Whales and Grizzlies

 

Vancouver	The Wedgewood Hotel	2 nights
Victoria	Hotel Grand Pacific	2 nights
Tofino	Long Beach Lodge	2 nights
Campbell River	Painter's Lodge	2 nights
Nekite Valley	Great Bear Lodge	3 nights
Port Hardy	Quarterdeck Inn	1 night
Vancouver	The Wedgewood Hotel	1 night

Click on the name of the hotel for details

15 days from £2680

excluding international flights

DAY 1 - Arrive Vancouver.

On arrival at Vancouver International Airport take a taxi (not included) to your centrally-located hotel. Recommended flight: British Airways from London Heathrow (see below). If you are travelling from a country other than the UK we would be happy to give you guidance on your flight options.

PRIVATE LIMOUSINE TRANSFERS: If you prefer we can arrange for you to be met at Vancouver Airport by a representative of World Discovery and taken by private chauffeur-driven limousine to your hotel. The one-way cost is £34 per person.

DAY 2 - Vancouver.

Vancouver is arguably Canada's most attractive city, a cosmopolitan metropolis of excellent shops and restaurants, galleries and museums, and some of the finest sea-to-sky vistas of any city in the world. Take a walk around the Stanley Park Seawall for some superb mountain and city views, taking in the colourful collection of native totem poles. Explore the historic Gastown area with its unique steam clock. Or head to the North Shore to see the Capilano Suspension Bridge [more] and take the Skyride to the summit of Grouse Mountain [more] for panoramic views across the city.

DAY 3 - Across the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver Island.

Pick up your rental car and drive to the ferry terminal for your journey by B. C. Ferries across the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver Island. The voyage takes around an hour and 45 minutes and your route takes you through some beautiful scenery, passing between Salt Spring Island and North Pender Island en route to Swartz Bay where you disembark. Drive to Victoria, British Columbia's charming provincial capital, and check in at your hotel. In the afternoon you are free to explore the city, with its trademark English colonial buildings, including the venerable Empress Hotel overlooking the pretty Inner Harbour.

DAY 4 - Victoria. Whale-watching excursion.

This morning you will be collected from your hotel for an included Orca whale-watching excursion. There is a choice of vessels, from small cruiser to zodiac boat. The on-board naturalist will give commentary on the marine ecology and canrecognize individual orca whales by sight. The waters of Juan de FucaStrait are best known for their pods of orca whales but grey whales, minkewhales, humpback whales, dolphins and porpoise may also be sighted. The cruise lasts approximately 3 hours and the rest of the day is at leisure in Victoria.

DAY 5 - Drive to Tofino.

Leave Victoria for the drive through beautiful Vancouver Island. You might want to stop off at the famous Butchart Gardens [more], located 23km/14 miles from Victoria. Your onward journey takes you to Cathedral Grove Provincial Park, designed to protect a Douglas Fir old-growth forest (pictured left). The wind storms coming off the west coast of Vancouver Island have wreaked havoc on the giant trees of Cathedral Grove over many years; the surviving trees, some of which are over 800 years old, are awe-inspiring. One of the oldest Douglas Fir trees is an amazing 9 metres in diameter. There are well-marked walking trails located on both sides of the highway. In the late afternoon you should reach the west coast of the island and continue to your accommodation in Tofino, close to the Pacific Rim National Park.

DAY 6 - Tofino. Whale-watching excursion.

Your second whale-watching trip is included this morning. You will travel partly along the coast to the area where whales are active, primarily Gray whales, but also humpback, minke and killer whales (orcas). Stops are made to explain the rainforest and marine ecosystems of the area, and you should see seals, sea lions, bald eagles, harbour porpoise and black bear. The trip lasts around 2 hours 30 mintes and you have a choice of either a zodiac (appropriate waterproof clothing is provided) or a covered vessel with heated cabin and washroom facilities. The afternoon is free to explore Tofino, with its spectacular setting on Clayoquot Sound, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve).

DAY 7 - Drive to Campbell River.

Return across Vancouver Island to the east coast and head for Campbell River on Discovery Passage, best known for its sport fishing - it is known as the 'Salmon capital of the world' - but also a delightful place just to spend a few days amidst beautiful surroundings.

DAY 8 - Campbell River.

At leisure. Activities available include scuba diving, sea kayaking and white-water rafting. Or you may wish to join another whale-watching excursion to view the orcas that populate the nearby Johnstone Strait.

DAY 9 - Fly to the Great Bear Rainforest.

