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 7,200K 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 are on the route from late June to mid July. Of course on Canada Day!

Ride across this bike friendly nation without losing an entire summer and form friendships for life. This is the ride that lets you live a simple life pedaling, check off the bucket list item, and gain so many stories. 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 your charitably inclined and want to do even more for your favorite charity, like active fundraising, let us know and we’ll help you.

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, the sun baked Great Plains, the rocky shores along the Great Lakes, along the St. Lawrence, through the Maritimes and quaint seaside villages as you make your way to the Atlantic on Cape Breton Island. Here you can opt to continue to St. Johns and the eastern end of the Canadian Transcontinental Highway!

Each Stage consists of 19-22 riding days with a daily average of 100-115 km (62 - 72 miles). To facilitate the crossing and keep daily averages low, there are no rest days. A general itinerary can be found at the bottom of this page.

Amenities

On Route - A mid-route SAG rest stop with a charging center for e-bikes and electronics, drop off or pick up gear and clothing, ice cold beverages, hot coffee or tea, and snacks. The mobile SAG vehicle will follow your progress and provide aid 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 with a GPS beacon to speed pick up or directions to the route. Shuttle transportation is provided to designated points of interest, airports and tour necessary transportation.

Overnights - Lodging begins on Orientation Day and concludes when we arrive at the end of the Stage. To keep it affordable, TCT is our only camping tour. While considered a camping tour, each overnight is located within a few kilometers of motels or hotels and riders are welcome to make alternate lodging arrangements. Overnight accommodations include national, provincial and local campgrounds, private campgrounds, community centers, arenas, and a hotel for Orientation Day. 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 rental and set up is available for folks who want to ride into camp and never worry about setting up their tent and gear. Lounge in the End Zone. Complete with shade, chairs, electrolytes, snacks, and beverages it’s the perfect place to hang out with your fellow riders and share stories of the day. Practice Zen bicycle maintenance at the tuneup table which includes a bike stand, chain cleaning supplies, and bike tools. Or just get juiced at the secure charging station for e-bikes, electronics, and CPAP machines. Included lodging begins on Orientation Day and concludes when we arrive at the end of each Stage.

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 materials to make sandwiches. The staff will prepare dinner and riders are asked to assist with clean-up.

Itinerary

Stage One - Victoria Island, British Columbia to Regina, Saskatchewan. 20 days of riding averaging 109 km(68 miles) a day. Highlights include EC Manning Park, Kettle Valley Rail Trail, Rogers Pass, Lake Louise, Calgary and Drumheller. 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.

• 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.

• 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 for one or two people, an inflatable mattress, daily tent setup and take down. Tent Service is $700.

Registration

Registration requires a $500 deposit. Balance is due by June 1. You will receive a monthly statement showing the amounts paid and any amounts due. All pricing is in US dollars.