Testimonials

Not only is BCA tours professional, reliable, and organized, they create a comfortable and relaxing team-based environment. The food Talia prepared was delicious and healthy- absolutely amazing and unique. Both Talia and Fraser were extremely knowledgeable about the trail, vegetation, hiking and went out of their way to constantly attend to the whole group and team.

Equipment rentals were top of the line, and any questions we had were answered timely and appropriately. We will highly recommend BCA tours to family and friends, and honestly can’t want to book with them again. Our world is enlightened to a love for the outdoors we came back from our trip feeling inspired, purposeful, and grateful beyond worlds to BCA tours. Thank you so much

We are 4 siblings (13, 14, 15 and 16 years old) from Denmark who did the West Coast Trail with 4 adults. Our mom and dad and our two guides Ryan and Fraiser.

We were of course worried about our parents and if they could complete… haha just joking, they a very fit! - And such as us, they did an awesome job!

It all started the 4th of July where we stared hiking with our backpacks and hiking poles. The gear was practical, amazing quality, and very considered. Even though our parents complained a bit about the weight, did none of us suffer from injuries, blisters or problems with the back or shoulders, thanks to the gear! So, all of us were absolutely impressed of the gear that BCA TOURS borrowed us.

And the trail continued: Up the ladders, up another ladder and then up seven more ladders, continuing through the overgrown forest, through the mud, over a bridge, through even deeper mud, balancing over the planks, down a ladder, a cable car over the river, down a ladder, through the mud, down another section of ladders, down to the beach, walking in the deep sand, walking on shelves, on the boulders, crossing the river, ending in our camp and repeating the day after.

Of course, we cannot forget the breaks, were we enjoyed Talia’s incredible “snack bags”. Just all her food was amazing. At home our parents can be a bit picky about what they eat, but they really enjoyed all the food as well. The only problem was that we had to explain our parents that they only could eat one of Talia’s granolas a day.

So, we were a happy, full and a little tired family. As we came home we considered that two people of the group did more than the others, and we grudgingly admit that they were a bit cooler through the trip. That was our guides Ryan and Fraiser.

We had an amazing time with these two professional, inspiring, kind, funny and super cool guides. They taught us so much, and inspired us in the way they lived their life. We had an amazing time around the fire that Fraiser put up for us, were we ate Talia’s delicious gourmet food, that Ryan prepared for us. And we were talking, laughing and just having a great time there. And our parents got to practice a lot of speaking English with the guides, and they were getting better every day.

Overall did we have an amazing trip. So many memories that we’ll never forget. Even though we experienced bad weather and had our ups and downs did we enjoy our trip to the fullest and our parents are of course very proud of themselves when they now are able to tell all their friends that they did the West Coast Trail.

Thank you, BCA TOURS, we had a wonderful time. And we will hike back to you SOON!

Peace love and positive mental attitude from the Danish family with the two parents

Danny and Fraser, you two are an awesome duo and you complement each other’s styles very nicely. When I think of you, Danny, the words that come to mind are, “professional, safety-minded, and kind”. A person cannot help but see that part of your life philosophy is all about treating people with kindness and respect. This was so evident in your interactions with our group, with the Park officials, the Trail Guardians and other hikers. I appreciated your word choice the first time I heard you say “First Nations People”. As they say, you attract what you put out there – I could tell the respect goes both ways – thinking about the Park official Kyle and how he delivered our hiking poles. My friend and I forgot our poles at the end of the trail (before the ferry ride), and during our lunch in Port Renfrew, a Parks Canada guy drove the poles over to our lunch spot. It was obvious that this Parks guy thought very highly of you, Danny. Another example that stands out occurred after our group swim in the ocean at Thrasher. I got out of the water and was frozen – there was hot tea available, but I could not find my thermos... I really wanted a hot tea to take with me while I sat on some warm rocks in the sun. After looking for my thermos for a bit, I hear Danny say, “Here, take this cup”. It was his own camp cup. Danny quickly finished his coffee and then offered up his own cup. Talk about kindness – a gesture like that really makes you feel like family (his own camp cup!).

Danny, you were always very organized with a plan for each day, a plan that was flexible enough to tweak when needed. I thought you were the perfect head guide with your organization, safety-first attitude and your kindness.

Every head guide needs an assistant! We sure lucked out having Fraser as part of our team. Fraser, you are obviously a skilled hiker with your strength and athleticism… but what impressed me most was your endless patience, your supportive attitude and your willingness to engage in real conversations. Di and I were at the back of the pack (ok, sometimes in a separate sub-group), and Fraser, you would walk with us and talk with us, providing tips and strategies while never making us feel rushed. Your sense of humour had us smiling even when we were suffering! You kept me on my toes as I was sometimes not quite sure when to take you seriously and when you were kidding! Fraser, I really appreciated your quick wit (you are damn funny), your big smile and your peaceful and calm demeanor… keep feeding those specific wolves! You are so great in your guiding role with your support and encouragement. I have a feeling it means more than you know to people who are really struggling.

Talia, thank-you for the great meals and snacks. I’m impressed by what you can do with a dehydrator! Every time we’d say, “Thanks for a great meal, Danny!”, He’d say, “Thank Talia, she’s the one who looked after all of the food”. So, Talia, it was like you were there with us for all of the meals. I can see that Danny really values your partnership. I look forward to meeting you at some point.

One of my favourite things on this trip were the real conversations. When you spend 24/7 with a group in such a beautiful setting it’s interesting what comes up in conversations. I feel like we had some meaningful conversations and jumped from strangers to friends quite quickly. My other favourite thing was laughing. There seemed to be one point everyday where I laughed so hard that I cried. This is not common for me (but I love it when that happens – and sorry for that 5:40am giggle-fest!). Obviously, we were out of our comfort zone, but in a good way. (And my other favourite things were the physical activity, the amazing scenery and seeing what our minds/bodies were capable of).

If I were to rate Danny, Fraser and Talia, I’d give you guys 6 stars out of 5. I saw something on your website about you guys wanting to blow your competition out of the water with your customer service…. Well, I can certainly say that you surpassed all of my expectations. Our week on the WCT was beautiful, tiring, engaging and memorable. I can easily say that I’d highly recommend BCA tours and the West Coast Trail! Thanks for making this a really great experience!

A few years ago I completed the West Coast Trail with Danny and company. It was Totally Awesome! I say character- building because the NCT was full of it! The trail involved carefully negotiating each step on shoreline river rock; climbing over piles of driftwood the size of big trees and not so big trees; scooting over and around large basalt rocks while listening to the roar of the Pacific Ocean; squishing in and out of bogs in the forest; along with climbing up and over tree roots and wet, mossy logs. Occasionally we were pleasantly surprised with a nice relaxing trek along a boardwalk.

What more could an adventuresome trekker ask for? On day one, when the boat taxi nosed in to the rocky Cape Sutil shore to drop us off, there was an OMG moment and it was all systems go! Through it all Danny was a professional. He was positive, personable, encouraging and calm, which made the mind-over-matter challenging times safe and achievable. The trip dynamics were well thought out. The group comradery was comfortable, friendly and fun. We were in good hands from beginning to end. Another forever memory! Thank you Danny and BCA Tours. Well done!

The rented gear, in my case a single MSR tent was perfect for the task – light weight and easy to set up.

The food was nutritious and delicious. It was such a pleasure to not have to think about food preparation on this trip – Jess and Chris did a great job making sure we were taken care of at meal time. I particularly enjoyed the sweet potato and chick pea curry!

We lucked out and had both amazing weather and an incredible group to hike with. Thank you so much for such a well-executed trip, I would definitely head out on the trial with BCA Tours again.

The food was amazing as well. I felt satiated and energized the entire time and never ever deprived. The flavours were incredible, especially considering we were out on the trail!

Booking and payment was easy and straightforward and I appreciated how easy it was to get in contact with you.

Of course, the trail was phenomenal, an experience I’ll never forget and intend to repeat. Thanks for the amazing experience and I look forward to more trips with you guys in the future.

Would I do this again? Nope! Not for all the money in the world. Am I glad I did it? Absolutely - without a doubt. Do I recommend doing it with BCA Tours? Yes! They did not miss a beat. From my first conversation with Danny to the moment I was dropped off at my hotel at the end, BCA Tours was spot on. This adventure was everything I wanted (careful what you wish for) and then some. I learned so much about myself and I will have the memories forever, thanks to Jessica, Chris and BCA Tours.

And then there's the food. This trip has changed the way I think about hiking provisions: Talia's menu items are creative, delicious, and provides just the right amount of energy needed to power through a hard day of hiking.

If you are looking to hike the West Coast Trail and want a guide I strongly recommend BCA Tours!

From the first e-mail I sent, Danny and Talia were amazing! I especially appreciated the packing list and tips that were provided prior to the trip.

Our guides, Lenny and Frazer, were awesome and complimented each other well. They provided reassurance, insight and humor along the trail. I haven’t laughed that hard on a daily basis in a long time!

The FOOD is reason enough alone to do this hike! Talia’s menus are incredible and always seem to hit the hunger spot.

I have and will continue to recommend BCA to anyone wanting to hike the WCT. I fully intent to take another tour with this first-class company!

Thank you BCA!

Thanks BCA Tours for creating an memorable and smooth experience from start to finish. I will (and have been) highly recommending your tours, and I hope to participate in another trip that is offered by BCA Tours!

The food is only one of the many ways this adventure with BCA Tours will delight. Being able to show up without the worry of food, transportation, accommodation, knowing the terrain, or planning for tides removes so much stress and hassle. The money spent to put my experience in the hands of BCA Tours was tremendously worthwhile.

