Nanaimo is a good choice if you want to minimize travel time on the first and last days of your trip. The city completes our itinerary and is therefore ideal as a meeting and end point – especially if you plan to stay on Vancouver Island anyway. We'll stop in Lake Cowichan to buy provisions for lunch. Afterwards, we'll attend the mandatory Parks Canada orientation at 2:00 PM – participation is required for the West Coast Trail. The drive from Duke Point to Port Renfrew takes approximately two hours. After registering at the trailhead, we'll spend the night in Port Renfrew – right on the beach. You'll learn how to pitch your tent, and we'll do a final gear check. We'll use this time to get to know each other and discuss the trail.

In the morning, we return to the West Coast Trail registration office. From there, a boat takes us across the Gordon River to the trailhead. Our destination for the day: Thrasher Cove. Although only 6 km away, the challenging terrain means we'll need almost the entire day. You'll be treated to our first glimpses of the rainforest, streams, waterfalls, and old logging machinery. At Thrasher Cove, we set up camp for the first time on the beach – with views of Port San Juan and Port Renfrew.

Depending on the tides, we'll either hike along the beach to Owen Point or take the inland trail. The beach route is spectacular – with sandstone cliffs, caves, and bizarre rock formations. Afterwards, we'll head back into the rainforest. The destination is Camper Bay – a campsite by a stream, framed by impressive sandstone walls.

Today's hike takes us through dense rainforest once again – one of the most challenging and often muddiest sections. You might be lucky enough to walk across another sandstone slab, depending on the tides. More ladders await you at Sandstone and Cullite Creeks. Afterward, we'll cross a marshy area on a boardwalk, passing dwarf conifers. The highlight is the trail's largest suspension bridge, spanning Logan Creek. We'll set up camp at Walbran Creek. From here, the trail becomes significantly easier – beaches and rocky outcrops dominate.

A relaxing day of hiking almost entirely along the beach. At Bonilla Point, you can see the Carmanah Lighthouse in the distance. We'll pass the site of what was once Chez Monique's legendary snack bar. Your guide will be happy to share stories about Monique. Then it's on to the Carmanah Lighthouse with its spectacular views – and you might even spot sea lions on the rocks below. Our overnight camp is Cribs Creek, a natural breakwater with plenty of tide pools to explore.

Depending on the tide, we'll hike along the beach again, admiring the impressive sandstone formations. After crossing the Cheewhat River, we'll head back into the rainforest – you'll immediately notice the difference compared to the trail of the first few days. We'll take a break in Clo-oose, then reach the Nitinaht Narrows. There, Carl & Shelley Edgar and their family run the famous "Crab Shack," where you can enjoy a delicious lunch of crab and fish (at your own expense). Afterward, we'll take a boat across and set up camp at Barge Beach. We'll also receive the second part of our food supplies there.

The section to Tsuquadra Beach is considered one of the most scenic. Along the way, we discover the remains of an old Ditidaht village. Then we reach "Hole in the Wall," a rock cave by the water steeped in an old legend. Shortly after: Tsusiat Falls – an ideal spot for lunch and a swim under the waterfall. Afterwards, we continue a few more kilometers to the camp on the Klanawa River.

Today's hike takes us along the beach to Trestle Creek, then back into the forest. At a viewpoint, you'll learn the tragic story of the SS Valencia, whose sinking led to the creation of the West Coast Trail. Two suspension bridges and Tsocowis Creek still lie ahead before we arrive at our final campsite in Michigan Creek – right on the beach.

Today we'll hike almost exclusively through rainforest on the final section of the West Coast Life Saving Trail. This leg is the easiest of the entire trail. Shortly before the end, we'll visit the Pachena Lighthouse and possibly Sea Lion Rock. Around midday, we'll reach Pachena Bay – the end of the hike. Afterward, we'll drive to Port Alberni (lunch break) and then on to the Departure Bay ferry terminal in Nanaimo. We'll be aiming for the early evening ferry back to Horseshoe Bay or your accommodation in Nanaimo.