Sample Itinerary
- day:
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1: Welcome aboard in Haisla territory, cruising to evening anchorage, watching for whales. Evening rainforest walk before dinner. Photography presentation and lecture.
- day:
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2: Cruising down a spectacular, long fjord, where granite mountains rise from thousands of feet below in the sea. Viewing waterfalls and possible mountain goats. Exploring ashore in estuary meadows, where some bears spend their days in the autumn. Learning about the daily life of bears, and the salmon cycle with extra time for photography opportunities. Optional evening kayaking.
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3: Bear viewing among the fjords. Learn from photography guide in action. Cruising the Great Bear’s island channels. Visit to village of Hartley Bay for a big house tour and cultural introduction by local guide.
- day:
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4: Cruising Whale Channel region, a critical habitat for several species of whales. Whale viewing. Visit whale researchers at remote station. Sea lion viewing. Island anchorage. Evening lecture on post-processing techniques.
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5: Visit the Great Bear Rainforest’s wild outer islands and beaches. Beach visit and hike to views over the Pacific ocean. Kayaking or optional fishing. Cruising to and exploring archipelago of tiny islands, some areas so wild they’re not yet fully charted. Seabird viewing.
- day:
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6: Rainforest walk and salmon spawning stream. Cruising to historic cannery site of Butedale on Princess Royal Island. Optional hike to lake or extra time for photography.
- day:
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7: Visit island known as the epicentre of spirit bears with local guides as well as Cascadia’s bear guides. Full day at viewing site for the best opportunity to view a spirit bear. Last night celebration dinner and photo sharing.
- day:
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8: Cruising to Kitimat, watching for wildlife.
You can find information about each day, by clicking on a number
You can find information about each day, by clicking on a number
Departures (prices listed in Canadian dollars)
| Date | Price CAD* | # of Nights | Start Port | End Port | Ship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | |||||
| Date: Sep 03 - 10 | Price CAD: $11500, $13350, $15250 | # of Nights: 7 nights, 8 days | Start Port: Kitimat | End Port: Kitimat | Ship: Cascadia |
| 2024 | |||||
| Date: Sep 06 - 13 | Price CAD: $12220, $14190, $16160 | # of Nights: 7 nights, 8 days | Start Port: Kitimat | End Port: Kitimat | Ship: Cascadia |
Description
Journey into one of Earth’s greatest wild places. It's been called “the last stand of the great North American rainforest”.
The Great Bear is a place of fjords, mountains, rainforests, and great river estuaries. It is home to grizzlies, wolves and the mysterious white Spirit Bear. This special trip with Canadian Geographic is timed for peak experiences of natural beauty and wildlife.
This trip is during the salmon run, when bears and other wildlife are on the coast.
Each year, amazing special resource people from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society add extra expereinces on this trip.
2023: This trip includes the exclusive opportunity to explore and learn with two incredible Canadian artists: lauded wildlife photographer Daisy Gilardini and award-winning painter David McEown.
You’ll learn photography and/or watercolour techniques via lectures and extensive one-on-one tutoring in the field from Daisy and David.
About Daisy
For more than a decade Daisy has roamed bear country, from her home province's Great Bear Rainforest all the way to Alaska and the high Arctic. During this tenure she has documented the challenges facing North America’s bears, including black bears, grizzlies, polar bears and of course, our emblematic Spirit Bear.
About David
British Columbia-based artist David McEown has used the medium of watercolour for the past 30 years to explore and express many of the planet’s biomes. The subjects of his paintings span from the North Pole to Antarctica. David’s work is represented in collections worldwide.
David is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, a graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design and an elected member of the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour, which in 2005 and 2018 awarded him the society’s prestigious A.J. Casson Medal. He is also a sought-after teacher and has conducted workshops and presentations for numerous art societies and museums.
On this special itinerary with Canadian Geographic you will explore the same areas as our regular autumn itinerary, but with special extra experiences, benefits from the Geographical Society, and our VIP resource people.
What People Say
F. Shirley Ontario, CanFrom our first inquiries to the final docking, our trip has been first class all the way.
Chuck Cole Washington, USAAn unbelievable experience with the most dedicated and involved crew I’ve ever experienced. Every day was ‘magical’. The bar for my next adventure
Jane Robinson Vancouver, BCWhat a magical and awe-inspiring adventure!
