Last Updated on February 21, 2022
The Vallea Lumina Story
Walking through the forest at Vallea Lumina in Whistler, you’re treated to a variety of multimedia displays telling old stories of the wondrous history of the land with two long-ago hikers, a little girl, and her Grandfather, that were following a trail of stardust to find the mystical hidden valley. You follow a trail through cryptic radio transmissions and the lingering traces of two long-ago hikers to find the scenic trailhead where the real journey begins. Expect to find a spellbinding journey of storytelling, song, and lights.
What To Expect
As we walked down the path entering Whistlers’ light show, Vallea Lumina, we started to hear enchanting sounds of nature. The path lit by lamps along rope really set the stage for a great atmosphere. The beginning felt a bit like we were walking through an Indiana Jones movie set, and then transformed into adventuring through Avatar’s Pandora. Though the beginning of Vallea Lumina was rather simple, you just knew that you were in for something special. It felt magical and that feeling kept getting better and better; we were completely mystified and mesmerized. The music soundtrack adds so much to the magical atmosphere. The evening really hits a peak when you cross the bridge, water rushing below you, and you are surrounded by thousands of twinkling lights.
I honestly felt like a kid again as we wandered. Vallea Lumina is one of the best things to do in Whistler at night.
The trail winds through the forest and across streams. Visiting during winter, you’ll find that the lights bounce off the snow, adding another element for the senses. The walk is divided up into various areas, each having its own unique own atmospheric light show.
You’ll be picked up by a shuttle bus in the village and in about ten minutes you’ll arrive at The Adventure Group (TAG) base camp at Cougar Mountain. Make sure you wear enough clothes to keep you warm enough, and for us, it was so important that we had good boots for the snow.
During covid times, make sure you check the regulations and changes before going.
How Difficult is the Trail?
We found the path to be easy, but keep in mind that it is a 1.5km walk in the dark and you may come upon some uneven parts and a couple of small hills. The trail is partially leveled, but not asphalted. There is no time limit for you to finish your adventure, so take your time if you ever feel weary. Expect for the walk to take 30 minutes, and longer if you linger as we did. Allow yourself several moments along the way to pause and take it all in. The trail is obvious and there should be no way you could get lost.
Vallea Lumina would also be perfect to bring kids along, though you are not allowed strollers, so do not forget that baby carrier. There were several times in our journey that we commented how much our kids would have loved to have come along for this. They may have even been more mesmerized than we were! The trial may also be difficult for those with mobility concerrns, especially because it is in the dark.
If you visit during the winter, wear good footwear to avoid slipping. In our opinion, the best time to go is after a good snow.
Take Your Time
There were a couple of spots where we stood for a while, watching the lights a second time around. It was wonderful that it was not too overly busy, being a Sunday evening. Though we had several people passing us by, it never was crowded to the point where we felt we couldn’t stop for a second look. The lights were mesmerizing. The bridge blew our minds. Standing on that bridge, it felt like we were in the middle of an Avatar movie, or Tinkerbell and her fairy friends had sprinkled pixie dust all around us. The light show near the tent scenes was also spectacular; those two scenes had us hang back for a second look. The hologram scenes were incredible as well.
Roast Marshmallows
It was a bit of a cold evening. After our walk through the enchanted forest, we warmed ourselves at one of the fire pits at the base camp and enjoyed some s’mores. The setup at the base camp with all the strings of lights and the fire pits sure was a fun atmosphere too. Seeing that it was just Darcy and myself on this adventure, it was a great opportunity to take in a little romance in what felt like a fairytale setting.
Take your time and enjoy the entire magical experience in Whistler’s forest of enchantment. You don’t have to hit the slopes to find some magic in Whistler. This is an experience that we could not recommend highly enough – both to Whistler locals and visitors. Looking back, it still fills us with the wonder of a little kid.
Have you ever seen an impressive light and multimedia display like this one?
Our Vallea Lumina adventure was courtesy of TAG Whistler, but as always, our opinions are our own.