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a relief particularly felt by delegates coming from several-day conferences and congresses in Vancouver , from where the island is only a 45-minute seaplane journey . After days in artificially lit meeting rooms and in front of screens , the disconnection of the great outdoors is a welcome spark for creativity : “ If you take a bunch of delegates out into the wilderness and they get to play for a bit and refresh , then parts of their businesses are going to come to life – it ’ s the freedom of the Wild .” Cruse explained .
Rest , relaxation , recreation The temperate rainforest dictates the area ’ s climate which causes rain during the resort ’ s off-season . But its on-season through the middle of the year receives a lot of dry sunshine – perfect for
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outdoorsy activities followed by an afternoon in the Healing Grounds spa .
Making for excellent icebreakers and team-building exercises , Clayoquot ’ s experiences primarily focus on outdoor adventures such as hiking and canyoning but often have unexpected twists or luxury additions . After hiking through the morning and enjoying a gourmet packed lunch , our group was surprised by a helicopter that took us up a mountain for a plunge in a glacial pool followed by charcuterie and a range of drinks .
Activities in the signatures range include a variety of classic water sports such as kayaking , and a half day out on the Sound spotting whales , seals , and bears . Guests can also go western horseback riding through the rainforest or indulge in campsite classics such as
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Image courtesy
of Clayoquot
Wilderness Lodge
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archery and mountain biking . These activities are run by trained guides , who often return season after season .
Like Cruse , the guides feel a connection with the property which they talk about often . They ’ re a friendly bunch who , in their free time , actively enjoy the activities they ’ re trained in ( usually even before joining the Lodge ). The vibrant personalities of all the individual guides and team members make them core additions to a stay at the Lodge .
To that degree , it ’ s a sad farewell to the camp and its crew when guests board the wagon to head back to the dock . As they wait with their luggage to board the seaplane to Vancouver , new guests disembark on a transformative adventure that begins with a sign :
‘ Welcome to Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge ’. n
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