Last year we went to Canada (British Columbia) for 4 weeks. We were very lucky to have many frequent flyer miles and therefore we were able to fly business class with KLM. The best thing about that is that you can go to the lounges at the airports where the waiting for the flights is more comfortable.
Day 1; Amsterdam – Vancouver
End of May we flew from Amsterdam to Vancouver. Because of the jetlag the rental agency will not give you the campervan on the day you arrive, so you have to go to a hotel for the first night. We didn’t mind, after the long flight is was nice to have a nice hotel with a bath.
Day 2; Vancouver
In the morning we took a taxi (paid by the rental company) to the depot of Cruise Canada. Because it was the first time we were going in a campervan we had to watch a video that explained to us everything we needed to know how to handle the campervan. We rented a 25 foot campervan and it was quite a challenge at first to get used to the dimensions when you travel into town. The road seems to be very narrow at first. After a day you get used to it and the view that you get from sitting so high is marvelous. First we had to go to supermarket to stock up on food, drinks etc. Mostly parking is not difficult because the parking lots by supermarkets are very big. Then we went to our first camping. We wanted to visit Vancouver first so we went to a camping in Burnaby. At first it was difficult to find, because we entered “Vancouver” in our navigation system and we ended up in down town Vancouver; when we change the destination to “Burnaby”, our TomTom took us there without a problem. It was an expensive (49 dollar), busy camping with small places, but it was convenient for the sky-train into Vancouver (we didn’t want to go into Vancouver with the campervan).
Day 3; Vancouver
We woke up early because of the jetlag and we went into Vancouver with the sky-train. First we went to the waterfront but it was cold and windy. Then we walked to Stanly Park via Robson Street with all the shops. Near Stanly Park we rented bikes and cycled 2 hours in Stanly Park. Stanly Park has cycle lanes and it was really relaxing. It is a nice park with a lot of modern totem poles. Later we took the bus into town to Gastown , there is the famous steam clock. We were just in time for the striking and then had lunch on a terrace, but it was quite cold. We took the sky train to the shopping center in Lougheed, where they have a big Wallmarkt and London Drug Store. We bought some items for our journey, like adaptors, knives etc. We had dinner in the campervan and made plans for the next day.
Day 4; Vancouver – Paradise Valley
Again we woke up early and drove to Lynn Canyon Park, with a waterfall and a suspension bridge. We walked there for about 1 hour. Then we went to West Vancouver by Marine Drive. It was a Sunday and there were a lot of cyclists that made driving on the narrow roads difficult. The views were very nice. The camping by Alice Lake was full so we went to Paradise Valley where we had a site in a forest. It was a nice, quiet camping. There was a nice lake high in the mountains, but it was a very difficult climb to get there. At all the camp sites in Canada you have a fire pit on your own site and a pick nick table, so mostly we did our cooking outside. We had a very nice campervan with a fixed bed, good kitchen with large fridge and dining table (for when it was to cold or to wet to eat outside).We also had 2 canvas chairs. At the campsites you can buy wood for the fire pits.
Day 5; Whistler
We went to Whistler, where the Winter Olympics will be held in 2010. Because of that there were loads of roadwork’s to improve the roads. On the way we visited Branywine Waterfalls; not so spectacular. In Whistler we took the ski lift up and we were very lucky. The sun was shining but shortly after we were back down it started to rain. We had a nice lunch on a terrace just before it rained. Later we did some shopping and went back to the campsite. The driving was difficult because of all the roadwork’s.
Day 6; Paradise Valley – Harrison Hot Springs
Again we left early. Our first stop was at the Shannon Falls where we had a nice walk. Then we went to Porteau Cove at the coast where we stopped to have a coffee break. Then we drove to Harrison Springs. Near Vancouver it was very busy and driving was difficult. We found a nice, quiet camping in Sasquatch, a BC camping (provincial park camping).The site didn’t have electricity but with our campervan we don’t need that. Every 3 days we need electricity to recharge the batteries but for the other days we went to BC parks. We had a nice spot next to a lake and made a nice walk around the lake and to Beaver Pond. In the evening we had a tasty barbeque.
Day 7; Harrison Hot Spring – Manning NP – Stemfinder
Our first stop was in Harrison where we did some shopping and took some photo’s of the lake. Then passed Hope Slide on our way to Manning NP where we wanted to hike, but that was hardly possible. The walks were closed because of the snow. We could walk to beaver pond (an other one), but that was only a 5 minute walk. It was the end of May, but the spring was late. We didn’t like the camping in Manning (Mule Deer) too much, so decided to go to Princeton. At Stemfinder we found a good campsite. The campsites in the BC parks are good and cheap and you have loads of space. Most don’t have electricity or showers, but that was provided in the campervan. Just like before came the ranger in the evening to collect the fee for camping and to sell wood for the fire pit. Again we had a tasty barbeque.
