British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest, encompassing more than 64,000 square kilometers (24,700 square miles), is the largest intact coastal temperate rainforest in the world. Here, glacier-scoured fiords, spectacular mainland estuaries, vast islands, and ancient forests are home to awe-inspiring populations of dolphins, whales, wolves, grizzly bears, and the iconic spirit bear.
Our Great Bear Rainforest Spring – Fiords, Estuaries, and Bears expedition takes us deep in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest at a magical time of year – spring! Long warm days, run-off from snow-capped peaks, and mainland estuaries exploding with colourful wildflowers contrast sharply with our fall expeditions in this region.
Throughout this expedition we’ll spend our days exploring the myriad of inlets, estuaries, and fjords, and witnessing and photographing abundant wildlife, with an emphasis on bear viewing – grizzly bears, black bears, and (hopefully) the rare Spirit bear.
While living and travelling aboard the schooner Passing Cloud, we will explore and experience these ecosystems and wildlife via our inflatable skiff, kayaks, and on foot, and learn about the fascinating and often dramatic lives of bears. At this time of year bears spend much of their time in estuaries grazing on grasses and sedges, snoozing in the sun, as mother bears introduce their cubs-of-the-year to the world!
Other wildlife we may also encounter includes numerous songbirds, seabirds, and ducks, humpback whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins, seals, sea lions, sea otters, and mammal-eating killer whales. We also look forward to chance encounters with the remarkable coastal wolves of the Great Bear Rainforest.
As with our fall expeditions, our spring expeditions also include visits to numerous limited-access parks, conservancies, bear viewing special management areas, and special-access First Nations territories. We’ll also visit the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation community of Klemtu where we’ll enjoy a guided tour of a spectacular Big House and learn about the deep Indigenous cultural heritage of this region.
We hope you’ll join us!
“I couldn’t have gone on a better holiday than the cruise of the Passing Cloud around some of the island in the Great Bear Rainforest. I was awed by the beauty of the meadows and moss-covered trees framed by the mountains. And I was surprised by the variety of wildlife we saw including large numbers of dolphins and sea otters. The crew was the best– friendly and willing to share their knowledge. They even slowed down for every great “photo op”. You have the right formula for a perfect cruise. Keep it!”
— Marian, Vancouver, BC
Outer Shores is a proud member of the Commercial Bear Viewing Association of British Columbia and our crew are certified bear-viewing guides.
Itinerary Overview
DAYS 1–3: Bella Bella, Fiordland Conservancy
We begin our Spring Great Bear Rainforest expedition in the Heiltsuk First Nation community Bella Bella. As soon as we depart, we’ll be on the lookout for our first wildlife sightings, such as humpback whales, sea otters, elephant seals, and killer whales. Enjoying the long warm days of spring, we’ll sail north into the glacier-carved fiords of Fiordland Conservancy and Special Management Area.
We’ll spend the next couple of days amongst towering granite cliffs, snow-capped peaks, and cascading waterfalls as we explore estuaries where grizzly bears come in the spring to graze on grasses, sedges, and other estuarine plants – lupines, asters, lilies are in full bloom at this time of year. We’ll enjoy interpretive walks, inflatable boat excursion, and kayaking for those who would like to give this a try.
DAYS 4–6: Princess Royal Island Channel / Khutze Inlet Conservancy
Upon leaving Fiordland (always reluctantly!), we’ll enter Princess Royal Channel and continue our way north, always on the lookout for whales, dolphins, and porpoises, and bears (including spirit bears) foraging along the shoreline. Our next destination is Khutze Inlet Conservancy, a huge estuarine ecosystem that supports a wide variety of wildlife, including grizzly bears, black bears, and coastal wolves. We’ll get in tune with the rhythm of the tides and wildlife of this magical place over the next day or two while anchored near the base of a dramatic waterfall.
Our inflatable boat excursions will take our small group quietly into the estuary for wildlife viewing and photography. This is a wonderful place to encounter and observe bears simply living their lives in the wild – grazing, snoozing, playing, socializing, and snoozing some more.
