Bolivia
South Africa
A World Before Man
British Columbia is truly a land of sweeping forests, endless mountains and unspoilt rivers and lakes, and nowhere is this truer than on Vancouver Island. Fabulous Coastal scenery, incredible Coastal Temperate Rainforests, and habitats hardly touched by man combine to provide a home for a rich array of fauna and flora that reaches its zenith in the large mammal populations. Both marine and land mammals can here be seen more easily and in good numbers than perhaps anywhere on the continent.
One of the best places to see orcas and humpbacks (and other wildlife!) in the world, the Broughton Archipelago and Telegraph Cove area boasts incredibly productive and sheltered water where wildlife thrive. The Northern resident orca population numbers well over 200 individuals, and the Biggs orca population on the Northwest coast is several hundred members strong. The number of humpback whales returning to feed here has been increasing from only 7 individuals in 2003 to around 100 now. The productive water also attracts dolphins, porpoises, sea otters, sea lions, seals and numerous species of birds including Bald Eagles.
We have a stunning total of twenty four hours on the water with 5 dedicated wildlife watching boat trips as well as a further 5 hours spent on scenic ferry journeys in the Johnstone Strait. The boat trips are well-known for the guaranteed wildlife shows with pods of Orcas frequently observed at close range. These are exceptionally dynamic animals are every encounter seems to reveal a new facet of their daily lives – it is astonishing just how well one can see these incredibly powerful inhabitants of the island’s seas. The Orcas we’ll see in the Johnson Strait area are part of the Resident pods that usually feed on fish, however we’ll also have a chance to see the West Coast Transient pods. These have altogether different behaviours and feeding strategy; they prey on sea mammals such as sea lions and young whales.
This is the ideal season to see Humpback Whales as they follow the Pilchard migrations. We’ll see them often and likely will get the chance to see and photograph breaching whales or observe them bubble netting and trapping their prey next to rock walls. Boat trips from the west coast looking for Dall’s Porpoise, Gray Whales and Black Bears ‘flipping rocks’ at low tide in search of crabs on the beaches. We could easily see more than half a dozen Black Bears on the Bear-watching trip, often with older cubs. The Vancouver Black Bear subspecies is the largest subspecies and is always velvety black unlike the smaller and more variable-coloured mainland bears. Marbled Murrelet, Red-necked Phalarope, and Pelagic Cormorants are likely as are Harbour Porpoises, Pacific White-sided Dolphin, Harbour Seal and Steller and Californian Sea Lions. We can hope for Minke Whale and ‘sea’ Wolf sightings on Vargas Island, too.
Sea Otters have returned in numbers to the Pacific Coast after being driven to the verge of extinction. They have increased dramatically in numbers in recent years which has been great news for the underwater kelp forests as the Otters prey on their main herbivore, the sea urchin. The study of the change in habitats bought about by the return of the Sea Otter has been fundamental in elucidating the idea of Trophic Cascades, an important concept now in ecological understanding. Sea Otters are exceptionally cute animals both in appearance and in their playful behaviour Our boat cruise from Port Alice will give us a great chance to observe them at length as well as to photograph these beautiful mammals, with excellent opportunities to observe large rafts of otters, mothers with cubs resting on mum’s furry stomach, and lone males.
Bute Inlet’s Grizzly Bear boat trips are famed for both the frequency and quality of sightings. 95% of trips see bears and if we don’t they’ll take us again! Experienced captains take us across the Salish Sea where we have excellent whale and sea mammal watching opportunities on one of the most scenic boat trips ever. On reaching the very tip of the inlet having passed through ever bluer glacial waters, we will disembark, have a lunch on the dock and be met by our First Nations Klahoose guides who have un-paralleled knowledge about exactly where the bears will be at any given time. We’ll have plenty of time to watch them and photograph as they catch Salmon, or as the cubs play on the shore.
