WORDS BY ALISON JONES | UPDATED FEBRUARY 14, 2024

Heli-hiking: two words, one unbelievable experience.
But what is heli-hiking exactly?

 

Your adventure starts in the spectacular mountains of British Columbia, Canada.

Lifting off from the helipad on arrival day, the heli points its nose to the deep bliss of the remote backcountry and lifts off. As it flies, busy roads are replaced with an endless swathe of deep green trees that blanket the valley floor, only releasing their grip on the land to the towering peaks bursting through the Earth to touch the sky.

Threaded through the valley below are silver ribbons of streams playfully glinting in the warm summer sun, each carrying icy cold water from the massive glaciers above. After 15 minutes, you spot it. Nestled within the wild is the lodge. Your home where you’ll relax in true off-the-grid wilderness. But this isn’t roughing it. Say hello to chef-prepared meals, big views, and flying to remote locations where you’ll explore this very landscape with your highly-qualified, professional guide.

Here’s the daily itinerary for your luxury adventure vacation.

Morning
Rise and shine! Join a morning stretch class first thing in the well-equipped exercise room of the lodge, or choose to sleep in a little longer. A hearty breakfast is served at 8 am.

Each morning, the guides will post a list of hiking groups on the notice board. It’s here that you find who you’re teamed with for the day based on your preferred fitness ability. We want to ensure that you’re happy with the pace of the group (fast or slow) so that you can enjoy your trip.

The first heli leaves at 9 am. You’ll take off from the lodge and fly to a location that will blow your mind. You’ll be dropped off in an area that’s yours to explore and hike. There are no trailheads, and no one else around.

Your guide will take the lead setting a comfortable pace, and you’ll roam among the mountains, taking photos and breathing in the big scenery. If your goal is to cover lots of ground and work up a sweat, you’ll be with a group that moves quickly and across a variety of terrain. If you prefer to meander, you’ll be with a group that walks more slowly and spends extra time taking in the views. The pace and the day’s movements are shaped around your goals and abilities.

During the day, the heli may move each group to a few different areas, giving you a chance to experience a variety of spectacular settings and terrain.

The mileage covered per day varies from approximately 1 km (1/2 mile) to 15 km (9 miles) — guests hike as much or as little as they desire.

Lunch
Served picnic-style out in the field, you’ll pack your lunch first thing on a morning from a great selection of food freshly crafted by the chef. This is also the time that you can choose to return to the lodge for massages and bevvies, or you can continue hiking.

Afternoon
More exploring, more incredible views, more memories.
By late afternoon, we fly back to the lodge for tea, drinks, hot tub time and a chef-prepared dinner.

Evening
A three-course dinner is served at 7 pm. But don’t feel like you have to dress up. This is backcountry luxury, where slippers are welcome and story swapping is encouraged. The rest of your evening can be spent chatting at the bar, playing in the games room, walking around the grounds or sinking into plush couches in the lounge.

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This summer, you can book your own luxury summer adventure vacation in British Columbia with a guided, multi-day heli-hiking trip at CMH Summer Adventures.

Choose from three destinations: CMH Bugaboos, Bobbie Burns or Cariboos. Your food, accommodation, guide, helicopter flights, and ground transportation to and from the heli-pad are included.

If you crave even more adventure, traverse one of our via ferratas, extend your stay by hiking between two lodges, or sign up for a specialty trip with a focus on photography, painting, trail running or ultra-mouthwatering food.