The Area
Access
Kyuquot Village is accessible by boat or plane only. The water-based village is a cluster of islands nestled up against Vancouver Island.
The easiest route is driving on Highway 19. Coming from Vancouver, take either the Horseshoe Bay or Tsawwassen Ferry to Nanaimo, then drive north past Campbell River. A few minutes after Woss, you’ll turn onto the gravel Zeballos Forest Service Road. The Zeballos FSR is excellently maintained, wide and easy to drive. Follow the signs to Fair Harbour.
The road to Kyuquot ends in Fair Harbour.
We pick up our guests in Fair Harbour and then it’s a quick 35 min boat ride from Fair Harbour to the lodges.
In Fair Harbour there’s fee parking, moorage, gas facilities, propane and a small general store. There are also small general stores in Kyuquot; all open limited hours.
Other transportation access to Kyuquot is through Gold River. Air Nootka offers affordable scheduled flights 3x per week & chartered air flights daily.
Nootka Sound Service offers weekly cruise service to Kyuquot every Thursday. The MV Uchuck derives her name from Nuu-chal-nulth language meaning Healing Waters & has served the West Coast for over 50 years. The historical vessel is reconditioned, maintained and provides a glimpse into real West Coast life as it stops to bring supplies to every port along the way. The Uchuck carries both passengers & freight, including refrigerated & freezer freight. The Uchuck is a great way to add to your holiday adventure.
Charter planes can arrive from Vancouver right to the dock lodge, ask us if you’d like this luxury travel. We’ll organise for you.
Once you’re settled at the lodge, it’s only a quick boat ride from the lodge to all the adventures & fishing Kyuquot has to offer.
Plan your Trip
Ferry reservations are always recommended
The History of Kyuquot
The earliest European-Canadian settlers who all came by boat called their new home Kyuquot or “The Place of Many Winds”. The first Europeans came as explorers, fur traders and missionaries. Eventually families of fisherman, miners and loggers settled to make their homes in Kyuquot in the boardwalk village on Walter’s Island. Tourism and services for the Indigenous community form the basis of the modern-day Kyuquot economy.
The name Kyuquot is originally an Indigenous name spelt Ka:’yu:’t’h’ in Nuu-chah-nulth language. It’s pronounced in English as “Ky-u-cut”. The actual translation into English is “The People of the Kauok River” which is located in Fair Harbour. Their traditional territory extended from Fair Harbour to Aktis Island in Kyuquot Sound. To the west up towards Brooks Peninsula is the territory of the Checleseht people whose name in Nuu-Chah-Nulth is spelt Che:k’tles7et’h’. It’s pronounced in English as “Check-le-set”.
Today the Ka:'yu:'k't'h' Che:k:tles7et'h' First Nations are a modern treaty nation located at Houpsitas in the village of Kyuquot. The Kyuquot/Checleseht First Nations have treaty rights on 149,000 hectares of land territory including 13 river systems and 846km of shoreline. They are thriving owners of many successful businesses in Kyuquot. The Kyuquot Checleseht people are part of the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribe whose traditional territory extends along the Pacific Northwest coast from Northern Washington State to Brooks Peninsula on Vancouver Island.
If you would like to learn more about Indigenous culture or history, please visit the Ka:'yu:'k't'h' Che:k:tles7et'h' First Nations’ website at kyuquotbc.ca.
