The unspoilt wilderness of British Columbia and Yukon is an adventurer’s dream. It is a wildlife safari. Here black bears and grizzlies roam freely, herds of caribou charge across the grasslands and velvet antlered moose, wild sheep and elk slow our journey. Then there are the great herds of bison. As if all this was not enough, we were introduced to the 1stNation-peoples and their once proud art and history. This includes protecting the great salmon rivers which come to life every summer. It is a timely reminder that these landscapes would not be so inviting if it was not for their stewardship.In addition, the visitor centres, in the heart of every city, provide a welcome not seen in many other lands. We made these the focus of our trip and were inspired by the knowledgeable staff. Follow our self-drive Canadian wilderness road trip to discover magical landscapes.
Canadian Wilderness itinerary
Day 1 – Arrived in Vancouver.
We started at the visitor centre at the airport. Picked up our vehicle from Alamo. That didn’t go quite to plan, but more on that another time. We managed to fit in a trip to Shannon Falls and Squamish, but it was all a bit tame! We were eager to get to Canada’s sprawling wilderness.
Day 2 – Ferry to Vancouver Island (Horseshoe Bay – Nanaimo).
We had a great drive across the island to the west coast and the Pacific Rim National Park. We camped at the Bella Pacific Campsite near Tofino. Despite the hot summer weather on the east side of the island, here near Tofino the weather was foggy and cold.
Day 3 – Hiking the trails of the Pacific Rim National Park on Vancouver Island
There is another great Visitor Centre at Ucluelet. Explore the beaches Tofino in the north to Ucluelet in the south. There are opportunities to see whales and other sea life along the way.
Day 4 – Tofino – Telegraph Cove-Port Hardy
We retraced our drive to Nanaimo and then took the coast road north to Telegraph Cove. This is a quaint only village built by the European settlers on 1stNation Land. Here there are many opportunities to go whale watching or take a day visiting grizzly bears. Much of this area is given over logging, and although we were assured it was ‘managed’, it was nevertheless depressing.
Day 5 – Ferry Port Hardy on Vancouver Island – Prince Rupert in Northern BC
This is one cheap, brilliant way to travel through the inside passage. The ferry takes 15 hours travelling through the tranquil waters frequented by humpback whales, orcas, dolphins and much more. Book online with BCferries early as they only operate this route in the summer months.
Day 6-8 The Canadian wilderness road trip starts here : Prince Rupert – Cassiar-Stewart Hwy on route 37 via Ksan village
Sometimes you just wish you had more time. It was our introduction to the wilderness of northern BC and it did not disappoint. From stunning glaciers to volcanic landscapes, wildlife aplenty to the welcoming Kitselas, Ksan and Tahltan 1stNation peoples, the Cassiar-Stewart Highway on route 37 is a drive like no other.
Day 9 – Crossing into the Yukon on the Alaska Hwy and onto Whitehorse
The incredible Cassiar-Stewart Hwy (Route 37) meets the Alaska Hwy (Route 1) at marker 1000kms. The forest trees had been diminishing in size as we moved north. Now we were surrounded by classic boreal forests. Unfortunately, it was pouring with rain and heavy thunderstorms accompanied our route into Whitehorse, the capital city of the Yukon. Here a very welcoming Visitor centre provided us with an accommodation list and we soon found a cheap and clean bed for the night.
Day 10 – Whitehorse – Haines, USA, and onto Kluane NP, Canada
Being back in ‘civilization’ was not all it was cracked up to be, and soon we were itching to be back on the road. At Haines junction, we found a European-style bakery which caused us to linger. From here we headed to Haines on the USA side for a possible circuitous route to Skagway, requiring a ferry crossing and back to Carcross and Whitehorse. The good news was that with an EU passport on a land crossing we were eligible for a 3-month visa for USD6. The bad news was that the ferry was full for the next couple of days.
Day 11 – Driving the circuit from Kluane NP through Alaska to Dawson city
This remote section of the Alaska Hwy cuts through a wide expanse of the Canadian wilderness with distant snow-peaked mountains to the western rockies. Despite the awesome views this singular route to Beaver Creek on the USA border is buckling due to the melting permafrost on which the road was built. The changing effects of the climate, the fight of our lifetime, is visible right beneath our feet here.
Day 12 – Dawson City – Whitehorse – Watson Lake
The Klondike gold rush may have made this region a household name to Europeans, but spare a thought for the indigenous population who protected this pristine Canadian wilderness landscape and are still fighting to do so. Having been enticed north to Dawson City, we now hunkered down for very long drives each day to reach Vancouver.
Day 13 – Watson Lake – Swan Lake Provincial campground 35ms south of Dawson Creek
This near 1000km section of the Alaska Hwy can be classified in two parts. The 1stsection travelling south to Fort Nelson, is a wilderness paradise. Large herds of bison, skittish moose and bears together with extraordinary wilderness views of emerald lakes and enchanted forests were our constant companion.
From Fort Nelson to south of Dawson Creek the apocalyptic decimation of the landscape by the fossil fuel industry was a wakeup call. In addition to the by-products of burning fossil fuels, the horror of the devastated landscape might just galvanize us all into action. The visit would be worth it just for that.
Day 14 – Dawson Creek to Lake Louise between Jasper and Banff
The Jasper to Banff run is a well-travelled route deserving of many of the accolades given to it. However, the endless stream of visitors, cars and businesses plying to us tourists can also take the pleasure away.
Day 15 Lake Louise – Vancouver
The road from Lake Louise via Revelstoke, Salmon Arm and Kamloops should have been a highlight. However heavy rain accompanied us the entire way, subsiding as we hit the motorway at Kamloops to Vancouver.
Day 16 Depart Vancouver
Finally, it was time to head home. Depending on your flight timings spend time in downtown Vancouver. This was the end of a superb Canadian wilderness road trip that we would unhesitatingly recommend to ALL.
Nangle angle
Amazing safari through some stunning landscapes. This Canadian wilderness road trip contrasts with another great road trip we crafted in Jordan.
Nangle facts & tips
Wild camping is possible throughout northern BC and the Yukon. It is best to sleep in a campervan or a hard-sided vehicle.
The Provincial campsites in BC cost CAD20 and in the Yukon CAD12. There are no showering facilities in these campsites but there are basic long-drop toilets and a single water pump, where they suggest you boil the water before drinking. On the plus side they are located with amazing views and provide a level of security against man and beast!
Remember to take plenty of insect repellent.
