Amid evolving cross-border dynamics, more Canadians are trading trips abroad for adventures at home, re-discovering the beauty in their own backyard. For those who want to discover Canada’s extraordinary landscapes, there’s no better place to discover them than Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge.
A scenic, 45-minute seaplane flight from Vancouver delivers guests to 600 acres of pristine wilderness along the Bedwell River, in Vancouver Island’s Clayoquot Sound, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Set against old-growth rainforest and rugged coastline, this lodge is part of the Baillie Lodges portfolio, which owns and operates hotels in Australia, New Zealand, Chile, and Canada.
General manager Sarah Cruse, affectionately known as “Camp Mom,” warmly greets every guest upon their arrival at the dock. Horses named Goose and Maverick stand ready with their carriage to deliver everyone to the lodge. After checking in, guests are escorted to one of the 25 canvas safari tents that line the banks of Clayoquot Sound.
Cedar-clad outdoor showers, open-air decks, cast-iron stoves, and bathrooms with heated floors ensure that this experience has little to do with traditional camping. The tents are decorated with contemporary furnishings and with artworks by First Nations artists—members of Indigenous communities who have lived in and cared for this region for thousands of years.
It’s possible that one’s tent may be visited by a bear, but there’s no need to worry about that—Clayoquot’s staff keeps a watchful eye, and each room is supplied with a guidebook on how to respond to unexpected wildlife encounters. (A bear horn is also included, just in case.)
One of only two hotels in Canada to earn three Michelin keys—a distinction that marks an extraordinary stay—Clayoquot offers an array of thrilling ways to explore the biosphere by water, on foot or horseback, and even by air. On the Sights of the Sound boat excursion, guests may spot black bears foraging along rocky shores while a raft of sea otters bob playfully in the water. (Gray whales make surprise appearances.)
But for the ultimate view of Clayoquot Sound, take to the sky aboard the lodge’s helicopter, landing atop Ursus Mountain, whose elevation is more than 4,000 feet. While guests swim in the peak’s alpine lake, an elegant picnic of charcuterie and champagne manifests on the shore. The next day on ground level, embark on a seven-mile hike through the Ursus Valley, crossing rivers and wandering beneath 2,000-year-old trees.
The lodge’s connection to nature extends to its restorative offerings, such as yoga, glacial swimming, and spa treatments. Soak in a hot tub overlooking the estuary or luxuriate in a thalassotherapy treatment, which harnesses the therapeutic benefits of marine-based ingredients like seaweed and glacial clay.
At the Cookhouse restaurant, executive chef Ben Godin designs seasonal menus that reflect the wild Canadian coast. Sustainably harvested ingredients appear in beautifully composed dishes such as spruce broth with wakame and charred gindara fish. The chefs often prepare ingredients foraged by the guests, especially the chicken-of-the-woods fungi that are often squirreled away on hikes.
Staff quickly become familiar faces, and resident dogs Charlie and Toby roam freely; daily interactions with all of them make a stay at Clayoquot especially joyful. The moody weather—especially the heavy fog cover and rain endemic to an oceanic climate—only adds to the sensation that, here in the Canadian wilderness, it’s the real world that feels remote.
The writer was a guest of Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge, where accommodations begin at $3,500 per night during peak season
Victoria Malloy is a Toronto-based environmental-and-travel journalist. Her work has appeared in Time, National Geographic, Oceanographic, and Condé Nast Traveler
