Victoria

Day +1: Arrive in Victoria, British Columbia
Settle into your hotel and enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure.

Explore some of Victoria's most beautiful downtown sites, including: Christ Church Cathedral, with its gothic stone architecture, magnificent stained glass windows and Helmuth Wolff organ; Craigdarroch Castle, a stunning Victorian mansion; Bastion Square, site of the original Fort Victoria, with its spectacular views of the local harbor; or the renowned Royal British Columbia.
Overnight: Fairmont Empress 

Day +2: Victoria
Join your guide for an easy half-day walking tour of Victoria, featuring samplings of delicious local foods while learning about important sites along the way.

The afternoon is open for additional opportunities to explore more of this charming city. Enjoy a walking tour of the downtown to appreciate its history and culture or a whale-watching cruise to see the wildlife-filled waters off the coast. Take time for a carriage ride, English-style high tea, or a stroll through some of Beacon Hill Park's 200 acres. There is an endless array of ways to fill your day. You may even choose to end the day with a renowned haunted Victoria tour or a visit to one of the many craft breweries in town. Your local guide or hotel concierge can help set up a day perfect for you.
Overnight: Fairmont Empress (B)

Day +3: Victoria | Vancouver | Main Program Begins
Following breakfast explore world-famous Butchart Gardens—a national historic site of Canada replete with lush greens and colorful blooms. Blossoming for more than 100 years, it offers 55 acres of gardens with 900 bedding plant varieties, 26 greenhouses, and 50 full-time gardeners who create a wonderland of beauty everywhere you look.

Afterward take a 20-minute ride to the ferry terminal to cruise over to mainland Vancouver—a passage providing unlimited scenery with the likelihood of spotting various marine wildlife. 

After arriving in Vancouver for the main program join fellow travelers at the hotel for a welcome reception. (B)

B = Breakfast

Pre-tour space is limited. We recommend reserving early for best availability.

This pre-tour is not escorted by an Orbridge Travel Director. Included sightseeing is accompanied by a local guide.

Tour days typically flow at a relaxed pace. Some activities last longer than others. Expect standing and walking for moderate periods of time on occasionally uneven terrain, including cobblestones or unpaved pathways. Guests should be able to walk up or down slight slopes as elevators are not always available at stops and accommodations. There also may be variations in altitude and/or temperature. Guests should be able to board transportation and climb a few flights of stairs, occasionally without handrails or assistance.

• 2 nights at the Fairmont Empress (or similar) with breakfast each morning
• Guided panoramic city tour
• Admission to Butchart Gardens
• A 1.5 hour ferry cruise from Victoria to Vancouver across the Strait of Georgia
• Gratuities to local guide
• Airport transfer for guests arriving during the suggested times