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canada grizzly bear and cub in tweedsmuir provincial park tpl

Grizzlies of Tweedsmuir Park

From £3472

Excluding Flights

3 Nights

Aug-Oct

Overview

Located in the beautiful Bella Coola Valley, on the edge of the Great Bear Rainforest and fringed by the snow-capped Coast Range Mountains, Tweedsmuir Provincial Park is the largest protected park in British Columbia and home to one of the healthiest bear habitats in the world. Spend 3-nights in this spectacular setting on an immersive bear-viewing experience.

Each autumn the park’s grizzly bears come down from the slopes to feast on spawning salmon. The Bella Coola Valley is unique in playing host to all five species of North American Pacific salmon, and together with its remote location and protected landscapes, makes for excellent bear territory. Other inhabitants of the region include black bear, deer, cougar, wolves and bald eagles.

Stay at the historic Tweedsmuir Park Lodge, which is bordered by the Atnarko and Bella Coola rivers and in the perfect spot for wildlife viewing and outdoor adventures. The lodge owns three private bear viewing stands overlooking the Atnarko River, as well as offering guided bear tracking walks and the chance to view the bears from the water with a raft drift excursion.

Other Activities at Tweedsmuir

In addition to bear viewing, the lodge offers a range of outdoor activities including a Via Ferrata (assisted rock-climbing with metal rungs and ladders), heli-hiking, scenic heli-flights and fishing trips. These are available at additional cost and would be in place of a bear watching activity (pre-booking is advised).

Itinerary

Depart Vancouver South Terminal on the scheduled morning flight to Bella Coola. Keep your camera handy during the 75-minute flight for spectacular aerial views over the fjords and mountains below. On arrival in Bella Coola you will be met and transferred to Tweedsmuir Park Lodge (45-minute drive). After check-in the lodge team will provide an orientation and an informative bear awareness seminar.

tweedsmuir park lodge exterior and grounds british columbia tpl

Tweedsmuir Park Lodge, Bella Coola

A classic Canadian wilderness lodge within Tweedsmuir Provincial Park in British Columbia.

Wake up early and wander down to the Wildlife Viewing Platform, which is for the exclusive use of Tweedsmuir Park Lodge guests. Early morning is a great time to spot bears and the raised structure provides an excellent vantage point. After breakfast, enjoy a scenic drift down the Atnarko River. Relax and take in the surrounding mountains whilst keeping a look out for wildlife including moose, American beaver, mountain goats, bald eagles, black and grizzly bears. The River Drift is only offered at Tweedsmuir and is one of the best ways to enjoy close viewing of bears, at their level, as they actively fish in the river. After lunch, set out on a Guided Nature Walk in the old growth forests of Tweedsmuir Park. Your naturalist guide will show you how to track bears and will point out various signs of activity, including rub trees, scat, and the hollows in the forest floor which the bears use as day beds. In the evening swap tales of the day’s sightings with your fellow guests over dinner.

Visit the Wildlife Viewing Station before breakfast and then prepare for your choice of activities:
Via Ferrata Adventure – navigate rock faces and ridge lines with an experienced guide.
Bella Coola Valley Hike – choose from three trails at different levels of intensity to experience breath taking scenery.
Guided Interpretive Walks – venture out with a local guide to learn about the area’s unique ecology.
Grizzly Bear Ecology Walking Tour – learn how these magnificent creatures live. Grizzly Bear Viewing River Drift – float down the river in search of bears.

There will be time for one last visit to the Wildlife Viewing Platforms before breakfast and departure from Tweedsmuir. You will be transferred back to Bella Coola Airport for a mid-morning flight to Vancouver, landing around midday.

canada tweedsmuir park lodge ebikes through forest

Visiting in Summer

 

Tweedsmuir Park Lodge opens for the summer season in June. Over the summer months the bears are usually more elusive, feeding on berries in the forests and mountains. You may still see them, but the highlight of a summer visit is the opportunity to explore the park and enjoy a wealth of outdoor activities.

 

The park boasts countless hiking trails which can be tackled with a guide or independently. Walk through pristine old growth forest, discover hidden waterfalls and enjoy views across the valley from a mountain lookout point. Make use of the lodge’s complimentary bikes (electric bikes as well as mountain bikes, to assist with those hills!) or tackle the Via Ferrata climb, an ingenious system of cables and steel rungs that makes rock climbing accessible to all, or take to the skies on a scenic helicopter flight.

From nearby Bella Coola you can head out on a wildlife cruise, exploring the spectacular fjord system in search of white sided dolphins, orca, humpback and grey whales, or join a local First Nations guide for an insight into 10,000 years of indigenous cultural history.

Prices

What's Included

  • Accommodation in a private timber frame chalet with private bathroom

  • All meals and snacks while at the lodge

  • Return flights from Vancouver to Bella Coola

  • All ground transportation, including return airport transfers from Bella Coola airport to the lodge

  • Welcome orientation

  • A variety of small group bear watching tours on each full day of your stay

  • Experienced guides

  • Use of all sporting equipment, including mountain bikes for independent exploration

  • 24 hour emergency assistance from our team during your holiday

  • No surcharge guarantee

  • Full financial protection

From £3472 Excluding Flights

3 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
4

World Cups attended

6

Penguin species encountered

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