Great Parks and Lakes of Western Canada

Landing in Vancouver, you’ll be transferred to Coast Coal Harbour Hotel in the city centre. Vancouver is a cosmopolitan delight, a gateway to the stunning snow-capped mountains and a city full of interest. Take to the friendly streets on foot or catch a hop-on/hop-off bus, maybe stopping off at Canada Place, Jack Pool Plaza and Stanley Park where you can hire bikes and pedal through the temperate rainforest and the adjoining 8 km seawall.

Don’t miss the famous Totems and Prospect Point, English Bay, Yaletown, Chinatown and the historic Gastown. Also visit Granville Island, famous for its lively entertainment, artwork and food market – stroll among the artisan workshops and enjoy a coffee gazing out over the Pacific.

Just a few minutes from central Vancouver is the iconic Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. It’s been part of the city life since 1889, a distinctive feature at 230 feet high and 450 feet long high above the river gorge. Venture into the rainforest and discover the seven suspended footbridges of Treetops Adventure, a wonderful trail high up in the cedar-scented treetop canopy.

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Distance: 121km (75miles)

Today you’ll be taken to the motorhome depot for a familiarisation and to collect your motorhome. Take the opportunity to explore the Boundary Bay Regional Park in Tsawwassen, popular with nature lovers for its with amazing views of White Rock and Mount Baker. Then you’re on your way to the ferry heading across the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver Island. Pause at Butchart Gardens where you can admire the beautiful flowers and gardens.

Take the time to wander around Victoria’s inner harbour with the surrounding Parliament Buildings and the Empress Hotel. Don’t miss the Royal BC Museum and China Town and of course a whale watching cruise is an unmissable opportunity for many.

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Distance: 110km (68miles)

Cruising along Malahat Drive you’ll enjoy the mesmerizing views out over the Pacific to distant Mount Baker. A popular stop off is in Duncan, the ‘City of Totems’, and in Chemainus to see the world’s largest outdoor gallery of murals and sculptures.

Be sure to try the local speciality in Nanaimo – a Nanaimo bar, a kind of moreish fridge cake. Coombs is a popular option, famous for its country market known locally as ‘the Goats on the Roof’ for the goats which graze on its grassy roof.

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Distance: 182km (113miles)

Once on the island, weave through the timeless Douglas fir trees of the stately Cathedral Grove. Look out for the Martin Mars water bomber, the largest Allied seaplane of World War 2, based at Sproat Lake. Stroll along the beach to see the ancient stone carvings in the rock face - the petroglyphs are up to 3,000 years old.

There’s plenty to do from the small village of Ukee. Wildlife abounds and you can go whale watching or bear watching, fishing, surfing, hiking, biking, ocean kayaking or zip lining. It’s a popular spot for ornithologists too. A pleasant way to end the day is the Ukee dining experience on a sunset cruise. Nearby in Tofino you can explore the Pacific Rim and Long Beach.

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Distance: 147km (91miles)

Heading north up Highway 19A to Parksville, you’ll be able to take it easy on the lovely sandy beaches, notably the wondrous shoreline and picture postcard views at Qualicum Beach.

Distance: 197km (122miles)

Return to the mainland by ferry and cruise along the sensational Sea-to-Sky Highway along the photogenic fjords of the Pacific Coast to Whistler.

Whistler is known for world class skiing but summer is a great time to visit this gorgeous town amid its mountainous alpine surroundings. Take the Peak 2 Peak Gondola for a bird’s eye view of the amazing mountain scenery with magnificent hiking and biking trails laced across the slopes. There are even options for a seaplane flight over the mountains and glaciers or perhaps an off-road 4WD tour in search of bears.

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Distance: 130km (81miles)

Follow the sensational Duffey Lake Road through the beautiful Coast Mountains to Lillooet.

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Distance: 266km (165miles)

Today you’ll get a real feel for British Columbia’s historic gold rush, following stretches of the original Cariboo Wagon Road that was trodden by thousands of pioneers in the 1860s. From there you’ll continue through the high jagged peaks and glaciers of the Cariboo Mountains to Clearwater and on to Wells Gray Provincial Park.

Wells Gray Provincial Park is a true wilderness, certainly one of Canada’s most beautiful parks. Immerse yourself in natural surroundings, with pounding waterfalls, guided walks, hiking trails, white water rafting and kayaking.

The wildlife is exceptional: black bears, grizzlies, moose, mountain goats, caribou, wolves and cougars. Don’t miss Dawson and Spahats Falls and especially Helmcken Falls, which plunge 140 metres down into a mist-filled abyss and which, in winter, freeze into a pinnacle of ice.

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Distance: 320km (200miles)

Travelling north over the Caribou Mountains, you may encounter black bears alongside the road. Stop off at the amazing Rearguard Falls and maybe experience the thrill of a white water rafting trip on the surging Fraser River. Carry on through Mount Robson Provincial Park, home of the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, to Clearwater, where you will spend the next two nights.

Jasper National Park is jaw droppingly wild and beautiful. More rugged than its utterly beautiful southerly sister Banff, it is immense in every sense, with unique wildlife, vast icefields and desolate expanses. Cruise along the Maligne Lake, admire the alpine meadows and Mount Edith Cavell glacier, a carpet of colourful wildflowers in spring. Follow hiking trails on Mount Whistler or even slip into the warm embrace of the waters at historic Miette Hot Springs.

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Distance: 288km (180miles)

The Icefields Parkway is often considered the world’s most spectacular road. Running 230 km from Lake Louise to Jasper, it features the best of Rocky Mountain scenery, with cascading rivers, high mountain passes, alpine glaciers, snowy peaks and crystal clear turquoise lakes. Along the way keep an eye open for black bears, deer and coyotes.

Stop whenever you can and savour the views – maybe at the renowned Athabasca Glacier where you can take a ride across the glacier on the Ice Explorer. Other highlights include the Crowfoot Glacier, Athabasca and Sunwapta Falls, Peyto Lake, the Glacier Skywalk and dazzling Lake Louise.

Take time to get to know Banff: Lake Minnewanka, the Vermillion Lakes, Bow Falls, Johnston Canyon and Sulphur Mountain – enjoy a dip in the hot pools and take the leisurely gondola to the top of the mountain for breathtaking wraparound vistas.

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Distance: 283km (176miles)

Cruise along the deep canyons of Kicking Horse Pass and head into Yoho National Park where you’ll want to see Wapta Falls and Emerald Lake.

Pick up the Trans-Canada Highway and drive through dizzying snow-capped mountains and glaciers en route to Glacier National Park where the surrounding scenery is sensational: craggy mountain peaks, tranquil lakes, lush meadows and dense forests. This spectacular wilderness preserve has 700 miles of hiking trails to suit all levels of ability.

Staying in Revelstoke is a great opportunity to get up into the Selkirk and Monashee Mountains for excellent alpine walking and biking trails. Visit the Revelstoke Dam, paddle a canoe or SUP on the lake or simply cruise along the Meadows in the Sky Parkway up to the summit of Mount Revelstoke for unforgettable views.

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Distance: 262km (163miles)

Driving south beside stunning lakes and through rolling hills you’ll reach the picturesque Okanagan Valley, where a milder climate ensures a reputation for fine wines and numerous fruit orchards.

Over 60 wineries to investigate in the valley, many offering a chance to enjoy a tour and a tasting. As you travel be sure to stop and pick up fresh fruit from roadside stalls and farmers’ markets. Take a ride through the gorgeous scenery on the Kettle Valley Steam Railway, built just before the First World War, or simply relax on one of the beautiful lake beaches and soak up the views.

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Distance: 180km (112miles)

Follow the majestic Crowsnest Highway westwards, with the mountains towering above you on either side. This was once the main route cutting across the Rockies between Alberta and British Columbia, a historic road that follows the footsteps of 19^thcentury gold miners who trod this trail.

The Cascade Mountains of Manning Provincial Park are home to a range of wildlife including black bear, coyote, marmot, beaver, chipmunks and deer, not to mention more than 190 species of birds. Hiking trails thread around the tree cloaked hills, along crashing rivers and through valleys where in the summer the alpine meadows are ablaze with wildflowers.

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Distance: 108km (67miles)

Near Hope, stop and explore the Othello Tunnels, an easy 3.5 km walk through four tunnels on the old railway track, cut through sheer granite between 1911 and 1916.

Make sure you also visit the Bridal Veil Falls Provincial Park where the 60 metre falls cascade down a smooth rock face, creating a watery veil of real beauty. The park is home to songbirds, deer and porcupine, black bears too, and is a lovely place to relax and enjoy a walk.

At Harrison Hot Springs you’ll find plenty to do. The lake is fringed with delightful beaches, you can take a boat out or trek into the surrounding mountains. And, of course, you can soak away any aches and pains in the mineral rich hot springs.

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