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A Typical Day at Spirit Bear Lodge

Creating memorable experiences in the Great Bear Rainforest.

Everyday at Spirit Bear Lodge is unique, we visit many diverse and awe-inspiring locations in search of wildlife.

Tours vary depending on recent wildlife sightings, guest interests, and weather. Some days could be spent waiting patiently in one river system for wildlife to appear, while others could involve visiting several locations.

For the more adventurous, we offer hiking, kayaking, and canoeing options in some of nature’s most stunning places.

Kitasoo Xai’xais culture is integrated into each day through spending time with local guides, visiting cultural sites, and learning the history of the Kitasoo/Xai’xais people. 
 

Our staff share their intimate knowledge of traditional foods, medicinal plants, and stories passed down through generations.

Our goal is to deliver a transformative experience through complete immersion in nature by sharing our appreciation for the The Great Bear Rainforest .

Sample Itinerary

 
 

Itineraries vary based on guest interests, weather and wildlife activity.

DAY 1 – ARRIVE AT SPIRIT BEAR LODGE
  • Pacific Coastal Airlines scheduled flight Vancouver to Bella Bella
  • You are met and assisted with a van transfer to the Bella Bella town docks
  • Our boat awaits, this is where your adventure begins!
  • Search for wildlife on your way to Spirit Bear Lodge for an afternoon arrival
  • After checking in, enjoy a late lunch and a welcome orientation
  • You will be guided to the traditional Big House for a unique cultural experience
  • Return to the lodge for appetizers, drinks followed by dinner and a relaxing evening
DAY 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, GREAT BEAR RAINFOREST
  • 7am breakfast, meet on the dock at 8am for a day of adventure
  • Activities may include:
  • wildlife/bear viewing
  • whale watching
  • kayaking or canoeing
  • hiking
  • visit ancient Indigenous cultural sites
  • We explore lush estuaries, stunning inlets with immense waterfalls and granite cliffs
  • Return in time for appetizers and dinner
  • Each evening may include a presentation or cultural discussion
 
DEPARTURE DAY KLEMTU -BELLA BELLA - VANCOUVER
  • After breakfast, pack up and depart the lodge by 8am to Bella Bella
  • Soak in the serenity of the Great Bear Rainforest your final morning with us
  • Depart on Pacific Coastal Airlines flight back to Vancouver
  • You arrive at Vancouver South Terminal where your package comes to an end
  • Breakfast and snacks included today

Mobility


 
  • Good mobility is essential for travel on the trails and for embarking and disembarking our vessels onto rocky shorelines and beaches.
  • Guests must be physically prepared to encounter trails that can be overgrown, uneven and sometimes we make our own. 
  • We sit for long periods of time in the forest, sometimes in the rain, waiting for our chance to view wildlife.
  • We hike distances of up to a mile at each river or estuary we visit and sometimes we visit more than one river or estuary in a day.
  • Maximum of 10 guests per boat on day tours
  • We spend 2.5 to 4 hours on our transport vessels each day to reach our wildlife viewing destinations.
  • To maximize your wildlife viewing we spend 9-10 hours out in the field each day.
  • Please be advised that Klemtu is a remote community and services are limited.  While the community of Klemtu is a dry community, Spirit Bear Lodge has been given special permission to offer beer and wine to our guests during dinner time at the lodge.

 



Remote, Wild and Pristine

A visit to Spirit Bear Lodge is a unique experience among wildlife viewing operators in British Columbia.
We visit totally remote and pristine locations, there are no roads, no viewing platforms, and no washrooms in the wilderness.
Our guests are viewing wildlife in its most natural form, which means the animals we encounter are truly wild, and do not always adhere to our schedule or show themselves when we would like.
The success of this type of viewing is at the mercy of mother nature; weather, wildlife movement, food availability, and other natural factors that are out of our control and influence animal behavior.
At Spirit Bear Lodge we want to show you everything that The Great Bear Rainforest has to offer. This includes the Kitasoo Xai’xais ancient culture, the wondrous ecology of the coastal temperate rainforest, fascinating adventures, stunning scenery, spectacular wildlife viewing, and one of the last places on the planet where a wild land meets a wild ocean.

 

 

honeybunch h The food was absolutely first class, as was all the organisation of the trips from start to finish. As for the staff, they could not have done more for us all; they were absolutely superb, and such lovely natured people, the First Nation folk and their knowledge of the surrounding wildlife is legendary. We saw so much wildlife it was unbelieveable. Thanks for a brilliant stay. honeybunch h
Linda Reinicke Barnes 'This place is magic. You will be treated like family and will come away with an experience like no other before. Plan to spend several days so you can get plenty of opportunity to see the vast landscapes, the wonderful wildlife and get to meet the local people. Linda Reinicke Barnes