Joining your tour in Vancouver?

Meeting Point:

Head to the lobby of the HI Vancouver Downtown Hostel at 5pm on Day 1 of your trip for a pre-departure meeting. Here, you will meet your Adventure Leader and the rest of your group, where you’ll find out what your trip has in store! If you are going to be late to the pre-departure briefing, please inform us of this ahead of time by emailing our Ops team on trips@thecoyotetrip.com.

Your hostel’s address:

HI Vancouver Downtown
1114 Burnaby St
Vancouver, BC
Canada
V6E 1P1 

Phone Number: +1 604 684 4565 / +1 866 762 4122 

If you have booked a room upgrade, you will still be staying at the HI Vancouver Downtown.

How to get to your hostel:

By Taxi:  If you’d like to transfer in this way, we’d recommend using UBER or LYFT from arrivals at Vancouver International Airport.

By Public Transportation using the Canada Line Skytrain and bus:

The Vancouver (YVR) – Airport Canada Line Skytrain Station is located above the covered parking garage at the airport. You can get there 2 different ways: 

• Domestic Arrivals (flights arriving from within Canada) – go up to level 3, then walk towards the International Terminal. Before you get there, you will come to the Link Building which is situated between the domestic and international terminals. Look for the signs that say “Canada Line” and proceed up the escalator (or elevator) to level 4 where there is a covered walkway to the Skytrain Station. 
• International Arrivals (flights arriving from USA and International) – make your way up to level 3 and then outside where you will see the covered walkway across the street to the Canada Line Station (Note: If it’s raining heavily, you may prefer to stay indoors and walk an extra couple minutes to the Link Building and access the Skytrain there as described above for Domestic arrivals).  

When you reach the station, purchase a ticket from one of the ticket machines outside the platform gates. You are travelling to Zone 1 (Yaletown – Roundhouse Station). The machines accept cash, credit and debit/ATM cards. The price will depend on the time and day of the week but will be less than CAD $10, including the airport add-on fare. You will use this ticket for the Skytrain and bus portions of your journey – so make sure you keep it handy! 

Use the ticket to access the platform and board the next train. The airport station is at the end of the line, therefore there is only one direction you can travel – towards the city centre. Ride the Skytrain to Yaletown – Roundhouse Station which is 10 stops from the Airport. Travel time is about 25 minutes. When you arrive at Yaletown – Roundhouse, follow the crowd and signs to the exit. (Note: you will need to use your ticket to exit through the access gates.)

You will exit the Skytrain station on Davie Street. (Note: if you’d prefer, from here it’s only about a 15 minute walk to the hostel at 1114 Burnaby Street, with a slight uphill section for the first couple of blocks.)

Turn right out of the station and walk to the bus stop on the next corner at Hamilton Street. It’s a short block and there is a sign for Bay 1, 6 Davie St bus. Get on the next Number 6 bus, and tap your ticket on one of the card readers as proof of payment. Ride the bus for about 6 minutes and get off at the WB Davie St @ Thurlow St bus station. Buses have digital signs indicating the next stop and most will also make audio announcements. 

After exiting the bus, at the corner of Thurlow St, cross to the other side of Davie Street, and then continue walking 2 blocks further along Thurlow St to the corner of Burnaby Street. The HI Vancouver Downtown hostel is on the corner and the entrance is on Burnaby Street. 

Meeting Your Fellow Coyotes

Part of the joy of group travel is making new friends – and we want to help make that as easy as possible. For every trip, we create a WhatsApp group in advance, where you can meet and chat to your fellow Coyotes. By the time you touch down in Canada, you’ll be firm friends!

Our Ultimate Packing Checklist

On all of our trips, you will be required to carry your own bags – so pack light! Canada has tonnes of markets and shops in case you forget something, and you can always borrow from others in your group – after all, that’s what friends are for! In terms of luggage: a suitcase is OK, but a backpack/hold-all is much, much more convenient.

