Discover nature's royalty
Bear watching is one of Canada's most popular activities and with good reason. The country's bear watching is second to none. British Columbia is king when it comes to grizzlies with salmon-filled rivers and the temperate depths of the Great Bear Rainforest. You can find half of all Canada's grizzly bears in this province alone. Resorts like Knight Inlet Lodge and Nimmo enjoy enviable locations and experienced guides to help your chances of spotting them. Bear watching on Vancouver Island is one of the most rewarding activities as you can reliably see black bears foraging along the coastline. British Columbia is also home to the ethereal and elusive spirit bear, also known as the Kermode bear. This startling cream-coated subspecies of the black bear is found nowhere else in the world.
Canada has one of the longest bear-watching seasons in the world, so you'll have endless opportunities to view them. The bear season in Canada lasts from April or May to October when black and brown bears are out of hibernation. Churchill in Manitoba is the best location to search for polar bears during October and November. You can get right up to these beautiful giants on a Tundra buggy tour. Whether you’ve dreamed of grizzlies feasting on sockeye salmon or the world's largest land mammal roaming the wild Arctic, bear watching in Canada can make your dreams come true thanks to over 63 million acres of park and wildlife areas to explore.
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Recommended Holidays
Explore a collection of our handpicked Canada bear watching holidays below

Mountain Adventure
Explore Whistler in the summer and you will find excitement and adventure around every corner!
7 Nights From
£1,909
ppOverview
Explore Whistler in the summer and you will find excitement and adventure around every corner!
What’s included?
- International flights from the UK based on economy class
- 7 nights hotel accommodation
- Return transfers between Vancouver and Whistler
- Peak-2-Peak Gondola
- Bear viewing tour
- Zipline adventure

Pacific Rim Whales & Bears
Experience it all on this 7-day action packed tour, its full of wildlife searching & picturesque scenery around the beautiful Vancouver Island.
6 Nights From
£2,389
ppOverview
Experience it all on this 7-day action packed tour, its full of wildlife searching & picturesque scenery around the beautiful Vancouver Island.
What’s included?
- International flights from the UK based on economy class
- 6 nights hotel accommodation
- Scheduled Transfer from Vancouver to Victoria
- 3 hour whale watching tour in Victoria
- Scheduled flight from Victoria to Tofino
- 2 hour bear watching tour in Tofino
- Transfer from Tofino Hotel to Tofino Airport
- Scheduled flight from Tofino to Vancouver

Vancouver Island Explorer
From the historic capital of Victoria in the south to windswept beaches and rocky headlands at its northern tip, this self-drive gives you time to explore the best of Vancouver Island and some of the hidden gems in between.
14 Nights From
£2,459
ppOverview
From the historic capital of Victoria in the south to windswept beaches and rocky headlands at its northern tip, this self-drive gives you time to explore the best of Vancouver Island and some of the hidden gems in between.
What’s included?
- International flights from the UK based on economy class
- 14 nights hotel accommodation
- 13 days Intermediate car hire with Fully Inclusive insurance
- BC Ferries from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo
- BC Ferries from Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen

Whales, Bears & Vancouver Island
Experience it all, lively urban centres, remote wilderness at Sonora Resort, unrivalled beauty & fascinating aboriginal culture.
8 Nights From
£3,429
ppOverview
Experience it all, lively urban centres, remote wilderness at Sonora Resort, unrivalled beauty & fascinating aboriginal culture.
What’s included?
- International flights from the UK based on economy class
- 6 nights hotel accommodation
- 5 days Intermediate car hire with Fully Inclusive insurance
- 2 nights package at Sonora Resort
- Full board at Sonora Resort
- Whale watching tour by Covered Boat
- Bear watching tour by Covered Boat
- Eco Adventure tour
- Return water taxi transfer from Campbell River to Sonora Resort
- BC Ferries from Nanaimo to Horseshoe Bay
- Easy to follow roadbook with pre-planned stops & things to do along the way

Bear Viewing At Knight Inlet Lodge
If you have always dreamt of viewing bears in their natural habitat in a lush forest setting with dramatic snow-capped peaks & a rugged coastline, this holiday is the one for you.
6 Nights From
£4,919
ppOverview
If you have always dreamt of viewing bears in their natural habitat in a lush forest setting with dramatic snow-capped peaks & a rugged coastline, this holiday is the one for you.
What’s included?
- International flights from the UK based on economy class
- Domestic flights between Vancouver and Campbell River
- 3 nights hotel accommodation
- 3 nights Knight Inlet Lodge package inclusive of a pre night in Campbell River
- Scenic floatplane to/from Campbell River to Knight Inlet Lodge
- Bear viewing tours
- Knight Inlet sightseeing cruise
- Kayak tour of Glendal Cove
- Walking tour through the Kwalate River Valley
- Full board at Knight Inlet Lodge, starting with lunch on arrival day and ending with breakfast on the last day

