Canada: The West

Tour Code: CAN01

A 14-day wildlife and whale-watching holiday, including a unique opportunity to view Grizzly Bears catching salmon.

14 days from
£9,295 (Inc flights)
Land only price from
£8,495
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Highlights

Summary

Summary

We begin our holiday in Ucluelet on Vancouver Island, where we’ll hope to see migrating Grey Whales offshore, while inland Black Bears forage for food in intertidal zones and birds such as American Dipper can be found near streams. Next we head to the north-west of the island through spectacular scenery and take boat trips to look for Sea Otters, other marine-life and seabirds such as Marbled Murrelet. Our next base is Great Bear Lodge, which we’ll reach by float-plane. Surrounded by forested hills, waterfalls and enveloped in peace and tranquillity, our only neighbours here will be wildlife. And it’s here we’ll experience an undoubted highlight of this tour – a chance to watch and photograph Grizzly Bears fishing for salmon.

  • Watch Grizzly Bears catching salmon
  • Great opportunities for photography
  • Chance of Grey Whale, Orca, Pacific dolphins & Dall’s Porpoise
  • Bald Eagles congregating waiting for scraps of salmon
  • Steller’s Sea Lion & Black Bear possible
  • Stay in the floating Great Bear Lodge amongst stunning scenery
  • Rhinoceros Auklet, Surfbird & Double-crested Cormorant
  • Led by an expert naturalist guide

Grading

Grade A. Day walks only.

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.

DETAILED INFORMATION
Itinerary

Outline Itinerary

Day 1
Fly Vancouver; overnight Tsawwassen
Day 2/4
Ucluelet
Day 5/6
Zeballos
Day 7
Port McNeill
Day 8/10
Great Bear Lodge
Day 11
Port McNeill
Day 12
Tsawwassen
Day 13
Depart Vancouver
Day 14
Arrive London
cloud_downloadDownload Full Itinerary
What's Included

What's Included?

  • Flights
  • Accommodation:

    We stay in comfortable hotels, motels and a floating wilderness lodge, all with private facilities.

  • Food:

    All meals are included except for dinners in Tsawwassen/Vancouver. Allow £40-£50.

Reviews
Dates & Prices

Dates & Prices

2025

Departures Availability Cost
Sat 6th Sep – Fri 19th Sep 3 £9,295
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£8,495
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£895
Fri 12th Sep – Thu 25th Sep 5 £9,295
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£8,495
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£895
Mon 15th Sep – Sun 28th Sep SPACES £9,295
Book Tour Show Details
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£8,495
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£895 
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Bear Watching Holidays – See Bears in their Wild Habitat


Bears are many people’s favourite mammal. They are immensely strong and have unpredictable temperaments, yet inspire great affection in most of us.


The Naturetrek programme includes a number of specially designed bear-watching holidays which employ local expertise to provide clients with wonderful opportunities to see their favourite mammals.


Naturetrek Bear-watching tours


Most species of bear are retiring in habit and rarely seen during the day. However, a prodigious appetite leads many species to gather seasonally in big numbers, which makes them far easier to watch!


Our bear tour groups are limited in size and accompanied by Naturetrek naturalist leaders, and also usually assisted by resident experts. Although focused on bear-watching, all Naturetrek bear tours offer many opportunities to observe the other wildlife of the area.


We also see bears on other Naturetrek tours such as Sloth Bears on Indian and Sri Lankan tours, and Brown Bears on many European tours.


Where can I see bears?



Is it possible to see bears on other Naturetrek tours?


Yes. While not specifically searching for bears, we regularly have sightings of Sloth Bears on Indian and Sri Lankan tours, and Brown Bears on our Kamchatka cruise and many European tours.




Our specialist recommends...







"In Europe one of the most reliable places to see the European Brown Bear is northern Finland, where it is possible to get very close views from hides. Watching Grizzly Bears catching Salmon in western Canada is undoubtedly one of the greatest of natural history thrills. But for the ultimate bear-watching experience, and my personal favourite, it has to be a trip to the Arctic to see Polar Bears." 

Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager




 


All Bear Watching Tours

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Mammal Watching Holidays


Many of the world’s mammals are instantly recognisable to us. Animals such as Lions, Tigers, elephants and bears capture our imaginations from an early age. At Naturetrek, we take great pleasure and pride in helping people to fulfil their lifelong dreams of seeing these iconic species in the wild. We also enjoy introducing our clients to some of the world’s more unusual mammals, many of which are just as fascinating.


Naturetrek Mammal Watching Tours


Many of our tours have a primary focus on mammals and we offer the widest choices of mammal-watching holidays across the globe, from the poles to the tropics. Our holidays are guided by at least one professional naturalist tour leader and usually benefit from additional guiding by expert local naturalist guides. We have holidays to see an incredible range of the world’s most sought-after mammals, such as orangutans, lemurs, bats, polar mammals, big cats, and mammals of the African savannah. A significant number of tours also targets some of the planet’s more unusual and elusive species, from pottos and pangolins to slender lorises and obscure cetaceans.


Here’s a selection of our mammal tours:



Bargain mammal selection


We offer a range of action-packed bargain holidays for the dedicated mammal enthusiast, which are exceptional value for money, from Belize to Zambia.




Our specialist recommends...







"Africa is perhaps the greatest continent for mammal-watching. I would recommend 'Botswana’s Desert & Delta (Mammals)' for combining stunning scenery and wildlife. We also offer a tour to Uganda which includes a chance to see Mountain Gorillas. And India, along with Tigers, has a superb variety of mammals. Closer to home, short breaks to Spain in search of Wolves and Iberian Lynx are hard to beat.”

Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager




  


All Mammal Watching Tours

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Tour Dates or Itinerary Don't Suit?

Allow our experts to create a private, customised itinerary with dates and prices to suit you.

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Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?

For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.

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Why Naturetrek?

Why Naturetrek?

At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:

  • The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
  • Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
  • Outstanding value and exceptional customer service

Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!