Canada: Spirit Bear Adventure

Day 1:

Depart Vancouver aboard Pacific Coastal Airlines scheduled service to Bella Bella, and take a short transfer by boat shuttle to Shearwater Resort in Shearwater for your first night. (Meals are not included in Shearwater; there is a restaurant and cafe in the resort.) Spend the rest of the day relaxing or exploring the quaint village of Shearwater.

Day 2:

After breakfast, meet on the dock for a 90-minute water taxi ride to Spirit Bear Lodge in Klemtu. Arrive at Spirit Bear Lodge mid morning, check in, and receive welcome orientation. Gear up and hop aboard our tourism vessel with guides and lunch for first afternoon tour in search of grizzly bears and to see the spectacular waterfalls in Carter Inlet. Return by 6pm; enjoy a buffet dinner at 7pm, followed by an evening presentation on an aspect of Great Bear Rainforest, bears or First Nations culture.

Day 3:

7am breakfast, then on the water at 8am for ride to Mussel Inlet for full day grizzly-viewing adventure on foot in the estuary. Return by 6pm for dinner and evening program.

Day 4:

7am breakfast, then on the water at 8am for Spirit Bear quest to one of the pristine valleys in the Spirit Bear conservancy.

Day 5:

Choose from one of the following options:

• Spirit Quest to one of the pristine valleys in the Spirit Bear Conservancy
• Additional grizzly-viewing tours
• Whalewatching in Finlayson Channel with hydrophone
• Ancient First Nations cultural tour to United Nations World Heritage candidate site Dis’ju
• Sea kayaking day trip excursion

Day 6:

After breakfast, choice of morning sea-kayak paddle along the shores south of Klemtu, rainforest walk, or cultural tour. At 11am, board the water taxi for a 90-minute trip to Bella Bella arriving in time to catch afternoon flight back to Vancouver, arriving YVR about 6pm.

Accommodation

Spirit Bear Lodge was built in 2007 and features 12 rooms with a mix of occupancy types including double, triple and quad.  Architecturally, the exterior of the Spirit Bear Lodge pays homage to the traditional long houses built for thousands of years by West Coast First Nations. Inside, the atmosphere is modern and relaxing. After a day of Spirit Bear viewing, share stories with fellow guests in “the great room,” an intimate central room with comfy couches, 20-foot high ocean-view windows, local Tsimshian art, and two 12-foot, solid cedar dining tables. Gaze out towards the grey-blue waters of the Pacific Ocean and watch for passing orcas, white-sided dolphins, and sea lions. Listen to the silence as you revel in the natural wonders of the pristine and raw landscapes that surround you in this unique culturally-authentic accommodation.

Each room in the Spirit Bear Lodge is afforded with a king-size bed and private bathroom and takes full advantage of the ocean and rainforest viewscapes.