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- Grizzly Bears Of The Coastal Mountains
Grizzly Bears Of The Coastal Mountains
From £6,529 pp
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15 nights
Fly Drive
Wildlife-
Economy flights
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Available April - October
Explore the Coastal Mountains of British Columbia, a stunning region where snow-capped mountains drop down into the ocean, on this self-drive holiday. You start in Vancouver, where the Coast Mountains begin and follow the famous Sea-to-Sky Highway to Whistler which is nestled in the heart of this major mountain range. As you travel north, you will pass countless lakes, cut by the mighty glaciers that once covered the land, before experiencing the thrill of grizzly bears in the wild at Tweedsmuir Park Lodge. Here you will spend 3 nights, watching grizzly bears as they feast on salmon in the Atnarko River. After a scenic ferry ride on the Discovery Passage, your holiday ends with time on the east coast of Vancouver Island.
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
Special Offers
Take advantage of the following offers on this holiday
Accommodation in British Columbia Offer
Receive up to a 30% discount on hotel stays
Save up to 30% across our extensive hotel range in the province of British Columbia. Offer valid for selected dates and hotels for the 2024/2025 seasons. Call us today for more information.
HURRY, OFFER ENDS SOON
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Holiday Map
Explore our interactive map to discover your holiday route and key points of interest.
Start
Finish
Stops
Point of interest
Your day-to-day plan
Day 1-3
Vancouver
Arrive at Vancouver International Airport and transfer independently to your downtown hotel. The next two days are yours to explore this enchanting coastal city. Take a stroll round Stanley Park, head over to Granville Island to discover a world of food, art and culture or take a shuttle bus over to the North Shore and the famous Capilano Suspension Bridge, hanging 70 metres over the Capilano River.
Day 4-5
Whistler
Today you will drive the famous Sea-to-Sky Highway, a stunning drive with the soaring Coast Mountains on one side and blue waters of Howe Sound on the other. Although it’s only 2 hours from Vancouver to Whistler, be prepared for this drive to take all day as there are plenty of attractions off the highway such as Brandywine Falls, Alice Lake, and the Britannia Mine Museum. The next day is free to allow you to explore Whistler, a vibrant year-round resort nestled amongst the Pacific Coastal mountains. Stroll the pedestrian downtown, which is home to fabulous restaurants, bars, and souvenir shops, take the gondola up Whistler Mountain and enjoy breath-taking views or join a bear-watching tour to go in search of local black bears.
Day 6
108 Mile House
Leave Whistler behind and follow Highway 99 north as it winds its way through the Coast Mountain range. Be amazed by the spectacular scenery as you travel alongside fast-flowing rivers and past vibrant blue lakes and gushing waterfalls. We recommend picking up a picnic lunch at a farm shop in Pemberton to enjoy on the beach at Seaton Lake. As you pass Lillooet, you leave the Coast Mountain range behind, the scenery suddenly changes as you enter the semi-arid rolling hills of the BC interior.
Day 7-8
Anahim Lake
Don’t worry, you won’t be out of the mountains for long, as today you turn west back towards the Coast Mountains! Your destination is Eagle’s Nest Resort, beautifully located on the shores of Anahim Lake. You have a full day at the resort, where you can simply relax and enjoy the scenery and birdlife, go hiking or canoeing on the lake, or take a sightseeing tour into Tweedsmuir Provincial Park to see Turner Lake and Hunlen Falls, the third highest free-falling waterfall in Canada.
Day 9
Tweedsmuir Park Lodge
Continue west and enter the Great Bear Rainforest, the largest coastal temperate rainforest in the world which is home to both Black Bears and Grizzly Bears along with other iconic Canadian wildlife. Arrive at Tweedsmuir Park Lodge by 14:00 to enjoy lunch and a drink on the sun deck. Later that afternoon there will be a welcome reception, property orientation, and the Grizzly Bear 101 presentation. As you settle into your accommodation, relax, enjoy the scenery, and watch for wildlife such as River Otters, Bald Eagles, Black Bears and Grizzly Bears.
Day 10
Tweedsmuir Park Lodge
The day starts early with a walk to the wildlife viewing stations reserved for the exclusive use of Tweedsmuir Park Lodge guests. Early morning is a great time to spot bears as they feast on the salmon in the Atnarko River, and the raised structures provide open lines of sight along the river. After a hearty breakfast, it’s time to meet your guide for a drift on the Atnarko River in search of more bears. It’s a great time to enjoy a scenic float - during the quietest time of day. Return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon, meet your guide for an Interpretive nature walk in the old growth forests of Tweedsmuir Park, the largest provincial park in British Columbia. Your naturalist guide will show you how to track bears, and will point out various bear signs, including rub trees and places the bears dig out in the forest floor for naps. Arrive back at the lodge in the late afternoon for hors d’oeuvres on the sun deck of the lodge and exchange stories of wildlife seen with your fellow guests.
Day 11
Tweedsmuir Park Lodge
Check the wildlife viewing stations before relaxing with breakfast. Afterwards, meet your guide before heading off to further explore the park. The professionally trained and certified wilderness and wildlife guides have mapped numerous short hikes to superb vantage points overlooking the Atnarko River to see spawning salmon - and the bears and eagles fishing for them!
Day 12-13
Telegraph Cove
After breakfast, travel to Bella Coola to catch the ferry to travel along the Discovery Coast Passage to Vancouver Island. Grab a seat on the upper deck as this ferry passes through spectacular scenery, abound with forested islands, secret coves and remote communities. Keep an eye out for wildlife, as humpback whales also travel in these waters. After arriving on Vancouver Island, make the short journey to Telegraph Cove. Here you have a full day where we recommend getting back out on the water and into the Broughton Archipelago on a whale watching tour in search of resident orcas.
Day 14-15
Parksville
Journey south to the relaxed seaside town of Parksville, where you can enjoy a beachfront stroll at the Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park and gaze over the Strait of Georgia towards the coastal mountains that you were driving through now two weeks ago. Enjoy a free day where you can bask in the relaxed beachfront vibes or explore this part of Vancouver Island, perhaps driving in land to Cathedral Grove, an accessible stand of old growth Douglas Fir Trees, some more than 800 years old.
Day 16
Fly Home
It’s a short drive to Nanaimo to catch the ferry back to the mainland. Return your hire car at Vancouver International Airport in time for your flight home.
Featured wildlife lodge
Related Itineraries
This holiday requires an ETA for entry to Canada, for full details and to apply please see below:
Please note Parks Canada charge fees at most national parks and historic sites across the country. Parks Canada passes can be purchased as part of your holiday, speak to your sales advisor for more details. Early booking is recommended.
For further information about national parks and historic sites in Canada or to reserve campsites and activities, please visit:
