FAQs

A detailed guidebook is available for the Walk. The book describes all 32 sections of the Walk, and highlights every turn along the route. There are also tips on some alternative routes, especially on beaches that are not part of the official route.

How to purchase The Island Walk Guidebook:
Digital: Etsy
Paperback: The Bookmark

Mid-May to late October are the best times to walk.

May is quiet but it can be cold. June is better - expect a few hot days.

July and August are peak tourism months so accommodation can be difficult to find. We strongly recommend planning ahead. If visiting in July and August, you will want to carry bug spray as there will be mosquitos.

September is ideal. October has an added advantage - fall colours!

We go into further detail on our When to Walk page, here.

The route can not be followed in the months of January to March, as the Confederation Trail is closed to pedestrians in the winter.

You can start anywhere on the route - walk or get someone to drop you off. Some accommodations will assist with transportation to the nearest entrance to the trail or will get a taxi for you if needed. Charlottetown is the nearest airport.

Yes. Booking in advance is recommended. Check out the accommodations supporting the Island Walk on our interactive map here.

Or go here for a complete list of accommodations in PEI.

Coffee shops are available in most small towns. Check the Confederation Trail map for toilets on the route.

https://www.tourismpei.com/pei-confederation-trail

If you would like to speak to someone via email please contact info@theislandwalk.com.

If you need to speak to someone over the phone about visiting PEI or The Island Walk, you can call Tourism PEI to speak to a vacation planner at 1-800-463-4734.

No. Registration is not required and there are no fees to take part in The Island Walk.

The Island Walk has passports available, allowing you to chronicle the dates you walked each of the 32 sections. To order an Island Walk passport please email info@islandtrails.ca. There will be a $13.50 postage and handling fee for the passport, however we’ll also include a complimentary Island Walk backpack patch!

Yes, you can cycle, bike or e-bike the entire Island Walk. The Walk follows a mix of public paved and red clay roads as well as well-kept trails.

Two of our partner tour operators, Outer Limit Sports & MacQueen’s, offer bike and e-bike rentals visit their websites for further information. https://www.ols.ca/ & www.macqueens.com.

Wild camping is illegal on PEI and camping is only allowed in licensed campgrounds.

Booking in advance is recommended. Find the accommodations and campgrounds supporting the Island Walk on our map or go to tourismpei.com for a complete list of accommodations in PEI.

Local businesses Outer Limit Sports, Experience PEI, & MacQueen’s (cycling only) offer trip coordination services including booking accommodations and luggage transfers.

More information on these services can be found on our  page, here.

The Island Walk route is wheelchair accessible. The route consists of the Confederation Trail, other maintained trails as well as clay and paved roads.

The Confederation trail makes up most of the route, this rolled stone dust trail is wheelchair accessible and well maintained, with grades no greater than 2%. The accessibility of trails and clay roads can be affected by heavy rain, which can create muddy conditions in some areas.

Please confirm directly with any accommodations or transportation providers to ensure they can accommodate your accessibility needs.

You can purchase Island Walk merchandise through AllStar Cresting. The link can be found below:

https://allstarcresting.ca/islandwalk/shop/home

Shipping and in-store pick-up are available, however, all purchases must be completed through the online portal. AllStar Cresting does not have any merchandise on-hand, so orders must be placed in advance of the desired pick-up date (turnaround time for orders is typically 10-14 days).

Pick-up orders can be obtained at AllStar Cresting. Their address is 166 St Peters Road, Charlottetown, PE C1A 5P8.

As noted on the map page, the transportation available icon means the accommodation will provide transportation or will arrange transportation for you with a taxi or other transportation provider and costs vary.

Here are some other transportation options for you.

Island-wide

Bill's Van Service

Bill’s Van Service offers a 6 passenger van and driver at your service.

Operating 24 hours, Bill’s Van Service will transport customers anywhere and anytime to fit their schedule. For more information visit https://bvspei.weebly.com/ or email microburst123@hotmail.com.

Kari

PEI's first and only ridesharing service, 100% locally owned and operated. On-demand services available 7-11pm Monday to Sunday in Charlottetown with pre-booking available in many other areas of the Island as well.

www.meetkari.com
support@meetkari.com

Western PEI

Transportation West is a non-profit community organization which provides door to door transportation service Monday to Friday.

Call: 902-853-6010
transportationwest@gmail.com
https://transportationwest.com/

PEI Unique Custom Tours ~ Drop Off and Pick Up
For more information: (902) 206-3457 or (800) 565-3457
Stanley MacDonald: olearystanley@gmail.com

Cities of Summerside and Charlottetown

Both cities have numerous taxi services.

Charlottetown and surrounding areas also have a public transit system: https://www.t3transit.ca/

Cavendish Area

Red Sand Tour offers more than just tours. They also provide taxi services for the season running from May until the end of October. Their vehicles can be booked for local transport in Cavendish/surrounding areas or to and from the airport. They also have spacious vans for groups.
Toll-free: 1-844-940-4545 or call direct at 902-940-4545.
info@redsandtour.com
https://www.redsandtour.com/

100 km radius of Charlottetown

Jack DesRoches is available within a 100-kilometer radius of Charlottetown. Jack can provide transportation only or he can also provide you with a personalized tour. Check him out at jackstourspei.com. Contact him directly at 902 393 2697 or at info@jackstourspei.com to make arrangements.

