Talaysay Tours

Explore Stanley Park’s ancient rainforest with Indigenous guides — many of whom have ancestors who used to live there — and learn about the vibrant history and cultural significance of Vancouver’s most beloved public space. Learn insights into how First Nations people managed the area’s land, forest, and ocean for millennia. Walk away from the experience feeling more deeply connected to the earth. “Our guides share with their hearts. What we share is not written in a book. It’s based on the oral traditions of our people which go back thousands of years,” says Talaysay Tours operator Candace Campo, of the Shishalh Nation, who employs several guides and who co-owns the company with her husband Larry Campo, of the Squamish Nation. “It’s not just our way of life that we teach. It’s our worldview. I believe our people have a blueprint for sustainability. We have a strong view about sustaining the environment for future generations,” says Campo. “Many people view the land simply as a resource that must be developed or it has no value. We try to help people understand the land in a completely different way. We believe we are the land. When the land goes, we go too.” Talaysay Tours — which is centered around both land and ocean-based tours — operates year-round and became Campo’s full-time pursuit in 2016 (though she started the company in 2002). “I see a great future in tourism. I’ve never been this busy,” she says, adding: “Our guests never fully know what they are about to receive. They often hug us when our tours are done.”