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PAID CONTENT FOR DE STINATION BRITI SH COLUMBIA


Canadian Rockies mountain range FROM LEFT: Howe Sound; Kermode (spirit) bear in the Great Bear Rainforest


GO ONLINE


for more stories about the healing power of British Columbia


nationalgeographic. co.uk/call-the-wild


D E E P IN TH E R A I N F O R E S T British Columbia’s temperate rainforest is one of the world’s rarest ecosystems. As you walk past ancient Douglas-firs, consider the comforting thought that, here, nature truly flourishes. This is a province leading the way when it comes to sustainability, so follow the locals’ lead and explore by foot or on an electric bike, stay in eco- lodges or join educational hiking trips. BC’s pristine natural habitat is a haven for wildlife: black bears and grizzlies wade through icy rivers for spawning salmon; bald eagles scan the forest floor for marmots; and black-tailed deer shelter under the shade of giant hemlocks. Experience the deepest, wildest corners of BC’s forests on a multi-day West Coast Trail hike. Or for a slower pace, local guides lead forest bathing experiences in places like the Sunshine Coast. Stretching out on soft green moss below the canopy, you’ll feel a calm wash over you as you learn to take in the environment through all your senses. Close your eyes, inhale the spruce-scented air, and appreciate the gentle rush of rivers making their way to the ocean.


IN THE MO U N T A I N S Watching the sun rise over a glacial lake or snowy peaks. Trekking ancient, forested trails on horseback. There are few places that compare to British Columbia when it comes to high-altitude adventure. Near Vancouver, paragliding, rock climbing and helicopter flights are on the menu: choose between gliding 2,000ft above the deer and grizzlies of Pemberton Valley; scaling a 2,300ft granite monolith in Squamish; or flying past glaciers and turquoise fords in a helicopter in the Tantalus Mountain Range. Further east, summer in the Canadian Rockies — a chain of 2,283 snow-capped peaks that spreads across the pine forests and turquoise lakes of BC’s Kootenay Rockies and into Alberta — means making the most of more than 2,000 miles of hiking, biking and horse-riding trails. Feel the magnetism of the wild and let your feet guide you to new summits and viewpoints. As you listen to birdsong bursting from nearby cedars or the calls of eagles overhead, the stresses and strains of modern life melt away and the feeling will stay with you even long after you’ve left.


Vancouver International Airport is the obvious arrival point from the UK, and Air Canada and British Airways fly there direct from Heathrow. Prices start from around £467 return.


Connect with nature before you travel — book time with British Columbia’s great wilderness.


READ MORE ONLINE AT HELLOBC.COM/CALLTHEWILD


IMAGES: HUBERT KANG; KARI MEDIG; YURI CHOUFOUR


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