Getting Here & Travel
Three Transport Options Include Drive by car ( 3 hours from Williams Lake) Fly to Williams Lake and drive, or Charter a floatplane directly to the lodge. In the old days, our guests arrived by their own aircraft or by rugged four-wheel-drive vehicles. Today the road systems are vastly improved, but we recommend 4x4 or all-wheel drive vehicles.
Option 1. Drive
The drive from Vancouver to Chaunigan Lake Lodge its a 9 hour day trip, plus meal and rest stops.
If you have the time, and like history and geography you will find the drive fascinating
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Vancouver to Williams Lake 6 hours
The Vancouver to Williams Lake leg follows the Fraser River from its vast coastal alluvial delta through the coast mountain range to the interior grass land plateau. The Fraser River was named after Simon Fraser, a Scottish explorer and fur trader, who worked for the North West Company. Simon Fraser paddled upstream from Vancouver to Williams Lake in 1808. Fifty years later in 1858 gold was discovered in the Fraser and the Cariboo Gold Rush began. Your route is “the Cariboo Gold Rush Trail”. This was a narrow horse trail running from Vancouver to Barkerville B.C. The small towns you will travel through on route were supply posts for the gold rush. The cost to deliver a pair of boots from Vancouver to Williams Lake during the gold rush was about $1,200
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Williams Lake to Chaunigan Lake 3 hours
This leg of your journey is spectacular! You travel from the interior grassland plateau into the heart of the glacial studded coastal mountain range in just 3 hours. Keep your eyes out for wild horses. When Simon Fraser’s explorers reached Williams Lake, they saw First Nations People on horseback along the riverbank. The wild horses they rode are thought to have been introduced to the region by early Spanish explorers. You may see wild horses on your drive from Williams Lake to the lodge. Drive west on Highway 20 for (85 km) to Hanceville. Turn south at Hanceville, leaving the pavement, and drive toward the Nemiah Valley (72 km). The road is wide and well graded and there are plenty of road signs along the way. When you get to Vedan Lake, turn right. You’ll drive between Vedan Lake and Elkin Lake and proceed up the hill to Chaunigan Lake Lodge (7 km). This road is narrow and steep but has little traffic and has greatly been improved within recent years, please visit DriveBC for current road conditions. https://drivebc.ca
Option 2. Fly & Drive
Fly from Vancouver to Williams Lake 1 Hour 10 Min
You can fly from the Vancouver International Airport, South Terminal (YVR) to the Williams Lake Municipal Airport (YWL) via Pacific Coastal Airlines or Central Mountain Air
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There are three flights a day during the week, only one flight on Saturday, and two on Sunday. Pacific Coastal Airlines runs a free shuttle service between the main terminal and the south terminal, which is found just outside the doors on the arrivals level of the Vancouver International Airport. From Williams Lake you can rent a car to drive to Chaunigan Lake Lodge in 3 hours.
Option 3. Charter A Float Plane
Take a scenic flight over the costal mountains and land directly on Chaunigan Lake
Charter a private floatplane from Vancouver International and land in front of the lodge. The flight is only about 1.25 hours but will give you an aerial sightseeing tour and experience unlike any other
Both Harbour Air & Seair Seaplanes offer these services and you may view their rates and available by visiting following websites below