40km – 45 mins

Begin your journey in Victoria, BC’s capital city and home to FarOut Wilderness. We highly recommend taking a tour of the Parliament Buildings and walking around the harbor, which is sheltered from the ocean breeze. There are city bus tours, horse-drawn carriages and new and historic shopping districts that feature antiques, arts and crafts, art galleries, malls and markets. Treat yourself to high tea at the Fairmont Empress Hotel built in 1908.

When you are ready to start your journey, conduct your vehicle handover with one of the FarOut Team members and head north via Highway 1, and then travel west along Highway 14 to Sooke.

En-route, make some time to stop at East Sooke Regional Park for a short coastal hike with stunning views. This is a great spot for bird watching so bring your camera and binoculars!

71km – 1 hr 15 mins

After a delicious camp breakfast prepared using our fully customized camping kitchen it will be time to start exploring! At Sooke Potholes Provincial Park you can explore the geological marvels carved deep into the sandstone bedrock from the last ice age. Fishing enthusiasts can enjoy catch and release fishing along the Sooke River. The park is an ideal place to watch the annual salmon-spawning run in the fall. Visit the Sooke Region Museum and plan to dine at Sooke Harbour House, an award-winning west coast restaurant that only uses local ingredients.

However, don’t leave it too late to start your journey up to Port Renfrew, home of both the Juan de Fuca marine Trail and the historic West Coast Trail as there is a lot to see along the way! China Beach is a great stopping point, it is a short walk down to the beach and you can easily hike a section of the Juan de Fuca trail from here. You can also choose to stop at Jordan River Provincial Park, a mixed coastal forest park located along the Juan de Fuca Strait. For the surfers amongst you, you can get some good waves at Jordan River (seasonal).

There are a couple of options for camping, at either French Beach or in Port Renfrew. French Beach Provincial Park offers a wide swath of lawn fronts and a pea-gravel beach where you can easily picnic, swim and watch for wildlife.

62km – 1 hr 20 mins

For those of you wanting to leave the shore, we can book you on a whale watching tour to see the Pacific North West’s most majestic creatures. If you prefer fishing then Port Renfrew is a great base to book a trip for salt or freshwater trips, available year round. Once you have had your fill of Port Renfrew it’s time to hit the road, make sure you pack a flask and some snacks as there are some great little stops along the way. Our favorite is Avatar Grove, an old growth protected forest just outside Port Renfrew.

You have a number of camping options for tonight, Lake Cowichan, Vancouver Island’s second largest lake, has campgrounds dotting the shoreline. For something more formal, you can always choose the Cowichan River Provincial Park which is located along highway 18 towards Duncan.

Once you’ve found ‘your spot’ for the night take a dip in the water, or explore the lake by boat or canoe. There are also several hiking trails in the area, including a one hour loop covering both sides of the Cowichan River.

90km – 1 hr 17 mins

Today it’s time to take a slow and scenic route back to Victoria, there are lots of treats along the way so pick a couple and give yourself some time.

• Kinsol Trestle: Take in the spectacular views of the canyons and gorges from the restored 66-mile Holt Creek railway on The Great Trail. Kinsol Trestle is a 12 storey wooden railway bridge that was built in 1920s.
• Duncan: Take a self-guided Totum Tour Walk and visit the traditional buildings at the Quw’utsun’ Cultural Centre. Duncan is also home to the BC Forest Discovery Centre, which showcases BC’s logging and steam-related history. Take a relaxing train ride on a historic locomotive as it winds its way over a wooden trestle.
• South Cowichan Wine Tour: Spend the afternoon sampling various wines in tasting rooms and shops, or take a guided tour of the wine-making facilities and vineyards.
• Mill Bay Ferry: Board a BC Ferry at Mill Bay to get you across to Brentwood Bay, this 25 minute ride is dubbed ‘vancouver’s most beautiful shortcut’ and will allow you to complete your trip with a visit to the famous Butchart Gardens which are located in Brentwood Bay. If you didn’t leave enough time for the gardens, be sure to stop in for a drink at the Brentwood Bay Pub, which has a lovely patio!

At the end of the day it will be time to meet a member of the FarOut Wilderness team to hand over your vehicle.