I came away with 9 new friendships, beautiful memories, a better understanding of myself, and a new appreciation for this beautiful province I live in. This trip changed me and I'll forever be thankful to the trail, my hike mates and the staff of BCA Tours.

HIGHLY recommend BCA Tours - was one of the best experiences of my life.

I cannot say enough about the guides, Jessica and Kevin. They were tremendous--highly skilled, patient, encouraging, and supportive. Great senses of how humor as well. I like that the hike was spread over 7 days. The pace and time on the trail was just right, getting us into our campsite at a reasonable time to relax, set up camp, do some yoga (thanks Kristi), and enjoy being by the ocean.
The food prepared by Talia was excellent. Plenty to eat and a nice variety. Thank you.
The WCT has been on my bucket list for a while but health issues in 2015 brought the plan into action. I was very pleased to find BCA Tours and highly recommend this company for a guided adventure of a lifetime.

The highlights? The wildlife….eagles, whales and a kind of “holy” sensation entering the area of Ditidaht.

After the hike I felt proud and in a very good physical condition, and we were very lucky with the weather!!!

Again a big THANK YOU and a lot of success with your company!

You are awesome!!

From the minute they picked us up in Victoria at our Hotel as strangers, to the final heart felt goodbyes as Friends, we felt safe with Irie Adventure Tours. The knowledge and preparedness of Danny and the rest of the Irie Staff was apparent from day one. The few concerns we had starting the trail were easily diminished by the beauty of the surroundings and confidence at which Danny and Len lead our group.

Through all the challenges Irie Adventure Tours, made the hike easier. When you thought you could not go any further, Irie helped show you what was around the next bend, reigniting your need for adventure.

The snacks and meals prepared by Talia at Irie Adventure Tours, were satisfying and delicious. The daily ration of snacks (trail mix, homemade energy bars and dried fruit) were never enough, as we could not get enough of the amazingly delicious and legendary power of the energy bars that helped give you that fuel to finish out the day.

The challenges of bouldering of rocky sections, negotiating mud, roots and sand, while battling the temperate rainforests constantly changing weather make this hike challenging, but worth every step.

The nightly beach camps, lush forests and never-ending dramatic Westcoast scenery, make this hike legendary and world class.

We would and have already recommended Irie Adventure Tours to friends, and complete strangers we heard talking about the West Coast Trail. After one hike with Irie you have met a group of people that you will call friends, not just another company of hiking guides.

Thank you Irie and Keep on Exploring

Interesting enough…my friends and family have been asking me about my hike and what I thought about it. I am unable to put into words how I felt about it. It was truly a personal experience. I pushed myself physically and most defiantly challenged myself like I’ve never done before. So proud that I completed it!!!! As an added bonus, every day was post card like. What more can you ask for??

Love the gear shake down especially for hikers with less experience.The meals are excellent. They do take into account food allergies/ preferences too which is great. Portions were a little small for me but enough to fill you up (I normally eat large portions). Felt that this company has "heart" and are doing what they love. It definitely shows in how they treat each person. I had such encouragement from both guides when I felt like I was struggling. you have a sense of community,, and felt no division. Felt very safe under their watchful eye. Trusted their judgement fully. Would book with them again in a heartbeat.

Danny and his team not only guided the group safely through challenging trails but also treated all of the group with warm hospitality and delicious snacks and foods including hot dinners and hot drinks during the whole trip. Imagine quality camp food without missing gourmet home cooked meals, not even for a moment. Danny and his assistant Jessica created an engaging friendly environment on the trail and around camp night fires. They always had smiles on their faces, spreading positive energy around. Through well planned and nicely scheduled daily itineraries and timely breaks, they led everyone safe and sound as an integrated group through this challenging and beautiful iconic trail.

Danny is a fantastic leader and fully responsible guide. He carefully managed the pace of everyone through the daily trails and led the group to daily camp sites on a timely manner all of the time.

I would rate Irie Tour's services for quality leadership, planning, safety, food and set-up of friendly environment high above five stars and decided to call them a group with "Beyond Stars Services".

I am privileged to achieve the honour of completion of WCT hiking with Danny, his team Talia and Jessica, as well as my wonderful and brave hike mates whom each of them had great contribution to make on this journey as one of the most memorable parts of my life. Thank you Danny and Jessica and thank you my brave co-hikers.

I recommend Irie without any hesitation to all travellers who are looking for adventurous and safe trips in the heart of the wilderness. The money paid for this guided hiking was well worth every penny.

I would also like to thank Talia for the food (those granola bars were “da bomb”) and for all of the work she did behind the scenes (we always gave you credit when we saw any wildlife).

I appreciated the fact that we started from Bamfield and ended at Port Renfrew based upon the fact that I wouldn’t have wanted to drive the Bamfield road after the hike and also our packs were lighter and our legs/balance stronger closer to the end when we more challenged.

I would do this hike again and will certainly be recommending your services to others! And I would be interested in doing other guided hikes with your company!