(Arrival): Early morning pick up in Vancouver.  Meet & greet with the guide and other members of the group. Pickup times and locations will be pre-arranged. The guide checks over all personal equipment to ensure everyone is properly prepared. Transfer by bus from Vancouver via the Inside Passage to Vancouver Island. From Nanaimo it is an additional 3-4 hours by van through the heart of the island (in part over rough gravel roads) to Pachena Bay near the small village of Bamfield. Arrival by late evening. Overnight camping at Pachena Bay

After breakfast and some final preparations we pack up all of our equipment and make our way to the small parks canada office and the West Coat Trail head. Parks Canada requires all hikers of the West Coast Trial to take part in a mandatory orientation and safety briefing prior to starting the trek. After our morning orientation by Parks Canada we take our first step on this amazing journey. Our étape today is approximately 12 - 14m km. The trail today remains relatively relaxed as we ease our way into the trip. The first 12 km are characterized predominately by thick rain forest, we emerge at Michigan Creek, the first camp of our trip or possibly continue on for another 2 km to Darling Creek.

The hike today remains relatively easy and varied. After breakfast we continue on from Michigan Creek 3-4 km by beach hiking along the beautiful Pacific Ocean. At the Valencia's Bluffs the trail moves into the forest for two km as hikers are rewarded with elevated views of the ocean and surrounding rainforest as well as possible incredible views of suntanning sea lions. An additional two km along the beach brings us to our camp for the evening at Klawana River or an optional additional two km brings us to the famous Tsusiat Waterfalls, the second camping option for the evening. We set up our tents on the beach and take in the magnificent pacific sunset. Todays stage approximately 9-11 km

Today is one of the longest single day stretches of the West Coast Trail (approximately 16-17 km). The day begins gently with some amazing beach hiking around Tsusiat Point and the famous "Hole in the Wall”. An impressive tidal rock cave which can be accessed at low tides. A more strenuous three km of hiking, through the rain forest brings us to the Nitinat Narrows at around noon. Nitinat Narrows is a large tidal channel connecting the Pacific with Nitinat Lake 17 km upstream. By motorboat the local indigenous First Nations ferry hikers over this deep channel. At Nitinat, travellers can also rest for lunch and enjoy locally caught crab. After the narrows it is an easy but still long 9 km to Cribs Creek our goal for the day. After Nitinat Hikers are also rewarded with some of the most beautiful beach stretches along the entire length of the trail

After breakfast from Cribs Creek we continue by beach for approximately two km to Carmanah lighthouse. A short climb leads up to the lighthouse grounds themselves where the friendly light house staff often greet travellers and hikers can enjoy spectacular panoramic views of this section of the pacific coast. With some luck it is also possible to spot sea lions on “Sea Lion Rock” or observe bald eagles in flight. Lunch today is at "Chez Monique’s" a small beach burger shack run by local first nations. From "Chez Monique" two km of incredibly beautiful beach hiking brings travellers to the Carmanah Creek Campground. From here it is an additional seven km to Walbran Creek. Spectacular beach camping awaits us at Walbran Creek Total distance today approximately 11 km

Past Walbran Creek the hiking becomes more strenuous. From here on the going gets tough on this challenging yet exciting part of the West Coast Trail. Roots and slippery rocks provide grounds for concentrated and focused hiking. We climb through thick rain forest and the narrow and deep fjord gorges on this section of the island by ascending and descending numerous steep wooden ladders. Today we cross the impressive Logan suspension bridge. Overnight at Campers Cove. Total distance today approximately 9 km

Today the rougher sections of trail of the southern half of the West Coast Trail continue. At this southern most end of the trail, the West Coast trail passes through thick old growth rainforest, often with long muddy sections, rocks, stumps, and large roots characterizing the kilmeteres of strenuous trekking. Our total hiking distance may only comprise approximately 9 km, yet many travellers feel this is the hardest sections of the entire trail. If tides are good there is the opportunity to travel around Owens Point and to pass thru the Owen Point sea caves. In the evening we reach Thrashers Cove the last camp of the trip.

Today is our last day on the West Coast Trail. From Thrashers Cove it is only 6 km to the end of the Trail but the going remains rough and tough! It is an unforgiving 6 km all the way to the end. At Gordon River a motorboat ferry takes travellers across to the southern entry/exit point of the West Coast Trail. A quick shuttle brings us to the small fishing village of Port Renfrew (about 200 inhabitants). In the evening, overnight in a hotel including a well-earned shower. In the evening we celebrate the adventure of the past week with a dinner at the Howes Sound Pub. 

From Port Renfrew we take the 8:30 am shuttle bus approximately 250 km back to Pachena Bay. From Pachena Bay it is approximately a 3-4 hour drive back to Nanaimo and a 1.5 hour ferry ride across the Inside Passage bring us back to Vancouver. We arrive back in Vancouver by late evening.