Canadian Rockies Encompassed

Arrival in Vancouver

Arrive in Vancouver at any time. Most international flights land by early afternoon, leaving plenty of time to get into the city and drop your bags. The Skytrain from YVR is efficient. Find your footing with a walk through Gastown's historic streets or along the Coal Harbour seawall before the real push into the interior begins.

Vancouver Island North

The route north begins with a 90-minute ferry from Horseshoe Bay, crossing the Strait of Georgia to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. From there, it's an overland drive up the coast to Campbell River. The town's museum offers a solid primer on the history of the Lig̱wiłda'x̱w First Nation and their relationship to this part of the island, with well-curated exhibits on local history and archaeology.

DIY Reality Check: The journey from Vancouver to Campbell River is a multi-stage logistical puzzle that requires careful coordination. Due to major, multi-year construction at the Horseshoe Bay terminal, all vehicle travel on this ferry route to Nanaimo must be booked and paid for in advance; drive-up fares are no longer available for this one-way crossing. This mandatory reservation system was implemented because vehicle space at the terminal is reduced by 25% during construction. During peak season and long weekends—which BC Ferries calls the busiest of the year—sailings can be at or near capacity, and those without a booking on other routes can face multi-sailing waits. A guided trip eliminates this entire chain of transit friction, from securing a vehicle to managing the mandatory ferry reservation and coordinating the final 150km drive up-island.

Alert Bay & the Kwakwaka'wakw

A two-hour drive up-island reaches Port McNeill, the departure point for a short ferry to Alert Bay on Cormorant Island. The island is home to the 'Namgis First Nation and the U'mista Cultural Centre, which works to preserve the cultural heritage of the Kwakwaka'wakw people. Its collection of reclaimed potlatch artifacts is significant. After exploring the island's trails and seeing its towering totem poles, the ferry returns to Port McNeill for the final short drive to Port Hardy.