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canada british columbia great bear rainforest ctc

Sailing the Great Bear Rainforest

From £5308

Excluding Flights

7 Nights

Aug-Oct

Overview

The Great Bear Rainforest of western British Columbia is home to orcas, eagles, wolves, black bears, grizzlies, and the rare and mysterious white kermode (spirit) bear. Cruising the remote islands and inlets of this special area is the ideal way to experience its diverse wildlife.

Nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Coast Mountain Range on the west coast of British Columbia, the ancient Great Bear Rainforest is one of the largest tracts of temperate rainforest left in the world.

The rare kermode bear, also known as the spirit bear, is a unique subspecies of the black bear, in which one in ten cubs display a distinctive white coloured coat.

You will be sailing on board the Island Roamer, Island Odyssey or Island Solitude. Each of these vessels have been beautifully designed in a manner which reflects the relaxed style of the trips. The small group sizes allow for an interactive and intimate experience and allows guests to explore areas which larger vessels cannot access. Each vessel offers comfortable cabins, a well-stocked library and lounge area, and plenty of deck space for wildlife-spotting.

Itinerary

All voyage itineraries are intended as a guideline only – embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy of expedition travel. Actual routes and landings will be flexible to take advantage of wildlife sightings, weather conditions, tides and the interests of the group.

The below sample itinerary departs from Bella Bella and ends in Terrace. Other departures may vary in duration and routing. Please contact us for specific details.

Make your way to the Municipal Dock on the Bella Bella waterfront for embarkation. Upon boarding the vessel, cabins will be assigned, an introductory safety briefing completed and then you will set sail for the Great Bear Rainforest. Each night you will anchor in a different, secluded anchorage.

Over the next 6 days you will travel to a number of areas around the Central Coast such as Campania Sound and Whale Channel – excellent areas for spotting humpback whales and Steller sea lions. You may go ashore in the Gitga’at (Princess Royal Island) Conservancy. You’ll cruise over to Bishop Bay to enjoy a relaxing dip in the hot springs and spend a day with a Gitga’at native guide, taking you to his favourite bear viewing area. With patience and some luck you’ll see black bears maybe even the elusive white Spirit Bear! You may visit the First Nations village of Klemtu or Hartley Bay to see their ceremonial Big Houses. Voyage deep into the coastal mountains to explore the Fiordland Conservancy where, beneath towering rock bluffs and waterfalls, we will search remote estuaries to see grizzly bears feeding on spawning salmon.

You will arrive in Terrace this morning, where your sailing adventure ends.

Prices

What's Included

  • Accommodation in twin-share rooms on board

  • All meals (from lunch on day 1 until breakfast on day 8)

  • Wine is included with dinner

  • Services of a naturalist guide for the duration of the cruise

  • Parks, First Nations and forestry service fees

  • Sustainability fee

  • Return transfers in Terrace (transfers in Bella Bella payable locally, approx $15)

  • 24 hour emergency assistance from our team during your holiday

  • No surcharge guarantee

  • Full financial protection

From £5308 Excluding Flights

7 Nights

Aug-Oct

Make this trip yours

Every trip you see here can be adapted to suit you using inside-out knowledge to create one-off experiences created just for you.

Doug
8

Canada provinces visited

4

Countries seen northern lights in

2025 departure & price guide

Prices are per person, based on a twin cabin. They do not reflect any applicable special offers or discounts. Single, triple and quad cabins are also available. Please get in touch for a tailored quote based on the best available price for your preferred voyage and cabin type. 

We create holidays that are as individual as you are. And we’ve been doing it for 40 years, crafting each and every holiday using our in-depth knowledge and enthusiasm for our destinations. Whatever your brief, we’ll create an amazing trip for you to get excited about. That might mean adapting one of our existing itineraries or we’ll build you one from scratch. 

Experts with real experience