Our Expedition Specialist will teach us about the biology, ecology, and conservation of the bears and wolves of the Great Bear Rainforest. We’ll also learn about the fascinating ecological cycle involving salmon, bears, estuaries, and forests.
DAYS 7–8: Klemtu, Bella Bella
Beginning our journey south again, we depart for the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation community of Klemtu where we will be introduced to their Indigenous culture and be given a guided tour of their remarkable traditional Big House. First Nations have been living in this region for more than 13,000 and this is an exceptional opportunity to gain both deep-time and forward-looking perspectives.
As we make our way back towards Bella Bella, we hope to enjoy more opportunities for sailing and wildlife viewing, and give thanks to those who have worked so hard to protect the Great Bear Rainforest.
2021 Expedition Dates and Availability
May – June • 6 Guests • Private Charters Available
Date
May 13-21
Price
$6,400 CAD/Person
Availability
Suspended
Starts/Ends
Bella Coola
Date
May 22-29
Price
$5,600 CAD/Person
Availability
Suspended
Starts/Ends
Bella Bella
Date
May 30-June 6
Price
$6,400 CAD/Person
Availability
Suspended
Starts/Ends
Bella Bella
NOTES ON PRICING
Our prices are based on double occupancy, quoted in Canadian dollars, and subject to 5% Federal Goods and Services Tax (GST). All payments must be made in Canadian dollars, by cheque or credit card. All prices are subject to change without notice.
Check out what our guests have to say about this expedition!
“I couldn’t have gone on a better holiday than the cruise of the Passing Cloud around some of the island in the Great Bear Rainforest. I was awed by the beauty of the meadows and moss-covered trees framed by the mountains. And I was surprised by the variety of wildlife we saw including large numbers of dolphins and sea otters. The crew was the best– friendly and willing to share their knowledge. They even slowed down for every great “photo op”. You have the right formula for a perfect cruise. Keep it!”
— Marian, Vancouver, BC
“Each spring we travel through the Great Bear Rainforest on route to Haida Gwaii, and each year we find ourselves wishing we were able to bring our guests to this spectacular region, at this wonderful time of year. Finally, this spring of 2017 we are excited to be doing just that. We hope you’ll join us!”
— Russell Markel, President, Outer Shores
Preparing for your visit to Canada’s Great Bear Rainforest and Sea
The Great Bear Sea and Rainforest is a globally significant region with respect to wildlife, ecological, cultural, and conservation considerations. Below is a list of websites that will help you prepare for experiencing and understanding the issues and complexities of the Great Bear region.
First Nations
Supporting Emerging Aboriginal Stewards (SEAS)
Coastal Watchmen Network
Heiltsuk Integrated Resource Management Department
Heiltsuk First Nation
Kitasoo/Xais’xais First Nation
Gitga’at First Nation
Haisla First Nation
Coastal First Nations
Travel/Tourism
Great Bear Rainforest/Destination BC
Great Bear Rainforest/Wikipedia
Kitimat
Terrace
Conservation and Research Organizations
Spirit Bear Research Foundation
Raincoast Conservation Foundation
Pacific Wild
Cetacea Lab
Hakai: Science on the Coastal Margin
Bears Forever
Commercial Bear Viewing Association of BC
Transportation
Pacific Coastal Airlines from Vancouver to Bella Bella and Terrace
Air Canada from Vancouver to Terrace
West Jet from Vancouver to Terrace
Coast Mountain Air: from Vancouver to Terrace
BC Ferries from Port Hardy to Bella Bella
Fill out the Contact form below and a sales representative will get in touch in less than 24 hours
Office Hours
Monday – Friday
10:00 – 16:00 (Pacific Time)
Telephone
1-855-714-7233 (Toll-free)
1-250-220-2311 (Local)
Address
PO Box 361, Cobble Hill, BC, V0R 1L0, Canada
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