Family Wildlife Adventure - Whales and Grizzly Bears
Back to British Columbia
Family Wildlife Adventure - Whales and Grizzly Bears9 nightsFrom £2475 per adult and £2065 per child (10-11 yrs)
Price includes:
All flights, three nights room only in Vancouver, three nights room only in Port McNeill, three nights camping with all meals from lunch on day 5 to lunch on day 8, kayaking and camping equipment and guides, full day guided bear viewing with breakfast and lunch.
Departures June to September. Maximum 10 guests plus 3 guides.
Minimum age for bear viewing – 10 years
Kayaking tour is suitable for ages 6 and over. Please contact us for additional details.
Create memories that will last a lifetime on the amazing family adventure holiday in Western Canada. Home to a range of wildlife, this trip gives you the opportunity to see both orcas and humpback whales, harbour seals, sea lions, porpoises, sea birds and rich intertidal life, as well as grizzly bears and other land-based wildlife. After a few days exploring Vancouver, spend three nights on a family kayaking and camping adventure from Port McNeill, with expert guides who are well acquainted with the whales and wildlife and experienced with working with children in both educational and outdoor settings. Children are often just as amazed by the seals and the crabs hiding under the rocks as they are with the whales, and the guides structure each day to suit a child’s style of exploration. Spend a day looking for grizzly bears with a First Nation guide who will take you on an intimate and immersive wildlife experience in their traditional territories have the opportunity to get up-close-and-personal with British Columbia’s iconic bears on an intimate and immersive wildlife watching experience.
The family base camp offers a very comfortable camping experience and is suitable for adventurous families even if they have little or no kayaking or camping experience. Roomy canvas tents, each raised off the ground on wooden platforms, are situated throughout the forest. The tents provide ample room and are outfitted with wooden beds with the thickest and widest Therm-a-rest mattresses available. Sheets, fleece blankets, full-size pillows, warm barrel-style sleeping bags, and hot water bottles are all provided to ensure a good night’s sleep. A recharging station for digital cameras, an extensive library of natural history books, a safari style bucket shower, and a large covered kitchen and dining area made from locally milled red cedar make for a very comfortable camping experience.
Day 1
Fly from the UK to Vancouver.
Vancouver is one of the world's most beautiful cities, rich with culture, nature and world-class shopping, dining and hotels. It’s also a fantastic place for kids of all ages! With hundreds of outdoor and indoor activities to entertain the whole family from interactive museums, cool attractions, fun festivals and amazing parks and activities, nobody will be bored. Take advantage of the city’s ocean-side location, with plenty of green space and outdoor experiences in and around the city, such as Stanley Park, the Skyride on Grouse Mountain, the Capillano Suspension Bridge and Park, Kitsilano Beach and Pool, kayak and paddle board tours. Make sure you visit FlyOver Canada, one of the city’s top attractions offering a spectacular 4-D flight simulation experience that sees you soaring across the country complete with mist, wind and scents!
Spend three nights exploring this world class city.
Day 4
Fly from Vancouver to Port Hardy, on arrival take a taxi to Port McNeil and transfer to the Black Bear resort for one night on room only. There is an 8:00 pm pre-trip meeting with your guides. Your guides will provide you with an overview for your trip, distribute dry bags to pack your clothing, and answer any questions.
Meals Included: None
Day 5
Meet at 8.30am to head down to the marina to load the water taxi. It is just a short walk from the hotel, and all your bags are transported by van. Extra luggage can be left at your hotel while you are on your kayak tour. The 45 to 60 minute water taxi ride takes you to the base camp. Upon arrival at the base camp your guides provide a site orientation, plus a kayak and safety briefing. You will kayak for a short time before lunch, giving you time to get used to the kayaks, the wilderness setting and get to know your group. The afternoon is spent kayaking and viewing the area's diverse wildlife.
Meals Included: Lunch – Dinner
Days 6 and 7
Each day brings a new journey; the camp is ideally situated for exploring the area, directly on killer whale travel routes and close to humpback whale feeding areas. Numerous islets which are home to a variety of sea birds, bald eagles and seals, are also close by. There is always plenty to see. Your kayak guides plan each day according to weather conditions, wildlife viewing opportunities and guest interests. Lunches are usually spent on a secluded beach, each night returning to the comforts of the base camp.
Every day is different, but rest assured, the ultimate goals are the same, exploring, kayaking, whale watching, wildlife viewing, and enjoying the scenery.
Meals Included: Breakfast - Lunch– Dinner
Day 8
On the last day of your kayak adventure, enjoy a hearty breakfast and pack up your personal gear before the water taxi pickup. The taxi takes you to the village of Telegraph Cove, a historic logging and fishing community. Here, you have a chance to visit the Whale Interpretive Centre and walk around one of the last boardwalk communities on Vancouver Island. From there you will be transported by road back to Port McNeil just after lunch.
Stay two nights at the Black Bear Resort, and possibly spend this evening with the guides and rest of the group from your kayak adventure on a fare-well dinner.
Meals Included: Breakfast – Lunch
Day 9
It will be an early start today (6.45am), but it will be worth it as you take a full day Grizzly Bear viewing trip to discover more about the bears and their natural habitat, as well as spot other wildlife. Bears are not normally found on Vancouver Island but are regularly seen on the nearby mainland coast. This all in one experience brings you to the natural habitat of Western Canada’s grizzly bears, while looking out for whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins, wolves and eagles while you cruise towards the coastal mainland’s viewing sites. Listen to the guides interpretation of local landscapes, and the ancient villages that were once occupied by the Musg̱a̱makw Dzawada̱’enux̱w people. It is important to note that every season is different and the guides will take you to wherever they believe you will have the best grizzly viewing experience. Viewing is mostly boat based from zodiacs, as the grizzlies will be foraging on sedge grass and turning over rocks on the beaches looking crabs and mussels. June and early July is the mating season with lots of interesting interaction. The big boars chase the not-too-interested females, displacing other bears along the beach. July is the season of cubs scrambling along behind their mum as they first explore their wilderness home. Later in the season the salmon return to the rivers which may bring viewing opportunities on land.
Meals Included: Breakfast – Lunch
Day 10
Take a taxi back to Port Hardy and fly to Vancouver for your flight home.
