We'll meet at one of the pickup points in Nanaimo and drive up the island to Port Hardy, a journey of approximately 5 hours. We'll spend the first night here. Your guides will help you pack and adjust your backpack, making sure you don't forget anything important.

A water taxi takes us to Shushartie Bay, where we shoulder our backpacks and begin our hike. The trail climbs steeply through a damp cedar forest, leading over boardwalks and muddy sections up to 252 meters. After a muddy plateau, we descend to the beach at Skinner Creek. Our campsite is located here in the woods. Shoes off, feet washed, or a swim: this is one of the most beautiful swimming spots on the western part of the trail.

The day begins either on the beach at the foot of the cliffs or on the inland trail above them. At high tide, the inland trail must be taken. We pass old trapper cabins and reach the Nahwitti River. At low tide, we can wade across it; further upstream, there's a cable car. We continue through the forest and down steps to Weser Point. The white sandy beaches around the bay beckon us onward to our campsite, either on one of these small beaches or in the forest at Sutil Beach.

The trail leads around the northernmost tip of Vancouver Island, first along the beach, then inland and along a slope over the cliffs, before we reach the beach again. The views and the scenery are breathtaking! Shortly after crossing Irony Creek, we reach our campsite at Shuttleworth Bight.

Today we hike west along the beach to the cable car across the Strandby River. After a stretch through marshy woodland, we reach pebble beaches and a few easily manageable tidal obstacles. Much of the route leads across small coves until we reach the campsite at Laura Creek. Here, the marine life in the tide pools shimmers in vibrant colors.

The final leg of the Nahwitti section begins with an uphill climb over the Nahwitti Cone. We then follow the old pioneer road through swampy forest up to a plateau. Finally, the trail descends, and a complex staircase leads us down to the beach of Nissen Bight.

Nissen Bight is the perfect place for a well-deserved day of relaxation. You can explore the beautiful beach or take one of the easy hikes in Cape Scott Park.

Time to head back to civilization. We hike along the well-maintained Cape Scott Trail to the trailhead. It's the easiest section of the hike, but at about 15 kilometers and 5 to 7 hours of walking time, it's also the longest. We'll spend the night at Eric Lake, about 3 kilometers before the trailhead, or at San Josef Bay, about one kilometer past the turnoff to the trailhead.

The North Coast Trail Shuttle will pick us up in the late morning or early afternoon. Then we'll drive back to Nanaimo, where we'll say our goodbyes.