Immersive Indigenous Bucket List

Expansive, Transformational, Authentic.

Immersive Indigenous destinations and experiences are expansive and transformational. Enhance your reality with an Indigenous point-of-view and see old places with new eyes. By their nature, Indigenous perspectives cannot be understood as a bystander or simple witness. Escape the confines of ordinary time and mundane routines as you journey alongside Indigenous hosts across the diverse landscapes of British Columbia.

Heart of the Land, Heart of the People

Indigenous Peoples, cultures, relationships, and lands are not separate from each other. When you stand at the precipice of a grand canyon or witness whales breaching from the water, you see the heart of the People. And when you listen to Indigenous storytelling, you are listening to the heart of the Land. With immersive Indigenous destinations, everything around you presents an opportunity for learning, culture, and experience. 

A visit to an immersive Indigenous experience provider in BC transforms your travel with an opportunity to participate and take a seat in the circle that celebrates Indigenous Peoples, lands, and cultures.

Book soon for any of the following experiences in 2024 as they sell out fast!

Northern BC

Haida Tourism offers two unique destination properties; if you are planning a trip to Haida Gwaii, please visit HaidaGwaiiPledge.ca to educate yourself about how to be a respectful visitor and take the pledge to do so.

Haida House at Tllaal

📍 Haida Gwaii, Tllaal (Tlell)
Cultural Ambassador On-site | Cultural Tours | Tours to Gwaii Haanas | Northern Island Tours

Haida House at Tllaal offers all-inclusive seven- and eight-night adventure packages and quiet overnight bed and breakfast escapes. The Haida House Lodge and new oceanside cabins offer the ideal setting to explore the many eco-adventures, natural attractions, and historical and cultural sites found on Haida Gwaii’s Graham and Moresby Islands. The casual Haida House dining room specializes in tide- and farm-to-table cuisine.

Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Region

Nemiah Valley Lodge

📍 Nemiah Valley
Sweat Lodge Experience | Hiking | Pithouse Visit | Cultural Ambassadors On-site | Ceremonies with Elders | Tours to see Wild Horses

Nemiah Valley Lodge and Xeni Gwet’in Elders and locals share their Indigenous food, history and traditions on Tŝilhqot’in Title Lands. Xeni ambassadors invite guests to experience, explore, and enjoy as they connect through learning with three- and four-night customizable cultural packages. The lodge and its hosts offer wild horse viewing, smudging ceremonies, sweat lodge, storytelling, traditional botanical foraging, and artisan workshops. Kayak or canoe Elkins Creek, hike to Cardiff Mountain, book a horse ride, or fish on Vedan Lake with a Xeni guide. 

Spirit Bear Lodge

📍 Klemtu
 Grizzly Bear / Spirit Bear Tours | Cultural Tours | Guided Hiking | Boat Tours

Spirit Bear Lodge offers three- to seven-day transformative wildlife and cultural tours and cozy oceanfront rooms in the heart of The Great Bear Rainforest with local Kitasoo Xai’xais guides.  After a stunning boat ride to the lodge, guides share intimate knowledge of their Traditional Territory and exclusive opportunities to view whales, sea otters, grizzly bears and other marine life. Enjoy an evening in the Klemtu Big House, hike local trails, and indulge in lovingly prepared meals and home-made snacks.

Vancouver Island

Knight Inlet Lodge

📍 Knight Inlet, Vancouver Island
Grizzly Bear Tours | Whale Watching | Marine Tours

Indigenous-owned, fly-in Knight Inlet Lodge offers a unique 4-6-night spring-to-fall grizzly bear tours and seasonal marine and whale watching tours at their west coast-style floating lodge in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest. Five modern floats contain eighteen comfortable guest rooms, a lounge, an interpretive centre, and a dining room. With fresh ingredients flown in daily, fine local wines, and delicacies like crab, salmon, and prawn, sourced directly from the pure glacier-fed waters of Knight Inlet, guests can savour fine cuisine while enjoying the comfort of the lodge and breathtaking views of the surrounding scenery and wildlife.

