Experience the best of British Columbia's expansive wilderness and wildlife on this small-group, five-day, four-night tour. You can begin in either Vancouver or Victoria, and you'll have three full days of whale-watching, bear-viewing and exploring in Alert Bay, a picturesque town on Cormorant Island. No matter if you start in Vancouver or Victoria, you will return via plane to Vancouver. All transportation and accommodation arrangements are made for you, and you will have ample time for independent exploration.
Highlights
- 5-day 4-night wildlife tour to Alert Bay from either Vancouver or Victoria
- See majestic orcas (killer whales) and impressive grizzly bears in their natural habitats
- Explore one of the last authentic coastal communities of British Columbia
- Stay at a waterfront, lodge-style bed and breakfast
- Four breakfasts, one lunch and one dinner are included
- All tours and transfers are pre-arranged for your convenience
Useful Information
Orca Whale Pod
On this five-day tour from either Vancouver or Victoria to Alert Bay, off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island, you’ll explore British Columbia’s pristine waters and wilderness areas to see orcas (killer whales) and grizzlies in their natural habitats! This tour is designed to provide you with authentic wildlife and cultural experiences while staying on a remote island in the Northern Gulf Islands. You'll be treated with a high level of service at a four-star bed and breakfast and will have free time to explore the colorful village of Alert Bay.
The setting for this eco-adventure is the remote coastal wilderness that encompasses Johnstone Strait, a deep and narrow, glacier-carved passage between the east coast of Vancouver Island and the BC mainland. This area sports sheltered waters and plentiful wildlife, including the largest population of killer whales in western North America. At the end of the strait lies Knight Inlet, home to a thriving population of grizzly bears. During the course of your three full days on Cormorant Island, one day will be occupied by whale watching and another day will focus on grizzly bear viewing. You’ll also have a day to explore the village of Alert Bay, one of the few remaining authentic coastal communities on BC’s west coast.
Overlooking Johnstone Strait, the log, lodge-style bed and breakfast where you'll be staying offers panoramic views of sunsets, mountains, local marine traffic and occasional pods of orcas. Ramble around this 3,000-square-foot (28-sq-meter) retreat during your free time and enjoy your private room and bathroom (double or single occupancy depending on selection). A large common room and sundeck are favorite places for guests to gather, converse and dine. From the lodge, Alert Bay is 1.2 miles (2 km) along the ocean-front road. From the village, attractions like the U'Mista Cultural Centre, Big Tree Trail and Ecological Gardens are short walks away.
The setting for this eco-adventure is the remote coastal wilderness that encompasses Johnstone Strait, a deep and narrow, glacier-carved passage between the east coast of Vancouver Island and the BC mainland. This area sports sheltered waters and plentiful wildlife, including the largest population of killer whales in western North America. At the end of the strait lies Knight Inlet, home to a thriving population of grizzly bears. During the course of your three full days on Cormorant Island, one day will be occupied by whale watching and another day will focus on grizzly bear viewing. You’ll also have a day to explore the village of Alert Bay, one of the few remaining authentic coastal communities on BC’s west coast.
Overlooking Johnstone Strait, the log, lodge-style bed and breakfast where you'll be staying offers panoramic views of sunsets, mountains, local marine traffic and occasional pods of orcas. Ramble around this 3,000-square-foot (28-sq-meter) retreat during your free time and enjoy your private room and bathroom (double or single occupancy depending on selection). A large common room and sundeck are favorite places for guests to gather, converse and dine. From the lodge, Alert Bay is 1.2 miles (2 km) along the ocean-front road. From the village, attractions like the U'Mista Cultural Centre, Big Tree Trail and Ecological Gardens are short walks away.
Itinerary
Itinerary:
Accommodation for all four nights is at the Alert Bay Lodge.
Day 1 (from Vancouver) - Alert Bay, BC:
Catch your morning or early afternoon flight (included) from Vancouver South Terminal to Port Hardy, on Vancouver Island. Upon arrival at Port Hardy airport, catch a taxi to Port McNeill (included) in time to make the 5:10pm ferry to Alert Bay (ferry fee is NOT included; approx. $9). After a 35-minute voyage, catch a taxi (approx. $5) at the ferry terminal for the three-minute drive down the ocean road to the Alert Bay Lodge. You can also call the lodge from the ferry and the manager will try to pick you up, but this cannot be guaranteed.
