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Victoria city highlights + Butchart Gardens tour

Victoria is a charming city full of beautiful historic architecture, ocean views, and stunning gardens. This tour will offer you a sprinkling of our most popular sights and a trip to the world-famous Butchart Gardens. 

City highlights and historical stories include the significance of Victoria’s Inner Harbour and its connection with the gold rush. Stories include the BC legislative building, the Empress Hotel and our historic Chinatown, Canada’s oldest.  

The Butchart Gardens are Victoria’s #1 attraction, with over one million visitors per year. Learn the story of how Jennie Butchart transformed her husband’s abandoned lime quarry into one of Canada’s national historic treasures. 

 

This is an excellent tour for first time visitors on a limited time schedule. 

Price: $600 (this is a group price – not per person)

Capacity: vehicle seats 5 people comfortably (6 max)

Tour duration: 4.5 – 5 hours 

What’s included: private transportation and professional tour guide 

What’s not included: personal expenses, food and beverage, and admission to Butchart Gardens ($39.50/adult, 2023 price)

Note: Check here for  Butchart Gardens hours for 2023

Customize this tour: All private tours are customizable. Inquire with me if you want to add on to this tour.

ITINERARY

The order of this itinerary may vary depending on your pick-up location. It is a fast-paced tour and stops are limited due to time. We can adjust along the way to accommodate a slower pace. 

STOPS: 
Inner Harbour, BC legislative building, and the Empress Hotel
Chinatown, the oldest in Canada, and the infamous narrow Fan Tan Alley
Fisherman’s Wharf: a quirky and colorful gem, it’s colourful float home neighborhood
Butchart Gardens:  this stop will be 1 to 1.5 hours
NOTE: If you have mobility issues, I recommend pre-renting a scooter. Alternately you can use the available wheelchairs at the gardens.

DRIVE THROUGH/BY:
Thunderbird Park (view Indigenous story poles  and hear some history)
Craigdarroch Castle: a baronial bonanza castle built in 1908 by Victoria’s legendary coal baron, Robert Dunsmiur
Government House: the official residence/offices of the Lt. Governor (provincial representative of the Crown)
Beacon Hill Park with the world’s tallest totem pole, and Mile Zero, with a tribute to Canadian legend Terry Fox

TOUR ADD-ON OPTIONS

Lunch at the Butchart Gardens in the former home of Jennie and Robert Butchart. Afternoon tea is a lovely option. Try it with the flight of local wine pairings. 

Duration:  1 hour for a total of a 5.5-hour tour.

Price: $110 added to the base tour price for a total of $710 (food and beverage not included).

Wine/cider tastings:  You will visit two of the following: Church and State, Symphony Vineyard or Sea Cider. This depends on hours of operation and availability. There is charcuterie and cheese available at all locations.

Duration: 1.5 hours for a total of a 6-hour tour. 

Price: $165 added to the base tour price (food and tasting fees are not included; tasting fees are approximately $10-$15/person).

Undecided? No worries, if you decide on the day of your tour that your group would like to do this add-on, we can simply adjust it on the day. I’m super chill.

GALLERY

GOOD TO KNOW

Transportation: 2013 Lincoln Navigator (SUV); capacity 6 passengers  (three seats in the rear / two in the middle / 1 upfront with the driver). 

Easy in/out access, large comfortable seating and excellent viewing windows. Air-conditioned and mobile device charging outlets. The vehicle is equipped with an audio system so your tour guide’s dialogue can be heard throughout the vehicle. 

Passenger transportation certified / Tour operator licensed and insured

Cancellation: Tours cancelled within 24 hours of the tour start date will be subject to a $100 non-refundable fee plus any applicable pre-purchased tickets and food orders that are not refundable by the vendor. Proof of receipts will be provided with the balance of your refund. If we need to cancel your tour due to illness or other unforeseen issues, 100% refund will be issued. 

NOTE: Tours are provided rain or shine. Victoria weather is hard to guarentee. 

Covid measures:  If you are feeling unwell or have been exposed to Covid, please advise me as soon as possible.  

Mobility-challenged passengers: Tours can be adjusted to accommodate wheelchairs and other mobility devices. All equipment must be able to collapse and be lifted into the vehicle. The vehicle is equipped with grip bars but is taller than the traditional van, and passengers must be able to get in and out of the vehicle with minimal assistance. Passenger capacity will be limited to 4 or 5 depending on the size of the equipment. Please contact me for more information prior to booking a tour if you are unsure. 

Child car seats: By BC law, children under 40 lbs (18kg) are required to be buckled into a full forward-facing car seat. This can be provided (rental fee applies).

Children over 40 lbs and under 4’9″ must use a booster seat. Two boosters are available for free.

Pick-up/ drop-off locations are available anywhere within the peninsula. This includes: Swartz Bay ferry terminal;  YYJ airport; Harbour Air, Helijet, Coho and Clipper terminals; cruise ship port (Ogden Point); all hotels, inns, B&Bs and private accommodations within the Saanich Peninsula. There will be an additional one hour charge of $135 for pick-ups/drop-offs  in Langford, Bear Mountain and Villa Eyrie Resort.  

Currency: Acceptable currency is in Canadian or US dollars. Each shop/restaurant may have their own currency exchange rate.

Taxes: Expect to pay an additional 12% tax on purchases and 5% at restaurants and other services. It is customary to tip with a recommended amount of 15-20% in restaurants. 

Weather and what to wear: Check the weather forecast on the day of your tour. Dress in layers. It can be cooler closer to the ocean and hotter at interior locations. Wear comfortable shoes as some of the  off-the-beaten path gems might involve a bit of rocky terrain. We will provide umbrellas if required.

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