Grizzly Bears & Pacific Shores
Stay at the Knight Inlet Lodge, where that first glimpse of a grizzly bear in the wild is a memory that will stay with you forever, and explore the coastal cities and National Parks of British Columbia.
9 Nights From
£4,999
ppOverview
Stay at the Knight Inlet Lodge, where that first glimpse of a grizzly bear in the wild is a memory that will stay with you forever, and explore the coastal cities and National Parks of British Columbia.
What’s included?
- International flights from the UK based on economy class
- 6 nights hotel accommodation
- 8 days Intermediate car hire with Fully Inclusive insurance
- BC Ferries from Horsehoe Bay to Nanaim including vehicle
- 3 nights Knight Inlet Lodge package inclusive of a pre night in Campbell River
- Scenic floatplane to/from Campbell River to Knight Inlet Lodge
- Bear viewing tours
- Knight Inlet sightseeing cruise
- Kayak tour of Glendale Cove
- Walking tour through the Kwalate River Valley
- Full board at Knight Inlet Lodge, starting with lunch on arrival day and ending with breakfast on the last day
- BC Ferries from Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen including vehicle

Islands, Bears & Sunshine
Explore the Southern Gulf Islands, Vancouver Island, and the Sunshine Coast and stay in the award winning Klahoose Wilderness Resort.
14 Nights From
£5,089
ppOverview
Explore the Southern Gulf Islands, Vancouver Island, and the Sunshine Coast and stay in the award winning Klahoose Wilderness Resort.
What’s included?
- International flights from the UK based on economy class
- 11 nights hotel accommodation
- 3 nights at Klahoose Wilderness Resort
- All meals at Klahoose Wilderness Resort from dinner on the first day to breakfast on departure day. House wine and beer are included with dinner
- Culture and Wildlife Tours including:
- Whale Watching Tours (all season)
- Spring Bear Viewing Tours by boat (May/Early June)
- Grizzly Bear Tours from viewing platforms (late August/September/October)
- Activities such as Indigenous storytelling, cedar weaving, wood carving, ocean foraging and a visit to a seasonal Klahoose village site led by Klahoose cultural interpreter
- Self-guided activities including: kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, ocean swimming, woodfire sauna and nature hikes and walks
- Return boat transfers between Lund and Klahoose Wilderness Resort
- 12 days Intermediate car hire with Fully Inclusive insurance
- BC Ferries from Tsawwassen to Salt Spring Island, Comox to Powell River, Saltery Bay to Earls Cove and Langdale to Horseshoe Bay

Discover Vancouver Island & Farewell Harbour Lodge
Discover some of Vancouver Island's lesser visited gems and spend 3 nights at the remote Farewell Harbour Lodge looking for humpback whales and grizzly bears.
13 Nights From
£5,559
ppOverview
Discover some of Vancouver Island's lesser visited gems and spend 3 nights at the remote Farewell Harbour Lodge looking for humpback whales and grizzly bears.
What’s included?
- International flights from the UK based on economy class
- 10 nights hotel accommodation
- 12 days Intermediate car hire with Fully Inclusive insurance
- BC Ferries from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo including vehicle
- 3 nights at Farewell Harbour Lodge
- Full board at Farewell Harbour Lodge starting with lunch on day 1 and ending with lunch on day of departure
- Return water taxi transfers between Alder Bay and Farewell Harbour Lodge
- Wildlife excursions during your stay at Farewell Harbour Lodge including a full day excursion to one of the grizzly bear viewing areas
- BC Ferries from Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen including vehicle

Glaciers & Grizzlies
Cruise to Alaska to enjoy breath-taking scenery full of mountain peaks and glaciers before staying at Knight Inlet Lode, a remote floating lodge located in prime grizzly bear viewing territory, the heart of British Columbia’s wilderness
13 Nights From
£6,179
ppOverview
Cruise to Alaska to enjoy breath-taking scenery full of mountain peaks and glaciers before staying at Knight Inlet Lode, a remote floating lodge located in prime grizzly bear viewing territory, the heart of British Columbia’s wilderness
What’s included?
- International flights from the UK based on economy class
- 3 nights hotel accommodation
- 7 nights on board Celebrity Cruises in an inside cabin
- Full board on Celebrity Cruises
- Return scheduled flights from Vancouver to Campbell River
- Return scenic floatplanes from Campbell River to Knight Inlet Lodge
- 3 nights Knight Inlet Lodge package inclusive of a pre night in Campbell River
- Full board at Knight Inlet Lodge
- Welcome orientation briefing
- Bear viewing tour
- Kayak tour of Glendale Cove
- Knight Inlet sightseeing cruise

