Canada’s stunning Pacific Coast province of British Columbia has it all from epic wildlife to untouched wilderness in the Canadian Rockies that you can explore by road, rail and trail. And best of all – it’s easily accessible from Vancouver, just a direct flight away from Australia’s east coast.
British Columbia has an adventurous spirit in all seasons with 10 mountain ranges, 25,000km-plus of coastline and one-quarter of the world’s temperate rainforest to explore. Then there’s all the wildlife from bears, moose and caribou to humpbacks, orcas, wolves, birds and even rattlesnakes.
There’s no better way to experience super, natural British Columbia than by road or rail. Venture from sea to sky at your own pace or be guided to enjoy all the extraordinary sights and engage with Indigenous cultures from the Pacific Coast to the Canadian Rockies.
Begin your BC adventure in the province’s largest city, Vancouver. Bound by rainforest and the Pacific Coast with its own vibrant arts, dining and downtown scene, it’s the natural gateway to the Rockies.
We’ve already given you a taste of the inspiring itineraries on the Rainforest to Rockies route and now here’s three more ways to explore.
Rainforest to Rockies: Valleys and Vineyards (921km)
Wine novices and oenophiles alike will raise their glasses to the Valleys and Vineyards itinerary, a four-to-six-day indulgent exploration on the Rainforest to Rockies route from Vancouver to the Fraser, Similkameen and Okanagan valleys for BC’s grape-growing regions and local viticulture traditions.
Blending adventure and culinary exploration, start your sampling with Vancouver’s just-caught seafood, gourmet markets and craft distilleries before heading east, stopping for farm-fresh produce and cheeses in the Fraser Valley.
From Hope, come around the mountains to the Similkameen Valley aka the Fruit Stand Capital of Canada for bountiful orchards, green farmlands and boutique wineries.
In Osoyoos at the start of the Okanagan Valley – BC’s wine-growing hub – learn about local history and practices at Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre with the Indigenous-owned Nk’Mip Cellars winery right next door. Continue your food and wine appreciation in Oliver, dubbed Canada’s Wine Capital, with plenty of culinary experiences and tours on offer.
Find out more here.
Rainforest to Rockies: To Gold Country and Back (828km)
Unearth BC’s pioneering heritage on a road trip from the city to the countryside that delves into the province’s Gold Rush history that began in 1858. Set aside four to six days, travelling from Vancouver’s natural riches on Sea-to-Sky Highway 99 past the scenic Pemberton Valley farmlands with Whistler and Squamish close by for a recreational pitstop.
At Lillooet, one of the province’s oldest towns, you can visit the museum or venture on the Golden Miles of History walking tour and Gold Rush Trail.
Travel past the Fraser River, with its rich deposits that stoked the Gold Rush, to enter Ranch Country with more prospecting and First Peoples cultural relics to discover in Lytton and Ashcroft and nearby Historic Hat Creek Ranch. Then, follow the Thompson River to Merritt – a horseback riding hotspot and Canada’s Country Music Capital.
Driving back to Vancouver on Trans Canada Highway 1, keep your walking shoes or bike close as historic and decommissioned rail trails await along with wildlife sightings in the likes of E.C. Manning and Coquihalla Canyon provincial parks and the Kettle Valley Rail Trail.
Find out more here.
Rainforest to Rockies: Trans Canada Trail and Kettle Valley Rail Trail
Hikers and bikers will get a Rocky Mountain high on the Trans Canada Trail and Kettle Valley Rail Trail. The reclaimed Kettle Valley Rail (KVR) Trail is a section of the 28,000km cross-country Trans Canada Trail and involves a multi-day cycling journey from Hope to Midway via Kelowna and Myra Canyon.
From Vancouver, drive through the Fraser Valley to Hope to cycle the KVR. Bike through the Othello Tunnels and venture over bridges before cycling the five-hour scenic route past lakes, bridges, tunnels and vineyards from Kelowna to Penticton.
Pick up the KVR and bike past charming scenery packed with orchards and vines on the way to Naramata and onto the trail’s best-known section, Myra Canyon. Here, two tunnels and 18 historic trestle bridges with dramatic canyon views will command your attention as you traverse the former railbed.
The final Rainforest to Rockies stretch of the KVR takes you east to Midway, cycling along picturesque trails and paddling routes to Fernie in the Rockies and the end of the Trans Canada Trail in BC.
Find out more here.
But wait, there’s more…
There’s 12 different ways to travel the Rainforest to Rockies route from Vancouver, depending on how much time you have and whether you’d like to travel by road, rail or trail. It really is a choose-your-own path and pace adventure.
Take a roundabout road trip from the Rainforest to Rockies via the Coast Mountain Circle Route – a thrilling itinerary that packs in the adventure hubs of Squamish and Whistler or on The Signature Circle Route for the full BC experience. This 2,195km Rainforest to Rockies road trip from the Pacific Ocean to the mountains has all the highlights and highest peaks you’d expect on a sea-to-sky loop.
If you’d prefer someone else to steer, embark on a Rocky Mountaineer Rail Tour. Travel on the luxury train from Vancouver to the Canadian Rockies by day and overnight in the likes of Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise and Whistler on several different guided itineraries.
There’s also nothing like taking BC’s epic highways to the Rockies: venture on the road trip to Mount Robson – the Rockies’ loftiest mountain, tackle the Trans-Canada Highway for highlights and high peaks and set out on Crowsnest Highway 3 to see scenery you won’t believe even exists in Canada.
For more info and inspo, head to hellobc.com/rainforest-to-rockies
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