Meals included: Dinner
Day 1 (from Victoria) - Alert Bay, BC:
After an early morning departure from downtown Victoria, your coach begins its journey up the east coast of Vancouver Island. Pass by small towns, separated by forests and rolling hills. After Campbell River, the Island Highway takes you into the sparsely populated Nimpkish Valley – keep your eyes peeled for Roosevelt elk and black bears. The coach tour concludes in Port McNeill in time to make the 5:10pm ferry to Alert Bay. After the 35-minute voyage, catch a taxi (approx. $5) at the ferry terminal for the three-minute drive down the ocean road to the Alert Bay Lodge. You can also call the lodge from the ferry and the manager will try to pick you up, but this cannot be guaranteed.
Meals included: Dinner
Day 2 - Alert Bay, BC:
Spend Day 2 exploring the village of Alert Bay. After breakfast, the lodge manager will provide you with tickets to U'Mista Cultural Centre and a map highlighting attractions on the 3-mile-long (5-km ) Cormorant Island.
The village can be easily explored on foot from the Alert Bay Lodge. Attractions include the Tourism Information Centre, shops and galleries featuring native art, and the U'Mista Cultural Centre, which features historic and contemporary artwork, including the reclaimed First Nations potlatch collection (admission included). Up the hill you’ll find First Nations dancing at the Big House (schedule permitting) and the Ecological Gardens and Big Tree Trail.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 3 - Alert Bay, BC:
Head off Cormorant Island to historic Telegraph Cove, the departure point for your whale-watching tour. The excursion begins with a transfer from Alert Bay Lodge to the 9:40am BC Ferry to Port McNeill. From there, a taxi will escort you to the village of Telegraph Cove (population 20!), where you’ll arrive at approx. 10:30am.
As your whale-watching tour doesn’t start until 1pm, you’ll have some time to explore Telegraph Cove. Once the northern terminus of a telegraph line that began in Campbell River and stretched from tree to tree along Vancouver Island's east coast, Telegraph Cove is one of the last boardwalk communities of eastern Vancouver Island. Stroll along the boardwalk, admire the historic buildings and perhaps decide to enjoy lunch at the local pub. Or visit the Whale Interpretative Centre with displays that highlight the biology, habitat needs and threats to orcas and other local marine mammals.
Your 3.5-hour wildlife-watching tour departs Telegraph Cove at 1pm. During the tour, the onboard naturalist will lead the search for orcas, humpback and Minke whales. Other marine life sightings may include Dahl porpoises, harbor porpoises, Pacific white-sided dolphins and sea lions. Bald eagles and many species of birds are plentiful and, along the shore, black bear, deer and cougar may be spotted. You’ll also learn how local whale-watching practices conform to the "Be Whale Wise" guidelines established by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
The tour returns at approx. 4:30pm – leaving you time to stretch your legs for a few minutes before boarding a high-speed boat that will whisk you across Johnstone Strait back to Alert Bay, arriving there by 5:30pm.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 4 - Alert Bay, BC:
Depart at 6:45am from Alert Bay for a full day on the water to seek out grizzly bears in their natural habitat. Your destination is Knight Inlet, a two-hour ride by covered boat into Johnstone Strait. Becoming famous for its population of grizzly bears, Knight Inlet is a long and deep, glacier-carved fjord surrounded by snow-capped mountains and steep-sided, forested cliffs.
Here you’ll drift, paddle and motor quietly around an estuary, looking for grizzly bears as they feed on the sedges and grasses at high tide. Low tide brings more bears out, and you may see them turn over large boulders in their search for crabs, isopods and beach barnacles. On some tides, you might transfer to a flat-bottomed skiff to get into the shallows. Please bring your binoculars and camera! Lunch is included.
Meals included: Breakfast and lunch
Day 5 - Alert Bay, BC:
After breakfast your taxi will be called to pick you up and take you to catch the ferry to Port McNeill. Your up-island journey continues when you’re picked up by taxi at the Port McNeill Ferry Terminal and escorted to Port Hardy Airport. Here, catch your scheduled afternoon flight to Vancouver.
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation for all four nights is at the Alert Bay Lodge.
Day 1 (from Vancouver) - Alert Bay, BC:
Catch your morning or early afternoon flight (included) from Vancouver South Terminal to Port Hardy, on Vancouver Island. Upon arrival at Port Hardy airport, catch a taxi to Port McNeill (included) in time to make the 5:10pm ferry to Alert Bay (ferry fee is NOT included; approx. $9). After a 35-minute voyage, catch a taxi (approx. $5) at the ferry terminal for the three-minute drive down the ocean road to the Alert Bay Lodge. You can also call the lodge from the ferry and the manager will try to pick you up, but this cannot be guaranteed.
