| This circle tour in British Columbia
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| | proud nation of seafaring warriors that
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| starts in Vancouver and begins by
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| | controlled most of the BC coastline at
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| traveling east on Hwy 1 to the Fort
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| | one time and you can learn about them at
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| Langley National Historic Site. Continue
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| | the Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve
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| on through the rich farm country of the
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| | and Haida Heritage Site. There is a
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| Fraser Valley to Hope, where you can walk
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| | 10,000 year connection between the land,
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| through the Othello Quintette Tunnels,
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| | sea and Haida culture.Back in Prince
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| part of the Kettle Valley Railway built
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| | Rupert, you can take the BC Ferry down
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| between 1910 and 1916.Continue on Hwy 1
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| | the Inside Passage through dramatic
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| to Lytton for a guided rafting trip down
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| | fjords and green forested channels to
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| the Fraser River if you are hungry for
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| | Port Hardy on Vancouver Island. You'll
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| some unforgettable thrills, then take Hwy
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| | probably get glimpses of whales, seals,
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| 12 to Lillooet (lil-lou-ETTE) where you
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| | porpoises and black bears on the full
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| can try your hand at panning for gold.
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| | day's passage along the rugged coastline.
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| Take Hwy 99 east to Hwy 97 and travel
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| | In Port Hardy you can visit the Copper
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| north to Clinton and on to 100 Mile
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| | Maker Gallery, where you can savor the
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| House. This town got its name because it
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| | redolent smell of red cedar as the native
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| was 100 miles from Lillooet on the old
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| | carvers create beautiful original
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| Caribou Wagon Road. Here the only
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| | Northwest Native art works.Driving south
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| surviving stage coach of the Barnard
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| | to Port McNeill, where you can take a
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| Express and Stage Line is on display,
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| | short ferry trip to Alert Bay on
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| complete with an authentic bullet hole
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| | Cormorant Island. Here you can visit the
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| from being held up for the gold dust it
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| | U'Mista Cultural Center, which preserves
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| once carried. From here north to
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| | the history and artefacts of the
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| Williams Lake and Quesnel where you can
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| | Kwakwaka'wakw Aboriginals and see the
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| take a short side trip east to
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| | totems of a nearby burial ground. Back
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| Barkerville, an historic gold rush town
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| | on Vancouver Island, from Port McNeill
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| built in 1862. It has over 125 restored
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| | you travel south through Campbell River
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| heritage buildings.Back on Hwy 97 and
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| | to Courtenay where you can look for
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| leaving Quesnel, travel north to Prince
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| | fossils in the 80 million year old sea
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| George, a bustling city in north central
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| | bed at Puntledge River.Farther south
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| BC. Take Hwy 16 west to Hwy 27 then
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| | you'll come to Qualicum Beach which is
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| travel north on a side trip to Fort St.
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| | renowned for its flower gardens and also
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| James, a restored Hudson's Bay trading
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| | its fantastic views of the Georgia
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| post from the mid 1800s. Back on Hwy 16,
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| | Strait. Sunny Parksville further south
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| going west again to Smithers where you
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| | has 7 kms of sandy beaches and may offer
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| can see the 50 million year old fossils
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| | the warmest saltwater swimming on
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| at nearby Driftwood Canyon Provincial
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| | Vancouver Island. In Nanaimo you can
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| Park. Farther west, in The Hazeltons,
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| | visit the Petroglyph Park to see 10,000
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| you can visit the world famous 'Ksan
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| | year old stone engravings of mythological
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| Historical Village. 'Ksan is the Gitxsan
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| | sea creatures. The Nanaimo District
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| name for the Skeena River. This
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| | Museum also provides a unique glimpse
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| replicated ancient Gitxsan village
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| | into the lives of Nanaimo's First Peoples
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| features house fronts and totem poles
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| | dating back more than 2000 years.The
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| facing the Skeena River. Continue on to
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| | ancestral home of the Cowichan Tribe and
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| view the totems at Kitwancool and the
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| | the famous Cowichan Sweaters is in
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| Nisga's Memorial Lava Bed where a volcano
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| | Duncan. In Victoria, plan to spend a few
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| erupted over two centuries ago, leaving a
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| | days visiting the many splendors of the
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| pocked lava moonscape.With Terrace as a
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| | city and its environs, including the
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| base, you can take a side trip on Hwy 37
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| | famous Butchart Gardens. Then take the
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| to Kitimat; a stunning playground in the
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| | BC Ferry across to Tsawassen, south of
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| coastal rainforest, its scenery is
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| | Vancouver, where you started.This Circle
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| reminiscent of Norway's fjords. In
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| | Tour by car is designed to take from
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| Terrace you can hike a part of the Grand
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| | seven to fourteen days, more if you wish
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| Trunk Pathway. Now go west again on Hwy
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| | of course. Reservations need to be
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| 16 to Prince Rupert, a seaport and a
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| | booked well ahead for the ferries from
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| terminus for handling shipments of coal
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| | Prince Rupert to the Queen Charlottes and
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| and grain from the Prairies. Here you
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| | down the Inland Passage to Vancouver
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| can board a ferry for the Queen Charlotte
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| | Island. Google "BC Ferries" for the
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| Islands called Haida Gwaii by the local
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| | websites and online reservation forms.
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| aboriginals. The Haidas were once a
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