Eastern PEI

For larger groups of 6 or more experiencing the trail who are looking for transportation, please contact or visit https://hopsipswirl.ca/contact-us/ to make an inquiry, email directly to tour@hopsipswirl.ca or call 902-330-2739 to arrange travel to your next stop.

In Montague, there is Dixon’s taxi at 902-838-2491. They will also go longer distances if necessary.

There are parking lots in Charlottetown and Summerside that offer daily and monthly parking for a fee.

Some accommodations may allow you to park your car on their property while you are on The Island Walk. This would have to be arranged with the accommodations directly.

Yes. Walk at your own pace. If you arrange transportation to and from the trail, you will want to plan accordingly for your own pace and distance.

Yes. Walk at your own pace and enjoy the journey.

Does every section have accommodations directly on the trail?

Not all sections and waypoints of the trail have accommodations, especially in rural areas of the province. Most people doing the walk stay in one of our partner accommodations where the host may be able to arrange transportation to and from the trail each day (please confirm this service with the individual accommodation while booking).

The interactive map has information on accommodations along the way.

Unfortunately, at this time we do not have itineraries specific to cycling however the entire Island Walk is suitable for biking. If you would like to speak to a tour operator about cycling bookings please contact Outer Limit Sports at sales@ols.ca or MacQueen’s at info@macqueens.com.

The Island Walk is much less physically demanding than the Camino de Santiago. For further detail, see How hard are the walks?

Yes! There is a PDF document that contains written directions to assist you through your Island Walk. The PDF can be found here:

https://theislandwalk.ca/island-walk-map/

To download, simply click the orange button labelled DOWNLOAD THE ISLAND WALK DIRECTIONS.

The walks are easy by international standards. The Confederation Trail was the rail bed for the railway on PEI. Grades are no greater than 2%. The other paths and roads are not steep or difficult.

Go at your own pace. We set the suggested daily stopping distances between 20 - 25km.

You can follow the online map to stay on the route, follow our directional signs or download the PDF instructions here.

The numbers and waypoints are the stops made by the original members of Island Trails when they completed the Island Walk. Although you can walk your own pace and start from anywhere, these would be the stops to make if you wanted to replicate the original Island Walk. Thus waypoint #1 is the end of Day 1.

Depending on the month, the weather can vary from cold to hot and from wet to dry. Prepare for rain and wind in May or in September and October. July and August can be hot. Take insect repellent in June through September.

We go into further detail on our When to Walk page, here.

If the weather is very bad, plan to stay in your accommodations for another night.

PEI is a very safe tourist destination. There are no dangerous wild plants or animals. Take normal precautions to protect yourself and your valuables.

In an emergency, call 911.

Pharmacies on PEI can assist you with over-the-counter medicine. PEI has several walk-in clinics that offer non-emergency care. More information can be found on the PEI Government’s website, here.

Yes, please see our Hiking Basics page for more information.

Hiking poles are not required, but some walkers like using them for stability.

A GPS will help you pinpoint your location. GPS apps on your phone are also helpful. There is a GPS pin on the upper left corner of the Island Walk map.

You can download and print the map by clicking on the 'Download The Island Walk Map Here' button at the following link.

We also have step by step directions of the entire route that you can print here.

If you would like a map of Prince Edward Island, you can order a copy of the 2022 PEI Visitor’s Guide and a PEI Highway Map for free on the Tourism PEI website, here.

The Island Walk now has passports available, allowing you to chronicle the dates you walked each of the 32 sections. To order an Island Walk passport please email info@islandtrails.ca. Once you’ve completed the Walk, email a photo of your passport to info@islandtrails.ca. We’ll email you back a PDF of a signed and dated Certificate of Completion customized with your name in bold print.

There will be a $13.50 postage and handling fee for the passport, however we’ll also include a complimentary Island Walk backpack patch! The Certificate of Completion PDF will be emailed upon request, free of charge, to anyone who completes the 700 km Island Walk.

Dogs on leash are permitted everywhere on The Island Walk, except on beaches in the National Park.

There are many pet-friendly accommodations and campgrounds available on PEI and many are close to the trail - once you decide which section you would like to walk you can check out our specific partner accommodations, here.

You can also reference the Tourism PEI website for further accommodation options.

Yes, if your children are accustomed to walking.

Large and small groups can be accommodated, but care should be taken when walking on the shoulder of public roads.

You will meet people in towns and villages along the way. You may also meet some walkers or cyclists on the Confederation Trail.

Unfortunately, at this time we do not have organized group walking tours. If you are able, please check out the Island Walk Facebook page where you may be able to find other walkers who will be on the route when you are.

There is a Facebook group for information and discussion on The Island Walk. Members of the group have either done the walk before, are planning to do the walk themselves or are just interested in learning more about it. You can join the Facebook group here.