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Day 1
Your tour starts at Fulford Harbour on Salt Spring Island, the largest of the Gulf Islands, and famous for its scenery, sunshine, and warm hospitality. It's also a haven for artists and everywhere you go you'll find galleries and studios. There's time for a short hike into the verdant Fern Valley, which has the lush feel of tropical a rainforest. Afterwards, enjoy a relaxing 1h30 private hatha yoga class.
Hiking distance: 3km.
Day 2
Begin your day with an empowering private 1h30 yoga class. Today's walk begins with a transfer to Beaver Point Hall, from where you begin your exploration of the southeast corner of Salt Spring Island. You'll follow well-marked trails to Ruckle Provincial Park, named after the family whose homestead this was in the 19th century. Walk along the shore to King's Point, with an option to continue to Yeo Point, where you'll enjoy views of the Channel Islands, home to frolicking marine mammals and a colony of cormorants. Continue along the water's edge through the Tsawout Band Reserve. Then return to your accommodation.
Hiking distance: 17 km.
Day 3
Begin with a transfer by taxi to Ganges; on Saturdays, there is a lively market here. Then take the ferry to Sturdies Bay on the southeast tip of Galiano Island. Named for the Spanish sea captain who explored the surrounding waters in 1792, Galiano Island is home to more than 130 species of birds and a haven for naturalists. Enjoy quiet roads and Douglas fir forests. Walk to Bellhouse Provincial Park, where the wind and the sea have carved and pocked the sandstone rocks of the beach. Watch for the many eagles that glide overhead. Relax with a private 30 minutes meditation session with an experienced yoga instructor at the inn. You may want to book a massage or spa treatment at the wonderful Galiano inn & Spa.
Hiking distance: 4 km
Day 4
Start the day with a private 1 hour vinyasa yoga class in a garden studio. Today's walk takes you to three great viewpoints. Climb up Mount Galiano where there's a wonderful view of Active Pass and the southern Gulf Islands. Head into Bluffs Park, where you hike amongst cedars and ferns to the top of the bluff, where there are stunning views of Prevost Island and the south face of Mount Galiano. From Galiano Cemetery you'll see seals sunning themselves on their private island.
Hiking distance: 12 km.
Day 5
Hop onto a private water taxi, which will take you to South Pender Island in the morning. Start at the canal that separates the two Pender Islands and climb an old logging road to the edge of Mount Norman Provincial Park. Walk into Beaumont Provincial Marine Park, then up to the summit of Mount Norman, from where you can see part of the U.S. San Juan Islands and the Olympic Range in Washington. As you descend, you might be able to see the Vancouver skyline in the distance. Return to the canal, from where you'll be transferred to Saturna Island for the night. Stretch your muscles with a private 1 hour yoga class at the Lodge. Hiking distance: 15km
Day 6
This morning, you'll be taken to the end of Narvaez Road, where the walk begins. Follow old logging roads and goat trails to the top of Mount Warburton Pike, then descend to the Saturna Winery, in a spectacular setting near the water, and the pebbly beach at Thomson Park. Then head back to your accommodation on Saturna Island. Complete this enriching week of hiking with a private 1 hour uplifting yoga session.
Hiking distance: 10 km.
Day 7
Return to Swartz Bay near Victoria (Vancouver Island), or Vancouver and depart for home or on to your next adventure.
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