VICTORIA AND VANCOUVER ISLAND - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 255

tion without a guide. They open daily at 10am and close at 4pm daily year-round. There's
no charge for entering these caves, but you'll need a helmet and light source, which can
be rented onsite for $8.50 per person. Several different guided tours of the larger caves are
offered. The 90-minute Family Cavern Tour of Riverbend Cave includes a short walk as
well as underground exploration and explanation of the major formations (May-Sept., adult
$24, child $20). For those looking for more adventure, other options include the three-hour
Ice Age Tour into deep caverns (adult $54, child $45, minimum age 8); the five-hour Ex-
treme Rappel (July-Aug., $149 per person, minimum age 15); and through the winter wet
season a three-hour Wet and Wild Tour (adult $69, child $54, minimum age 8) that takes
full advantage of the abundance of water in the caves. A private contractor (250/248-7829,
www.hornelake.com ) runs the tours using qualified guides.
Horne Lake Regional Park
In addition to the caves, a beautiful sandy beach with freshwater swimming, canoeing under
the shadow of Mt. Mark, and a well-manicured campground within Horne Lake Region-
al Park make the drive out to Horne Lake worthwhile. The campground (250/248-1134,
www.rlcparks.ca , May-Sept., $24-26 per night) is beyond the main entrance to the park.
OFFSHORE ISLANDS
Denman Island
Ten minutes after leaving Buckley Bay, 35 kilometers (22 miles) northwest of Qualicum
Beach, you'll be driving off the ferry (250/335-0323, 7am-11pm daily, adult $9.10, child
$4.55, vehicle $21.45) and onto this rural oasis, similar to the Southern Gulf Islands in ap-
pearance but sans the crowds. Fishing, hiking, biking, bird-watching, and sea kayaking are
prime draws here, and you'll also find good beaches, parks, and an artisan community along
narrow, winding roads.