Clayoquot Wilderness Resort

In a remote spot off Vancouver Island in British Columbia, surrounded by rain forest, mountains, and beaches, Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge first opened in 1998 as an overnight floating resort experience. Since then, it has grown into a luxury retreat with 25 tented accommodations along the banks of Clayoquot Sound. In 2021, it relaunched as part of the collection of Baillie Lodges, known for such iconic Australian retreats as Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island and Longitude 131 in the Red Centre.

While the camp has a rugged atmosphere, with huge stone fireplaces and a long wooden cookhouse, it’s an outpost with such luxuries as white linen tablecloths, polished silverware, soft comforters, and high-thread-count bedding. The tents, built on raised platforms near the main camp, feature cozy Adirondack-style beds, wood-burning stoves, and contemporary furnishings that complement the natural surroundings. They also have in-floor heating and en suite bathrooms with indoor/outdoor showers. Guests spend their days whale-watching, shooting clay pigeons, and exploring the retreat’s 600-acre reserve on foot or on horseback.

The luxury tents at Clayoquot Wilderness Resort are perfect for a romantic retreat or a family getaway. Open May through September, the all-inclusive resort is accessible only by plane or boat.

Bedwell Sound, the home of the Clayoquot Wilderness Resort, is located not far from Tofino, a favorite destination of surfers and storm watchers on Vancouver Island’s west coast. It is part of the Clayoquot Sound region, designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Area in 1999. One of the largest tracts of coastal temperate rainforests in the world, it has cedars that are more than 1,000 years old and waters teeming with wild salmon. To arrange an eco-safari to this unique destination, you can contact me at katie.cadar@afar.com. Photo by Katie Cadar

Clayoquot elevates “glamping,” that is glamorous camping, to a whole new level. The accommodations are in luxury prospector style tents built on raised wooden walkways. Each is furnished with antique dressers, Adirondack style beds, comfy duvets, gorgeous rugs. To arrange a custom itinerary to Clayoquot or other parts of British Columbia, contact me at katie.cadar@afar.com. Photo by Katie Cadar

Clayoquot has a long list of activities for guests—whale and bear watching, fishing, hiking (including heli-hiking), mountain biking, and excursions on horseback. The resort has 30 endurance and draft horses available for guided rides through the resort and beyond to an abandoned gold mining town or old-growth cedar forests. To arrange a 3-, 4-, or 7-day visit to Clayoquot contact me at katie.cadar@afar.com. Photo by Katie Cadar

Fitting with Clayoquot’s tents furnished with antiques, you won’t have to survive on franks and beans when you go glamping here. Chef Ryan Orr’s dishes features the best of British Columbia—including locally raised meats and seafood from the Pacific. The Okanagan Valley provides wine and produce, at its peak when Clayoquot is open (from May to the end of September). The Cook House includes an open kitchen so you can watch, and learn, from Orr and his team. There are also more private dining options, like the tent seen here. For a British Columbia itinerary tailored to your interests, contact me at katie.cadar@afar.com. Photo by Katie Cadar

Clayoquot is decidedly family friendly. If you want to go when the youngest travelers in your family are most likely to meet other guests their age, head there in July and August. If, on the other hand, you’d rather go to Clayoquot for a quiet escape without all the activity of peak family season, reserve a room (er, tent) in May or September. Whenever you choose to go to Clayoquot, we can help with all the arrangements. Contact me at katie.cadar@afar.com. Photo by Katie Cadar

It’s easy to pass your days rock climbing, going to yoga classes, getting a spa treatment or simply sitting by a campfire, but at some point during your visit to Clayoquot, you should definitely go on one of the resort’s wilderness safaris aboard a Zodiac. You’ll have the chance to spot whales, bears, eagles and wolves—all from the safety of the boat. The opportunity to listen to whale song through a microphone dropped from the Zodiac alone justifies all the effort to reach Clayoquot. To assure your journey there is trouble free, contact me at katie.cadar@afar.com. Photo by Katie Cadar