Great Bear Experience 

Tour No: STOGB4 & STOGB5

Why not extend your holiday in Canada or Alaska with a world-class wild-life viewing experience to the central coast of British Columbia?

4 or 5 Days • Vancouver • Port Hardy • Great Bear Lodge • Queen Charlotte Strait

The Great Bear Rainforest is one of the best places in the world to observe grizzly bears, and the rustic Great Bear Lodge is the perfect base from which to explore the diverse wildlife of this region. Board your idyllic floating lodge where your hosts greet you, journey to several viewing points for grizzlies and other native wildlife, and enjoy time to relax and unwind in the lodge.

Superior inclusions

Two nights at the Great Bear Lodge.
Four bear viewing sessions (3 night tour) Six bear viewing seasons (4 night tour).
Return flights from Vancouver to Port Hardy.
Seaplane transfers from/to Port Hardy.
Gratuities at Great Bear Lodge.
Overnight stay in Port Hardy.

Day 1. Vancouver to Great Bear Lodge. Fly from Vancouver Airport to Port Hardy. Then travel past the breathtaking central coast and over Queen Charlotte Strait, the home of orca, gray and humpback whales. At Great Bear Lodge be welcomed by your hosts. Settle into your room at the charming two-storey, floating lodge and in the late afternoon, your grizzly bear experience begins. With guides, head to viewing sites where the bears have been most active recently. Estuary sites are reached by boat, while river sites are reached by vehicle. The river boats have been designed for optimum comfort without impeding your view of the bears – there is nothing quite like seeing your first grizzly emerge from the forest. Return to the lodge this evening for a gourmet dinner. Afterwards the lodge’s biologist hosts a presentation explaining the interaction of the grizzly bear with this unique environment.
Two Night Stay: Great Bear Lodge, in a private room (shower facilities are shared). D

Day 2. Great Bear Viewing. Rise at dawn and head out on the trail of the grizzly bear. Viewing sessions typically last for three hours and are not strenuous, guests just step into a boat or walk down stairs to viewing blinds. See the bears in their natural habitat, then enjoy lunch before exploring the surrounding area with a guide. A popular activity is the interpretive rainforest walk, during which bear signs and the ecology of the area are explained. Later, join your afternoon bear viewing session before time to relax in the lodge – perhaps unwind in front of the fireplace with a book from the natural history library. BLD

Day 3. Morning Bear Viewing, Port Hardy. After your morning bear viewing session, enjoy a delicious lunch. Then transfer to Port Hardy, a haven for outdoor recreationists. Stay: Port Hardy, Quarterdeck Inn. BL

Day 4. Port Hardy to Vancouver. Transfer to Port Hardy Airport and fly back to Vancouver. B

Depending on the season you travel to Great Bear Lodge you will experience various viewing points, behaviours and a different number of bears. In the spring, view the bears quietly from small boats as they graze on grasses and engage in mating behaviour. During the summer, see the grizzlies gorge on berry patches and graze on grasslands as they move between various habitats to feed. The grizzly bears congregate at the river in autumn to catch Pacific salmon. Watch as each bear demonstrates its own fishing style. Each season offers a unique view into the world of grizzly bears in the Great Bear Rainforest.

A five day Great Bear Experience is also available. Inclusions are as per the featured itinerary with one extra night at Great Bear Lodge and two additional bear viewing sessions. Tour Code: STOGB5

Just America will be pleased to quote airfares.  We can offer a choice of airlines, economy, business and First Class travel, additional accommodation and onward travel.