The Lochside Trail is a part of the Galloping Goose Regional Trail, this portion of Greater Victoria’s network of reclaimed railway line and commuter trails has been transformed into a popular recreational corridor. This selection from our itinerary of cycle-tours offers a one-way drop off service to Sidney where cyclists will traverse bird sanctuaries, active farmlands, seaside trails and train trestles back to Victoria. Incredible views of the Coastal Mountains, including the massive Mount Baker volcano, make for unparalleled vistas and photo opportunities. Cruise through shoreline villages and perhaps have a picnic lunch on the beach in full view of our beautiful Gulf Islands. Cycling does not get better than this!

All riders will meet and register at 10:00 a.m. at the office of CycleTreks/ Great Pacific Adventures located at 1000 Wharf Street.

All package rates include: helmet, top quality hybrid style bicycles; water bottle, map, and transportation to the site (one-way only)

Without a doubt, the Gardens are Victoria’s most visited landmark. The vast beauty of the Butchart Gardens is world famous, and entirely accessible by bicycle right from downtown Victoria. Our one-way drop off service is an excellent way to see the gardens and then hop on one of our hybrid Rocky Mountain bikes and explore the region of Central Saanich with a memorable ride through our gorgeous countryside, along the Lochside Trail, back to Victoria.

All riders will meet and register at 10:00 a.m. at the office of CycleTreks/ Great Pacific Adventures located at 1000 Wharf Street.

All package rates include: helmet, top quality hybrid style bicycles; water bottle, map, and transportation to the site (one-way only)

The naturally flowing, cool mountain water of the Sooke River carves out the unique “potholes” swimming area, miles away from the crowds and the city life. This is the starting point of a self-guided cycling adventure that will take you through the wilderness of the Sooke Hills, down the mountain to the Sooke Harbour basin, through beautiful Roche Cove, serene Matheson Lake and along several kilometers of rolling country farmlands above the beaches that surround idyllic Metchosin. Stopping for photographs and simply being “out there” is what this tour is all about. From the mountains to the seashore, enjoy a day on the trails Victoria’s West Shore locals have come to treasure and love.

All package rates include: helmet, top quality hybrid style bicycles; water bottle, map, and transportation to the site (one-way only)

All riders will meet and register at 10:00 a.m. at the office of CycleTreks/ Great Pacific Adventures located at 1000 Wharf Street.

Leaving directly from our downtown office overlooking the Inner Harbour, guides will lead you on an excellent ride around Greater Victoria, through the vibrant and historic Inner Harbour core, along the spectacular Victoria waterfront, into gorgeous and idyllic Oak Bay neighbourhoods. Enjoy sights such as Beacon Hill Park, Emily Carr House, “The Castle” and many serene island seascapes.

All riders will meet and register at 10:00 a.m. at the office of CycleTreks/ Great Pacific Adventures located at 1000 Wharf Street.

This is an excellent adventure that gives participants a taste of the best of everything that makes Vancouver Island and the West Coast of Canada one of the most popular destinations for outdoor enthusiasts. Departing from Victoria and utilizing our regional trails and sections of the Trans Canada trail this tour completes a full circle of Southern Vancouver Island from coast to coast. Included are opportunities for white water and ocean kayaking, bear, whale and wildlife excursions, swimming in pristine wilderness lakes, beach combing and fresh pacific salmon and crab feasts on the beach.

This is an ‘executive’ camping tour using comfortable cots and spacious tents on private property. Upgrades to indoor accommodation are available on most nights and all meals are either prepared for you or are in local establishments and are always included.

Tour Details

Day One: (approx: 43 kms/27 miles)
Beginning at our shop in Victoria we head north on the Lochside trail through the farms and fields that
supply the region with its fresh produce, stopping for lunch at a quaint seaside cafe overlooking the
Saanich inlet. After lunch we board B.C. Ferries for a 20 minute sailing across to Mill Bay. This crossing
has been billed as the most beautiful short cut in the world.

After disembarking we’ll ride the Mill Bay/ Shawnigan Lake area stopping for tastings and tours at BC’s
only commercial cidery and one of Vancouver Islands’ best wineries. Our final ride of the day is to
Cowichan Bay and our accommodation for the night. Dinner is at a local restaurant.

Day Two: (approx: 35 kms/ 22miles)
After a nice light breakfast we depart from Burnt Bridge (not really burnt) in the Koksilah Provincial Park
on the Trans Canada Trail. This is one of the highlights as we are ride through pristine wilderness and
over century old trestles where photograph and wildlife viewing opportunities abound.

