Victoria Royal Tour: Explore British Columbia's History
4.4
28 Ratings
Victoria
Embark on a royal tour of Victoria, British Columbia and discover the captivating history of the capital. Immerse yourself in the enchanting beauty of Vancouver Island, explore charming old town and China town, and marvel at the iconic Empress Hotel and Legislative building.
Duration: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights

The Capital Tour takes you through Victoria’s history of becoming British Columbia’s capital, also known as the Garden City. We begin from the side of the Legislative Buildings in the Inner Harbour - a beautiful piece of architecture that defines the cityscape. We continue by establishments that call to city’s past as well as recount it, notably the Royal British Columbia Museum, the Oldest Church, and St. Anne’s Academy. We then enter into one of the capital’s most beautiful attractions: Beacon Hill Park.

Experience the melodic hoof beats as your eyes indulge in the natural ecosystem of Vancouver Island, along with a plethora of beautifully landscaped garden beds. We then take a quiet walk through the heritage homes of James Bay - the neighbourhood of Victoria’s past and present - before heading up Government Street into the downtown core. Here you will see the Old Town, with displays of former banks and places of trade, along with the unique Chinatown. We proceed along the inner harbour and past the majestic Empress Hotel, soaking in views of the original steamship terminal, waterway, and Legislative Buildings before returning to the carriage stand.

Points of Interest

  • 600 Menzies St
What's Included
  • Private tour
  • Professional guide
  • Tour escort/host
  • Driver/guide
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

The Capital Journey guides you through the historical process of Victoria becoming the capital of British Columbia, commonly referred to as the Garden City.

Delight in the rhythmic trotting sounds as your gaze appreciates the natural wilderness of Vancouver Island, complemented by an abundance of well-designed garden patches.

Through the old town, into Chinatown, we move along the inner harbour, absorbing the sights of the majestic Empress Hotel and our Legislative Building, while participating in the time-honored custom of the gentle draft horse.

  • Not recommended for travelers with mobility issues
Location
600 Menzies St
Menzies Street
Departure Point: On the corner of Menzies and Belleville Streets, under the Green Umbrella. Dates: See Availability
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.4
(28 Ratings)
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Bethany_s
Nov 21, 2023
Fun for all - We loved the 75 minute tour. We were given the option for a full talking tour, an only the highlights taking tour, or the guide would be quiet. I appreciated the offer to engage at whatever ce level you preferred. Our guide knew a ton about the area including famous artists. She also knew a lot about the horses. Couples and families will love this!
Review provided by Viator
Jenniferrd3353je
Oct 28, 2023
Katie was wonderful!! - Katie and Tommy took us on a lovely ride through Victoria. She was informative and fun. Had a great time touring the city and learning some history!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cherylsu5449yw
Oct 11, 2023
Wonderful Tour of Victoria - We scheduled an afternoon Royal Tour while in port for our cruise. The Victoria Carriage team was extremely helpful and accommodating throughout the entire process. Our driver Abby was very knowledgeable regarding the history of Victoria and it was an absolute delight chatting with her as we traveled around the city. Tommy, our horse, was a sweet, gentle giant who calmly maneuvered through the streets and traffic. I sincerely appreciated that the team was willing to work with us to end our tour closer to the cruise terminal so we wouldn’t have walk 30 minutes back to our ship. It was an absolutely lovely and informative tour... a truly exceptional experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kanethaf
Aug 18, 2023
Explore Victoria the Old Fashion Way - We booked the Royal Tour for part of our time in Victoria because we were traveling with our grandchildren and thought they would like the horse and buggy. From the cruise ship dock it is a pretty good walk to the fisherman’s wharf and then on over to where the ride starts. It was a leisurely ride through the old historical neighborhood, by some beautiful parks, and government buildings. We had 4 adults and 2 children. The buggy had plenty of room. The rescue horse, Jack, was very calm and pulled the carriage with ease. The driver was a great narrator of the towns history and made the ride enjoyable. Our youngest fell asleep as the carriage rocked methodically to the clip clop beat of Jack’s hooves on the street.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Allygirl_05
Aug 6, 2023
History and hidden gems - I was surprised how much we enjoyed this tour! We wouldn’t have explored Victoria in the same way - history, neighborhoods, interesting stories - without the tour. The commentary was definitely the highlight but it was a great way to see the park and other highlights on our list. We also had beautiful weather and our guide (and the nice woman at the podium) offered great dining and other suggestions, too. Very easy to book and find, as well.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kyle
Aug 6, 2023
Jasper was great! - It was great. The horse was perfect and friendly to the kids. Jasper was an amazing host and took us safely, all while speaking knowledgeably about everything in the area. Fun times had by all.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Francabebb
Aug 5, 2023
Fantastic Tour - We had a fantastc tour. Our driver, Emily, was very knowledgeable about the history of Victoria and was able to answer every question we asked. We were especially impressed with the care and the treatment of all the horses. This was a real highlight of our visit. Thank you so much.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marlac484
Aug 6, 2023
Great tour - It was great. We got to customize our tour by saying if we want little,lots,or no history. It was an easy 20 min walk to the meeting point from the cruise port. Comparable cost to a large group tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dt3348
Sep 2, 2023
The Beacon Hill Tour, aka The Royal Tour - This might more accurately be called the Beacon Hill Tour. We never saw "Chinatown" but we saw lots of restored houses in Beacon Hill and the beautiful Beacon Hill Park and a passing glimpse of The Empress, but we never actually went past it ( Horse Carriage Ban? maybe) About 15minutes too long for my taste, but the others liked it. $13 cab ride, each way, from the port for 4 of us
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Carolyn_m
Aug 17, 2023
Canceled with no contact - It was canceled and we were not contacted. We tried to call and text and. I response. We waited 15 minutes unsure if we were even in the right spot to find out we were all along they just weren’t coming. Eventually we did get ahold of someone who informed us it was too hot for the horses and everyone should’ve been contacted, well we weren’t. We were only spending a couple of hours there so we were left stranded and unsure what to do to fill our time. They dropped the ball on this one and ruined our day as we were limited with what we could do once we got everything figured out. What was supposed to be a memorable day ended up being memorable for the wrong reasons.
Review provided by Viator
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