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- Bear Watching
- Islands, Bears & Sunshine
Islands, Bears & Sunshine
From £5,019 pp
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14 nights
Fly Drive
Wildlife-
Economy flights
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Available May - October
Travel with the ocean by your side as you explore the Southern Gulf Islands, Vancouver Island, and the Sunshine Coast. Here you will find artisan producers, beachside strolls, epic views, and towering forests. On this holiday you will spend 3 nights at the award winning Klahoose Wilderness Resort, tucked away in a remote part of Desolation Sound. Throughout your stay you will be immersed in a pristine region that is rich in diverse wilderness and cultural significance. If you visit in either Spring or Fall, wildlife tours will take you searching for bears that call this region home. Your holiday ends in Vancouver, a world-class city where fine dining, historic districts and green spaces collide.
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
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
Tsawwassen
Arrive at Vancouver International Airport, pick up your hire car and head to the small town of Tsawwassen. Close by is Centennial Beach, the perfect place to stretch your legs, and the heritage fishing village of Ladner, which has some fantastic local restaurants.
Day 2-3
Salt Spring Island
Board the BC Ferries journey from Tsawwassen to Long Harbour on Salt Spring Island where you will spend the next two nights. The island is a haven for artisans and so you’ll find art galleries, wineries, a brewery, a chocolatier, distilleries, glass studios, a cidery, a healthy number of bakeries and much more! Dotted around the island there are a number of waterfront provincial parks, perfect for a short hike or to relax on the beach with fantastic views over the ocean and Southern Gulf Islands.
Day 4-5
Parksville
Take the ferry from Vesuvius to Crofton on Vancouver Island (not included) and follow the Island Highway north to Parksville. Along the way, stop in the small city of Nanaimo, famous for the sweet treat of the same name. From here you can join a whale watching tour and go in search of BC’s resident orcas. The next day you are free to enjoy the relaxed seaside town of Parksville taking a beachfront stroll at the Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park or driving in land to Cathedral Grove, an accessible stand of old growth Douglas fir trees, some more than 800 years old.
Day 6
Klahoose Wilderness Resort
It’s an hour’s drive north to Comox where you will catch the ferry over the Strait of Georgia to Powell River on the Sunshine Coast. From here continue to Lund, where a boat transfer awaits to take you to Klahoose Wilderness Resort. Upon arrival, you will be met by your hosts with a traditional Klahoose welcome song and have an opportunity to review your activities for the next few days.
Day 7
Klahoose Wilderness Resort
Embark on several adventures and transformational experiences that may include watching grizzly bears fish for salmon, kayaking beside a pod of porpoises and forest hikes into an ancient western red cedar grove. During the spring, Indigenous guides will take you on a Cultural and Wildlife Tour, exploring Desolation Sound watching for marine-life such as Humpback Whales and Orca and for Grizzly and Black Bears that are feeding on shore. In the fall the Klahoose First Nation will take you on a bear watching experience in Toba Inlet located just 30 minutes by boat from the Klahoose Wilderness Resort. Here you will view Grizzly Bears as they feed on the returning salmon from fixed viewing platforms set along a remote river in Toba Inlet.
Day 8
Klahoose Wilderness Resort
Relax in the pristine wilderness of Desolation Sound. Be immersed in the ways of the Indigenous Klahoose People with activities such as Indigenous storytelling, cedar weaving, wood carving and ocean foraging. Sea kayakers, stand-up paddle boarders and intrepid swimmers can take to the glassy waters of the Homfray Channel. Throughout your time at the resort, delicious meals are served at the resort, masterfully fusing local ingredients with exquisite preparation. Dinners include complimentary house wine and beer, and Canapes are also served during Happy Hour.
Day 9-11
Secret Cove
After a final breakfast, bid farewell to Klahoose Wilderness Resort. You will be transferred back to Lund where your hire car and adventures on the Sunshine Coast await! At Pender Harbour, climb Pender Hill for spectacular views over the natural harbour and mountains and forest beyond, or hire a kayak to explore the calm sheltered water. Or pay a visit to Smuggler Cove Marine Provincial Park in the early evening and be on the lookout for the wild beavers that can be viewed from the boardwalk.
Day 12-14
Vancouver
It’s time to leave the Sunshine Coast, but not before making a stop in Gibsons. This coastal community may be small but it reached worldwide fame for being the setting of long-running TV show, The Beachcombers. Eating Fish and Chips from Molly’s Reach whilst taking in the sea views is a must! Afterwards take the ferry from Langdale to Horseshoe Bay and drive onwards to Vancouver. After dropping off the hire car, 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 15
Fly Home
Your Canadian adventure has come to an end. After some last-minute shopping and sight-seeing, transfer independently to Vancouver International Airport 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:
