Dec. 4, 2012, Victoria, BC – The Great Bear Rainforest, stretching more than 400 kilometres along the northwest coast of British Columbia, has been named as one of the “Best of the World” trips for 2013 by National Geographic Traveler.
With photographs by recently celebrated UVic graduate Paul Nicklen, the Great Bear was recognized as the planet’s largest intact coastal temperate rain forest, home to Canada’s largest grizzly bears as well as the rare, white Kermode spirit bears.
Local tour operators relish the attention, as local concern over the proposal for crude oil pipelines that could cross fragile salmon producing watersheds and create a large volume of supertanker traffic through narrow channels gains international attention.
“The increased profile of the Great Bear Rainforest is drawing attention to the importance of conservation in the area,” says Kevin Smith, president of Maple Leaf Adventures. “We have scheduled additional trips for the 2013 season to match demand by visitors wanting to see this area before any pipeline decisions are made.”
For the 2013 season, Maple Leaf Adventures will be offering six, nine and 10-day tours of the Great Bear Rainforest from late April until the end of September, with prices from $2,630 to $5,750.
For more information about Maple Leaf Adventures’ tours here – recommended by National Geographic Traveler – visit the Great Bear Rainforest trip page. To view the Best of the World destinations chosen by the magazine, visit https://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/best-trips-2013/.
About Maple Leaf Adventures
Maple Leaf Adventures has provided conservation travel experiences aboard a classic sailing ship since 1986. With a reputation as one of Canada’s top sustainable tour operators, its multi-day excursions give guests one-of-a-kind experiences in some of the most beautiful and rare places in the world, often in areas that were once under threat of destruction or in dire need of protection. National Geographic Adventure has rated Maple Leaf one of the “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth”. For more information about Maple Leaf Adventures and its 2013 trips in Haida Gwaii, the Great Bear Rainforest, southeast Alaska, Gulf Islands National Park Reserve and the Broughton Archipelago, please visit www.MapleLeafAdventures.com or call 1-250-386-7245.
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Media Contacts:
Maureen Gordon, Maple Leaf Adventures: 250-881-6143 (cell), 250-386-7245 or Maureen@MapleLeafAdventures.com
Kate Rogers, Tartan Group: 604-880-1494, kate@tartangroup.ca