By midday we find ourselves crossing the Cowichan River and arriving at our destination for the day.
Here we lunch and decide what to do with the rest of our day. *Our hosts for the evening, Don and Rose,
operate a white water kayak school on the Cowichan River, which makes this a perfect opportunity for
those interested to join in a beginner’s clinic for the afternoon. The other options are: a guided hike in
search of Black Bear, Roosevelt Elk and other wildlife; enjoy a leisurely afternoon by the pool; or
perhaps take your bike and explore the river and the town of Lake Cowichan on your own.

Dinner tonight is a pool side barbeque with all the fixings, a soak in the hot tub and perhaps some tall
tales around the camp fire.

Day Three: (approx: 33 kms/21miles)
After breakfast we’ll bid a fond farewell to our hosts and then it’s on to our next destination; Port Renfrew
on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. This little coastal fishing community is the gateway to the famous
West Coast Trail and Pacific Rim National Park.

We start off with a van shuttle down some rugged active logging roads (to active to ride) to our start point.
From here we ride a deactivated logging road with many river crossings and some amazing areas of old
growth forest including a stop at the not so famous Harris Creek Sitka Spruce. This tree must be seen
to be believed, it’s as big as a house, maybe two.

We continue on to Lizard Lake for our lunch and perhaps a swim along the shores of this pristine
wilderness lake. After lunch it’s on to Port Renfrew and our accommodation for the night. Tonight we’ll
feast on a West Coast meal prepared on the private beach at our host property.

Day Four: (approx: 30-50 kms/20-30 miles)
Today we have to make a very difficult choice because unfortunately we can’t do it all. Your options today
are a half day (4-5 hours) guided salmon fishing trip to some of the most productive salmon sport fishing
grounds in the world. Or perhaps a leisurely ocean kayak exploration of Port San Juan and the nearby
San Juan and Gordon River estuaries. Another option is to visit the amazing tidal pools and rugged rocky
out croppings of famous Botanical Beach, this is the West Coast at its most spectacular.

After re-grouping and lunch we head down the West Coast Road to Sooke, again combining driving the
more difficult sections and riding the best, of course. Today’s ride takes us along some beautiful coastline
including French and China Beach and the surfing hotspot of Jordan River. Tonight we stay on the shores
of the Sooke basin.

Day Five: (approx: 50 kms/30 miles)
After breakfast today we head up to the Sooke River and the potholes.

This is a beautiful watershed with huge trees and deep pools of crystal clear water. After exploring the area
we depart on the Galloping Goose trail towards Victoria. This old railway right of way leads us through old
growth forest, along the shores of the Sooke basin and on through uninterrupted park and pasture land right
to the doors of our office in downtown Victoria.

At this point to top off our last day we include an exciting whale watching excursion in search of the mighty
Orca and other exciting wildlife directly from our docks on the harbour and thus, alas, ends our most excellent
adventure.

Tours maybe changed without notice due to weather, road conditions, rider safety, and other factors which may
require an altered itinerary.

**Advanced reservations are required**

All prices include: meals and accommodations, transportation and transfers, van escort, guides,
top quality hybrid bike, helmets, water bottle and snacks. Pricing does not include gratuity or alcohol.

Rated by “Adventure Cyclist” magazine as a must by bike. CycleTreks is offering the Grand Tour of the Gulf Islands and Southern Vancouver Island. This 8-day/7-night cycle tour combines the picturesque beauty of the world-famous Southern Gulf Islands: Saltspring Island, Galiano Island and Pender Island and the serenity of Southern Vancovuer Island’s Circle Tour.  This adventure begins and ends in Victoria, BC, the Cycling Capital of Canada. CycleTreks uses only the highest quality bicycles for your riding comfort. We take a combination of trails, roads, BC Ferries, privately chartered zodiacs and van escort on our adventures. We carefully select the accommodations and take care of dining arrangements at some of the best locations in the Pacific Northwest.

Tour Details:

We are currently updating this tour.  Stay tuned for the new itinerary…

This 3-day cycling tour lets you taste  the picturesque beauty of  the world famous Southern Gulf Islands.  The tour takes you across the Saanich Inlet to the wine country of Cowichan Valley, Salt Spring Island and the Saanich Penisula.  Each afternoon will include wine tastings at some of our favourite local Wineries.   This adventure begins and ends in Victoria, BC, the Cycling Capital of Canada. It uses only the best high-quality bicycles and combines trails, roads, BC Ferries and van escort. We carefully select comfortable accommodation and take care of the lunch and dinner arrangements at some of the best locations in the Pacific Northwest!

