Grizzly bear wildlife viewing Great Bear Nature Tour British Columbia

From the start of May until mid-October, Grizzly Bear viewing excursions are offered from Port Hardy to a beautiful river valley deep in the snow capped Coast Range Mountains on the mainland coast of British Columbia. Known as the Great Bear Rainforest, this area is one of the best places in the world to observe Grizzly (Brown) Bears and many other forms of wildlife including black bears, wolves and bald eagles.

The floating lodge is the ideal base for photography and wildlife tours, nestled at the mouth of a pristine salmon river. Gourmet meals await you upon your return from the two guided viewing sessions per day. With a maximum of ten guests, you are ensured of an intimate experience in this very special wilderness area.

The Great Bear Rainforest is home to a significant concentration of coastal grizzly (brown) bears. During the late summer and early fall bears are drawn to the many salmon spawning streams feeding into the coastal inlets. While the bear population reaches its peak in the fall, during the spring and summer numerous bears feed on sedges, succulents and grasses that make up the dense bio-mass of the river estuary. These ongoing sources of high quality food are why coastal grizzlies or brown bears are larger than inland grizzlies.

Sample itinerary:

2 nights/3 days:

Day 1: Noon, board a covered water taxi* for the ride to the Great Bear Lodge. Search for marine mammals and birds along the way, and hope to spot Pacific white-sided dolphins, gray whales, humpback whales or killer whales if lucky. More commonly in spring you may see Steller sealions and Dall's porpoises. The focus is on killer whales, gray whales and humpback whales during summer and fall. Eagles and other birds are plentiful Spring, Summer and Fall.

Arriving at the Great Bear Lodge, you will have a chance to settle into your room before a late lunch. In the afternoon, your grizzly bear experience begins. There are a range of different viewing sites, and will be chosen according to where the bears have been most active. Estuary sites are reached by boat, while river sites are reached by a van using a decommissioned logging road. Returning to the lodge that evening, you will be treated to a gourmet meal. The biologist will present natural history slides and videos, explaining the interaction of the grizzly bear with this unique ecology. The stars can be quite amazing this far from a town.

Day 2: Early in the morning, you will be on the trail of the grizzly again. (Even those choosing to be out at first light will be fortified with good coffee and fresh baked goods!) Returning in the late morning to brunch/lunch, you will decide on a plan of action with the guide for the afternoon activity. You might like to help the guide catch a salmon for dinner. As the sun starts to lower, you will head out for the next foray to view the bears. The bears are generally most active in the early morning and late afternoon hours, which is why the focus for the viewing sessions is at these times.

Day 3: After your parting session with the bears, you will board a seaplane for your flight back to Port Hardy*. The flight will be in the classic bushplane style, giving you a chance to see this wonderful area from the air. You will arrive in Port Hardy at lunchtime.

*To give you a really good idea of the area, a boat will be used for one way for transportation and a plane the other. This doesn't always work out, however, as wilderness transportation always needs to consider the weather! Sometimes it is necessary to fly or boat both ways.

Included in tour:
Accommodation in a private room at the Great Bear Lodge
All wildlife viewing sessions
Transportation to and from the lodge
Gourmet meals with complimentary wine and beer
Optional activities such as interpretive hikes and boat cruises
First Nations user fee

Not included:
Transportation to/from Port Hardy
Gratuities
7% GST

2006/2007 Prices:

Spring - May 7 to June 30
	2 days	3 days	4 days	5 days	6 days	7 days
Double	$954	$1504	$2054	$2494	$2934	$3385

Summer - July 1 to August 15
	2 days	3 days	4 days	5 days	6 days	7 days
Double	$877	$1317	$1757	$2197	$2527	$2857

Fall - August 21 to October 31
	2 days	3 days	4 days	5 days	6 days	7 days
Double	$1069	$1729	$2389	$2939	$3489	$4039

All prices are per person based on double occupancy
Single occupancy available

All prices in Canadian dollars
Currency conversion

Great BearNature Tours

Great Bear
Nature Tours