Day 8; Stemfinder – Vernon
First we went shopping in Princeton. Then we drove to Vernon. On the way we passed Okanagan Lake and walked at Bears Creek, quite a steep walk. In Vernon we camped at Swan Lake. It wasn’t as nice as the previous camp sites, but it had free showers and a full hook-up, important because we needed to recharge the batteries and use the dump station.
Day 9; Vernon – Revelstoke
We drove to Mount Revelstoke, but the road was closed after 12 km. because of the snow. The views were beautiful. We wanted to camp at Williamson Lake, but we didn’t like the campsite and decided to drive to a BC campsite again. We found a nice site at Martha Creek PP (20 km further); there was only 1 other camper. We found a beautiful site at the lake and hummingbirds flew around the campervan. I didn’t know they lived in Canada.
Day 10; Revelstoke – Yoho NP
The next day we got up early and left already at 7 o’clock on our way to Yoho NP. On our way we did 2 walks (“Skunk cabbage” and “big cedar”). We went to Glacier National Park and visited the museum at Rogers Pass. We wanted to do a walk but almost all the trails were closed because of the snow. Therefore we decided to find a campsite first at a BC park, have lunch and then go for a walk some other place. We found a nice site at Kicking Horse at the site of a lake. After lunch we drove to Emerald Lake. The lake is beautiful, but again the trails were closed because of the snow and the danger of avalanches. However we took a lot of beautiful photo’s.
Day 11; Yoho NP – Banff
On our way to Banff we passed Lake Moraine. There was still ice on the lake, a beautiful view. Then we went to Lake Louise; more commercial and much more people and we didn’t stay that long. We liked Moraine Lake much more. We followed Bow Valley Highway to Banff. Unfortunately de didn’t see the promised wildlife. However the road and the landscape were beautiful. The camping at Banff wasn’t as nice as the BC campsites, but the plus was we could walk into Banff. Banff is very commercial and crowded. We walked around looking for a place to eat, but we decided to return to the campsite again and to prepare a meal ourselves.
Day 12; Banff – Crossing
As usual we got up early next morning and drove north on Bow valley Highway. Again we didn’t see any wildlife. We visited Johnson Canyon and followed a trail along the wild river .The canyon and the waterfalls were spectacular. Then We followed the Icefields Parkway and stopped several times to take photo’s. Especially Peito Lake was very beautiful. We camped at Thomson Creek PP.
Day 12; Crossing – Jasper
We resumed on Icefields Parkway , but again the trails we wanted to do were closed and it was June already. We saw quite some wildlife (deer, sheep, a bear) but we couldn’t stop to take photo’s. We had coffee at the Icefields Centre and went up to the glacier. We could have taken a bus to the glacier but we decided not to. The weather wasn’t very good and we have seen glaciers before in Switzerland and Austria. Later we drove to Jasper where we camped for 3 nights. It was a big, popular camping in a PP but the sites were large and elk were roaming near the campers. This PP camping has different sites : full hook-up, only electricity, just a site. The full hook-up sites are close together so we decided on an only electricity site that was more specious. Because it is so popular it is advisable to make a reservation.
Day 13; Jasper
In the early mornings the elks got babies and didn’t allow cars to come near. A baby elk was born 30 meter from our campervan and it was a beautiful sight to see it take its first steps. We drove to Maligne Lake and took a boat to Spirit Island. We were lucky, it was the first week that the boat was on the lake after the winter; at some parts there was still ice on the lake. It was beautiful, but the many flies at Spirit Island were awful. At Maligne Canyon we had a nice walk.
Day 14; Jasper
Because the weather wasn’t very great and because we had a cold, we decided to stay in Jasper for one more day and relax a bit. Later in the morning we drove down the Icefields Parkway to the South to visit the Athabasca Falls. Very spectacular. On the way back we saw a bear again. In the afternoon we had a nice lunch in Jasper and after that we did the laundry in a launderette. Later we managed to get an internet connection. On the camp site we relaxed a bit.
Day 15; Jasper – Wells Gray NP
After a very cold night we went to the north and saw another bear. Mount Robson, the highest mountain in Canada, was in the fog. The landscape was beautiful and we saw an impressive elk with big antlers. On the way we had to go to a doctor to sort our colds. The people were very helpful. Later we found a campsite at Clearwater NP. Because it was very cold we bought an extra warm sleeping bag. We had our dinner in the campervan.
Day 15; Wells Gray NP
Next day we went to Wells Grey National Park, quite a long drive from Clearwater. There are many waterfalls and rivers. First we went to the lake at the far end of the park and later we visited the Rearguard Falls, Dawson Falls and Spahats Viewpoint. We also did another walk (Bailey Chute) along a very wild river. We were a bit apprehensive because there are many bears in the area, but fortunately we didn’t see one during our walk. But later in the campervan we did see a bear again.
