Grizzly Bear watching tour in BC

A Grizzly Bear viewing excursion 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 Bears and many other forms of wildlife including black bears, wolves and bald eagles.

Our 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.

Each season offers a unique view into the world of grizzly bears. A wonderful time for photography, spring takes us to the estuary to observe the grizzlies as they graze on grasses and sedges and engage in mating behaviour. Birdlife is abundant at this time, and long hours of daylight ensure optimal light for photography. At this time we view the bears from small boats, watching the bears quietly.

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.

Two viewing sessions are scheduled each day at the lodge, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. We tailor the sessions to the activities of the bears, observing them when they are most active in their chosen habitats. Viewing blinds have been constructed with photographers in mind. They are comfortable and optimal places to shoot from. When the bears move from the river to the estuary, we view them from a boat.

We recommend a stay of three nights. This is a good amount of time to observe the bears, as well as allowing our guests to settle into the rhythm of the wildlife in the inlet. As with all wildlife viewing, the longer you spend with the animals the greater your chances of getting the perfect photo or witnessing interesting behaviour.

Along with grizzly bears there is a chance to view other wildlife like wolves, black bears, otters, pine martins, mink, and bald eagles. Viewing areas are reached by a short boat/van ride from the lodge.

All grizzly bear tours include the following:

• Two grizzly bear viewing sessions per day, with a wildlife biologist as guide
• Accommodation in a private room at the Great Bear Lodge
• Wilderness-gourmet meals, including wine with dinner
• Optional activities such as interpretive hikes and sea kayaking
• Floatplane flights from Port Hardy to the Great Bear Lodge
• Binoculars, rain gear and rubber boots, if required

The fully self-contained floating lodge is situated at an outstanding wildlife viewing location. Glacier fed waterfalls cascade down massive granite cliffs into the blue-green waters of the inlet. This is a place of spectacular beauty where one can still find the silence and solitude of another era. From this location we operate our Grizzly Bear viewing program.

The charming floating lodge has five bedrooms. The common area is a comfortable place for relaxing and listening to natural history presentations from our willdife biologist. In between bear viewing sessions you will be able to join a guided activity such as sea-kayaking or an interpretive hike, or you may choose to relax with a book from the extensive library. Each bedroom has a private washroom, with hot showers located downstairs.

Gourmet meals await you at the lodge on your return from the wilderness. At the lodge, we are lucky enough to live in a pristine wilderness valley. Making green choices seems only natural here. All of the food we buy is organic, when available. That ranges from organic fruit and vegetables, to dairy, dry food and free range eggs. Purchasing organic food is not only great for our guests, it also encourages the local suppliers to stock organic food. Another important value we hold is to only serve wild fish. Farmed salmon is posing a significant threat to the salmon runs of the BC coast. All of the fish and shellfish we serve is either caught at the lodge, or caught wild locally.