One of National Geographic’s 20 places to see in 2014

How wild Pacific salmon define the ecosystem

LearnIconic bears and coastal temperate rainforests

Encounter

9-days searching for salmon, bears, whales, and wolves in the largest coastal temperate forest in the world

British Columbia’sGreat Bear Rainforest

Abundant wildlife in the largest coastal temperate forest in the world

Discover

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The Great Bear Rainforest is one of the largest intact coastal temperate forests in the world. Extending from northern Vancouver Island to Alaska, and covering more than 70,000km2 (24,000mi2), this area is home to spectacular wildlife including whales and dolphins, bears and wolves, sea lions and sea otters. This 9-day expedition aboard our classic schooner, the Passing Cloud, gives us the chance to explore this beautiful ecosystem and learn how it depends so critically on wild Pacific salmon.

Salmon, Bears, Whales, and Wolves

British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest

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Bella Bella(Heiltsuk First Nation)

Kitimat (Haida First Nation)

Hartley Bay(Gitga’at First Nation)

Klemtu(Kitasoo/Xaixais First Nation)

PRINCESS ROYAL ISLAND

VANCOUVER

2015 departures: May 22, 31, Sep 1, 10, 19, 28

Price per person: $5200 CAD

Departs from / Returns to: Bella Bella

9-days / 8-nights

We will have the opportunity to follow the salmon life cycle, visit the First Nations communities of Bella Bella and Klemtu, encounter marine mammals on the open sea, and potentially catch a glimpse of the rare white Kermode or “Spirit” bear.

Our 9-day expedition through the Great Bear Rainforest starts and ends in the Heiltsuk First Nation community of Bella Bella. Travelling deep into the heart of the Great Bear, as far north as the Gitga’at Nation community of Hartley Bay, we circumnavigate Princess Royal Island in search of salmon, bears, whales and wolves.

What’s Included?

All meals, accommodation, transportation, user fees, use of onboard gear and resources, and rubber boots.

What’s not included?

5% GST, travel and accommodation before and after the expedition, gratuities, any personal expenses incurred due to weather, logistical delays, delayed departures of chartered aircraft, taxis, ferries.

BRITISHCOLUMBIA

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Our adventure begins in the Heiltsuk First Nations community of Bella Bella, a short flight from Vancouver International Airport. Upon boarding our schooner Passing Cloud and settling into accommodations, we set sail and begin our journey north into the heart of Canada’s Great Bear Rainforest. As we slice through the waters of the Seaforth Channel we’ll be on the lookout for our first wildlife sightings - humpback whales, sea otters, elephant seals, and killer whales. Later in the afternoon, we set down our anchor in a small coastal estuary and go ashore for our first taste of the coastal temperate rainforest ecosystem.

Day1

Today gets started with an early morning visit to one of the rainforest estuaries, an enclosed body of water with multiple rivers and streams running into it, to observe and photograph wildlife. After exploring this area for the morning, we continue our travels north, potentially spotting humpback whales, dolphins, and porpoises. In the afternoon we visit our first major river system, where we find a comfortable spot to sit and wait to observe grizzly bears fishing for salmon.

Day2

This morning we have breakfast while sailing north through the Princess Royal Channel, en route to Khutze Inlet, renowned for its towering granite cliffs, waterfalls, snow capped mountain peaks, and wildlife – especially grizzly bears. We’ll use our inflatable zodiac to travel deep into this coastal estuary ecosystem, which is an excellent habitat for spawning salmon, coastal grizzly bears, and wolves.

Day3

Sample Itinerary:

Megan McCaslin, Outer Shores Traveller

It’s virtually impossible to find the adequate words to express my gratitude and wonder for such a magical week. The fact that such natural beauty, such isolated wilderness, still exists gives me hope for our world.

British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest

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We continue our exploration of Khutze Inlet with an early morning photography and wildlife expedition into the estuary via sea kayak. Next, we head back aboard Passing Cloud and travel north in search of the iconic spirit (or Kermode) bear, which are actually black bears with a rare gene that produces completely white fur. After we anchor in Bishop Bay Marine Park for the evening, we head ashore to enjoy a soak in one of the natural hot springs in the area.

Day4

Today we visit the bear-viewing stands operated by the Gitga’at First Nation, where we’ll have an excellent chance of observing spirit bears and black bears fishing for salmon in a small coastal stream. We spend the majority of the day quietly observing and photographing the salmon, bears, and other wildlife from the viewing stands at the edge of the stream. Later this afternoon, we travel a short distance to our overnight anchorage as we begin our southward journey along the west side of Princess Royal Island.

Day5

Travelling south into Camano Sound, we spend the morning on the lookout for humpback, fin, and killer whales that congregate here each summer and fall. Weather and time permitting, we’ll go ashore to visit whale researchers who live in the area year round and track the whales in this region. In the afternoon, we spend our time sailing through this stunning area before anchoring for the night in Laredo Inlet.

Day6

Today we hope to catch a glimpse of the coastal wolves that inhabit the Great Bear Rainforest. We plan to visit small coastal streams in this region, surrounded by ancient spruce and cedar trees, which provide ideal habitats for wolves and bears. We also have time to explore, photograph, and view wildlife in this area via sea kayaks, inflatable boat, and shore excursions.

Day7

This morning we pass through Myers Narrows en route to the Kitasoo/Xaixais First Nation community of Klemtu. We are welcomed to this remote coastal community with a walking tour and a guided visit of their traditional Big House. In the afternoon we sail south through Finlayson Channel and Milbanke Sound, getting to experience the outer coast before anchoring overnight in the vicinity of Seaforth Channel, near Bella Bella.

Day8

As we travel the short distance to Bella Bella this morning we hope for last minute wildlife sightings, and enjoy the pristine landscapes and seascapes of the Great Bear Rainforest. Once we arrive, we say our farewells to the Great Bear Rainforest before disembarking and heading to the airport.

Day9

360 B Harbour RoadVictoria, British ColumbiaV9A 3S1, Canada

info@outershores.ca

1-855-714-7233 (Toll Free in North America)1-250-220-2311 (Local and International)

If you have any questions about our expeditions, or a specific detail about the expedition you have booked, please let us know by phone or visit our website for more information.

Photo Credits: James Thompson, Ryan Flett, and Russell Markel.