The Canadian Transcontinental

A Bucket List Tour.

The Canadian Transcontinental Tour (TCT) is a modern interpretation of the classic bucket list ride to bicycle across North America. With busy lives and modern demands, this modernized TCT allows riders to bike this 4,500 mile (7,200 km) route in 3 Stages conducted over three consecutive years. In other words, each year the tour covers a third of the route. The TCT is a small group fully supported tour with lodging, meals, luggage transport, and SAG support. Groups range from 4 to 10 riders. Each year riders start the route from Canada Day!

You’ll live a simple life pedaling across bike friendly Canada forming lifetime friendships, check off this bucket list item, and gain so many stories to share! No matter which year you join the tour, you’ll complete this remarkable feat of human powered travel in just three stages.

As always, 100% of the profits goes to charities. If you're charitably inclined and want to actively fundraise for your favorite charity, let us know and we’ll help get you set up. Please note: 100% of your active fundraising goes directly to your charity.

The Route

TCT begins on the Pacific coast at mile Zero of the Trans-Canada Highway on Vancouver Island and traverses east over the snow capped Canadian Rockies, across the endless horizon of the Great Plains, along the rocky shores the Great Lakes and the banks of the St. Lawrence, through the seaside villages of the Maritimes where you reach the Atlantic on Cape Breton Island. Here you can opt to continue to St. Johns on Newfoundland and mile Zero at the eastern end of the Canadian Transcontinental Highway!

Each Stage is between 20 - 22 riding days with a daily average of 62 - 76 miles (100 - 122 km). To facilitate the crossing and keep daily averages low, there are few rest days. The route is comprised of paved and gravel roads, rail trails, bike paths, and multi-use paths. Gravel roads tend to be comprised of large gravel. Due to the nature of the route, it will include sections of major highways when alternate routes are not available. A general itinerary can be found at the bottom of this page.

The Bike

Any bike that can accommodate a tire width of at least 32mm is suitable. Use the widest tire that will fit your frame. The wider the tire, the more comfortable you’ll be and the less work you’ll need to do. Trikes, recumbents, tandems, e-bikes and other bike styles under 60 lbs (27 Kg) are accommodated on the tour .

Amenities

On Route - A mid-route SAG rest stop complete with a charging center for e-bikes and electronics, gear and clothing drop off/pick up, beverages, and snacks. The mobile SAG vehicle will follow your progress and provide assistance to get you through the day. Both the SAG rest stop and mobile SAG are equipped with floor pumps, spare tubes, and tools. The route is fully inspected and digitally mapped with full turn by turn directions in both paper and GPS form. Each riders location is monitored to speed pick up or directions to the route. Shuttle transportation is provided to designated points of interest, airports and all tour necessary transportation.

Overnights - Lodging begins on Orientation Day and concludes when we arrive at the end of the Stage. To keep the tour affordable, TCT is primarily a camping tour. However, each overnight is located within a few kilometers of motels or hotels and riders are welcome to make alternate lodging arrangements based on personal needs. Overnight accommodations include national, provincial, and private campgrounds, community centers, arenas, and a hotel for check-in and orientation. Registered riders will receive a detailed list of each overnight location to share with loved ones and facilitate any alternate lodging. Each day rider gear is loaded and transported to the next overnight. Optional tent/mattress rental and set up is available for folks who want to ride into camp and not worry about setting up their tent and lugging gear.

When you reach the overnight, lounge in the End Zone. Complete with shade canopies, chairs, electrolytes, snacks, and beverages, it’s the perfect place to hang out with your fellow riders sharing stories from the day. Practice Zen bicycle maintenance at the tuneup table or just get juiced at the secure charging station for e-bikes, electronics, and CPAP machines.

Meals - Breakfast, mid-route snack, and dinner are included. While we can’t satisfy all special diets, we do provide for vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free diets. Dinner is served family style and breakfast is grab and go. The mid-route snack is located at the rest stop for the day and usually includes, ice cold beverages, coffee, salty snacks, sweets, fruits, and sandwich making supplies. The staff will prepare dinner and riders are asked to assist as able.

Itinerary

Stage One - Victoria Island, British Columbia to Regina, Saskatchewan. 21 days of riding averaging 109 km (68 miles) a day. Highlights include Vancouver Island, EC Manning Park, Kettle Valley Rail Trail, Rogers Pass, Lake Louise, Calgary, Drumheller and lots of bicycling! We begin at mile zero of the Trans-Canada Highway on the Pacific coast and cross both the Cascades and the Canadian Rockies. From the stunning beauty of Lake Louise we enter the big skies of the Great Plains and dinosaur country finishing this leg in Regina. Registration for Stage One 2026 opens on June 1, 2025.

• Week 1 - Vancouver Island to Vernon, BC

• Week 2 - Vernon BC to Drumheller, AB

• Week 3 - Drumheller AB to Regina, SK

Stage Two - Regina, Saskatchewan to Tobermory, Ontario. 22 days of riding averaging 116 km (72 miles) a day. Highlights include Ft. Qu'Appelle, Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Manitoulin Island, and the ferry to Tobermory. We begin where we left off in the bread basket of Canada following an ancient river valley into Winnipeg and then transition into the forests above Lake Superior. A week later we emerge onto rocky Manitoulin Island on the shores of the Georgian Bay to catch the ferry to Tobermory. Registration opens on June 1, 2026.

• Week 1 - Regina SK to Wnnipeg, MB

• Week 2 - Winnipeg MB to Nipigon, ON

• Week 3 - Nipigon ON to Tobermory, ON

Stage Three - Tobermory Ontario to North Sydney, Nova Scotia. 22 days of riding averaging 109 km (68 miles) a day. Highlights include the Georgian Bay, Lake on the Mountain, Ottawa, Quebec City, Prince Edward Island, and Cape Breton. We follow the coast of the Georgian Bay through cottage country into the nations capital of Ottawa and then follow the Ottawa and St. Lawrence Rivers into the Maritimes. After a few days of lobster rolls and an overnight in PEI we make our way to the Atlantic coast and the conclusion of this bucket list tour. From here riders can choose to continue to Newfoundland via ferry and ride one day to the eastern end of the Trans-Canada Highway. Registration opens on June 1, 2027.

• Week 1 - Tobermory ON to Ottawa, ON

• Week 2 - Ottawa ON to Rimouski, QC

• Week 3 - Rimouski QC to Cape Breton Island

Tent Service

Tent service includes a 4 person dome tent suitable for one or two people, an inflatable mattress, daily setup and take down. Tent Service is $600 per Stage.

Registration

Registration requires a $250 deposit. Balance is due by June 1, 2026. You will receive a monthly statement showing the amounts paid and any amounts due. All pricing is in US dollars.