Drive along the coast to Port Hardy, where you will drop off your rental car. In the afternoon join your small group (maximum size 10 guests) and fly by seaplane across the rich waters of the Queen Charlotte Strait to the isolated Great Bear Lodge, your home for the next 4 days. You will be met by your hosts and shown to your room. In the late afternoon your grizzly bear experience begins. There is a range of different viewing sites, and your guide will choose one where the bears have been most active. Estuary sites are reached by boat, while river sites are reached by bus.
Meals included: dinner.

DAYS 10 AND 11 - Great Bear Rainforest.

Two bear viewing sessions are scheduled each day at the lodge, onein the morning and one in the afternoon. The sessions are tailored to theactivities of the bears, observing them when they are most active intheir chosen habitats. Viewing blinds (pictured left) have been constructed withphotographers in mind. They are comfortable and optimal places to shootfrom. When the bears move from the river to the estuary, we view themfrom a boat. Each season offers a unique view intothe world of grizzly bears in the Great Bear Rainforest. A wonderfultime for photography, Spring sees you taken to the estuary to observe the grizzlies as they graze on grasses and sedges and engage in mating behaviour. Birdlife is abundant at this time of the year, and long hours of daylight ensure optimal light for photography. At this time you will view the bears from small boats, watching the bears quietly. During the Summer season, the grizzlies move between the various habitats to optimize  their feeding. You will find them gorging on berry patches, grazing on estuarine grasslands and scouting for the early salmon. The grizzly bears congregate at the river in Autumn to take advantage of the best food source available on the coast:Pacific salmon. Watch as each individual bear demonstrates its own fishing style, from methodically checking under riverbanks with their paws to charging up the river after salmon. Images on days 9, 10 and 11 are © Tom Rivest, Great Bear Nature Tours.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch and dinner each day.

DAY 12 - Return to Port Hardy.

After a final session with the bears you will enjoy a farewell lunch at the Great Bear Lodge, and in the late afternoon you will fly back to Port Hardy by seaplane. Transfer to your hotel for overnight.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch.

DAY 13 - Fly to Vancouver.

In the morning take a scheduled flight to Vancouver and return to your hotel (transfer not included but see the note on DAY 1 above). The rest of the day is at leisure

DAY 14 - Depart for home.

At leisure until you travel to Vancouver International Airport to check in for the return flight.

DAY 15 - Arrive home.

Arrive London Heathrow in the morning.

International Flights.

We recommend the services of British Airways from London Heathrow. Flights can be booked through their easy-to-use website www.britishairways.com/travel. Current timings (subject to possible change) are as follows:
Heathrow/Vancouver. Depart at 13.10; arrive Vancouver at 18.35
Vancouver/Heathrow. Depart at 17.55; arrive Heathrow at 13.15 (next day)

Whales and Grizzlies (Tour Reference: WDCA002)
2010 Departures
Price per person based on a minimum of two persons travelling together:

Daily	Price
1 May to 4 Jun; 17 Jun to 8 Aug	£2680
5 to 16 Jun	£2745
9 Aug to 30 Sep	£3195
1 to 31 Oct	£2938

Single Room Supplements on request.

The price includes:

• Hotel accommodation as listed above in twin-bedded rooms with private facilities, on a room only basis (except at the Great Bear Lodge where all meals are included.
• 3 Full breakfasts, 3 lunches and 3 dinners.
  
• 7 days car rental (Compact group - e.g. Ford Focus) including unlimited kilometres, Provincial Sales Tax, Loss Damage Waiver (LDW), Concession Free Recovery (CFR), Vehicle Licensing Fee (VLF), Passenger Vehicle Rental Tax (PVRT), Tax for fuel conservation (TFFC) and Air Conditioning Surcharge Recovery (ACSURCH). Upgrades are available to other vehicles.
• 2 whale-watching excursions as shown. A full programme of bear viewing and other activities in the Great Bear Rainforest. NB. A liability waiver must be signed by participants in adventure activities.
• Document pack on arrival at your first hotel with maps, safety tips for wildlife viewing, and detailed information about your trip
• Applicable taxes and General Sales Tax (GST) refunds

Not included in the price:

• International flights (see our recommendation above). We are happy to discuss the flights with you and give you further guidance
• International airport taxes
• Optional sightseeing
• Meals
• Car parking at hotels

A deposit of £350 per person is required at the time of booking. The balance of the price for your travel arrangements must be paid at least 8 weeks before your departure date.