Victoria Royal Tour: Explore British Columbia's History

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

  • Victoria Carriage Tours
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
4.3
(38 Ratings)
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Arika_h
Aug 8, 2024
Nice Calm Tour after an Adventurous Alaska Week - We enjoyed this carriage ride. While it was at night time and we couldn’t fully see all the flowers and beautiful houses, we loved the history the guide provided us with.
Review provided by Viator
Susan_b
Jun 22, 2024
Wonderful Experience - Relaxing and enjoying the views. Driver was well knowledgeable on the area. Always call direct to confirm your location. Don’t count on the app. Came in on a cruise had only 4 hrs in Victoria. Hoped a taxi to location and a taxi back to port. We saw more than other cruisers that just walked.
Review provided by Viator
Jason_l
Jun 16, 2024
Carriage ride - It was an enjoyable way to see part of Victoria. The driver was knowledgeable about the history and she was very friendly. I would recommend this to anyone traveling to Victoria.
Review provided by Viator
Cyndee_a
May 27, 2024
Great experience for a short time in Victoria! - We picked the option for the historical tour. Was amazing the amount of history they had to tell, and so funny to learn about the superstitious history and why they built houses the way they did. Beautiful park ride and wild animals.
Review provided by Viator
Amandaland_a
May 17, 2024
Lovely tour of Victoria - We had a wonderful time with our guide Olivia and horse Elsie taking us around the city. There were four of us and the carriage was comfortable. We chose to have Olivia tell us some history and the tour did not disappoint. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
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
Jerold_k
Jul 9, 2024
An enjoyable carraige ride through downtown Victoria - We received information on where and when we were to meet, but the company was unaware of our tour. None the less, they quickly adapted and were able to accomodate us. I had told viator we had a walker but the carraige does not have space for one so it had to stay between our legs. Despite these problems, the tour itself was very enjoyable. our driver/guidewas pleasant and well informed. We had a leisurely tour of the central downtown area. Combined with an afternoon Van tour of Victoria and Butchart Gardens we had a great introduction to Victoria.
Review provided by Viator
Alex_c
Jul 1, 2024
Viator didn’t pass our booking to the operator - The ride itself was tea good but somehow Viator didn’t pass our booking to the carriage operator so we had to stand there for almost half an hour before they could sort it out
Review provided by Viator
Steve_h
Jul 25, 2024
Cyber bad! - Viator never advanced the booking to the vendor, so they did not have a carriage for us when we arrived. We had a confirmation from Viator but their system did not sync with vendor. 5 days later, still waiting for promised refund!
Review provided by Viator
Jessica_c
Jun 22, 2024
Lost our reservation, poor customer service. - The company did not have our reservation from Viator. We were only in Victoria for a few hours from a cruise, and they were unable to accommodate or help us. The owner gave me a long story about how this happens with a small percent of reservations from Viator and they’ve had this issue for years and it’s a problem with the software. Honestly I don’t care what the issue is- they need to handle it so customers don’t experience this. The owner told me she was unable to process a refund so I have to handle that with Viator. Overall, a disappointing and bad experience. I would not recommend them at all.
Review provided by Viator
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September 2024
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