A family holiday to Vancouver Island, focusing on watching whales and bears by boat, before spending two days at an activity and adventure centre in rugged mountain wilderness.
- Wildlife watching with a specialist guide
- Visit the Pacific Rim National Park
- Look for black bears on a coastal boat trip
- Go whale watching & see other marine wildlife
- Learn to rock climb & paddleboard
- Zipline through the trees
This wildlife and activity adventure itinerary based on Vancouver Island is a bucket-list holiday for adventurous families and nature lovers, offering close encounters with orcas and whales in one of the world’s best whale watching spots.
Explore Vancouver city before you reach Vancouver Island, go on boat trips in search of black bears turning over rocks looking for crustaceans and grizzly bears catching salmon. Head out on whale watching trips to see several whale species in the waters of Clayoquot Sound and the islands and islets of Johnstone Strait along key cetacean migration routes, where you may even see sea otters too.
Explore the great outdoors, witness stunning mountain and coastal scenery and finish at an activity centre in Strathcona Provincial Park where you and your family can choose from a range of activities including learning how to climb trees, go ziplining, paddling and orienteering.
Typical Itinerary
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Day 1: Fly to Vancouver
Arriving the same day, the rest of the afternoon is at leisure.
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Day 2: Free day in Vancouver
Spend the day exploring the neighbourhoods of the city or book one of many activities in the picturesque snow-capped mountains and beaches. Join a hop-on-hop-off bus to get around or hire bicycles and visit Stanley Park.
Or why not book a trip to Grouse Mountain and Capilano Suspension Bridge Park where you can choose from a range of activities from the swinging planks of the suspension bridge, towering platforms of the treetops adventure and meeting the birds of raptors ridge.
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Day 3: Transfer to Vancouver Island
Collect your hire car and board the BC Ferry to Vancouver Island and across to the west coast town of Ucluelet.
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Days 4-5 : Whale & bear watching cruise
The next few days on the west coast can be spent on boat trips in search of black bears, whales and other marine life or visit the Pacific Rim National Park. Here you can take rainforest walks, go surfing, sea-kayaking or paddleboarding and visit the discovery centre to learn about tidal pool ecosystems.
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Day 6: Drive to Telegraph Cove
Depart Ucluelet and drive back across the island to the east coast, stopping at Cathedral Grove to go hiking amongst ancient growth trees over 800 years old. -
Day 7: Grizzly Bear Expedition or Whale Watching Adventure
Today, choose from a full day excursion to the spectacular Knight Inlet on the search for grizzly bears hunting salmon or cruise the calm waters of the Johnstone Strait to see an abundance of marine life, including orcas, dolphins, seals and various whale species.
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Day 8: Drive to Strathcona Provincial Park
Heading south, stopping in Campbell River for lunch, drive to the oldest park in British Columbia, Strathcona Provincial Park, a rugged wilderness of snow-capped peaks, rivers, lakes, alpine plateaus and dramatic deep shaded valleys. -
Days 9-10 : Strathcona Park Lodge
Spend the next two days indulging in a range of activities at your own pace, including tree climbing, ziplining, high ropes course, paddling on the water and rock climbing, finishing the days around a campfire and looking up at the starry night sky. -
Day 11: Ferry to Vancouver & Return Home
Leaving Strathcona Park Lodge behind, head back to Nanaimo to board the 90-minute ferry crossing back to the mainland and back to Vancouver International Airport for your return overnight flight home.
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Day 12: Arrive UK
Please note: If you have more time, why not extend your trip with a stay in Whistler, a mecca for outdoor adventure from the legendary bike park to breathtaking glacier filled lakes, where you can relax in the sun or hire kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. Please also kindly note that due to the FIFA World Cup taking place in Canada from 10 June - 10 July, additional supplementary charges are likely for travel quotations during this period.
Duration and Guide Prices
- Age Guide: 10+
- Itinerary Type: Tailor-made Holiday
When To Go
View dates and prices-
Summer
Our Tailor-made Holidays
Our tailor-made trip ideas can be adapted to suit your requirements. Contact our experts for a personalised itinerary.
Next Steps
Dates & Prices
Our trip ideas are flexible and can be offered during the date ranges below, on a date of your choice. To book, make a no obligation booking request with your preferred departure date or enquire to find out more.
| Daily Departures | Prices Per Person From
(Exc. Flights) |
Prices Per Person From
(Inc. Flights) |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | From | To | Duration | Adult price, excluding flights, from | Child price, excluding flights, from | Duration | Adult price, including flights, from | Child price, including flights, from | Options |
| 2026 | 1 Jun | 31 Aug | 11 days | £2,495 | £995 | 12 days | £3,695 | £1,995 | Book or Enquire |
| 2027 | 1 Jun | 31 Aug | 11 days | £2,495 | £995 | 12 days | £3,695 | £1,995 | Book or Enquire |
For alternative dates, please contact us. We may be in the process of finalising further departures and are often able to tailor a holiday for you according to your own requirements.
Kindly note that we prepare our prices several months ahead of travel dates, and our flight-inclusive prices are provided as a general indication, based upon flight costs at the time of publication. Your quotation may vary, based upon the prices of flights (and the availability) at the time of your enquiry.
