Full adventure day in Squamish. Book a 2-hour guided sea kayak session on Howe Sound through Squamish Water Sports or Sunwolf — paddle alongside the Stawamus Chief monolith, keeping eyes peeled for seals and otters. After lunch at a local café, tackle the iconic Stawamus Chief hike (6km return, ~653m elevation gain). The trail leads to one of three stunning summit viewpoints over Howe Sound and Squamish town. No permit needed, though parking fees apply if driving. Finish with dinner at a local spot in Squamish.

🚌On foot / local bike within Squamish

🛏Squamish Valley Campground or Basecamp Lodge Squamish (camping ~£20–25/person)

• →2-hour guided sea kayak tour on Howe Sound (book via Squamish Water Sports or similar, ~£45–55)
• →Hike Stawamus Chief Mountain — Peaks 1, 2 or 3 (free, no permit, ~2–3 hours)
• →Lunch at a local Squamish café (~£10–12)
• →Dinner in Squamish town (~£12–15)

Drive or take a bus back towards Vancouver to Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal. Book a BC Ferries crossing to Nanaimo (Departure Bay) in advance online — the sailing takes about 1 hour 40 minutes. From Nanaimo, take a bus or arrange a car rental to reach Sooke on the southern tip of Vancouver Island (~2 hours). This afternoon, hike a section of the spectacular East Sooke Coast Trail along the rugged Juan de Fuca Strait shoreline. Finish the evening with dinner and a beer at Sooke Brewing Company (pay locally — great selection of craft beers and food trucks/pop-ups).

🚌BC Ferries Horseshoe Bay–Nanaimo (~£20); bus/shuttle or rental car Nanaimo–Sooke (~£18)

🛏Sooke Harbour Resort & Spa campground or Point No Point Resort camping (~£20–30/pitch); or East Sooke B&B (~£50–65/person twin share)

• →BC Ferries: Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo — book online in advance (~£18–22 foot passenger)
• →Bus or rental car from Nanaimo to Sooke (~£15–20 by bus/shuttle, or share a rental car)
• →Hike East Sooke Coast Trail — Beechey Head circular section (free, ~2 hours, 5.5km)
• →Dinner and drinks at Sooke Brewing Company (pay locally, ~£15–20)

Head into Victoria by bus or car (~45 minutes from Sooke). Book a whale watching boat tour departing from Victoria's Inner Harbour — operators like Prince of Whales or Eagle Wing Tours run excellent 3-hour trips to spot resident orcas, humpbacks, seals, and bald eagles in the San Juan Islands channel. Book online in advance, especially in summer. After the tour, explore Victoria's charming old town: visit the Inner Harbour, Chinatown (Canada's oldest), and browse local boutiques. Grab dinner in town before heading back to camp in Sooke.

🚌Bus or rideshare Sooke–Victoria and return (~£10–15 each way)

🛏Return to Sooke campsite or B&B (~£20–30 camping, ~£50–65 twin share B&B)

• →Whale watching boat tour from Victoria Inner Harbour (Prince of Whales or Eagle Wing Tours, book online, ~£90–110/person, 3 hours)
• →Explore Victoria's Inner Harbour and old town on foot (free)
• →Visit Chinatown — Canada's oldest (free)
• →Dinner in Victoria (~£15–20)

Pack up camp and start the scenic drive north up Vancouver Island towards Tofino — a spectacular 4–5 hour journey best done by rental car (shared costs) or the Tofino Bus service. Stop for breakfast at a café in Sooke or en route. Make a stop in MacMillan Provincial Park to walk through Cathedral Grove — an awe-inspiring old-growth forest of 800-year-old Douglas firs (free, no permit needed). Pop into the Old Country Market in Coombs (famous for its rooftop goats!) to grab lunch and try candied salmon. Continue into Pacific Rim National Park for a short rainforest or shoreline trail hike (day pass ~CAD $8/person). Roll into Tofino in the late afternoon — set up camp at one of the epic beachfront campsites and catch the sunset.

🚌Tofino Bus (Nanaimo/Port Alberni–Tofino, ~£35) or shared rental car (~£15–20/person)

🛏Bella Pacifica Resort campground or Surf Junction Camping, Tofino (~£25–35/pitch per person)

• →Drive or Tofino Bus from Sooke/Nanaimo to Tofino (~£30–40 by Tofino Bus; car rental ~£40–55/day split between group)
• →Walk Cathedral Grove in MacMillan Provincial Park (free)
• →Stop at Old Country Market, Coombs — try candied salmon and local snacks (~£10–15)
• →Short hike in Pacific Rim National Park — shoreline or rainforest loop (day pass ~£5)
• →Set up camp in Tofino and watch the sunset from the beach

Morning hike on the Wild Pacific Trail around Ucluelet (~7.5km, 3–4 hours) — a rugged coastal trail threading through old-growth forest and past shipwreck viewpoints with powerful Pacific views. The trail is free and well-marked. Drive or cycle back to Tofino for lunch (try Tacofino taco truck — a Tofino institution, pay locally ~£10–15). In the afternoon, book a beginner surf lesson with one of Tofino's many surf schools — Live to Surf, Surf Sister, or Pacific Surf School all offer 2–3 hour lessons including wetsuit and board hire. Tofino's sandy breaks are perfect for first-timers. Spend the evening around the campfire.

