Canada: The West

The province of British Columbia in the west of Canada embraces vast areas of wilderness and spectacular scenery and plays host to a large and diverse range of wildlife. On this tour we will travel through a variety of different habitats, giving us an outstanding chance of seeing Orca, Humpback and Grey Whales as well as some excellent birdwatching. From Vancouver Island we will travel to Nekite Valley on the mainland. Our destination is the Great Bear Rainforest, a remote and temperate coastal rainforest which is home to several threatened species and one of the last strongholds of the Grizzly Bear. Here, in a true wilderness environment, we will stay on a floating lodge from which we will be able to travel a short distance to witness one of the most exciting wildlife spectacles in the world – Grizzly Bears congregating to fish for salmon, together with their retinue of attendant Bald Eagles.

We begin our tour with a flight to the cosmopolitan city of Vancouver on the west coast. Crossing the Strait of Georgia by ferry the following morning through magnificent coastal scenery, our destination is Vancouver Island and the picturesque district of Ucluelet, located within the spectacular Pacific Rim National Park. The park has outstanding examples of coastal rainforest, sandy beaches and coastal marine-life and we will take a couple of days to fully explore this wonderful region. The cold, nutrient-rich seas off the Pacific Rim National Park are a particularly reliable area in which to see the Grey Whales, a population of which stops off here for the summer months instead of heading further north to the Bering Strait. Birdlife is also plentiful in the area and we will be on the look-out for Chestnut-backed Chickadee, American Dipper, Steller’s Jay, several species of warbler and Varied Thrush. The Black Bear is still flourishing in British Columbia and we have an excellent chance of observing them from the water, as they forage for food in the intertidal zones.

Leaving Ucluelet, we will drive to Zeballos situated in the north-west of Vancouver Island. The drive is a long one but it will take us through a diverse range of spectacular scenery, from rainforests and mountains to beautiful beaches. From Zeballos we will take a boat trip in search of the charismatic Sea Otters often found in this area before moving to Port McNeill on the Johnstone Strait, an area which is known to be one of the most accessible and predictable places to view Orcas. In addition, we will have excellent opportunities of seeing Harbour and Dall’s Porpoises, Pacific White-sided Dolphin, Harbour Seal, Steller’s Sea Lion and possibly, if we are fortunate, Minke and Humpback Whales. Birdlife in the area is plentiful and should produce such species as Rhinoceros Auklet, Marbled Murrelet, Red-necked Phalarope, Pelagic, Brandt’s and Double-crested Cormorants, Surfbird, Black Turnstone and Black Oystercatcher amongst others.

From Port McNeill we will travel the short distance to Port Hardy, from where we will board a float-plane, travelling over breathtaking scenery to Great Bear Lodge, our base for the next part of our holiday. Here we will find ourselves in true wilderness, on a floating lodge nestling against a backdrop of snow-capped peaks, forested hills and waterfalls. Enveloped in silence and tranquillity, our only neighbours are the birds and mammals which inhabit the area. One of the definite highlights of our tour will be the unique chance to observe the magnificent Grizzly Bear from the safety of viewing stands situated along the river.

Outstanding photographic opportunities will present themselves as we watch the bears fishing for salmon in the waters nearby. Our concentration on this incredible spectacle will be matched by the Bald Eagles congregating in the nearby trees, intently watching for any scraps of fish the bears may leave. In the evenings we will have ample opportunity to discuss the day’s events over an excellent home-cooked evening meal, before talking with the local guides or just relaxing and watching the moon rising over the mountains. Birdlife will not be ignored and we will hope to see Marbled Murrelet, Pigeon Guillemot, Western Grebe and numerous Bald Eagles, which often fly very close to the lodge itself. Whilst out in the boats, we will also be watching the shore for sightings of Black Bear. The Great Bear Rainforest, where our lodge is situated, is also home to an exciting range of other animals and we might catch sight of River Otters or even a Grey Wolf if we are very fortunate.

Leaving this wilderness paradise to return to civilisation will be extremely hard but we will carry lasting memories with us. Our return float-plane will give us another chance to enjoy the spectacular views before we land back in Port Hardy. The following day we will make our way down the east coast from Port McNeill and back to Vancouver on the mainland, where we will have a last chance for some sightseeing, shopping or some final birdwatching in the area, visiting the nearby Boundary Bay or Reifel Bird Sanctuary. Here we should get farewell sightings of the more common bird species of the region such as American Robin, Steller’s Jay and Red-winged Blackbirds and perhaps some of the more unusual species such as Barrow’s Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser and Harlequin Duck.