Spirit Bear Lodge

The Great Bear Rainforest of British Columbia is quite simply the largest piece of intact temperate rainforest left on the planet. It is here in the Great Bear Rainforest that the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation has lived since time immemorial.

The Great Bear Rainforest of British Columbia is quite simply the largest piece of intact temperate rainforest left on the planet. It is here in the Great Bear Rainforest that the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation has lived since time immemorial. They have shared the forest and the salmon with a very special creature they call moskgm’ol (white bear). It is only fitting then that Spirit Bear Lodge is situated in the small, remote Kitasoo/Xai’xais fishing village of Klemtu. Located 150 nautical miles by float plane north of Port Hardy and the northern tip of Vancouver Island, Klemtu is truly in the heart of the rainforest. Nestled in a remote archipelago of small islands and thus protected from the wild Pacific, Klemtu is centrally positioned to offer unparalleled access to some of the best grizzly and Spirit Bear viewing in the region.

Architecturally, the exterior of the Spirit Bear Lodge pays homage to the traditional long houses built for thousands of years by West Coast First Nations. Inside, the atmosphere is modern and relaxing. After a day of Spirit bear viewing, share stories with fellow guests in “The Great Room”, an intimate central room with comfy couches, 20-foot high, ocean view windows, local Tsimshian Art and two 12-foot, solid cedar dining tables. Gaze out towards the grey blue waters of the Pacific Ocean and watch for passing Orcas, White- Sided Dolphins and Sea Lions. Each room in the Spirit Bear Lodge is afforded with a King Size bed and private bathroom and takes full advantage of the ocean and rainforestviewscapes.

Grizzly bear viewing and the quest for the Spirit Bear. Opportunities to view the Grizzly bear are quite good as they move from early foraging for roots in the late Spring to savouring wild berries in the Summer before moving on to the great Fall feast during salmon spawning which runs from mid August to late October depending on the river system.

Guests who are intent on viewing the elusive Spirit Bear are strongly suggested to consider a minimum 4 night package or longer and to consider coming in September or October. While guests who choose the 3 night package and who come earlier in the season may well see the Spirit Bear, this creature is shy and generally those who stay for longer – on the 4 or 5 night packages – are more likely to get rewarded with the moving experience of seeing the bear known as moskgm’ol.

SBL3 Night Package Includes:

• Return airfare from Vancouver to Bella Bella and shuttle from Bella Bella to Shearwater

• One night accommodation at Shearwater Resort & Marina in Shearwater with private bathroom and shower

• Round trip water taxi from Shearwater to Spirit Bear Lodge in Klemtu

• 2 night’s accommodation in ocean view room at Spirit Bear Lodge with private bathroom

• Welcome briefing and orientation

• All meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner), snacks and wine with dinner while at Spirit Bear Lodge beginning with lunch on arrival day

• All transportation to bear viewing areas

• Professional guides services on all programs

• Half day bear viewing tour on arrival day

• Full day excursion to main grizzly viewing area

• Half-day morning optional excursions on departure day:

- Cultural and natural history sites

- Grizzly tracking tour

- Estuary exploration by sea-kayak

• Evening Big House interpretive tour

• Evening guide presentation/slide show

• Coastal Watchman Program user fee

SBL4 Night Packages Includes:

• All the above with extra night at the lodge plus:

• Marine tour for Humpback whale viewing (seasonal) in Finlayson Channel

SBL5 Night Packages Includes:

• All the above with extra nights at the lodge plus:
• Full day Spirit Bear quest and exclusive access to the Canoona River
• Full day Spirit Bear quest to other areas on Princess Royal Island and in the Spirit Bear Conservancy

• Additional full day excursions for Grizzly viewing

• Day trip to site Dis’ju

• Marine tour for Humpback whale viewing (seasonal) in Finlayson Channel

• Boat excursions to Kitasu Hill, a basaltic cinder cone and the best preserved volcano in Milbanke Sound

• Half day interpretive tour of Kitasoo salmon hatchery facility rearing Chum, Coho and Sockeye

Luggage

There is a limit one piece per person and one small carry on and the combined weight of both bags should not exceed 30lbs (14kg).