Tour Details

Day One (approx 55 kms)
From downtown Victoria, we will ride the famous Galloping Goose Trail system to Brentwood Bay, where we will have lunch on a waterfront patio. After a short ferry ride across the Sannich Inlet, we arrive into the Cowichan Valley district. Our first stop will be Merridale Cidery, British Columbia’s only commercial cidery.
Then we will move through the picturesque countryside to one of Vancouver Island’s most famous
vineyards to enjoy another tour and tasting. From here, it is onto Cowichan Bay for a taste of delicious
homemade ice cream. The Cowichan Valley offers ample backroad routes that bring you through lush
and rolling landscapes, and allow you unparalleled glimpses of seascapes and countrysides.

Day Two (approx. 50 kms)
After a delicious breakfast, we will set out to explore Saltspring Island, the largest and most famous of
the Southern Gulf Islands. Ganges Harbour is where we will stop for lunch today. Ganges, which is
named after HMS Ganges, the last British sailing battleship commissioned for duty in foreign waters
(1857-1860), is well known as a centre for arts and crafts and has an impressive selection of shops and
galleries. After lunch, we will ride the southern loop on Saltspring and visit local wineries, cheese farm
and various artisan shops.

Day Three (approx. 50km)
We start the day with short cycle south to Fulford Harbour where we catch a ferry to Sidney, a quaint
seaside town on the north east coast of the Saanich Penisula.  From here we cycle the Lochside Trail
which traverses bird sanctuaries, active farmlands, seaside trails and train trestles as it winds its way
back to Victoria. Incredible views of the Coastal Mountains, including the massive Mount Baker volcano,
make for unparalleled vistas.

Tour Price Includes: All accommodations as noted (B&Bs, inns, cottages); all meals starting with lunch
on day one through lunch on day 3; van transportation and transfers, hybrid bikes, helmets and of
course our experienced local guides. Does not include airport/hotel transfers in Victoria; alcoholic
beverages;or gratuities.

This tour of the Greater Victoria and the Cowichan Valley offers cyclists the serenity of an ocean vista against an unparalleled and picturesque backdrop of snow-capped mountains. Winding gradually along the gorgeous eastern shoreline of Southern Vancouver Island, riders will enjoy the people, unique villages, seascapes, and aboriginal cultures of Mill Bay, Cobble Hill, and ultimately, our destination for the day at Cowichan Bay.

Cowichan Valley, or “Quw’utsun”, meaning “the warm land” in the language of the Cowichan’s aboriginal people, offers spectacular views of Saltspring Island, Mt Tzouhalem and parts of the Finlayson Arm-Goldstream Park fjord. Cruise on your bikes through seaside to the village of Mill Bay or along the idyllic Shawnigan Lake.

A favourite on our tour is at BC’s only estate cider maker, Merridale Estate Cidery. Roll on through postcard-like scenic agricultural lands, grape growing country, and local farms where fruit growers and dairy farmers produce their fresh goods daily. Enjoy a wine tasting tour at one of Vancouver Island’s finest vineyards, Cherry Point. The Cowichan tribes have a fantastic tasting room and multi-use ceremony facility among one of the largest and most established vineyards in the region.

Finally, Relish the completion of your day with a homemade ice cream cone from a very special roadside vendor and visit the many unique craft shops of Cowichan Bay.

This full day of touring includes a hybrid-style bicycle, helmet, map, water bottle, all fares and transfers, lunch, and, of course, your friendly guides.

All riders will meet and register at 9:00 a.m. at the office of CycleTreks/ Great Pacific Adventures located at 1000 Wharf Street.

This full day tour winds though some of Victoria’s best cycling routes. We begin in historic James Bay. This quaint seaside village includes the childhood home of Emily Carr, one of Canada’s most famous artists. After cycling through Beacon Hill Park and along the stunningly beautiful waterfront we stop for lunch at Oak Bay Marina. After lunch we continue on to Mount Douglas Park, an oasis of old growth trees within the city. Here we’ll take a short hike to the top of Mount Douglas for a breathtaking view of Victoria. After getting back on the bikes we quickly meet up with the Galloping Goose Trail, the local cycling trail network, which will takes us through local farms, past bird sanctuaries and over trestle bridges back to our starting point in downtown Victoria.

All riders will meet and register at 10:00 a.m. at the office of CycleTreks/ Great Pacific Adventures located at 1000 Wharf Street.