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
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
Northern Greece bear conservation tour
Brown bear conservation in Pindos & birds of Prespa Lake
From
€850
8 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
Polar bear & beluga whale watching tours, Canada
See 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
£2799 to £4099
11 days
ex flights
Finland wildlife short break
Bear, wolverine and elk widlife short break in Finland
From
€750 to €780
5 days
ex flights
Alaska adventure holiday, salmon run
Active small group adventures in a retrofitted school bus
From
US $4090
20 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
Kodiak bear tracking tour in Alaska
Alaskan adventure looking for the large grizzlies
From
£8200
8 days
ex flights
British Columbia wildlife holiday, whales and bears
Rugged scenery and wildlife of Western Canada
From
£4549 to £5099
11 days
inc UK flights
Spitsbergen widlife photography cruise
Photograph iconic Arctic wildlife
From
£8800
14 days
ex flights
Yellowstone wildlife tour in Fall
Bears, wolves, bison & moose in Yellowstone's autumn
From
£2995
7 days
ex flights
Italy rewilding holiday in the Appenines
Discover the joy of rewilding Italy's 'wild heart'
From
£2349 to £2379
6 days
inc UK flights
Luxury Arctic cruise Spitsbergen & Franz Josef Land
A unique expedition to rarely visited Franz Josef Land
From
£7995
14 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
Arctic polar bear fly in safari, Canada
Thrilling safari in the middle of Polar Bear Alley, Canada
From
£9145
8 days
ex flights
Bear photography tour in Finland
Photograph brown bears in specialist photography pro-hides
From
£3995
10 days
ex flights
Svalbard in depth cruise
An 11-day exploration of Svalbard and its unique wildlife.
From
£7000 to £11900
11 days
ex flights
Spitsbergen highlights cruise, 1 week
An epic Arctic cruise in only seven days!
From
£3900
7 days
ex flights
Spitsbergen to Franz Josefland cruise
bowhead whales polar bears walrus birdlife & kayaking
From
£4990
12 days
ex flights
British Columbia Autumn wildlife tour
Combine Orca watching and Grizzly Bears in Western Canada
From
£4895
10 days
ex flights
Wrangel and Herald Islands expedition cruise
Wrangel Is: Russia's haven for Polar Bears, Walrus & Whales
From
US $13740
16 days
ex flights
Grizzly bear tour in British Columbia
Drift down rivers watching grizzly bears catching salmon
From
£3065
6 days
ex flights
Finland wildlife holiday, whales and bears
Beluga white whales in Russia and brown bears in Finland
From
€1600
8 days
ex flights
Volunteering with bears in Romania
Volunteer at an inspiring bear sanctuary in Transylvania
From
£925
7 days
ex flights
Canada wilderness holiday, Rockies & Vancouver Island
Experience the Canadian wilderness and wildlife
From
£4299 to £4349
15 days
ex flights
Arctic icebreaker cruise, Spitsbergen
Wildlife-focused, expert-led small ship Arctic cruises
From
£2480 to £8795
8 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
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.
01273 823 700
Call us until 6pm
Calling from outside the UK
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.
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