The Enchanted Wilderness Of Coastal BC

Famous for the two hundred resident killer whales that spend much of the year roaming BC’s inside waters, Vancouver Island and the Broughton Archipelago offer visitors premier marine, freshwater and terrestrial wildlife viewing and outdoor learning. Come and experience grizzly bears, river otters and mink roaming the intertidal flats of large mainland rivers, sea lions feeding on oolachan and herring, and Orca whales breaching the surface of Juan de Fuca Strait. Steeped in First Nations history, majestic scenery and rich ecology, Vancouver Island offers excitement, education and adventure.

Lead by established environmental professionals, this program begins in Victoria where participants are introduced to the terrestrial and marine fauna of coastal BC with a lecture from local biologists and a field trip to the natural history gallery at the Royal BC Museum. We visit Pacific Undersea Gardens for a first-hand view of marine fauna and embark on a marine vessel trip into Juan de Fuca Strait to see and learn about Orca whales. Traveling north up Vancouver Island, we join biologists at the Pacific Northwest Raptors Centre and the Freshwater EcoCentre in Duncan as well as the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre in Errington. From Telegraph Cove, we cruise to Glendale River seeking grizzly bears, sea lions and sea birds on a day trip through the spectacular Broughton Archipelago.

Start Location:	Victoria
End Location:	Victoria
Accomodations:	Best Western Waterway Victoria, Dockside 29 Telegraph Cove
Required Equipment:	None.
Required Skills:	None.
Required Documents:	Passport AND photo ID and birth certificate (proof of citizenship) required for entry into Canada.
Required Inoculations:	None.
Packing List:	Bring comfortable walking shoes, sleeveless tops for warm days, light wind & rainproof jacket & sweater for cool nights and incase of wind or rain during trip. Bring sun screen, a hat, sun glasses & camera.
Luggage Limits:	Please pack carefully as you are expected to handle your own luggage. Laundry facilities located in or close to our hotels are available to refresh clothing and minimize bulky luggage.

Handicapped Rooms :	Not available.
Ground Floor Rooms:	Available upon request.
Elevators:	Yes.
Walking Distances:	You will not be asked to stand for more than 15 minutes at a time. Some walking of up to 8 blocks at a slow pace on level terrain is required.
Elevation:	Sea level.

Below is the projected schedule for this program. On each full day of programming, 3 meals and various snacks and beverages are included. Please note that slight changes may occur in the case of unforeseen events.