Great Bear Nature Tour

Fly to Vancouver on Canada’s West Coast. Vancouver may be a sophisticated, metropolitan area, but the locals are friendly and laid-back and love the beaches and mountains as well as the city scene. Visitors will get the best of both worlds.
Overnight in Vancouver at the Century Plaza Hotel

Today you are free to explore the city at your own pace. You could take a city sightseeing tour or maybe rent a bicycle. Make sure to visit Stanley Park, Vancouver’s most popular green space. Visit Granville Island, reclaimed and transformed to an arts and cultural area. Here you can stroll the island’s streets exploring the many galleries, theatres and workshops. Grab a bite of lunch inside the much-loved Granville Island Public Market or opt for something more formal at one of the many excellent restaurants on the Island.
Overnight in Vancouver at the Century Plaza Hotel

Today you have another day to enjoy the city of Vancouver so why not sample the great outdoors. Head over to the North Shore exploring the canyons, streams and mountains that make this area a natural playground for locals. You could take a sightseeing tour or the SeaBus ferry from Downtown to Lonsdale Quay and catch a bus to the mountain. Visit the Capilano Suspension Bridge where you take the swaying bridge across the canyon before getting a taste of Vancouver’s temperate rainforest on the Treetops Adventure.
Overnight in Vancouver at the Century Plaza Hotel

In the morning you make your own way to Vancouver International Airport and fly to Port Hardy on Vancouver Island. Departing from Port Hardy at 3pm, you will leave behind the noise of modern life for a pristine wilderness. Transportation is by seaplane flight. Journeying to the lodge is a spectacular adventure in itself, traveling past the breathtaking scenery of the central coast and over the rich waters of Queen Charlotte Strait, the home of orca, grey and humpback whales. Upon your arrival at the lodge, your hosts will be on the dock to welcome you to your wilderness retreat. Settle into your private room at the lodge. In the late afternoon, your grizzly bear experience begins. There are a range of different viewing sites, and will choose one according to where the bears have been most active. Estuary sites are reached by boat, while river sites are reached by a bus along a wilderness track. The viewing blinds on the river have been constructed with the photographer in mind, and are optimal and comfortable places from which to view bears. Returning to the lodge that evening, you will be treated to a wilderness-gourmet meal.
Overnight in Port Hardy at the Great Bear Lodge

In the morning, you will be on the trail of the grizzly bear again after breakfast. A typical viewing session lasts three hours. After a morning of adventure, you will return to the lodge for lunch and a chance to relax. Spend the early afternoon exploring the surrounding area with a guide. A popular activity is the interpretive rainforest walk, examining bear sign and the general ecology of the area. In mid-afternoon you will venture out to see the bears before returning to the lodge for dinner.
Overnight in Port Hardy at the Great Bear Lodge

As your stay at the lodge continues, you begin to settle into the natural rhythm of the valley. The bears are generally most active in the early morning and late afternoon hours. Over the course of your stay you will be taken you to a variety of sites, depending on the bear activity. For the afternoon recreation today you may do a boat cruise to explore the glacier-carved inlet. Or you may prefer to relax and enjoy the view from the lodge. The Great Bear Rainforest is home to many animals, including grey wolves, otters, black bears, mink and bald eagles.
Overnight in Port Hardy at the Great Bear Lodge

After you’re parting session with the bears you will enjoy lunch at the Great Bear Lodge. You will be scheduled to return to Port Hardy in the afternoon between 4pm and 6pm where you stay for your last night.
Overnight in Port Hardy at the Glen Lyon Inn

Depart Port Hardy for your return to Ireland via Vancouver