THE BROKEN GROUP ISLANDS
4-DAY
SEA KAYAKING TRIP
The travel planning information presented on this page is specific to the Broken Group Islands trip. In addition to this information please visit our Travel Planning to Vancouver Island page for additional information on travel planning to British Columbia.
TRAVEL PLANNING TO UCLUELET & TOQUART BAY
Driving is the most practical method for getting into Toquart Bay. There are no economical public transportation services available from Ucluelet to Toquart Bay.
VEHICLE RENTALS
If you are flying into Vancouver, BC and planning to rent a vehicle for your visit to Vancouver Island, you may want to consider the Island Link Express Bus service.
Island Link Express Bus offers service between the Vancouver International airport and Nanaimo. Pick-up at the Vancouver airport is 4-times daily at 9:00am, 11:15 am, 1:30pm and 3:45pm. The one-way adult fare is $27.50. Once you are in Nanaimo National Car Rental and Budget BC are your best choices in car rentals.
This option of travel to Vancouver Island is a considerable cost savings over renting a car in Vancouver.
Island Link Express Bus
/www.islandlinkbus.com
Toll Free: 1-877-954-3556
If you prefer to rent a vehicle in Vancouver most major car rental companies offer onsite rentals at the Vancouver Airport.
DRIVING
Vancouver Island's ‘west coast’ is accessed by Highway #4 (Pacific Rim Highway). There are many areas to stop at along the way, such as the Englishman River Falls Provincial Park and Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park which have hiking trails along their riverbanks. Visit the Old Country Market in the village of Coombs, and browse through the local artisan shops and the farmers market.
Further along is Cameron Lake which provides a rest area, and is perfect for a swim or picnic lunch. Continuing past Cameron Lake and below Mount Arrowsmith, the landscape becomes more rugged and dense. Cathedral Grove (MacMillan Provincial Park) , located in the Cameron Valley, offers walking trails in a towering forest filled with 300 to 800 year old Douglas fir trees.
Highway #4 becomes very winding as you travel westerly into the increasingly rugged landscape of the Mackenzie Mountain Range and along the rain forests of the Kennedy Lake area. The highway can be very busy during the summer, if you are unfamiliar with the highway avoid driving it at night.
TOQUART BAY
Road access to the launching area at Toquart Bay is over a gravel road taking about 30 minutes (16 km) to drive from the turn-off from Highway #4. The Toquart Bay road turn-off is located about 12 km out of Ucluelet. This road is in an area of active logging, so drive carefully and obey all signs.
VEHICLE PARKING
The Toquart Bay recreational site is a ‘Managed with Fees’ site that provides on-site supervision, maintenance and over-night parking. Parking fees are $10.00 per night which will be collected by the site service provider.
HIGHWAY DISTANCES & DRIVING TIMES
Victoria to Nanaimo - 111 km (69 miles). Allow 1.5 hours driving time.
Nanaimo to Ucluelet - 180 km (112 miles). Allow 2.5 hours driving time.
Nanaimo to Toquart Bay - 186 km (115 miles). Allow 3.0 hours driving time.
Ucluelet to Toquart Bay - 38 km (24 mi.). Allow 45-minutes driving time.
MAPS
Southern Vancouver Island road map from Google Maps
ROAD CONDITIONS
For current road conditions, travel advisories, and Canada-USA border wait times visit the British Columbia Ministry of Transport Drive BC website.
AIR SERVICE
Comox Valley Airport (YQQ)
The Comox Valley Airport is conveniently located mid-Vancouver Island and is within a scenic 3 hour drive to Ucluelet. The full -service airport offers numerous daily flights from Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton with WestJet and Air Canada Jazz.
Pacific Coastal, and Central Mountain Air offer daily service from Vancouver.
WEATHER INFORMATION
Current weather conditions for Ucluelet from Environment Canada.
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