🚌Local Tofino Transit bus or bicycle rental between Tofino and Ucluelet (~£5–10)

🛏Bella Pacifica Resort campground or Surf Junction Camping, Tofino (~£25–35/pitch per person)

• →Hike the Wild Pacific Trail, Ucluelet section (free, ~7.5km, 3.5 hours)
• →Lunch at Tacofino taco truck or similar (~£10–15, pay locally)
• →Beginner surf lesson with Surf Sister, Pacific Surf School or Live to Surf (~£65–80, includes wetsuit & board)
• →Evening at campsite

The adventure's highlight. Book a guided overnight kayak and wilderness camping tour into Clayoquot Sound with an operator like Remote Passages, Tofino Sea Kayaking, or Tofino Expeditions — this is the one activity on this trip that genuinely needs a licensed local guide for safety and access to wilderness camping permits. Paddle out from Tofino into the calm inlet waters, stopping at Meares Island to hike the Big Tree Trail (ancient cedars up to 1,500–2,000 years old, guided by a local First Nations cultural interpreter). Continue paddling via Lemmens Inlet and past Opitsat village to reach your wild camp spot on Vargas Island. Fresh salmon BBQ on the beach under a sky full of stars — absolutely unforgettable.

🚌Kayak from Tofino (included in guided tour)

🛏Wild camp on Vargas Island (included in guided kayak tour cost)

• →Guided overnight sea kayak expedition into Clayoquot Sound (book with Remote Passages or Tofino Sea Kayaking, ~£120–160/person, includes guide, camping gear, meals)
• →Hike the Big Tree Trail on Meares Island (guided, included in kayak tour)
• →Paddle past Opitsat village — First Nations cultural context from guide
• →Wild camp on Vargas Island — beach BBQ salmon dinner (included in tour)

Wake up to birdsong and the sound of the Pacific. Pack down camp and paddle back towards Tofino, stopping at Stubbs Island to explore its fascinating history as a 19th-century commercial hub for European and Japanese settlers. Keep eyes peeled along the shoreline for bears. Reach Tofino and bid farewell to your kayak guides. Drive or take the bus east across Vancouver Island to Parksville (~2.5 hours). Check into a comfortable hotel or motel — after a week of camping, a real bed and a hot shower feel like pure luxury. Head out for a well-earned farewell dinner at one of Parksville's local breweries.

🚌Tofino Bus to Parksville (~£30) or shared rental car (~£15–20/person)

🛏Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort or Arbutus Grove Motel, Parksville (budget double/twin ~£55–80/person twin share)

• →Morning paddle back to Tofino via Stubbs Island (included in Day 8 kayak tour)
• →Drive or Tofino Bus: Tofino to Parksville (~£25–35 by bus, ~£15–20 by rental car per person)
• →Check into hotel/motel in Parksville — enjoy a hot shower!
• →Farewell dinner at a local Parksville brewery (~£20–25)

Short drive to Nanaimo ferry terminal. Before boarding, stop in Nanaimo to try the famous Nanaimo Bar — the iconic Canadian dessert of wafer, coconut, custard and chocolate ganache, available at any local bakery or the Nanaimo Bar Trail stops. Take the BC Ferries sailing from Nanaimo (Departure Bay) to Horseshoe Bay, Vancouver (~1 hour 40 minutes). Arrive back on the mainland and make your way downtown or to YVR. The Canada Line from Horseshoe Bay area (bus to Bridgeport then sky train) connects you back to the airport. Don't book any departing flights before 18:00 to be safe.

🚌BC Ferries Nanaimo–Horseshoe Bay (~£21); transit to downtown/YVR (~£4)

🛏N/A — end of trip (or book an extra night in Vancouver if your flight is the next day)

• →Short drive or bus to Nanaimo (~30–45 minutes)
• →Try a Nanaimo Bar at a local bakery (~£2–3)
• →BC Ferries: Nanaimo (Departure Bay) to Horseshoe Bay, Vancouver — book online (~£20–22 foot passenger)
• →Canada Line / transit back to downtown Vancouver or YVR (~£3–5)