ULTIMATE BEARS IN CANADA

Upon arrival in Vancouver, you will be met and transferred by private vehicle to your hotel at the heart of the historic port area, with three nights to spend in this dynamic city. Known as the ‘Pacific Pearl’, Vancouver is undeniably picturesque with the perfect balance between natural spaces and urban landscaping. The downtown area is dominated by the lush Stanley Park, 400 hectares of dense, centuries-old forest as well as beaches, eateries and miles of scenic hiking and biking trails.

The city also appeals with its bustling streets and eclectic markets, its vibrant cosmopolitan areas like Robson Street – Canada’s answer to Rodeo Drive – and trendy shopping districts like Granville Island with its cobbled lanes and artisan studios.

Stay: Three nights in a double room at Fairmont Pacific Rim – bed & breakfast

Today you set off to discover one of the largest tracts of intact temperate rainforest left on Earth, otherwise known as the Great Bear Rainforest. You’ll catch a flight from Vancouver to Bella Bella, followed by a short boat transfer to Shearwater Resort where you’ll spend one night. The following morning you’ll take a 90-minute water taxi ride to Spirit Bear Lodge.

The lodge is situated in the quaint fishing village of Kletmu, home of the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nations people who have lived here in the forest for centuries. The village sits in a remote archipelago of tiny islands and offers some of the finest bear viewing in the region. During your stay you’ll enjoy guided excursions in search of the iconic grizzly bear as well as the more elusive Kermode bear (also known as the spirit bear). You’ll have the chance to observe these magnificent animals foraging for roots in late spring, gorging on wild berries in summer and feasting by the river during the salmon spawning season in late summer/autumn. Other activities on offer include guided rainforest walks, cultural tours and sea kayaking along the southern shores of Kletmu.

Stay: Four nights in a double room at Spirit Bear Lodge – full board

Today you’ll fly back to Vancouver, spending one more night at the Fairmont Pacific Rim.

Stay: One night in a double room at Fairmont Pacific Rim – bed & breakfast

Today you will leave behind the noise of modern life for a pristine wilderness. Take a short seaplane flight to Port Hardy which is a spectacular adventure in itself, traveling past the breathtaking scenery of the central coast and over the rich waters of Queen Charlotte Strait, the home of orca, gray and humpback whales.

Settle into your private room at the lodge and enjoy the many grizzly bear experiences on offer. There are a range of different viewing sites, and will choose one according to where the bears have been most active. Estuary sites are reached by boat, while river sites are reached by a bus along a wilderness track. The viewing blinds on the river have been constructed with the photographer in mind, and are optimal and comfortable places from which to view bears.

There will also be an opportunity to take a boat cruise to explore the glacier-carved inlet or go on an interpretive rainforest walk, to examine bear sign and the general ecology of the area. Or you may prefer to relax and enjoy the view from the lodge.

Stay: Three nights in a private room at the Great Bear Lodge and one night in Port Hardy

Your adventure comes to a close. Take a short flight from Port Hardy to Vancouver before boarding your international flight back home.