Incredible Waterfalls in Whistler

Join us as we take in four of British Columbia’s most beautiful waterfalls. At BeWild!, we believe that there is nothing more revitalising and inspiring than stepping out into nature: breathe fresh mountain air, walk among calming green forests and spend time with like-minded adventurers.

On our All About Waterfalls Tour tour, we offer you the chance to explore four beauty spots that we are sure will inspire your sense of wanderlust. In a small, personal group, we will journey along some of BC’s most stunning trails. The trip lasts ten hours and takes in a total of 360 kilometres, but while we will cover a lot of ground, we always ensure that the pace is right for everyone on the tour. The hiking involved is suitable for those at all levels and we include enough breaks along the way to make sure everyone has time to fully absorb the splendour of their surroundings. After all, getting back to nature isn’t just about improving your physical health––it is excellent for mental and spiritual wellness too. Below, we outline the four spectacular waterfalls you will visit on the tour.

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Located 56 kilometres from Vancouver, along the gorgeous Sea to Sky Highway, Shannon Falls is the tallest of the four waterfalls we will visit. Reaching a whopping height of 336 metres, this is the third-highest waterfall in all of British Columbia. With the scenery being as splendid as it is, the falls have regularly featured in films and television shows in recent years. With some excellent viewpoints along the trail, we will take in the falls in all their majesty. The often-gentle water flow of Shannon Falls makes for an immensely calming scene: misty waters cascading across the large granite boulders of the cliff face. At the base of the waterfall, you’ll find more beautiful views, with trails that allow you to venture into the surrounding trees. We’re sure you will enjoy what is, without doubt, one of British Columbia’s most enchanting parks.

Our second stop of the day is the wonderful Nairn Falls, where there will be enough time to rest, chat, and enjoy a picnic lunch. This stop will entail our longest walk at around 3 kilometers in total. The trail will take us along a meandering path through the forest, enveloped in the scent of pine trees. Here at the base of Mount Currie, the Green River will be rolling along next to us as we walk. The flow of water is the perfect soundtrack to the experience––this is an area of great natural harmony and our guides continue to love this park no matter how often they visit.

The trail does briefly become steep in places as we near the waterfall itself, but we will be moving along at a pace right for the group. The falls themselves are marvellously photogenic and you will want to ensure you have packed your camera. When taken as a whole, the waterfall reaches about 60 metres — though the column of water is segmented into two sections of around 30 meters each. There are viewing platforms at both the upper falls and the foot of the waterfall.

As the water joins the river below, it gathers into pools, called potholes, which have been created by centuries of erosion from the water and glaciers. The strong currents flowing over these indentations in the rock cause a spectacular mist to rise from the surface of the river. In this peaceful and calming place, you will appreciate just why the falls have been a place of spiritual significance for the First Nation people of Lil’Wat who live in this territory.

Legends abound about how the curiously named Brandywine Falls got its name. Some say its origins are rooted in a bet concerning the height of the falls between two surveyors who were working for the Northern Railway at the time––the winner, who was closest to guessing the correct height of the falls, was bought a bottle of brandy as his prize, while the loser then named the waterfall Brandywine Falls. A similar origin story recounts two friends resting up here after having a little too much brandy in their tea. Whatever the truth may be, we applaud their choice, for the falls here are magnificent, as are the surroundings. The trail leads into woods full of Douglas firs and lodgepole pines.

The trail is a short 10-minute walk to the first viewing platform where we will have an excellent view of the 70-meter waterfall itself. Brandywine is a plunge waterfall, meaning the fast-flowing water loses contact with the bedrock surface completely and crashes into the pool below––this powerful process produces a satisfying mist that makes for great photography. The surrounding cavern has a craggy wildness stemming from hundreds of years of rockslides. Before leaving this stop, we will visit the second viewing platform for a beautiful view of Daisy Lake stretching out in the distance.

The fourth and final point on our All About Waterfalls route is Alexander Falls. This waterfall is situated close to the Whistler Olympic Park where many events had been hosted during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Right on the edge of the Callaghan Lake Provincial Park, this stretch of the Sea to Sky Highway is a regular haunt for local bear populations that are often spotted ambling along the roadside. Let’s hope we get lucky. Upon arriving at the falls, we will make the short walk straight over to the falls themselves. Alexander Falls is a cascade waterfall with six identifiable shelves, making it a unique spectacle and surely one of the finest in the whole of British Columbia.

The total drop of the waterfall is 43 meters and its waters will normally flow with great force during the spring and early summer months as melted ice leads to high water levels in Mandelay Creek, the waterfall’s source. Once we have taken the time to enjoy the tranquillity and charm of this area, we will make our way back to Vancouver.

We hope the information has been useful and that we’ve inspired you to join us on one of our tours. If we have piqued your interest, you should also have a look at our Hiking Day Trips from Vancouver which will cover terrain that is equally as beautiful but with some longer and more physically challenging trails. If you have any questions for us, please feel free to contact us. Our team is passionate about our tours and about providing the best for all our customers. We are here to inspire you through travel and adventure, and we’re happy to field any questions, any time.

Please sign up for our Waterfall Newsletter below to receive more information on the waterfalls included in our tours.