• Passport (with a copy of the photo page)
• Details of your insurance policy
• Student card (if you have one)
• Photocopies of all of the above – just in case!
• Your credit/debit card (be careful of high fees when withdrawing cash or using your card overseas. In addition, make sure your bank knows you will be travelling, so they don’t block your card!)
• Currency (Canadian Dollars)
• Power adaptors – Canada uses Type A and Type B plugs as standard, so if you don’t use these in your country of origin you’ll need to buy adaptors.
• Flip-flops
• Sensible walking shoes. These don’t need to be specifically hiking boots, unless you plan on completing more challenging trails by yourself. However, if you’re travelling when the weather might be wetter or colder, you may want to consider them.
• T-shirts
• A hat, for the sun and the rain! You may also want to bring a beanie, as it can get colder in the higher altitudes – even in the summer. (For the same reason, you may also want to bring gloves.)
• Shorts/skirts
• A couple of jumpers – you might need layers!
• Swimming costume
• Lightweight waterproof
• Towel
• Washbag
• A book!
• Sunscreen and aftersun
• Camera and charger – Canada is a photographer’s dream!
• A big bag and a small rucksack. We sometimes get separated from our big bags, so you’ll need to keep your valuables with you in a small bag.
• A lock for your bags while out during the day [see Storage at the Whistler Pangea Pod Hotel in the FAQs for more details.]

Top Tips from The Coyote Trip

Try saying that tongue twister really fast.

On the weather:

• Expect to encounter all kinds of weather on your trip, from hot, sunny days to near freezing temperatures and snow in some higher altitude locations, even during the summer. Pack layers. Welcome to Canada!  

Travelling sustainably:

• Packing as light as possible keeps your carbon footprint low. We recommend 10-15kg, especially as you are expected to carry your own luggage. 
• Use local laundry services to reduce the amount of clothes you need to carry. All hostels have laundry facilities that are available for guest use, and there are local ‘laundromats’ in most communities we visit. 
• Pack a reusable water bottle and coffee/tea travel mug. This reduces your need for single use plastics and disposable paper cups on tour.  You can drink tap water everywhere in Canada, except where specifically indicated otherwise – for example, in some remote areas. 

Staying connected:

• Your Adventure Leader will invite you to a WhatsApp group chat to keep in touch with you and the rest of your group. 
• Maps.me: This is a great app to stop yourself from getting lost! You can download it to your phone for free. We recommend downloading many maps for the different cities and towns you will visit in Canada before your trip and using these maps later when you don’t have Wi-Fi. 
• Bring electronic products at your own risk. Some customers choose to travel with smartphones, tablets and laptops, but although theft is rare on The Coyote Trip there is petty crime in some areas we visit. 
• Download the Uber app to book and pay for taxis online. Note that it’s not available in all locations in Canada, but your Adventure Leader will recommend other similar apps for specific locations. 

Food & Drink:

• There will be lots of great nights out on The Coyote Trip, but please remember to always drink within your limits. Never journey home by yourself at night, and never leave another person in the group alone. Always follow the legal drinking age limit, which is 19 in the province of British Columbia and 18 in Alberta. 
• The food in Canada is really varied, as it’s home to a huge diversity of cultures from around the world. Your Adventure Leader will also recommend some uniquely Canadian specialities! 
• Always be sure to inform your Adventure Leader if you have any allergies, so that they can help you pick safely.
• HappyCow: If you’re vegan or vegetarian, this app will provide you with great local recommendations.

Pack respect for others:

• You may meet many people from lots of different backgrounds and cultures on this trip. You may have different opinions or ways of doing things. Treat everyone how you wish to be treated and remember to work together as a group. 
• Always try to arrive a couple of minutes early to check outs or departure times. Being late may mean missing transport connections, and you don’t want to delay the whole group. 

Navigating a new culture:

• Be respectful of local culture and avoid talking politics with strangers, as this can be a divisive issue with polarised opinions on both sides.

Tipping policy:

• Tipping in bars and restaurants is certainly expected and not tipping when you eat will be seen as rude. 15%-20% for food and a dollar a drink is a decent rule of thumb but feel free to be more generous if you receive very good service! 
• Tipping in Canada is common-place, so please feel free to tip your guides if you feel that their service was good. You are not obligated to do so, but if you would like to then go ahead! 

Contact Us

Any questions or feedback? Contact our London Team: info@thecoyotetrip.com

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