Nootka Island (trip)
Nootka Island
- Vancouver International Airport, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Active & Adventure
| from $1,550* per person | 6 Days | June, August, September |
| Comfort accommodations | Exertion level: 5 | |
| Operator: Sea to Sky Expeditions | 12 people max | |
We will take a float plane from Gold River to our access point at Starfish Lagoon on Nootka Island. You will experience amazing sandy beaches, interesting sandstone formations and true old growth rainforest. We finish our journey at Yuquot or Friendly Cove where Captain Cook first made contact. We will visit the local First Nations family, the historic church and the coast guard lighthouse.
The area around Nootka Island is believed to have been inhabited for thousands of years. There is evidence to suggest that human presence at Yuquot at Friendly Cove dates back at least 4,000 years.
The area’s inhabitants were first called Nootka by James Cook in 1778. As was the case when cultures with different languages met, communication was reduced to gestures and drawings, which were often misinterpreted. Although there is some debate over the origin of the term “nootka”, the best guess is that it comes from “nootk-sitl” meaning to go around or make a circuit. It probably was used by the inhabitants to indicate that Nootka was an island, and not to their name.
The people who claim Nootka Island and who maintain a presence at Yuquot are the Mowachaht (“place where the deer come from”).
This trek, on Vancouver Island's rugged west coast, promises and delivers a great wilderness experience.
Loading map, please wait...
Locations visited/nearby
Canada, North America
0 testimonials about this trip.
3 testimonials about the provider, Sea to Sky Expeditions:
-
Reviewer: Al Schaller
located in
California
"While I have only used one other outdoor company, REI, to Peru last year, I check around from time to time and can say with confidence STS is an excellent bargain. The spirit in which the adventures are handled are a cut above."
-
Reviewer: Mike Sweeney
located in
Northern Ireland
"Hi Len - I just want to thank your team for the amazing trip I had on the Bowron Lakes August 07. Georgia and Victor our guides were incredible. Throughout they maintained a professional approach to the trip working long and hard every day to ensure all of us had everything we needed. I travelled alone and made friends and had a great time much assisted by Georgia and Victor. Nothing seemed too much trouble for them. They were first up and last to retire every evening. From their wilderness craft, to their encyclopaedic knowledge of the local area and its flora and fauna. The ensured that every day was a joy and the food was outstanding and there was always plenty to eat. I'm still not convinced that there wasn't someone in the forest releasing wildlife on cue as the seemed to know what was round the corner on a regular basis. As for the scenery. I live in Ireland and have travelled extensively throughout the world, so I have seen my share of beautiful scenery. I can honestly say that waking up each morning knowing that I would be spending another day in such beautiful serene and peaceful surroundings was an amazing experience. I believe the only word I can use to describe it (I'm aware it is much over used) is awesome. I would highly recommend your company and the Bowron Lake trip to anyone who is considering this type of holiday. Thank you for what turned out to be the most fulfilling trip I have ever enjoyed."
-
Reviewer: Patrik Moiree
located in
Switzerland
"Let me start by making sure that our collective appreciation of your trip and your guides to the Johnston Strait this last week gets official. Simply put, for my part just about every expectation was not only met but well exceeded. Thanks for that!"
Itinerary
Day 0: Arrival in Vancouver. This denotes the day or days spent in Vancouver before the listed start date of the trip.Day 1: We will meet at the Tsawwasen Ferry Terminal for our sailing to Vancouver Island. We will then drive to Gold River on the west side of the island and catch our floatplane flight out to Nootka Island. A short hike will bring us to our first camp on the coast at Third Beach.
Day 2: Today's hike is a full day with a wide variety of rain forest and beaches, from sand to small boulders, forming our path. Our goal is Calvin Falls, a fantastic spot to enjoy on a warm day. This is our longest day km wise at approx. 14km's.
Day 3 :Beano Creek is our destination today. Beano often has a perfect swimming hole to enjoy after a day of hiking. We will cover approx. 11km's today.
Day 4: Today's hike will be dictated by the weather and how the group is feeling. We might take a short day to Callicum Creek or push on past Maquinna Point towards Friendly Cove. We could cover anywhere from 3-12 km's today.
Day 5: This is the day we will designate as our lay-over day. We might in fact use this lay-over at any point during the journey. Every campground offers a good excuse to slow down and get our bodies attuned to "Island Time".
Day 6: Today we will say good-bye to Nootka Island. We will catch a water-taxi from Friendly Cove and then retrace our steps from Gold River back to Vancouver.
More information from Sea to Sky Expeditions:
- View trip on provider's website
seatoskyexpeditions.com/hiking/nootka-island-backpacking/… - Company profile, experience, and history
- View all of their trips
- Email this trip page to a friend
-
Comments from Facebook