Depart Toronto for your flight to Vancouver with Westjet departing at 12:00pm, arriving at 2:11pm.
Upon arrival, transfer to Camp Alexandra. You will gather to talk about the trip itinerary and get excited for the adventures ahead.
Enjoy a walk as a group before having dinner.
Overnight at Camp Alexandra.
Wake up:
OPTION 1: DUKE OF ED PREP all day
OR
OPTION 2: Explore Vancouver. Go to Stanley Park, Granville Island and enjoy Vancouver’s famous Japa Dog!
Overnight at Camp Alexandra.
Breakfast at camp.
After breakfast, shuttle to Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal for your ride over to Galiano Island. You might even spot some wildlife along the way including orcas and dolphins. Depart the ferry and go to Galiano Conservancy Association (GCA), winding through Gulf Island roads and arrive at camp - immersed in nature and ready for adventure.
Have lunch while you are given a site orientation.
This afternoon, take part your first wilderness workshop where you will trip plan Campsite selection, BC weather, how to set up and ‘winterize’ tents, preparing for our first (Duke of Ed) overnight & cooking experience.
Take some time to explore, relax and settle in and even tour the incredible oceanfront trails, forested spaces and Gulf Island views surrounding our camp.
Dinner tonight will be a ‘campfire cookout’.
Duke of Ed students will prepare or help prepare dinners in order to satisfy the Adventurous Journey requirement of preparing one substantial meal per day. Each meal will be cooked under the supervision of our professional wilderness cooking staff and use fresh ingredients.
Evening hike to Crystal Cove where you can admire the view and participate in a short workshop on Southern BC Gulf islands from a settler to Indigenous perspective.
Overnight on Galiano Island.
Early morning wake up for an activity (yoga OR polar bear dip).
Warm up and enjoy breakfast by the fire (prepared by students supported by staff for Duke of Ed.).
After breakfast take part in 1 of 2 GCA Conservation Workshops that involves a volunteer project with Galiano Conservancy Association which entails reforesting a west coast cedar grove.
Enjoy making bread and preparing lunch.
After lunch, head to your second wilderness workshop - "Oceans to Shorelines" at Montague Provincial Campground. Hike and learn about hiking risk management, shelter building, principles of leave no trace and creating fire bags.
Dinner as a group while you debrief the day and take part in a youth reading of "The Giving Tree".
After dinner, wind down with a drive-in style movie night! S'mores, fire and fun!
Overnight on Galiano Island
Wake up with the sun and take part in a sunrise ceremony.
Enjoy a big breakfast!
Preparing for island full day hike - as part of the Duke of Ed Experience - the groups will prepare to head off in four directions from GCA on a full day hike requiring them to carrying all their food, gear for weather and orienteering equipment to find the FOUR CRESCENT TREASURES that have been strategically placed on the four directions of the Island. This will require the groups to work in teams of 4 to 8 to follow the clues, use their compasses and team work to find the treasure and bring it back to base camp. It will be in March, the weather is unpredictable and their planning and team work will be tested.
After a day filled with adventure, arrive back to hot chilli, brownies, hot chocolate and a warm learning classroom. The evening will be dedicated to debriefing their experience and understanding the meaning of the Four Crescent Treasures.
Overnight on Galiano Island.
Wake up to another activity (Self reflection of a polar bear dip).
Following your morning activity, enjoy breakfast by the fire.
After breakfast, experience your third and final wilderness workshop. You will also leave something special behind for the GCA before reflecting and packing up.
Depart for Mt. Galiano where you will have lunch and enjoy some of the best views in the Gulf Islands.
Once you head back down the mountain, head to the ferry terminal for your trip to Victoria. You will enjoy dinner on the ferry.
Arrival in Victoria and spend the night.
Overnight in Victoria.
Breakfast at the hotel (TO CONFIRM).
Today's full day excursion of Victoria includes a bike tour of the historic region and a number of popular places. Leave Victoria late on the ferry in the day to head back to Camp Alexandra.
Overnight at Camp Alexandra.
Wake up and have an early breakfast.
Pack up early and head to the airport for your flight home with WestJet, departing at 11:00am, arriving in Toronto at 6:30pm. Participants will purchase meals (at own expense) in transit today.