Tin Wis Resort

📍 Tofino
Art Galleries near-by | Storm Watching | Marine Tours near-by

Tin Wis Resort sits oceanside on preserved Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation land along the south side of Tofino. The property boasts secluded dwelling spaces, an in-house fitness facility and new outdoor hot tub with proximity to all Tofino and Ucluelet have to offer. The Tofino Art Gallery Walk includes Indigenous-owned House of Himwitsa First Nations Art Gallery and Roy Henry Vickers Gallery.  Whale watch and visit sacred pools with Indigenous-owned Clayoquot Wild. Visit Tourism Tofino and discover opportunities to dine, golf, visit the famous Pacific Northwest Trail, storm-watch or zip line.

Kwa'lilas Hotel

📍 Port Hardy
Whale-watching near-by | Bear-viewing near-by | Cultural Tours | Visit Alert Bay near-by

Kwa’lilas Hotel  is Port Hardy’s premier Indigenous destination hotel, offering a curated selection of authentic local Indigenous arts and culture, with two onsite restaurants and a casual cafe. K’awat’si Tours provides Indigenous cultural experiences and locally guided eco-tour adventures by request on the North Island, including a four-hour Nakwakto Rapids & Culture Tour and Scenic Boat & Wildlife Tour.

Take a day trip to Alert Bay and visit Indigenous gallery Culture Shock, see a collection of returned Kwakwaka’wakw cultural material at U’mista Cultural Centre, and dance performances by T’sasala Cultural Group at the Namgis Big House on Saturdays.

Vancouver Coast and Mountains

Klahoose Wilderness Resort

📍 Desolation Sound (Departures start with a one-hour boat transfer from Lund or Powell River to the Resort)
Bear-viewing tours | Whale-watching tours | Sauna at the lodge | Cultural ambassadors and education on-site

Klahoose Wilderness Resort  is a premier Indigenous cultural experience on the lands of the toq qaymɩxʷ (Klahoose) People. The all-inclusive eco-resort in the coastal wilderness of Desolation Sound offers a range of amenities, including a woodfire sauna, campfire area, kayaks, paddle boards, and rainforest hiking trails. These offerings are instilled with the traditional values of the Klahoose people, creating an authentic and enriching experience for visitors. Indigenous-led three- and four-night wildlife tours of Toba Inlet include spring bear viewing, specialized photography tours and late summer/fall grizzly bear and salmon run tours. 

Kootenay Rockies

St. Eugene Golf Resort & Casino

📍 Cranbrook
Ktunaxa Interpretive Centre | Golfing | Cultural Interpretation | Wellness

St. Eugene Golf Resort & Casino is a place to stay and play, with onsite casino, golf, spa, restaurants, and outdoor pools. Kiʔsuʔk k̓ikiⱡ, Ktunaxa for “good food”, is a full-service restaurant in the Casino of the Rockies. Located in the Mission building, visitors to Numa Restaurant and Lounge are treated to spectacular views of Fisher Peak and the beautiful greens of the golf course. The Ktunaxa Interpretive Centre provides visitors with an opportunity to learn about Ktunaxa culture from artifacts, contemporary art, archival photographs, and displays. Fish, horse ride, or enjoy the many golf courses in the surrounding area.

Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort

📍 Ainsworth Hot Springs 

Wellness | Hotsprings | Ktunaxa Culture 

Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort shares the nupika wu’u, or hot mineral waters, first enjoyed by the Ktunaxa Peoples after hunting, fishing, or gathering. Now owned by Yaqan Nukiy, the Lower Kootenay Band of Creston, your stay at the resort includes complimentary access to the Hot Springs pools and cave. Ktunaxa Grill offers an exceptional dining experience, conveniently located at Ainsworth Hot Springs. Local activities include caving at Cody Caves Provincial Park, hiking, kayaking, and fishing.