Spirit Bear Lodge: Great Bear Rainforest holiday

Itinerary in brief: 

• 4 nights Vancouver 
• 4 nights Spirit Bear Lodge 
• 1 night Vancouver

Day 1: UK to Vancouver

Depart the UK from your chosen airport. On arrival in Canada, you’ll be met at the airport and driven to your hotel in the city, checking in for four nights. 

Included: International flights, transfers, 4* hotel 

Days 2 - 4: Vancouver

Vancouver is a fresh, outdoors-y city – no matter the weather you’ll want to get outside and explore. Start in Gastown, where you can roam the historic streets popping into tiny art galleries and boutique shops before moving on to Chinatown where you can introduce the kids to a delicious dim sum lunch. After taking in these two iconic neighbourhoods, head to Stanley Park for the afternoon. The best way to get around is cycling, so why not rent a bike head to see the colourful totem poles at Brockton Point or English Bay Beach to relax in the sun?

There are plenty of museums to enjoy if you are interested in the history of this region (the Museum of Anthropology is especially good for First Nations artefacts) or if you love food then head down to Granville Island Public Market, where you can browse the stalls, picking up all sorts of goodies from local BC cherries to freshly-baked pastries. Getting out of the city here is easy – make sure you visit the Capilano Suspension Bridge as it hangs precariously over the river in the North Shore.

On your final evening, we’ve included a sunset whale watching cruise, on a luxury catamaran. Perfect for keen photographers, you’ll head out to finish the day with a relaxing sail through the Salish Sea searching for orcas and humpback whales 

Included: Whale watching sunset cruise, 4* hotel            

Day 5: Fly to Bella Bella

This morning you’ll be taken to the airport for the short but scenic flight up to Bella Bella. On arrival, you’ll be met and catch a shuttle to the Bella Bella town docks. The Spirit Bear Lodge boat will pick you up at the dock at for the scenic boat ride to Klemtu and Spirit Bear Lodge for an afternoon arrival. After checking in and enjoying a late lunch and welcome orientation. After this, you’ll be guided to the traditional Big House for a unique cultural welcome before returning to the lodge for appetizers, drinks and dinner.

Included: Flight to Bella Bella, water taxi transfers, dinner, Spirit Bear Lodge   

Days 6 - 8: Spirit Bear Lodge 

The Great Bear Rainforest of British Columbia is the largest piece of intact temperate rainforest left on the planet. This unique place is wh the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation have called home for thousands of years. They have shared the forest and the salmon with a very special creature they call moskgm’ol (white bear). Spirit Bear Lodge is Indigenous owned, offering exclusive access to wildlife viewing areas and cultural sites within the Kitasoo Xai’xais traditional territory. 

For each day of your stay at Spirit Bear Lodge, you’ll meet on the dock after breakfast for a full day of wildlife viewing adventures. This might include bear viewing, whale watching, kayaking, hiking or canoeing in the spectacular landscape. You’ll look for grizzly bears, black bears and spirit bears in pristine river valleys while spotting whales, porpoise, sea lions and much more while exploring the Great Bear Sea.

Nestled in a remote archipelago of small islands and thus protected from the wild Pacific, Klemtu is centrally positioned to offer unparalleled access to some of the best grizzly and spirit bear viewing in the region. Local staff share their intimate knowledge of this complex eco system and guide your adventure into the untouched wilderness of the Great Bear Rainforest. 

After each day of wildlife viewing, you’ll gather to share stories with fellow guests in the cozy lounge area with comfy couches and large ocean view windows.           

Included: All meals and snacks, wine/beer, all wildlife viewing (inc bear viewing, kayaking, canoeing, hiking), Spirit Bear Lodge

Day 9: Depart Bella Bella    

After breakfast, you’ll pack up and enjoy the scenic boat right back to Bella Bella, before taking the afternoon flight back to Vancouver. Here, you’ll be met and driven back into the city for your final night in Canada. Wander through Gastown and enjoy a delicious dinner, toasting your fantastic wildlife holiday in Canada. 

Included: Breakfast, lunch, water taxi transfers, flight to Vancouver       

Day 10: Depart Vancouver

This morning, you’ll be taken back to the airport for your flight home. 

Included: Transfers, international flights           

Day 11: Arrive UK