British Columbia

The Canadian Pacific Coast is rugged, wild – and incredibly beautiful!

Photo: Oliver Dirr / Whaletrips

whales: British Columbia

The waters around Vancouver Island are the orca capital of the world. Nowhere else in the world can you observe orcas in summer as well as here. Grey and humpback whales also frequently pass by here on their annual journey north.

Whale watching in British Columbia primarily means whale watching on Vancouver Island, although you can also book tours directly from Vancouver. All providers, whether mainland or island, are specialised on orcas.

In the west of the island, the migration of the grey whales is another highlight of the season: around 20,000 grey whales migrate from the Gulf of California to the Bering Sea every year, passing through Vancouver Island between the end of February and May (there are also some residents who stay here all summer). In March, Tofino and Ucluelet on the west coast of the island celebrate the Pacific Rim Whale Festival, during which up to 100,000 people watch the migration of the grey whales from land. Minke whales can also occasionally be observed, and especially in the north of Vancouver Island in summer, humpback whales are often spotted again.

The main town on the island is Victoria, in the far south, from where 70 per cent of all whale-watching tours in the whole of British Columbia depart. However, there are so many providers, too many by now, that the whales may sometimes be disturbed by the many boats.

A majestic orca in the waters of the Broughton Archipelago in the far north of Vancouver Island. Photo: Oliver Dirr / Whaletrips

The best way to avoid this is to head to the west of Vancouver Island, to Tofino and Ucluelet, from where numerous tours depart in summer. The beaches of Long Beach and especially Wickaninnish Beach are also beautiful, and in contrast to Victoria, you can also observe lots of grey whales here in summer. Whale watching from land is also possible on many hiking trails in the Pacific Rim National Park.

A little further north is Campbell River, from where many tours depart for the Strait of Georgia with its many small islands and inlets full of sea lions, eagles and black bears. The real orca capital of the world is probably the area around Telegraph Cove in the far north of Vancouver Island. Nowhere else can you see so many orcas in summer as reliably as here – even from land!

Theoretically, orcas can be found in the waters of British Columbia all year round, but they are most frequently encountered during the peak season from May to September.

Tours are possible directly from Telegraph Cove, e.g. with stubbs-island, orcellaexpeditions.com (multi-day tours!) or kingfisher (by kayak). Mackay whale watching starts from Port McNeill, from Alert Bay you can sail with seaorca. Orcas are sighted quite reliably until mid-September, after that only irregularly.

Photo: Oliver Dirr / Whaletrips

TO DO: British Columbia

Vancouver Island offers rugged, wild coastlines, dense rainforest and kilometres of secluded beaches. And the nearby Canadian Rocky Mountains are home to some of the most beautiful national parks in the world.

Vancouver Island is the largest island on the Pacific coast of North America, measuring a good 450 kilometres long and 100 kilometres wide. Large parts of the island are dominated by temperate rainforest, especially the south side of the island facing the Pacific Ocean is extremely rugged and jagged – a perfect place to experience the wild storms of the Pacific in autumn.

On the north side, the Strait of Georgia and Johnston Strait are more temperate and offer an infinite number of waterways, inlets and islands. The most important city is the very British-looking Victoria in the far south (80,000 inhabitants). In the far north lies Port Hardy, the starting point for a boat trip to the Inside Passage in Alaska.

Temperate rainforest differs from tropical rainforest primarily in that it occurs in the temperate climate zones away from the equator; apart from that, both types are similarly wild, chaotic and impenetrable. The rainforest on the Pacific coast of North America consists of extremely dense spruce and Douglas fir, and in northern California also of the giant sequoias. Close to the ground, everything is tangled and mossy; these forests are among the most species-rich and fascinating (and sometimes also the scariest) ecosystems in the world.

“The dense rainforests of Vancouver Island are probably home to around a thousand cougars – that’s about a quarter of the entire Canadian population.”

The Pacific Rim National Park in the south of the island is one of the most beautiful national parks in Canada, attracting over a million visitors from all over the world every year. Most impressive is the coast of Clayoquot Sound between Ucluelet and Tofino, where you'll find grotesque rock formations and kilometres of secluded sandy beaches full of driftwood. Long Beach and Wickaninnish Beach in particular are among the most beautiful beaches on the entire North American west coast.

The West Coast Trail in the south of the Pacific Rim is one of the most famous (and, depending on season and weather, toughest) hiking trails in Canada. Experienced hikers need a good week for the 75 kilometres, less experienced hikers prefer to start with just one section. The Wild Pacific Trail is much easier and leads along the scenic coastline of Ucluelet, where easy sections are also possible, e.g. the Lighthouse Loop.

Although there are no brown bears on Vancouver Island, there are plenty of black bears, and it is not uncommon for them to come right up to the front gardens of the smaller towns. They are not usually after humans, black bears are omnivores and are generally only interested in food lying around. At low tide, they can often be seen on the shores of the inlets, where they search for mussels and sea creatures (which is why most bear safaris start by boat). On the north coast of Vancouver Island, you can also go on tours to the inlets of the mainland, where grizzlies can be seen in August and September.

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The dense rainforests of Vancouver Island are (probably) home to around a thousand cougars (also known as mountain lions), a quarter of the entire Canadian population. At first glance, they seem less threatening than bears – however, black bears are easy to scare off and an attack is more of an accident, whereas cougars may follow hikers for a long time to assess their chances of attacking.

Although encounters and attacks are extremely rare, there are signs on many trails telling you how to behave in the event of an encounter: Back off, be loud, stand tall – and if attacked, fight back with all you've got. Cougars grow to around 1.5 metres tall and weigh up to 70 kilograms; they can jump from a standing start around 5 metres high and 9 metres far.

Anyone visiting British Columbia should definitely make a detour to the Rocky Mountains. The national parks of Banff and Jasper are among the most beautiful in the world. The easiest way to explore the area is by road trip, with the Trans Canada Highway taking you past all the world-famous sights: Johnston Canyon, Lake Louise, Columbia Icefield, Sunwapta Falls, Maligne Lake, Athabasca Falls, Emerald Lake, Moraine Lake, Mount Robson.

Tip: Don't take the Trans Canada Highway from Banff, but Highway 1A to Lake Louise: less road, fewer cars, more wildlife.