How to get to Haida Gwaii
British Columbia, Canada
Think
of the traveling experience to Haida Gwaii, ( formerly Queen Charlotte Islands ), as
a big west coast scenic tour, because that is what it is. Whether
by sea or by air the scenery is spell binding.
Arriving By Sea:
The 6-8 hour tour aboard a BC Ferry is the mainmode
of transportation from Prince Rupert, BC located on the mainland
transporting walk-on passengers, cyclists and vehicles.
Visitors sailing via a ferry to Haida Gwaii will arrive in Skidegate Village, on the southeast tip of Graham Island, the
main point-of-entry to Haida Gwaii. The schedule of sailings
vary per season. When traveling this BC Ferry route with a vehicle
you should always get a reservation as the ferry is small and
booked in advance many times over.
Ferries to Prince Rupert, BC include a route arriving from Port
Hardy located on the northern tip of Vancouver Island. A connector
sailing to the Charlottes, via Prince Rupert from Port Hardy is
available.
There are sleeping cabins on board the BC Ferry - reservations
required. Most people, including ourselves, pack a sleeping bag
and pillow and pick a piece of floor for the overnight cruise.
Pets, must stay on the car deck. Showers, a children's area, a
restaurant and a gift store are available on board the ferry.
Arriving By Air:
Visitors also arrive in Haida Gwaii by floatplane, helicopter and commercial flights
from Prince Rupert and Vancouver. The main airport is in Sandspit
on Moresby Island. A secondary airport, smaller in size, is located
on the northern tip of Haida Gwaii near Masset on Graham
Island.
From Sandspit Airport there is a local airport bus which transports
all passengers from Moresby Island to Queen Charlotte City on
Graham Island. Also available are cab companies for transportation
to the main villages in Haida Gwaii. For those wishing to rent
a car, there are various businesses offering rentals. Book well
in advance.
| Distances in Kilometres |
M |
PC |
T |
S |
QCC |
SS |
| Masset (M) |
|
40 |
61 |
101 |
108 |
122 |
| Port Clements (PC) |
40 |
|
21 |
61 |
68 |
82 |
| Tlell (T) |
61 |
21 |
|
40 |
47 |
61 |
| Skidegate (S) |
101 |
61 |
40 |
|
7 |
21 |
| Queen Charlotte City (QCC) |
108 |
68 |
47 |
7 |
|
22 |
| Sandspit (Moresby Isl.) (SS) |
122 |
82 |
61 |
21 |
22 |
|
|