Wandering Vancouver’s old growth temperate rainforests is an experience that will leave you awed. The moss and fern-laden understory is peppered with giants – Western hemlock, Yellow Cedar, Western Red Cedar, Douglas-fir, Amabilis Fir and Sitka Spruce – these are some of the largest trees in North America. Red squirrels scold us as we watch Steller’s Jays, Pacific Wren and Chestnut-backed Chickadee. River Otters could be seen in any of the rivers, waterfalls, harbours and inlets we visit. Otters, Black Bears, Grizzly Bears and of course Bald Eagles all converge on the rivers as four species of Salmon begin their epic journeys upriver to spawn, a magnificent spectacle in its own right. Three deer species are possible, we will frequently see Mule Deer and Black-tailed Deer even in gardens, the huge endemic Roosevelt Elk is shyer.
Dates and Prices
24th August - 7th September 2027 (15 days)
* doesn't apply if you're willing to share and a room-mate can be arranged
Bear-watching and Whale-watching, also other Mammals, Birds and Landscapes.
The maximum group size is 10. A second leader will accompany a group of 6 or more.
All flights. All transport, accommodation and meals in Vancouver. Services of your leaders. Please note: drinks, tips and items of a personal nature such as travel insurance, are not included.
Mammal, bird and flora (selected) checklists are available.
This tour has good quality accommodations with en suite facilities throughout. After our arrival in Vancouver we’ll have a night in the Coast Tsawwassen Inn. In the seaside community of Tsawwassen this premium quality hotel is handily positioned too for the ferry terminal. Then we have three nights at Best Western Tin Wis Lodge, which offers a true West Coast experience right on the secluded and serene Mackenzie Beach in Tofino. Every room features stunning ocean views and easy access to the beach. Then we move to the tiny, remote, incredibly scenic settlement of Port Alice deep in the Neroutsos Inlet. Here we will be in lovely B & B rooms hosted by Meghan and Ron (who will captain our boat trip) and large two-bedroomed apartments. Only one couple/single will be in each apartment. These are basic but clean, comfortable and well equipped. After three nights here we’ve two nights in the peaceful community at Alert Bay at the Nimpkish Hotel on an island between ‘mainland’ Vancouver Island and Malcolm Island in the famed Johnstone Strait. The hotel practically overhangs the seafront, so sea views and sea watching for birds and mammals including Humpbacks, Steller Sea Lions and Sea Otters is always on the menu. After three nights in the conveniently located Coast Discovery Inn, Campbell River we’ll return to than mainland for the last night of the tour, once again at the Coast Tsawwassen Inn in Vancouver.
Very easy. No more than three or four miles in any one day, and always at a relaxed pace ideally suited to photographers. Mostly on trails and paths.
Boat Trips
Boat trips are a major highlight of this trip, with 5 trips totaling over 24 hours on the water in some of the finest mammal watching areas in the world! We are almost always in inlets or on the Johnsons Strait between Vancouver Island and the mainland, so waters are usually calm though of course some swell is possible when close to open ocean. We are in covered boats except for the Sea Smoke trip out of Alert Bay where we have a Rigid Inflatable all to ourselves. This is a different experience, a smaller, faster boat and we will all be wearing warm, waterproof flotation suits. All the boats have excellent viewing opportunities, expert crew and are knowledgeable and respectful of wildlife. All the boats have a wc (of some sort!)on board.
UK return flights are direct from London or Manchester* to Vancouver. Other indirect routes from regional UK Airports* may be available.
*These routes may incur a supplement.
Early autumn temperatures are generally mild with daily maxima being between 12°C and 18°C, cooler at night. Rain is not infrequent but quantities are not usually large.
Contact us to check if there is availability for the number of places you require. Click on the ‘Book this Tour’ button on this page to be taken to the online booking form or contact us and we will send one to you which you can complete and send back to us. You will receive confirmation of your place, and then a detailed information pack will be dispatched to you about twelve weeks before departure. This will contain up-to-date health information.
