Self-Drive Walk & Paddle Canada’s Sunshine Coast – 9 Days
A self-drive walking and kayaking holiday on BC's Sunshine Coast, at your own pace.
Tour overview
This 9-day holiday is self-guided: you drive yourself along British Columbia's Sunshine Coast with a rental car, ferry crossings and a navigation app, walking at your own pace, with three guided sea-kayaking trips along the way. You stay eight nights, starting in a historic Vancouver hotel, with breakfast every day and one lunch.
A short ferry from Horseshoe Bay takes you to Gibsons for walks around Sechelt and Roberts Creek, then a half-day paddle in Halfmoon Bay or Sechelt Inlet. In Madeira Park you walk to a small lighthouse and join an evening kayak trip to see the sea glow with bioluminescence.
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Another ferry crosses to Powell River for forest and coastal walks around Lund, and a full day of guided kayaking from Okeover Inlet into the islands and inlets of Desolation Sound before you drive back to Vancouver.
The physical rating is medium. This holiday suits independent travellers who like walking, paddling and the freedom of their own car.
Trip highlights
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Gibsons and Roberts Creek (Day 2)
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Sea kayaking in Halfmoon Bay (Day 3)
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A bioluminescence paddle from Egmont (Day 5)
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Walks around Powell River and Lund (Days 6–7)
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A full day kayaking Desolation Sound (Day 8)
Your route
8 stops from Vancouver to Okeover Inlet
- Vancouver Days 1 & 9
- Gibsons Days 2–3
- Sechelt Day 3
- Madeira Park Days 4–5
- Egmont Day 5
- Powell River Days 6–8
- Lund Day 7
- Okeover Inlet Day 8
Why choose this tour
Walk and drive at your own pace. Three guided kayak trips included.
Best suited to
- Independent travellers
- Couples and friends
- Walkers and paddlers
- Nature lovers
Day-by-day itinerary
9 days from Vancouver, Canada to Vancouver, Canada
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Day 1 · Vancouver Vancouver
Collect your car in Vancouver.
- Hotel
- Historic hotel
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Day 2 · Horseshoe Bay, Gibsons, Sechelt, Roberts Creek Gibsons
Ferry to the Sunshine Coast.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 3 · Halfmoon Bay, Sechelt Inlet Gibsons
A first sea-kayak trip.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 4 · Halfmoon Bay, Madeira Park Madeira Park
Coastal walks.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 5 · Madeira Park, Egmont Madeira Park
A bioluminescence paddle.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 6 · Earls Cove, Saltery Bay, Powell River Powell River
Ferry to Powell River.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 7 · Powell River, Lund Powell River
Forest and coast walks.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast
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Day 8 · Okeover Inlet, Desolation Sound Powell River
A day in Desolation Sound.
- Hotel
- Hotel
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
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Day 9 · Powell River, Vancouver Vancouver
Drive back to Vancouver.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Where you stay
- Vancouver (1 night) Historic hotel
- Gibsons (2 nights) Hotel
- Madeira Park (2 nights) Hotel
- Powell River (3 nights) Hotel
Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.
What's included
Included
- Accommodation 8 nights in hotels
- Meals 8 breakfasts and 1 lunch
- Rental car for 9 days
- Four ferry crossings
- Three guided sea-kayaking trips
- Welcome briefing and navigation app
Not included
- Flights
- Meals not included 6 lunches and 8 dinners
- Fuel and parking
- Most lunches and all dinners
- Travel insurance and personal spending
This trip might not be for you if…
Honest disclaimer — please read
- You want a guide throughout
- You do not drive
- You want a group holiday
- You want flights included — they are not
Good to know
In pictures
Departures & prices
From £3,079 per person, twin share, tour only. 125 upcoming departures.
Frequently asked questions
How do I book this tour?
Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.
What financial protection do I get?
Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.
Do I need a visa for Canada?
UK citizens do not need a visa for a holiday, but need an eTA (electronic travel authorisation) to fly to Canada.
Is there a guide?
No. This is a self-guided self-drive holiday; guides lead the three kayak trips.
Do I need kayaking experience?
No. Guides provide instruction and equipment on every trip.
Which meals are included?
Breakfast every day and one lunch.
When can I start?
Departures run almost every day in the season.
Can you tailor the trip?
Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.
What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?
If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.
Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.
If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.
Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary