Victoria Full Day Tour | 13 Hours from Vancouver

Victoria is a ferry ride and a different province’s worth of atmosphere away from Vancouver. The Victoria Full Day Tour runs thirteen private hours, including the crossing through the Gulf Islands, with your vehicle and chauffeur on board with you.

You get roughly five hours in the city and gardens, and nobody has to work out the ferry schedule.

Quick answer: what does this tour include?

A private thirteen-hour chauffeur-driven day trip from Vancouver to Victoria on Vancouver Island. It covers the BC Ferries crossing from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay, The Butchart Gardens, Victoria’s Chinatown and Fan Tan Alley, the Inner Harbour, Fisherman’s Wharf, Mile Zero and Beacon Hill Park. Ferry fares and garden admission are paid separately.

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Pickup Date

Pickup Time

This is the longest tour we run, and most of it is travel. Here is exactly where thirteen hours go.

Segment	Time
Pickup to Tsawwassen ferry terminal	About 1 hour
Terminal wait and boarding	45 minutes
Ferry crossing to Swartz Bay	1 hour 35 minutes
Swartz Bay to Victoria or Butchart	30 to 40 minutes
In Victoria and the gardens	About 5 hours
Return drive to Swartz Bay	30 to 40 minutes
Terminal wait, crossing and drive home	About 3 hours

Five hours on the island is enough for Butchart Gardens plus two or three Victoria stops. It is not enough for the Royal BC Museum, Craigdarroch Castle and a leisurely afternoon tea as well. Choose two priorities and we will build around them.

A faster option exists. Harbour Air seaplanes fly downtown Vancouver to Victoria’s Inner Harbour in about 35 minutes. If your budget allows it, flying one way and ferrying the other buys you three extra hours in the city. Ask us and we will quote it.

The Honest Time Maths

Your Day, Roughly

7:15 am

Pickup

Downtown hotel to Tsawwassen, allowing for the terminal queue.

9:00 am

Ferry

The crossing threads through the Gulf Islands, with deck viewpoints, cafes and a proper restaurant on board. Your vehicle rides below.

11:00 am

The Butchart Gardens.

Two hours in the Sunken Garden, Rose Garden, Japanese and Italian gardens.

1:30 pm

Victoria

Inner Harbour, Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf, lunch, and whichever stops you picked.

4:00 pm

Back to Swartz Bay

5:00 pm

Return ferry

Sunset over the islands most of the year.

8:00 pm

Home

Give or take, depending on traffic through Delta.

Sailing times shift by season and day. We confirm the exact schedule for your date when you book.

Our Luxury Fleet in Vancouver

Choose the perfect vehicle for your trip. Every car arrives clean, inspected, and driven by a professional chauffeur.

Executive Sedans

Sleek and comfortable. Ideal for airport transfers and business travel across Greater Vancouver.

VIP Mercedes Benz

First-class comfort for executives and VIP guests who expect nothing less than excellence.

Luxury SUV

Spacious and powerful. Perfect for families, ski trips to Whistler, and group airport runs.

Limousines

Turn heads at weddings, proms, and special events with our stunning stretch limos.

Party Bus

Celebrate on the move. Built for birthdays, night outs, and unforgettable group events.

Sprinter Vans

Executive seating and generous luggage space for corporate groups and cruise passengers.

Mini Bus

Smart choice for conferences, tours, and large family gatherings around Vancouver.

Motor Coach

Full-size comfort for big groups, long-distance trips, and cross-border travel.

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Where You Go

Victoria's Chinatown and Fan Tan Alley

Victoria’s Chinatown is the oldest in Canada and the second oldest in North America after San Francisco, dating from the 1850s Fraser Canyon gold rush. It was designated a National Historic Site in 1995.

The Gate of Harmonious Interest marks the Fisgard Street entrance, flanked by stone lions from Suzhou.

Fan Tan Alley is the draw. At 0.9 metres across at its narrowest point it is the narrowest street in Canada, and it once ran between gambling houses and opium factories. Today it holds record shops, jewellers, barbers and small boutiques.

The whole district takes about forty minutes on foot.

Fisherman's Wharf

A short drive around the harbour, Fisherman’s Wharf is a working marina with a row of float homes painted in colours you would not choose for a house on land.

Food kiosks sell fish and chips, seafood and ice cream from the docks. Harbour seals appear beside the walkways, and eco-tour and whale-watching operators run from here.

Small harbour ferries connect the wharf to the Inner Harbour if you would rather arrive by water. Allow forty-five minutes.

Mile Zero and Beacon Hill Park

Mile Zero of the Trans-Canada Highway sits on Douglas Street at Dallas Road, marking the start of a route running more than 7,800 kilometres to Newfoundland.

The Terry Fox statue stands beside it, honouring the Marathon of Hope. The ocean view here looks south across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the Olympic Mountains in Washington State, which on a clear day is the best view in the city.

Beacon Hill Park runs alongside across 200 acres, with gardens, ponds, a petting zoo, playgrounds and one of the world’s tallest totem poles. The hill itself is culturally significant to the Lekwungen and Coast Salish peoples, whose territory this is.

The Inner Harbour

Victoria’s Inner Harbour is the postcard. The BC Parliament Buildings face the water, designed by Francis Rattenbury and completed in 1897, outlined at night with more than 3,000 lights.

The Fairmont Empress sits alongside, opened in 1908 and still serving afternoon tea in its lobby lounge. Booking is essential and it takes about ninety minutes, so treat it as one of your two priorities rather than a casual stop.

The Royal BC Museum stands behind the hotel, with its First Peoples and modern history galleries and Thunderbird Park’s totem poles outside. Miniature World sits inside the Empress building for anyone travelling with children.

Seaplanes land in the harbour through the day, and buskers work the causeway in summer. It is a good place to simply sit for twenty minutes.

The BC Ferries Crossing

The crossing is not dead time. The route from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay runs 1 hour 35 minutes through Active Pass and the southern Gulf Islands, with the vessel threading between Galiano and Mayne Islands at a distance that surprises first-timers.

Eagles, seals and porpoises are common. Orca sightings happen often enough that the crew announces them.

On board there are outer decks, a buffet restaurant, coffee bars, a gift shop and quiet seating areas. Your chauffeur parks the vehicle on the car deck and travels with you.

Reservations matter. Summer sailings sell out, and a vehicle without a reservation can be turned away to the next sailing two hours later. That single mistake destroys the whole day. We book the crossing when you book the tour.

The Butchart Gardens

Butchart is the reason most guests take this tour. It began in 1904 when Jennie Butchart started planting out an exhausted limestone quarry her husband’s cement business had left behind.

The Sunken Garden still occupies that quarry, and it is the moment the place lands. From the lookout you drop into a bowl of planting with a fountain at the far end and the old quarry walls rising around you.

Beyond it sit the Rose Garden, the Japanese Garden, the Italian Garden and the Mediterranean Garden across 55 acres. There are more than 900 plant varieties and around a million bedding plants replanted through the year.

It has been a National Historic Site of Canada since 2004 and draws close to a million visitors annually.

Allow two hours. Fewer than that and you are walking rather than looking.

Your Choice

Time allows one or two additions. Pick when you book.

Craigdarroch Castle — a Victorian-era mansion built by coal baron Robert Dunsmuir, four floors of stained glass and panelled interiors. Allow an hour.
Royal BC Museum — the province’s main museum, strongest on First Peoples collections. Allow ninety minutes.
Afternoon tea at the Empress — the classic Victoria experience, booked well in advance. Allow ninety minutes.
Government Street — Munro’s Books in a 1909 bank building, Rogers’ Chocolates since 1885, and the main shopping run.
Ogden Point Breakwater — a kilometre of concrete pier into the strait, with Coast Salish mural work along its base.
Abkhazi Garden — a small, quiet garden with a story behind it, for anyone who found Butchart too busy.

What You Will Actually Pay

This tour has more add-ons than any other we run, so here they are in full.

BC Ferries, round trip

Item	Cost
Reservation fee	$17
Vehicle round trip, sedan or SUV, includes driver’s fare	$210
Vehicle round trip, executive van	$225
Per passenger, each way, adult 12+	$19.25
Per passenger, each way, youth 5–11	$9.62
Under 5	Free

The Butchart Gardens, per person

Season	Adult 18+	Youth 13–17	Child 5–12
Jun 15 – Sep 30	$41.50	$20.75	$5.00
Apr 1 – Jun 14	$38.35	$19.18	$3.00
Dec 1 – Jan 6	$35.00	$17.50	$3.00
Oct 1 – Oct 31	$32.80	$16.40	$2.00
Jan 15 – Mar 31	$30.70	$15.35	$3.00
Nov 1 – Nov 30	$25.50	$12.75	$2.00
Jan 7 – Jan 14	$22.90	$11.45	$3.00

A worked example. Two adults in a sedan, travelling in July: ferry $210 plus $17 reservation plus $77 in passenger fares, and $83 for Butchart. That is roughly $387 on top of the tour rate, before lunch.

Prices are for reference and change. We confirm current fares and admission when we quote, and we buy both on your behalf so nothing is left to chance at the terminal. Chinatown, the Inner Harbour, Fisherman’s Wharf, Mile Zero and Beacon Hill Park all cost nothing.

Pickup and Drop-Off

Location	What to expect
Downtown Vancouver hotels	7:15 am lobby meet for the standard schedule
Richmond and South Vancouver	Closer to Tsawwassen, slightly later pickup
Vancouver International Airport (YVR)	Possible, though a thirteen-hour day after a flight is a lot
Canada Place cruise terminal	Not recommended, see below
Surrey and Delta	Ideal, closest to the ferry terminal

Cruise passengers. This tour does not work as a shore excursion. Thirteen hours plus ferry schedules leaves no margin, and a missed sailing means a missed ship. We will decline the booking rather than take that risk, and point you to a Vancouver tour instead.

Vehicles

Luxury Sedan — up to 2 guests
Luxury SUV — up to 5 guests, extra luggage space
Executive Van — 6 to 14 guests, high roof
Wheelchair Accessible Sedan — 1 accessible passenger plus 3
Wheelchair Accessible Van — 1 accessible passenger plus 7
Minibus — up to 23 guests

Thirteen hours is a long day. We send SUVs and vans for groups of three or more, and every vehicle carries water, phone charging and rear climate control.

Note that ferry vehicle fares differ by vehicle length, so a larger vehicle raises the crossing cost as well as the tour rate.

Vehicle	Passengers	Round trip from Vancouver
Luxury Sedan	up to 2	$1,963
Luxury SUV	up to 5	$2,145
Wheelchair Accessible Sedan	1 accessible + 3	$2,158
Wheelchair Accessible Van	1 accessible + 7	$3,211
Executive Van	6 to 14	$2,704

Tour Rates

Pickup inside the City of Vancouver, returning to the same address. All-inclusive of tax, gratuity, surcharges and parking. Standard schedule is a 7:15am pickup for the 9:00am sailing, returning on the 5:00pm sailing.
BC Ferries fares and Butchart Gardens admission are not included. See the tables above.
Rates are in Canadian dollars. Across an executive van this works out well per head, and you keep the vehicle and chauffeur on the island rather than relying on taxis.

Best Times to Book

April to June

Tulips, rhododendrons and the first roses at Butchart, mild weather and long daylight. The gardens at their best.

July and August

Peak season, the fullest gardens and the warmest crossing, but ferries sell out and Victoria is busy. Book early.

September and October

Dahlias at Butchart, thinner crowds and lower admission. Arguably the best value window of the year.

December and early January

Butchart runs Christmas lighting and an outdoor skating rink, and the Inner Harbour is lit. Short daylight means the return crossing is fully dark.

Avoid long-weekend Fridays and Mondays.

Ferry queues on those days can add an hour at each end even with a reservation.

Who This Tour Suits

Garden enthusiasts, since Butchart is the anchor and worth the journey alone
Couples and small groups wanting a full day away from the city
Visitors who want to see a second BC city without an overnight stay
Photographers working gardens, harbour, coastline and island scenery
Families, though thirteen hours is long for young children
Guests with limited mobility, using our accessible vehicles

Butchart’s main paths are paved and largely level, with some slopes into the Sunken Garden. BC Ferries vessels have lifts and accessible washrooms. Victoria’s Inner Harbour causeway is flat, and Fan Tan Alley is narrow but level. Tell us and we will plan the day around what works.

Why Book United CLS

We operate under provincial passenger transportation regulations and carry commercial insurance on every vehicle. Licence details are available on request.

We handle the ferry

Reservation, vehicle booking, passenger fares and schedule. A sold-out sailing is the single biggest risk on this tour and we remove it.

Flat, all-in pricing

Tax, gratuity, parking and surcharges sit inside the quote. Ferry fares and garden admission are extra, and both are published above in full.

Honest scheduling

Five hours on the island is what the day gives you. We will tell you what fits and what does not, rather than promising a castle, a museum and afternoon tea in the same afternoon.

Your vehicle crosses with you

No taxis on the island, no waiting for a shuttle at Swartz Bay, and no walking to Butchart from a bus stop.

One operator across two countries

United CLS runs chauffeured fleets in Dallas, Austin, Houston, Los Angeles and New York, and now serves Vancouver to the same standard.

Other Tours

10-hour Whistler Full Day Tour
9-hour Vancouver Full Day Tour
6-hour Sea-to-Sky Gondola Private Tour
6-hour Fraser Valley Wineries Tour
6-hour Vancouver North Shore Adventure Tour
4-hour Taste of Oriental Vancouver Tour

Want more than five hours in Victoria? An overnight stay makes far more sense than a thirteen-hour day. We can arrange transfers at both ends.

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How to Book

Send your date, pickup address and passenger count.

Tell us your two Victoria priorities and any dietary or mobility needs.

We reserve the ferry, buy the garden tickets and confirm the flat rate in writing.

Your chauffeur calls the day before with their name and number.

You sail, wander the gardens, and sleep on the way back.

Call (855) 500-0790 or request a quote online. Summer sailings fill early, so book four to six weeks ahead.

Victoria Full Day Tour - FAQs

How long is the ferry from Vancouver to Victoria?

The Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay crossing takes 1 hour 35 minutes. Adding the drive at both ends and terminal waits, allow about four hours each way door to door.

Is the ferry fare included in the tour price?

No. Expect the vehicle round trip at $210 to $225, a $17 reservation fee and $19.25 per adult each way. We book and pay on your behalf and add it to your invoice.

Is Butchart Gardens admission included?

No. Adult admission runs from $22.90 to $41.50 depending on the season. We buy tickets in advance so you skip the ticket window.

How much time do we actually get in Victoria?

About five hours on the island, including roughly two hours at Butchart Gardens. That covers two or three additional stops comfortably.

Can we do Butchart Gardens, the Royal BC Museum and afternoon tea?

Not in one day. Each of the three takes ninety minutes to two hours, plus travel between them. Pick two and the day works well.

Do you book the ferry reservation?

Yes, and it matters. Summer sailings sell out, and an unreserved vehicle can be held back to the next sailing two hours later, which ends the tour.

Is there a faster way to reach Victoria?

Harbour Air seaplanes fly downtown Vancouver to Victoria’s Inner Harbour in about 35 minutes. Flying one way and ferrying the other buys roughly three extra hours in the city.

Is this suitable as a cruise excursion?

Largely yes. BC Ferries vessels have lifts and accessible washrooms, Butchart’s main paths are paved, and the Inner Harbour causeway is flat. Tell us at booking so we can plan the stops.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Largely yes. Whistler Village is flat, the gondola cabins are accessible and Shannon Falls has a level boardwalk. Brandywine Falls has an uneven forest trail, so tell us at booking.

Is thirteen hours too long for children?

It can be. The ferry and Fisherman’s Wharf hold their attention, but the driving is substantial. Families with young children often prefer a Vancouver full day tour instead.

What is the best season for Butchart Gardens?

April to June for tulips and roses, September to October for dahlias and lower admission, and December for the Christmas lighting and skating rink.

What is your cancellation policy?

Cancel more than 48 hours before pickup for a full refund of the tour rate. Ferry reservations and pre-purchased tickets follow the vendors’ own policies, which we will explain when you book.

Book Your Victoria Full Day Tour

Thirteen hours. One ferry through the Gulf Islands, a garden built in a quarry, and Canada’s narrowest street.