Visitors to the greater Victoria area should seek out this Indigenous-owned tour operator offering canoe and walking tours through Victoria’s Inner Harbour.

Songhees Tours offers immersive Indigenous-run tours, including the chance to paddle the city’s Inner Harbour in a traditional canoe while learning about First Nations history through stories and songs.

Victoria, British Columbia, is a perfect destination for family travelers interested in sustainability. The city is Canada’s first Biosphere Certified urban destination. In January, Victoria will also host the IMPACT Sustainability Travel & Tourism Summit.

Tourists can take a tour with Songhees Tours to paddle a replica Lək̓ʷəŋən canoe to explore the traditional lands and waters of the Indigenous Lekwungen people.

The city sits on the traditional territory of the Songhees and Xwsepsum (Esquimalt) Nations, also known as the Lekwungen peoples. Therefore, it has rich Indigenous roots and offers cultural experiences that inform visitors about tribal history.

Just about everyone who visits Victoria, B.C. is a fan for life.

Visitors are also encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to learn about and experience local First Nations’ cultures, and to support incredible Indigenous-owned businesses.

Discover something new, educate yourself on Indigenous history and culture, and find ways you can support our Indigenous friends, neighbours, and community members.

Victoria is in Lekwungen Territory, the land of the Songhees people. Honor First Nation heritage by immersing in an enriching Indigenous cultural exchange created and led by members of the community.

Travelers can discover local Indigenous heritage with Explore Songhees.

The Lekwungen Nation’s connection to this harbor is why the Songhees-led tourism group, Explore Songhees, chose this busy waterway as the departure point for the Seven Signs of the Lekwungen Tour. The excursion traces footprints of the traditional land, and can be experienced as a walking tour or through a cultural canoe tour.

After a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Songhees First Nation will launch its unique tourism initiatives this coming week with canoe rides, walking tours and story telling.

Cecilia Dick, cultural tourism supervisor for the Songhees Nation, said funding is in place to develop a marine trail tour stretching from Royal Roads and Esquimalt, through the Inner Harbour, along the Victoria and Oak Bay waterfront and up to Cadboro Bay using a 25-foot landing-craft vessel holding up to 12 passengers.

The future of the Songhees First Nation’s economic development strategy and the suite of businesses the nation has established will now be under the direction of the Songhees Nation Economic Development Corporation.