Of all our teen travel programs in North America, our British Columbia: Sea to Sky trip is a great example of how exciting a combined adventure and service program can be. It is a program that takes middle-schoolers through the stunning natural landscapes of western Canada over an exciting 14 day trip.
Trust us: when you join us for those 14 days, they’ll go by fast! In fact, to give you a sense of just how quickly, we decided we would whisk you through the activities you can expect from start to finish.
From arrival in Vancouver to camping, climbing, and culture
After arriving at Vancouver Airport and meeting the trip leaders, we take a short transfer to our first campsite. The rest of the day is spent settling in, playing games, and getting to know your fellow travelers.
For the first full day of your trip, you will be heading north to Whistler. After riding the Sea to Sky Gondola to the summit of Blackcomb Mountain, you’ll see the stunning views and explore the many local hiking trails. Then, it’ll be time to return to Squamish, albeit with a stop on the way to see the majestic Brandywine Falls!
The colossal Squamish Chief Mountain will be the backdrop for your third day on the program, as you get to grips with climbing, belaying, ropework, and rappelling. Our local guide will teach us some key rock climbing skills, and help us develop our technique.
Having descended the granitic dome, participants will later head to the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, where we will find out about the local First Nations Tribes. We talk about the history and culture of the area, and the importance of remembering and respecting this throughout our travels.
Rafting down the Cheakamus River and environmental service days
Moving into the fourth day of this popular trip, we will be whitewater rafting down the Cheakamus River. It’ll be a challenge to navigate the drops, whitewater, and rapids, but local guides will be on hand to help us “read” the water and conquer the river. This adrenaline filled day is always a big highlight of the trip!
For the next section of our trip, participants will be working with an environmental non-profit. Although the exact service activities vary with each trip, past travelers with us have helped with projects including human impact remediation, trail maintenance, erosion control, the removal of invasive species, and the restoration of the native landscape. Our volunteering efforts help us give back to the natural environments we have been enjoying on our trip. We learn about the importance of environmental service and how we can have positive and negative impacts on environments we travel to.
Catching a ferry to Victoria Island, taking on sea kayaking, and biking in Vancouver
The ninth day of the trip will see us leave Squamish and head over to Victoria Island on the ferry. This will be a slightly more relaxed day of recharging, in preparation for our kayak expedition: three days and two nights paddling along the coastline. This expedition will allow us to see some of the incredible wildlife of the local area, explore areas only accessible by boat, and see the highlights of this beautiful coastline.
That will take our young travelers to the 13th day, when it will be time to come back to Vancouver and cycle along the Stanley Park Seawall. That evening, the final RLT banquet will be held, providing some well-earned moments for reflection and celebration, before we say final goodbyes and fly home.
There’s a lot packed into our teen travel programs in North America, and this British Columbia trip is no exception! If you’d like to join us this summer or learn more, schedule a call with a member of the RLT team.
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