Bear viewing lodge guide:
Here is a pick of the ‘must-visit’ destinations during the autumn months:
British Columbia, in western Canada, is home to a large population of grizzly bears and there’s a variety of lodges dedicated to viewing them in their natural habitat.
Often, you’ll see other wildlife too depending on which lodge and when you visit such as: bald eagles, porpoises, black bear, seals, seal lions and even whales.
Here’s our pick of the lodges:
Knight Inlet Lodge
Accessed by floatplane, your adventure starts before reaching this Indigenous-owned lodge which is in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest. Spend your days viewing the magnificent wildlife and your nights in comfortable accommodation in the most spectacular natural environment surrounded by ancient forests and snow-capped mountains. Open mid-May to mid-October with viewing by boat until early autumn and then from platforms watching bears feasting on salmon.
Farewell Harbour Lodge
Reached by boat from Alder Bay, this family-owned lodge sits in a sheltered inlet on the southern edge of the Great Bear Rainforest. With its proximity to the grizzly bears of Knight Inlet and the orcas of Johnstone Strait the lodge is blessed with some of nature’s most charismatic wildlife, and you’ll enjoy full day excursions by boat.
Great Bear Lodge
This remote, floating eco-lodge is situated at the mouth of a major salmon river in the Great Bear Rainforest and accessed by floatplane from Port Hardy. Accompanied by expert biologists, enjoy full day bear viewing excursions, by boat or guided hikes.
Klahoose Wilderness Resort
Sitting on the remote shores and calm waters of Homfray Channel, in Desolation Sound, this Indigenous-owned, all-inclusive eco-resort is only accessible by water. The resort reflects the Klahoose traditional values and offers immersive exploration into a pristine region rich in wildlife including grizzly bear viewing tours in the Toba Inlet.
Also available are Spirit Bear Lodge, owned and operated by the Indigenous Kitasoo people, and Tweedsmuir Park Lodge, just a short 70-minute flight north of Vancouver, but also accessible by road (SUV recommended!) from Vancouver, or ferry on the Discovery Coast Passage.
Day excursions to view grizzly bears are also available from Campbell River (mid-August to mid-October), Telegraph Cove (mid-May to end September), Port McNeill (June to mid-October) and Prince Rupert (mid-May to end July). These excursions are ideal for clients who have limited time and budget but still want to see grizzly bears in their natural environment.
You need to book early to guarantee availability – Knight Inlet Lodge gets booked up a year in advance over most September dates!