Day 16; Wells Gray NP – Prince George
From Wells Grey we went to Prince George; It was a bit of a boring road. Many of the pine woods had become grey because of a disease. In Prince George we went to the visitors center where some very nice people gave us loads of information about the area. We found a camp site near the town and that was quite a disappointment after all the nice BC-campsites. But we had to hook up to load our batteries and we also needed a dump station again. In the afternoon we went to Fort St James on Stuart Lake. On the way back we saw a mule in the distance but too far to take photo’s.
Day 17; Prince George – Hazelton
We drove to Hazelton and found a campsite next to the first-nation museum. We visited the museum and had a very enthusiastic guide. There were a lot of totem poles. In the afternoon we walk through the village and relaxed a bit at the camp site.
Day 18 Hazelton – Meziadin Lake PP
From Hazelton we went to Meziadin Lake PP. The road was long and boring. Normally you see a lot of wildlife according to the guidebooks, but we didn’t see any. Around 2 we arrived at the campsite and decided to stay there to relax. It was nice and quiet. In the evening the ranger arrived to collect the camping fee and to sell firewood. Again we had a nice barbeque and a good fire that we needed because it was very cold.
Day 17; Stewart and Hyder (Alaska)
The next day we went to Stewart and Hyder (Alaska). The road to Stewart was beautiful. Nice views on mountains and glaciers. Stewart isn’t so interesting and after a cup of coffee we decided to go to Hyder. The border between Steward and Hyder was open; nobody to be seen. On the way back there was a guard at the border who only wanted to know if we had bought alcohol in Hyder. Hyder is at the end of the road. The only way the people from Hyder can leave the town or get to the town is driving to Steward .It is strange that the USA have a town so isolated. It seems that only (old) hippies live at Hyder. It is only a couple of unpaved roads and not many people live there.
Day 18; Meziadin Lake – Smithers
We drove the same way down south to Smithers. We passed an old village where still a lot of authentic totem poles were to be seen. We had missed those on the way up. We had to do some shopping in the town and we managed to get an internet connection. In Smithers there were hardly any campers at the campsite (municipal). We took a walk in the area, but it was not too interesting.
Day 19; Smithers – Prince Rupert
From Smithers we left early on our way to Prince Rupert and we found a camping near the port where the ferry leaves for Vancouver Island. One of the worst camp sites of our holiday, but close to the ferry. We walked to the town center and we had a nice lunch in the Beavers pub. After lunch we visited the museum. In town and on the campsite we saw a lot of eagles and we took many pictures.
Day 20; Prince Rupert – Port Hardy (Inside Passage)
We had to get up at 4, because we had to check in early for the ferry to Port Hardy on Vancouver Island. We were early at the ferry and we had our breakfast there. The weather was awful, very cold and rain. The food on the ferry was quite good and we read a lot. At the end of the day the weather cleared and the view was better. Often whales are to be seen, but we didn’t see any. At 2300 hour we arrived but the ferry couldn’t dock because another ferry was delayed. It was almost 2400 before we could dock. In the dark we had to find the camping. Again not a very good camp site, but we didn’t mind. We wanted a bed after a long day.
Day 21; Port Hardy – Strathcona PP
Next morning we had a long drive of 300 km. to Strathcona PP. The road was kind of boring. Sometimes we had some views to the sea and the mainland but the sky wasn’t very clear. We decided to stay at the first campsite in the Provincial Park. The campsite was at a lake and we had some nice walks.
Day 22, 23; Strathcona PP – Tofino
We drove to Tofino at the west coast. The road was difficult, narrow and curvy. We found a nice camp site and decided to stay there for 2 days. The next day we drove to Uclecet and walked on the beach. At the end of the afternoon we looked for a restaurant in Tofino. We had a really good dinner, the first one in the evening in all the 4 weeks. The walk back to the camping was long (after the bottle of wine).
Day 24 (Tofino – Goldstream PP)
Next day we had a long drive of 300km and again it was a bit difficult back over the mountains from the West coast to the East coast. We found a good camping in Goldstream PP close to Victoria. In the afternoon we went to a visitors center to ask information about the ferries to Vancouver and we went to a mall to do some shopping. Again we had a large site on the camping.
Day 23; Goldstream PP –Victoria – Vancouver
We went to Victoria. Victoria was very busy and it was difficult to find somewhere to park. Victoria is an old town with some beautiful old buildings and hotels. The impression is a bit English. The museum was impressive. In the evening we took the ferry to Vancouver. In the evening we arrived at the camping. It wasn’t a nice camping but the only one near the rental company and a good spot to clear out the camper. What we didn’t need anymore we gave to the neighbors.
Day 24; Vancouver – Amsterdam
Next day we brought the camper back and we got a taxi to the airport. The flight to Holland in business class was great. We had a really good holiday. It was the first time we rented a campervan ,but we really liked it and want to do that again.
Tags: fly drive
