Travelling to Victoria for a Ceremony

I'm based in Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island, and many of the people I work with travel here: from Vancouver, Whistler and the rest of BC, from Alberta, the Prairies, Ontario and the rest of Canada, and from across the US, especially the Pacific Northwest and California. Victoria is small, walkable and quiet, which makes it a good place to come for something like this.

Every ceremony happens in person here in Victoria. Everything else, the free consultation, screening, preparation and integration, happens by video, so you'll know whether we're a good fit long before you book any travel.

From Vancouver, Whistler and the Lower Mainland

• Floatplane: about 35 minutes from downtown Vancouver to Victoria's Inner Harbour, close to where most people stay.
• BC Ferries: from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay, a scenic sailing of about an hour and a half, then a short drive or bus into the city.
• From Whistler, Squamish and the Sea-to-Sky: drive down to Vancouver for the floatplane or the Tsawwassen ferry, or take the ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo and drive down the island.
• From the Sunshine Coast: ferry to Horseshoe Bay and on from there, or cross from Powell River to Comox and drive south.

From Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and the rest of BC

• Up-island: Nanaimo, Duncan and the Cowichan Valley are an easy drive; the Comox Valley is about three hours, and Tofino and Ucluelet make a scenic day's drive across the island.
• The Gulf Islands: BC Ferries sail from Salt Spring and the Southern Gulf Islands to Swartz Bay, just north of Victoria.
• The Okanagan, Kamloops and the north: fly into Victoria International Airport from Kelowna, directly or through Vancouver; from Kamloops, Prince George and further north, connect through Vancouver.

From Calgary, Edmonton, Banff and Alberta

Direct flights connect Calgary and Edmonton with Victoria, about an hour and a half in the air, and Banff and Canmore are an easy drive from Calgary's airport. Many people from Alberta make a short trip of it: fly in the day before, ceremony the next day, and a slow morning before flying home.

From Saskatchewan and Manitoba

From Saskatoon, Regina and Winnipeg, fly into Victoria, usually with a connection through Calgary or Vancouver. Arriving the day before gives you time to settle.

From Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal and Eastern Canada

Fly into Victoria directly or connect through Vancouver or Calgary. From Ontario, Quebec or Atlantic Canada, including Halifax, it's a long travel day, so I'd suggest arriving at least a day before your ceremony to rest and adjust to Pacific time.

From Seattle, Tacoma and Washington

• Victoria Clipper: a passenger ferry from downtown Seattle straight into Victoria's Inner Harbour, about two and three-quarter hours.
• From Olympia, Tacoma and the Olympic Peninsula: the Black Ball ferry crosses from Port Angeles to the Inner Harbour in about an hour and a half.
• From Bellingham and north Whatcom County: cross the border at Blaine and take BC Ferries from Tsawwassen.
• From Spokane and eastern Washington: short flights connect through Seattle or Vancouver.

From Portland and Oregon

Most people either fly via Seattle or Vancouver, or drive north to Port Angeles and take the ferry across. Either way it's an easy weekend trip.

From San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and California

Fly to Victoria with a connection through Seattle or Vancouver. People from California often turn it into a few quiet days on the island, which suits the integration that follows a ceremony.

From Denver, Austin, Chicago, New York, Boston and the rest of the US

Fly to Victoria with one connection, usually through Seattle or Vancouver. Coming from the Mountain, Central or Eastern time zones, I'd suggest arriving the day before so you're rested.

From Japan, Taiwan, Korea and East Asia

Vancouver is one of the easiest North American cities to reach from East Asia, with direct flights from Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Hong Kong and Manila, usually around nine to eleven hours. From Vancouver International Airport, take a short connecting flight, the floatplane or the ferry over to Victoria. The time difference is big, so I'd suggest arriving two or three days before your ceremony to let your sleep settle.

From Australia and New Zealand

There are direct flights to Vancouver from Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland, usually around thirteen to fifteen hours, then a short hop to Victoria. Many people make a longer trip of it: Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and the Rockies are all close by. Give yourself a few days to get over the flight before your ceremony.

From the UK and Europe

Fly into Vancouver International Airport, then take a short connecting flight, the floatplane or the ferry over to Victoria. After a long-haul flight, give yourself a couple of days to recover from jet lag before your ceremony.

Before you travel

• Passports: if you're coming from the US, you'll need a valid passport to enter Canada.
• Pricing: private ceremonies are $700 to $1,400 on a sliding scale, in CAD for Canadians and USD for Americans. See what it costs and what's included.
• Nothing crosses a border. Your ceremony happens here, and no medicine travels with you, in either direction. More on Is 5-MeO-DMT Legal in Canada?
• Where to stay: clients have enjoyed the James Bay Inn and the Fairmont Empress, both close by. More in Preparing for Your Ceremony.
• Give yourself time: arrive the day before if you can, and plan a quiet evening and a slow next morning after your ceremony. Please arrange a ride back to where you're staying, and avoid travelling home the same day if you can.
• Inward sound baths are a lighter option if you're visiting anyway; see upcoming dates on the Inward page.