Meals included: Dinner
Day 1 (from Victoria) - Alert Bay, BC:
After an early morning departure from downtown Victoria, your coach begins its journey up the east coast of Vancouver Island. Pass by small towns, separated by forests and rolling hills. After Campbell River, the Island Highway takes you into the sparsely populated Nimpkish Valley – keep your eyes peeled for Roosevelt elk and black bears. The coach tour concludes in Port McNeill in time to make the 5:10pm ferry to Alert Bay. After the 35-minute voyage, catch a taxi (approx. $5) at the ferry terminal for the three-minute drive down the ocean road to the Alert Bay Lodge. You can also call the lodge from the ferry and the manager will try to pick you up, but this cannot be guaranteed.
Meals included: Dinner
Day 2 - Alert Bay, BC:
Spend Day 2 exploring the village of Alert Bay. After breakfast, the lodge manager will provide you with tickets to U'Mista Cultural Centre and a map highlighting attractions on the 3-mile-long (5-km ) Cormorant Island.
The village can be easily explored on foot from the Alert Bay Lodge. Attractions include the Tourism Information Centre, shops and galleries featuring native art, and the U'Mista Cultural Centre, which features historic and contemporary artwork, including the reclaimed First Nations potlatch collection (admission included). Up the hill you’ll find First Nations dancing at the Big House (schedule permitting) and the Ecological Gardens and Big Tree Trail.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 3 - Alert Bay, BC:
Head off Cormorant Island to historic Telegraph Cove, the departure point for your whale-watching tour. The excursion begins with a transfer from Alert Bay Lodge to the 9:40am BC Ferry to Port McNeill. From there, a taxi will escort you to the village of Telegraph Cove (population 20!), where you’ll arrive at approx. 10:30am.
As your whale-watching tour doesn’t start until 1pm, you’ll have some time to explore Telegraph Cove. Once the northern terminus of a telegraph line that began in Campbell River and stretched from tree to tree along Vancouver Island's east coast, Telegraph Cove is one of the last boardwalk communities of eastern Vancouver Island. Stroll along the boardwalk, admire the historic buildings and perhaps decide to enjoy lunch at the local pub. Or visit the Whale Interpretative Centre with displays that highlight the biology, habitat needs and threats to orcas and other local marine mammals.
Your 3.5-hour wildlife-watching tour departs Telegraph Cove at 1pm. During the tour, the onboard naturalist will lead the search for orcas, humpback and Minke whales. Other marine life sightings may include Dahl porpoises, harbor porpoises, Pacific white-sided dolphins and sea lions. Bald eagles and many species of birds are plentiful and, along the shore, black bear, deer and cougar may be spotted. You’ll also learn how local whale-watching practices conform to the "Be Whale Wise" guidelines established by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
The tour returns at approx. 4:30pm – leaving you time to stretch your legs for a few minutes before boarding a high-speed boat that will whisk you across Johnstone Strait back to Alert Bay, arriving there by 5:30pm.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 4 - Alert Bay, BC:
Depart at 6:45am from Alert Bay for a full day on the water to seek out grizzly bears in their natural habitat. Your destination is Knight Inlet, a two-hour ride by covered boat into Johnstone Strait. Becoming famous for its population of grizzly bears, Knight Inlet is a long and deep, glacier-carved fjord surrounded by snow-capped mountains and steep-sided, forested cliffs.
Here you’ll drift, paddle and motor quietly around an estuary, looking for grizzly bears as they feed on the sedges and grasses at high tide. Low tide brings more bears out, and you may see them turn over large boulders in their search for crabs, isopods and beach barnacles. On some tides, you might transfer to a flat-bottomed skiff to get into the shallows. Please bring your binoculars and camera! Lunch is included.
Meals included: Breakfast and lunch
Day 5 - Alert Bay, BC:
After breakfast your taxi will be called to pick you up and take you to catch the ferry to Port McNeill. Your up-island journey continues when you’re picked up by taxi at the Port McNeill Ferry Terminal and escorted to Port Hardy Airport. Here, catch your scheduled afternoon flight to Vancouver.
Meals included: Breakfast
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