Wildlife guide
This wildlife travel guide is meant to be like a trailer for the new Attenborough series. Because we also have individual travel guides for more specific wildlife holidays, such as our safaris, bear watching and whale watching.
Bear watching activities
I was hoping to get a shot of a polar bear with Northern Lights behind it. But that's rare apparently. Anyway, two beauties in one shot would be greedy right?![]()
There are bear enthusiasts out there who want nothing more in life than to spend three nights in a bear hide, watching these extraordinary creatures in action. Or five days at sea observing polar bears devouring seals, with five nights devouring knowledge from expert lecturers and exchanging bear knowledge. However, if that is all a bit too intense for you and you would like to find a few other ways to immerse yourself in the wonders of these wild places, bear with…
Our Bear watching Holidays
Grizzly bear watching holidays in British Columbia, Canada
Spectacular viewing of British Columbia's grizzly bears
From
£3339
6 days
inc UK flights
Brown bear tracking in Northern Greece
Track wild bears & explore the wilderness with park rangers
From
€650
5 days
ex flights
Watch brown bears in Finland
Observe the rare European Brown Bear
From
£1097 to £1100
4 days
inc UK flights
Churchill polar bear tour in Canada
A unique opportunity to encounter polar bears
From
£6595
7 days
ex flights
Northern Greece bear conservation tour
Brown bear conservation in Pindos & birds of Prespa Lake
From
€850
8 days
ex flights
Brown bear photography holiday in Alaska
Photograph Alaskan brown bears in exclusive photo tour
From
US $4995 to US $5400
6 days
ex flights
Wild Taiga self drive holiday in Finland, Finnish NP
Self guided driving tour in Finland's Wild Taiga wilderness
From
€785 to €835
8 days
ex flights
Polar bear and beluga whale watching tours in Canada
Combine the thrill of seeing beluga whales with summer polar bears
From
£10760
8 days
inc UK flights
Spitsbergen polar bear watching cruise
Venture into the staggering realm of the King of the Arctic
From
£4149
11 days
ex flights
Kamchatka photography holiday in Russia
Photograph brown bears in remote Far Eastern Russia
From
£9495
12 days
ex flights
Satpura tiger and sloth bear watching holiday, India
Find India’s rare predators, tigers, dhole, bears & leopard
From
€3795
11 days
ex flights
Wild Taiga wildlife holiday in Finland
Special Taiga mammals of Finland
From
€1475
8 days
ex flights
Volunteering with bears in Romania
Volunteer at an inspiring bear sanctuary in Transylvania
From
£925
7 days
ex flights
Grizzly bear tour in British Columbia
Drift down rivers watching grizzly bears catching salmon
From
£3065
6 days
ex flights
Brown bear watching holiday in Bulgaria
Wonderful week of bear and wildlife watching in Bulgaria's Rodopi Mountains
From
£1299 to £1349
8 days
inc UK flights
Finland wildlife short break
Bear, wolverine and elk widlife short break in Finland
From
€750 to €800
5 days
ex flights
Peru tailor made wildlife holiday
See real live Peruvian spectacled bears
From
£3289
14 days
ex flights
Summer holiday in Finland
A wilderness camp adventure in Finland
From
£2049 to £2149
6 days
inc UK flights
Polar bear expedition in Spitsbergen
Expedition cruise searching for polar bears in the Arctic
From
£3499 to £7549
11 days
ex flights
Volunteering with bears in Cambodia
Care for rescued bears in tropical Cambodia
From
£675
7 days
ex flights
Canadian wildlife & Vancouver Island holiday
Off the beaten track adventure into the Canadian Rockies
From
£3699 to £4339
15 days
ex flights
Arctic polar bear fly in safari, Canada
Thrilling safari in the middle of Polar Bear Alley, Canada
From
£6545
8 days
ex flights
Alaska polar bear watching tour
Discover Arctic Culture + Rare Photo & Viewing Opportunities
From
US $7495
7 days
ex flights
Alaska classic tour, glaciers and grizzly bears
See huge bears & drive/kayak/cruise/fly thru South Alaska.
From
US $5385 to US $5985
9 days
ex flights
Kodiak bear tracking tour in Alaska
Alaskan adventure looking for the large grizzlies
From
£7295
8 days
ex flights
Alaska group tours in lodges
Experience Alaska's wilderness and wildlife!