Grizzly Bears Of The Coastal Mountains
Explore the Coastal Mountains of British Columbia before experiencing the thrill of grizzly bears in the wild at Tweedsmuir Park Lodge.
15 Nights From
£6,289
ppOverview
Explore the Coastal Mountains of British Columbia before experiencing the thrill of grizzly bears in the wild at Tweedsmuir Park Lodge.
What’s included?
- International flights from the UK based on economy class
- 12 nights hotel accommodation
- 3 nights at Tweedsmuir Park Lodge in a private timber-frame chalet
- 2 half-day or 1 full-day guided activity on each full day at the lodge with professionally trained and certified wilderness and wildlife guides.
- Access to private wildlife viewing platform
- 13 days Intermediate car hire with Fully Inclusive insurance
- BC Ferries from Bella Coola to Port Hardy and Nanaimo to Tsawwassen
Get in touch
Our team of experts are on hand to craft your perfect bear watching holiday.
Request a quoteExplore Canada bear watching holidays
Where to watch bears in Canada?
The Great Bear Rainforest
The Great Bear Rainforest is home to some of the best bear watching in Canada. This huge temperate rainforest stretches along British Columbia's coast from the top of Vancouver Island up to Alaska. This pristine environment is home to towering cedars, salmon-filled rivers and plenty of bears. Grizzlies and black bears live here, as well as the elusive white Spirit Bear or Kermode bear. You'll also find some bear-watching hotspots like Bella Bella, Bella Coola, Sonora and Knight Inlet. British Columbia is one of the best places to spot grizzlies fishing for salmon as there are lots of great grizzly bear viewing locations in the area.
Vancouver Island
Don't let the name "island" fool you - this place is as big as Scotland. Its lush forests are a hotspot for black bears and it has its own subspecies - the Vancouver Island black bear. Bear watching tours from Tofino, Port Hardy and Campbell River can take you to see these larger, blacker cousins of the mainland bears. They are easily spotted along the coast as they forage along the rocky shoreline looking for crabs and molluscs.
The Rocky Mountains
No trip to Banff or Jasper National Parks would be complete without spotting a bear by the roadside! You can frequently see black bears as you drive the Icefields Parkway from Lake Louise to Jasper. The Lake Louise Gondola is a fantastic high vantage point to spot bears foraging in the vegetation below. Revelstoke is another hotspot for bears and you could see them as you mountain bike through the forests.
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Where to watch bears in Canada?
Hudson Bay
In Northern Manitoba, just outside the town of Churchill on the shores of Hudson Bay, an incredible wildlife spectacle occurs. Polar bears congregate here en masse waiting for the sea ice to freeze so they can resume hunting. Hudson Bay is one of the best places in the world to see the largest land predator. Specially adapted tundra buses transport you across the frozen landscape for a close-up glimpse of these majestic animals.
Kluane National Park
Kluane National Park sits in the southwestern corner of Yukon and borders Alaska. It acts as a gateway to incredible bear watching in both countries. The Alsek River is home to grizzlies and you could be lucky enough to spot one while rafting, horse-riding or on a flightseeing trip. A driving holiday through untouched and less crowded wilds of Alaska and Yukon is another great way to spot this region's incredible wildlife.
Recommended Wildlife Lodges...
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Did you know?
Canada is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including iconic animals such as polar bears, moose, beavers, wolverines, and caribou. With its diverse habitats and vast size, Canada is a great place to see wildlife in its natural habitat.
See Canada's bears for yourself
Watch this inspiring video to see how close you could come to Canada's iconic wildlife
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Our Expert Team
Speak to one of our Canada travel experts and start planning your dream holiday to Canada today. Take a look at our Meet the Team page to find out more.

Julie Heath
Julie has been at Canadian Affair for nearly three years and has been working in travel for thirty-three years.

Mark Carson
Mark has been working for Canadian Affair for over three years but has been travelling to Canada regularly since 1989.

Karen Dougan
Karen has been working at Canadian Affair for over ten years, making her the true definition of a Canada travel expert.

Jemma Price
Jemma has been at Canadian Affair for two years and has extensive travel experience across North America.

Hannah Littlewood
Hannah joined Canadian Affair last year after having lived in Canada for two years prior to this, giving her expert local knowledge.

Kate Mitchell
Kate has been working at Canadian Affair for over a year and has travelled to Canada multiple times.

Andrew Blenkiron
Andrew has worked in travel for over twelve years, with two years as a Canada specialist, and has travelled all over Canada.
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