Vancouver is one of the world's most beautiful cities, rich with culture, nature and world-class shopping, dining and hotels. It is also home to the Coast Salish Peoples including the Tsleil-Waututh, Musqueam and Squamish Nations. Explore Aboriginal culture at the Klahowya Village in Stanley Park and discover First Nations treasures at the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art. Vancouver offers outstanding opportunities for outdoor adventure and the sophisticated amenities of a world-class city. Take advantage of the city’s ocean-side location, with plenty of green space and outdoor experiences in the mountains 20 minutes north of downtown. After a busy day, wind-down over a glass of BC wine and a locally inspired meal, or pamper yourself at one of Vancouver’s unique spas.

Stay two nights in Vancouver.

On arrival collect your hire car and drive to Prince Rupert, approx. 145 km / 90 miles

Head west on Highway 16 with its jaw-dropping Skeena River scenery and local indigenous communities, towards the Great Bear Rainforest. Before exploring Prince Rupert itself experience some of this incredible area on a hike, whale watching or floatplane tour or rent a kayak and paddle some of the shoreline. 

The active port city of Prince Rupert, situated on Kaien Island, was home to the Tsimshian and Haida nations for 5000 years. Their legacies can be seen in the totem poles of Service Park, Roosevelt Park and the Sunken Gardens. Visit the Museum of Northern BC to learn more about the First Nations people, or browse some of the unique shops and galleries in the town. Finish your day with a local beer or wine, looking out over the water. 

Stay one night in Prince Rupert.

  

Make a stop at the rarely visited like Exchamsiks River Provincial Park, with its accessible walking trails through a giant cedar forest. Visit the House of Sim-Oi-Ghets, just off Highway 16, a gift shop, owned and operated by Kitsumkalum, a Galts’ap community, which offers traditional and contemporary art and crafts.

Ringed by mountains, the Terrace area is primed for mountain biking, hiking and rock climbing, as well as world-class the fly-fishing and exciting jetboat tours on the Skeena River, a great opportunity for wildlife spotting and discovering some of areas less accessible spots. Take a tour of the Kitselas Canyon National Historic Site, where you can walk between old-growth trees in an area which has been home to the Ts’msyen people for over 6000 years. 

South of Terrace lies Kitimat, with a 90-kilometre-long fjord that cleaves through the Coast Mountain Range, offering both high alpine and deepwater adventures, as well as hot springs and beautiful oceanside views.

Stay two nights in Terrace.

Continuing east on Highway 16 you will cross the Hagwilget Canyon Bridge, a one-lane steel suspension bridge that links two sides of a 6,000-foot-deep river canyon. On the other side of this exhilarating crossing is the riverside Ksan Historical Village and Museum where you can immerse yourself in 10,000 years of Gitxsan history.

The craggy coast range scenery gradually becomes sweeping countryside laced with waterfalls, rivers and akes, with Hudson Bay Mountain towering over the town of Smithers. The town’s Alpen-themed main street sits directly at the foot of the mountain offering not only postcard views while you stroll, eat, or shop, but easy access to hiking and biking. West of town, in Babine Mountain Provincial Park, you’ll find fields of wildflowers during the spring and summer months, subalpine meadows, and glacier-fed lakes. You’ll find paddleboarding, canoes and kayaking opportunities on Lakes Kathlyn, Tyee, Chapman, and Seymour.

Stay two nights in Smithers.

Your scenic Highway 16 journey continues through the beautiful Lake District and you’ll find plenty of places to stop and admire the views, or take a short hike, but continue on to Prince George, as you will head back through this region for a couple of nights later in the trip.   

Prince George is the largest city in the region and one that embraces wilderness as much as it does culture. Its lively downtown is made up of excellent restaurants, local shops, interesting museums and art galleries. The traditional territory of the Lheidli T’enneh First Nation is crisscrossed with over 1,500 hectares of parks and green spaces, along with 106 kilometres (66 miles) of trails, dozens of lakes, and two rivers.

A short drive brings you to Ancient Forest/Chun T’oh Whudujut Park and Protected Area, one of the only inland temperate rainforests in the world. This incredible ecosystem houses thousand-year-old cedars and a rich diversity of flora. 

Stay two nights in Prince George.

As you head east, final stretch of Highway 16 is a gradual ascent through high country and woodland, and charming communities like McBride, until you reach your destination of Mt. Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. The series of jagged mountains here span more than 1,600 kilometres (994 miles) across British Columbia and Alberta. This journey is a great chance to spot wildlife – keep watch for moose, bears, mountain goats and white-tailed deer as you drive, and there are regular stopping points along the way. 

Once at Mount Robson Provincial Park a must-do is the signature Berg Lake Trail, which takes you through wildflower meadows, roaring waterfalls, a turquoise-hued glacier lake, and its iconic peak, though the park’s many other trails are also worth your time, including the stunning hike to Kinney Lake. There is some cabin accommodation close to the park, or otherwise in the friendly mountain town of Valemont.

Stay one night in the Mount Robson area.

A long but scenic drive today will take you back to the Lakes District, a freshwater lover’s dream, home to 3oo wilderness lakes, shoreline birds like the common loon, and other wildlife. Rent a kayak or canoe and take in the scenery from the water, or discover the lake-dotted tapestry from the air on a flightseeing tour. 

Or on land, you can drive the Lakes District Circle Tour, a 97-kilometre-long loop via Highway 35 that links together four fishing lakes, backcountry roads, and a free 20-minute ferry crossing. Enjoy the beautiful views or rolling meadows, Tweedsmuir Park and Mount Wells. There are also numerous hiking trails for all abilities. 

In town you will find boutiques and galleries, local cafés and bars, and some interesting local history at the Lakes District Museum. 

Stay two nights in Burns Lake.

Located at the head of the historic 90-mile-long Portland Canal, surrounded by rich forests, Cambria ice fields, and incredible wildlife, Stewart is an eclectic town with plenty to discover. Hike one of the trails close to town, head to the Fish Creek Wildlife Observation Site (Bear Viewing Platform) in July and August to watch bears in the salmon run, take a tour across the border into Alaska and on to the Salmon Glacier – the largest vehicle accessible glacier in the world, or enjoy wildlife watching or fishing on a boat charter on the Portland Canal. 

Visit the Stewart Historical Museum, which is housed in a 1910 fire hall, to learn about the town’s colourful mining past, stroll along the boardwalk for spectacular views of the Portland Canal and mingle with the locals in one of the towns quirky restaurants. 

Stay two nights in Stewart.

Head via the Nass Valley and take the Nisga’a Lands Auto Tour through the lava lands, stopping at various viewing points on the way such as waterfalls and the drowned forest, as well as the unique communities. Make sure you also visit the Nisga’a Museum with over 300 priceless artefacts.