From
US $4590
10 days
ex flights
Canada polar bears and beluga whales tour
Swim with Beluga Whales and spot Polar Bears in the Arctic
From
£4535
9 days
ex flights
Bear photography tour in Finland
Photograph brown bears in specialist photography pro-hides
From
£3995
10 days
ex flights
Romania wildlife holiday, bear watching and tracking
Memorable trip in Romania focused on wild bears
From
£655 to £880
5 days
ex flights
Hiking in national parks
Katmai National Park in Alaska, Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and Pacific Rim National Park in British Columbia all have bear populations, but also have impressive hiking trails. Like all North American national parks. Consider extending your wildlife holiday for a few days of hiking in these wild places. Be bear aware though.
Northern lights
It might be just too much excitement in one day for some people, seeing polar bears by day and the Northern Lights by night. Thrill seekers should head to Churchill, Canada, as the best time to see polar bears here is Oct/Nov, when the light shows kick in too.Whale watching
Humpbacks and grey whales in British Columbia’s Pacific Rim National Park, orcas off Vancouver Island, beluga whales off Churchill, Manitoba are all en route for bear watchers. In these areas, a day of whale watching is usually included in a tour operator’s itinerary, depending on the season. And if it isn’t, it is worth enquiring about.
Our top Bear watching Holiday
Grizzly bear watching holidays in British Columbia, Canada
Spectacular viewing of British Columbia's grizzly bears
From
£3339
6 days
inc UK flights
Tailor made:
This 6 day tour departs on various dates from May through to October. Other durations and tours are also available, including combining it with a tailor-made tour of British Columbia, the Rockies and Alberta.
This 6 day tour departs on various dates from May through to October. Other durations and tours are also available, including combining it with a tailor-made tour of British Columbia, the Rockies and Alberta.
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Bear watching or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
Responsible Travel asks the experts
Catherine Mack, author of our in depth guide to US National Parks:
"If you are going all the way to Yellowstone National Park to see bears, take time do a few days’ hiking as well. There are over 1,500km of excellent walking trails in the park and even though this, the first national park in the world, is very famous, it’s actually less crowded than some because it is harder to get to. After your bear watching holiday, you will be well briefed by on how to act safely when there are bears around, so you can walk with confidence and know how to stick to the safety rules".
"If you are going all the way to Yellowstone National Park to see bears, take time do a few days’ hiking as well. There are over 1,500km of excellent walking trails in the park and even though this, the first national park in the world, is very famous, it’s actually less crowded than some because it is harder to get to. After your bear watching holiday, you will be well briefed by on how to act safely when there are bears around, so you can walk with confidence and know how to stick to the safety rules".
Roy Atkins, naturalist and expert guide at our supplier Speyside Wildlife, which specialises in bear watching in Canada, Finland, Spain and Yellowstone National Park:
“There is so much wildlife to see on our bear watching trips. In British Columbia, for example, we include whale-watching for humpbacks, grey and killer whales plus boat trips for sea otters. There are also raccoons, deer, beavers and lots of great birds too. There is always lots of other wildlife on all our trips”.
“There is so much wildlife to see on our bear watching trips. In British Columbia, for example, we include whale-watching for humpbacks, grey and killer whales plus boat trips for sea otters. There are also raccoons, deer, beavers and lots of great birds too. There is always lots of other wildlife on all our trips”.
More about Bear watching
The best time for bear watching is often...whenever you can get a place on the trip. They're very seasonal, so autumn and spring trips sell out fast.
If you go into the woods today, you’re in for a big surprise. And this is what we are hoping this bear watching travel guide will do. Give you a few surprises.
As well as Canada for polar bears and the USA for grizzlies, you can see bears in Finland, Romania and even Greece. See our map for the necessities of where to see bears.
Read on for details on which bear species you can see on wildlife holidays, what time of year you are most likely to see them, and how prolific they are in each place.
You really do want to be with expert guides when you go grizzly bear watching. They'll know how to keep you safe and give you the lowdown on the greatest of the brown bears.
Polar bear watching in Churchill is handled by experts in safety, weather and wildlife. These are once-in-a-lifetime experiences that usually run in autumn.
The Wild Taiga region of Finland is home to brown bears, plus a cast of other animals. Read on to find out what a bear watching holiday in Finland entails.
When you go down to the Greek woods today, you’re in for a big surprise. Discover why bear tracking holidays in Greece are the best way to see them.
If you don’t want to exit, pursued by a bear, then read our bear watching advice. As well as safety procedures, there are tips from our experts on where and when to go.
Local people have, in most cases, been both the stewards of bear habitats and bear hunting. Read our thoughts on responsible bear watching holidays.
More relevant guides
protection
Photo credits: [Page banner: Katmai National Park and Preserve] [Top box (Northern Lights): Travel Manitoba]
[Hiking in National Parks (Yellowstone): Yellowstone National Park]
[Whale watching: Thomas Hubauer]
[Bald eagle: Kea Mowat]
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