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Go Inside Vancouver Island - Our Best Cave Tour Adventures
Don't miss out on a Vancouver Island cave tour! Caving is one of our coolest adventures here on the Island. And our caves have been voted Best in BC and Best in Canada! See some incredible limestone formations up close, and discover Vancouver Island... on the inside!
Caving is an awesome adventure and provides an interesting day or half day activity for couples or families. This is your chance to get inside Vancouver Island and see what awe-inspiring caves we've got! Graeme, Nolen and I went on our first Vancouver Island cave tour in October, 2006. We had never done it before, but decided it was time.
How was it? We had a blast! The caves were incredibly interesting, had a great guide with us, and the tour gave us a workout too.
One thing we need to mention. Caving or spelunking (spelunking is slang) is not for those who are seriously claustrophobic! Graeme and I don't like small, confined spaces - which is essentially what you'll be in. However, we were able to handle our 3 hour cave tour without any problems. Maybe because it was SO interesting and such a unique adventure that we didn't really think about it. Keep this in mind.
About Vancouver Island Caves
Vancouver Island, British Columbia not only has the greatest number of caves in Canada (and the best), but they're just incredible expressions of nature. That's because our warmer climate and geology have produced ancient limestone caves with rich detail and formation.
Caving on Vancouver Island is also a great adventure for families as our caves aren't as cold and muddy as the ones found in the Rocky Mountains for example. Nolen (our son) is 10 years old, and he easily navigated each step on our cave tour - and loved every minute of it! The best caves are found at Horne Lake Provincial Park, and it was voted the "Best Natural Outdoor Site in BC" by Attractions Canada! If you're looking for some spelunking for kids, Horne Lake caves is our number one pick for a family cave tour. Families love these caves. Best time to go caving? We'd say that late Spring, Summer and Fall are really the best times to do this adventure. Snowfall can limit access to some roads in winter and make it treacherous to hike to the caves. Anytime from late April to late October would be your best bet.
The Best Caves on Vancouver IslandHere's our top 3 best caves to explore when you get to Vancouver Island. We've experienced them, and so have our friends... and local Islanders we've all talked to agree with our picks. Here they are...
Horne Lake Caves offer an assortment of very good tours, with excellent, knowledgeable guides. From easy family tours that last just over 1 hour, to extreme caving adventures for the thrill-seekers. We did the 3 hour Cave Tour - loved it! It's a good tour to see incredible limestone chambers and to crawl up, down and around three caves in the Park (all led by a guide). You'll see some stunning limestone formations deep within the chambers and see some interesting cave dwelling creatures.
Alternately, you can take your own self-guided cave tour. Explore two small caves on your own without having to pay for it. Downside: you won't get to go into the cave with the limestone formations. That's the tour you must pay for. However, if this is your first time caving on Vancouver Island, we'd highly recommend taking a tour, as the limestone chambers are incredible (and you'll get really good information from the tour guide). Horne Lake also offers extreme caving tours for thrill seekers. Visit the Horne Lake web site for more information. OUR TIP: As you drive inside the Park, look for the round "hut" located on your left. This odd-shaped building is where you sign up and pay for a tour, and get caving instructions. Then you'll drive further up the road into a parking area where you leave your car, fill your pockets with a snack and wait for your cave tour guide to meet you.
A series of about 100 caves are located in this area. An easy 0.3 km trail with pathways and steps brings you to Upana caves, including Corner Cave, Insect Cave, Main Cave, Resurgence Cave, Slither Cave and Tunnel Cave, all linked by a hiking trail 17 km from Gold River in Kyuquot Provincial Forest. These caves are basically "wild" and "undeveloped" so we caution you to wear good boots with rubber soles. Dress warmly too, as these caves (the deepest north of Mexico) extend more than 2,000 feet into honeycombed limestone rock! To find out more information on visiting the Upana Caves, get in touch with the Village of Gold River at: (250) 283-7334.
Hike a short trail from the parking lot to a platform that looks down at the river and a rock bridge. You can view the cave formations by the lake or walk the trail to see the limestone arches and rock platforms. Two other not-to-miss caves to see here are the Vanishing River and the Eternal Fountain (both are incredible). Before you go, get more information from the Regional District of Mount Waddington at: (250) 956-3301 or (250) 956-3161. How To Get Here: Take the Zeballos turnoff from Highway 19 and follow the signs down gravel roads for 21 kilometres.
What To WearHere's what we'd recommend when it comes to outfitting yourself for caving...Preferably boots with treads (or running shoes with really good treads). Since the caves are damp and can be chilly, wear warm clothes (layers with fleece seemed to work best for us) and gloves can be optional. Jeans are good, but don't wear your designer jeans. They'll get dirty and if you slip, you might tear them on the rocks. Jeans are better than sweat pants as they seem to offer more protection.
Don't wear a backpack (as I made that mistake). The caves are too tight and you won't like the bulk on you. I wore my small one that held our gloves, snacks, etc, but it was too cumbersome.
Flashlights are a must if you go cave exploring on your own and you'll also need a hard hat (helmet) to cave on your own. If you're on a tour, they'll provide you with helmets with lights.
What To ExpectWe wouldn't recommend taking children any younger than about 6 years old on a cave tour, including the Horne Lake Caves. Here's why we say that...First, our feeling is that kids any younger might get pretty scared of the darkness and quite simply... the strange whereabouts. Secondly, these caves are all left in their natural state, so the ground is rocky and can get super slippery - definitely a hazard for small children. You'll need to be in fairly good shape to do the Vancouver Island caves - especially the hike up the hill to see the limestone (Riverbend) cave at Horne Lake. Be prepared for a steep half hour climb up for this first cave. Inside the caves, you'll be crouching, kneeling, and climbing. We wouldn't recommend this adventure if you suffer from bad knees or a bad back. Could be hard for little children to get a grip on the rock to climb up internal ladders. Seriously claustrophobic? Like we mentioned at the beginning, if you are, then this probably isn't the adventure for you.
Have a fantastic Vancouver Island cave tour adventure!
Let us know about your caving experience, and what you think of the incredible limestone formations!
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