Transformative travel: 10 ways to find a happier you in the West Coast wilderness of British Columbia

1. ON THE WATER

Home to hundreds of rivers, lakes, fjords, hot springs and more than 15,000 miles of coastline, you’re never far from a water-based adventure in British Columbia. Head out into the cobalt blue of Okanagan Lake on a paddleboard and listen to the soothing sounds of your oar slicing through the water, focusing on the meditative act that is simply paddling onwards and tuning in to the uninterrupted nature that surrounds you in Canada’s westernmost province.

Location: Vernon

2. IN A HOT SPRING

Kootenay National Park is a 543 sq mi wilderness of soaring summits and plunging canyons; of velvety alpine meadows fanning out in fold after fold. There are many hot spring resorts to choose from — hiking legs can be soothed in thermal waters, with the warm, mineral-rich rock pools at Radium Hot Springs easing aches and pains as you sit back, relax and soak up the pine forests and snow-capped cones of the peaks.

Location: Kootenay Rockies

3. ON A WHALE WATCHING TOUR

Head out into the blue aboard an inflatable Zodiac and pods of orcas — sometimes 50-strong — will likely be a fraction of the wildlife that swims by. Few experiences make one appreciate the majesty of Mother Nature more than a sudden plume of spray erupting beside your boat followed by a dorsal fin, tail fluke, or if you're lucky, a full breach — a beautiful six tonne beast leaping gracefully from the water. It’s a powerful, silencing experience, and the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Clayoquot Sound on Vancouver Island’s western coast is an excellent place to whale watch. The area is home to more than 300 marine species from whales to seals, otters and even puffins. Further south, meanwhile, is Ogden Point in Victoria, an underwater playground perfect for kayaking amongst giant king crabs, octopus and shoals of herring.

Location: Vancouver Island

4. IN THE MOUNTAINS

Watching the sunrise over a glacial lake. Walking below eagles on snow-capped peaks. Galloping ancient, forested trails on horseback. There are few places that compare to British Columbia when it comes to high-altitude adventure. Summer in the Canadian Rockies, a chain of 2,283 mountains that spread across the pine forests and turquoise lakes of BC's Kootenay Rockies and into Alberta like natural skyscrapers, offers more than 1,860 miles of hiking, biking and horseback trails. Feel the magnetism of the wild and let your feet guide you to new summits and viewpoints, as you listen to birdsong bursting from nearby cedars or the calls of kestrels overhead, the stresses and strains of modern life will never have felt so far away.

Location: Kootenay National Park

5. WITH AN INDIGENOUS GUIDE

On a kayak trip led by an Indigenous guide, you’ll learn just how special British Columbia’s nature is, and about the deep, powerful connection that the Indigenous peoples living here have with the natural world. These communities have been stewards of the land here for thousands of years, and their wisdom continues to be passed down through generations. Visitors will learn how – from the smallest stone on a riverbed to a waterfall 1,000ft tall – everything is connected: a valuable lesson, and one that will stay with you long after you’ve left BC’s nature behind.

Location: Vancouver Island

6. FROM THE SKY

For the even more adventurous, paragliding, rock climbing and helicopter flights are on the menu in British Columbia: choose from gliding above the deer and grizzlies of Revelstoke; scaling a 2,000 foot granite monolith in Squamish; or flying past thundering falls in a state-of-the-art helicopter through the Vancouver Mountains. As the world drops away beneath you, and views of uninterrupted nature reach all the way to the horizon, take a moment to stop, breathe deeply and simply reflect.

Location: Vancouver Coast & Mountains

7. BENEATH THE STARS

Nature in British Columbia will stir the soul, and there are few ways get closer to the wild than camping. With your head close to the earth and your eyes to the sky, watch as the Milky Way unfurls through your tent window, brighter than any bulb, more beautiful than any artwork. For the backcountry camping adventure of dreams, opt for Chilcotin Country or Bowron Lake Provincial Park, where Mother Nature rules and you’ll likely not see another soul. Alternatively, head to the islands for remote camping spots like Strathcona Provincial Park on Vancouver Island and Ruckle Provincial Park on Salt Spring. For hut-to-hut hiking, the Sunshine Coast is home to Canada’s longest trail of its kind, and where — as you ascend from the windswept shores of Sarah Point to the hills of Saltery Bay — opportunities for spotting bears, eagles, and seabirds are endless.

Location: Vancouver Island

8. AMONG THE TREES

British Columbia’s temperate rainforest — vast swathes of bottle-green spruce, cedar and fir that caress the Pacific along Canada’s westernmost shores — is one of the world’s rarest ecosystems. Trees tell a story, and as you walk past Douglas-firs, some more than a thousand years old, consider the comforting thought that here, nature flourishes. This is a province leading the way when it comes to sustainability, and while in places like the rugged, windswept and utterly spellbinding Haida Gwaii archipelago, follow the locals’ lead and explore by foot or electric bikes, stay in pioneering eco-lodges or join educational hiking trips.

Location: Haida Gwaii

9. WITHIN THE RAINFOREST

BC’s pristine natural habitat is a haven for wildlife: black bears and grizzlies wade through ice-cold rivers for spawning salmon; bald eagles scan the forest floor for marmots and squirrels; and black-tailed deer and raccoons shelter under the shade of giant hemlocks. Experience the deepest, wildest corners of the province's old-growth rainforests on a challenging multi-day West Coast Trail hike, or opt for hikes along the Cariboo Gold Rush Trail where spotting seals, bears and eagles in a single day is common.

Location: Cariboo Chilcotin Coast

10. WHILE FOREST BATHING

For a slower pace and an even deeper connection with nature, local guides lead forest bathing experiences in places such as the Sunshine Coast. Stretching out on soft green moss below the canopy, you’ll feel a calm wash over you. Close your eyes, breathe in the spruce-scented air, and listen to the gentle rush of rivers making their way to the ocean.
Location: Sunshine Coast
 

Nature has a lasting effect on us and experts say that the bigger the nature, the better. Take a moment and connect with British Columbia's great wilderness, even before you travel. Call the Wild at HelloBC.com