A Week in British Columbia

Soar over the whole of Canada today in just eight minutes in an immersive simulator experience at FlyOver, just a 15-minute walk from your hotel. After lunch - our Concierge can advise where to find the best street food in the city - you will be collected for a private tour of the Capilano Suspension Bridge, an impressive bridge suspended among ancient Douglas Fir Trees. The collars which hold the bridge in place have been designed so that there aren't any bolts or nails driven into the trees, they are simply wrapped tightly around the trunk. The bridge and accompanying viewing platforms are up to 230ft above the river they cross (dare to look down?) and give visitors incredible views over the valley and surrounding forest. You will then ride the gondola up Grouse Mountain for breathtaking panoramas.

This morning you will make your way to Vancouver Harbour, an easy 15-minute walk from your hotel, where you will board a floatplane for the 35-minute flight to Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, on beautiful Vancouver Island. From here you'll take a three-hour whale watching trip, on either a Zodiac or a covered boat, in the company of an expert guide. As well as British Columbia's resident orcas, you might see seals, sea lions and sea birds, not to mention the spectacular vistas of southern Vancouver Island. After your trip, you will have some time to explore Victoria - highlights include the Butchart Gardens and the Craigdarroch Castle - before a floatplane transfer back to Vancouver.

Hit the road! Pick up the keys to your hire car this morning and head out of Vancouver along Highway 99, also known as the Sea to Sky Highway. The drive to Whistler - your next destination - is roughly an hour-and-a-half, but we recommend factoring in plenty of time for stopping to take pictures and enjoy the scenery. Take a picnic lunch and stop at Shannon Falls, about half way along the route, to eat and enjoy the impressive views. Once you arrive in Whistler, we recommend spending the rest of the day exploring this picturesque ski town before dinner.

Meet your expert wildlife guide bright and early this morning at your hotel and make your way into the mountains for a 4x4 tour of the area, eyes peeled for the 60-or-so black bears and cubs who call the ski area home. Guided by your expert, you will visit different spots in the forest where they are known to nest and play. In the afternoon you will make your way back into the mountains, heading for Whistler's Peak 2 Peak Gondola. The marvel of engineering spans two-and-three-quarter miles from Whistler to the Blackcomb Mountains, with spectacular views that take in mountain peaks, lakes, forests and glaciers.

This morning you will head into the mountains to meet your guide for a tour of the mountains on an ATV (all-terrain vehicle). Your tour will be tailored to your ability and you will take an off-road route through the wilderness, along dirt tracks and mountain passes. Your guide (who is an expert in all things Whistler) will point out local points of interest as you go. This afternoon, we recommend heading to Lost Lake, where the locals hang out away from the crowds.

This morning you will make your way to the Fitzsimmons Valley, which lies between Whistler and the Blackcomb Mountains. Over the course of a few hours you will get an eagles-eye view of the valley as you whoosh around on five ziplines and four tree-top bridges. This afternoon we recommend hiring bikes - our local Concierge can arrange this for you - and heading up to the top of the mountain before hurtling (safely) back down.

After a morning spent relaxing in Whistler, retrace your tracks along the Sea to Sky Highway in time for your flight home from Vancouver. Your overnight flight will leave in the evening, so there is time for a quick bite to eat in town before check-in.