Tofino Air – glacier flight over Vancouver Island

Tofino is one of our favourite places on Vancouver Island. On this year’s trip we’re absolutely set on enjoying the wild and breathtaking nature from above. In the afternoon we take off with Tofino Air for a scenic flight and are totally surprised by how many mountains there are on Vancouver Island.

Vancouver Island from a bird’s-eye view

In a seaplane – quintessentially Canadian – we head off on a scenic flight over a breathtaking mountain world. Large parts of Vancouver Island are unspoilt and can’t be reached by car. You can only get to the remote corners of the island by boat or seaplane.

Shortly after take-off we already have an incredible view of the west coast region of Vancouver Island. As far as the horizon we see slopes and mountains covered in trees. In between, bays and tiny islands keep appearing. Below us lies the rugged coastal area of Clayoquot Sound (pronounced klækwɑt).

As we gain a bit more altitude, vast mountain ranges, some of them snow-capped, stretch out below us. Between some of the slopes lie small lakes, so remote that perhaps no one has ever swum in them.

The mountain world

Our pilot heads for a snow-covered mountainside. We fly directly over the slope and my breath catches for a moment. For a second I’m genuinely worried whether we’ll gain enough height to make it over the ridge. We are incredibly close to the mountain. It feels as if we only have to reach out our hand to touch the snow.

After a while we leave the high peaks behind and head back towards the coast. We fly over countless fjords and from up here we can see the remote villages of the First Nations. The villages in this region can only be reached by boat or seaplane.

From the air it strikes us once again how wonderfully wild the west coast of Canada is. We can make out a few kayaks on the sea. Some people are camping on the small offshore islands in the Pacific. Now and then we spot colourful tents and kayaks on the beaches.

As we fly back towards Tofino, we suddenly spot a humpback whale below us from the air. We can hardly believe it! It is such a fantastic sight, seeing the whale from up here. The moment is over all too quickly, as the plane unfortunately banks away and starts its approach to land.

Flying with Tofino Air

The seaplanes and the Tofino Air office are right on the jetty at First Street.

Tofino Air offers various scenic flights over Vancouver Island. We opted for the Glacier Tour, spontaneously sent an email to ask about free seats and got lucky. There are also other tours, for example to the “hot springs” where you can bathe, or a special tour along the coast. We chose an afternoon flight so that the light would already be a bit warmer than at midday. We can only recommend taking a scenic flight!

How about you? Do you like taking to the air to get your bearings from above, or do you prefer to keep your feet firmly on the ground? Tell us about it in the comments.