7 Day Great Bear Rainforest Mothership Tour (134.216)

Location: Great Bear Rainforest
Price: $4825.00
Duration: 7 days/6 nights

Book Tour

Please select a tour date.

Departs from/arrives at: Bella Bella
Accomodations: Boat
Tour Type: Yacht & Boat Tour
Activity Level: Novice
Nearest Town/Village: Bella Bella
Inclusions:
  • Kayaks double or single
  • Professional Guides
  • Kayak instruction
  • Safety equipment
  • Camping equipment and tents
  • Cooking equipment
  • Meals as stated on itinerary
  • Sheets
  • Dry bags
  • Group hydrophone
  • Bedding, towels, all meals & paddling equipment.
Exclusions: Personal wet weather gear
Guest Parking: Yes Details: Arrangements can be made
First Nations: The Heiltsuk or Haíɫzaqv
Additional Information:
The Great Bear Rainforest on BC's central coast offers some of the most spectacular and varied sea kayaking in the world (gallery). This remote wilderness contains ecosystems rich with wildlife and is the largest remaining temperate rainforest left on the planet. Wolves, spirit bears, grizzly bears, humpback whales, orcas, sea lions, sea otters and many seabirds are all inhabitants of the forests and ocean here.rnrnAll inclusive tour: award winning, luxury heritage vessel, gourmet food, wine, hot showers, MOT certified crew and vessel, and certified kayak guides. The 68\' ship for this tour was completely refurbished in the early 1990\'s with great attention to detail and passenger enjoyment. From her wheelhouse with the latest navigational electronics to the large, covered aft-deck, she is immaculate and the woodworking throughout is of the finest quality. The gleaming exterior, polished brass, spacious dining room rich in varnished mahogany and modern galley invite you aboard while six lovely staterooms, three heads (toilets), and two showers with plenty of hot water ensure your comfort.

Itinerary

  • Day
    1

    Day 1: Our mothership will be awaiting your arrival in the first Nations village of Bella Bella. Here you will be greeted by a warm welcome from the Columbia's captain and crew as we prepare to cast off. Departure time aboard the boat will be arranged according to the arrival time of the daily Pacific Coastal flight from Vancouver. (their summer schedules are not confirmed until April.) Once all our guest have boarded, we will cruise towards the wilderness of the Great Bear Rainforest.

    Meals: Dinner

    Accomodation: Boat

  • Day
    2

    The Great Bear Rainforest is vast, and so we have almost limitless possibilities and choices for where we'll paddle. Some of our favourite areas include the maze of spectacular rocky islets and white beaches of the Hakaii Conservancy, Goose Islands and Spider Islands. One could spend months exploring the narrow channels and tucked away coves of these remote islands. Paddling is also at its best in the beautiful outer islands of the McMullens and Stryker Island. There is nothing like landing on the smooth sand of an isolated beach where the only tracks are wolf tracks! Closer to the mainland we'll head to the river estuaries of the steep fiords. These fiords cut miles into the coast mountains, with waterfalls and mountain goats and snow peaks - utterly beautiful to kayak along the sheer cliffs! At the heads of the fiords are the estuaries - in the early summer they are brilliant blue with wild lupins. Grizzlies, black bears and spirit bears roam here and we'll keep a watchful lookout for them! Later in the season the salmon have arrived to spawn and the estuaries are alive with wildlife, all excited to partake of the feast.

    We will journey the many miles in complete comfort aboard the Mothership as we travel to new and varied paddling areas each day. There are countless options, so we design our days depending on the wildlife, the weather, and the preferences of our guests.

    Each morning, after a hearty breakfast, we will launch our brightly coloured kayak flotilla and begin our day of exploring the spectacular beauty of the Great Bear Rainforest. Every day will bring a new array of stunning sights from the lush salmon-spawning river estuaries to the steep-sided glacial carved fjords and from the maze of exposed rocky islets to the exquisite sandy beaches. Wildlife we may be lucky enough to observe includes black bears, eagles, wolves, humpback whales, sea otters, harbour seals, and grizzly bears. Lunches will be savored on a sandy beach or a grassy estuary proceeding an afternoon paddle. Other afternoon options include relaxing on the beach, exploring an estuary, cruising up a stunning inlet aboard the mothership or kicking back in the cozy cabin.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Accomodation: Boat

  • Day
    3

    With its huge distances, rugged terrain, and less predictable weather, the Great Bear Rainforest is where the mothership concept truly shines. We will journey the many miles in complete comfort as we travel to new and varied paddling areas each day. There are countless options, so we design our days depending on the wildlife, the weather, and the preferences of our guests.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Accomodation: Boat

  • Day
    4

    We kayak among the islands and islets of the outer coastline where exquisite white sand beaches dot the open edge of the Pacific. We’ll experience the gentle ocean swells where sea otters float in the kelp beds and observe the vibrant intertidal life that thrives on these exposed shores.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Accomodation: Boat

  • Day
    5

    During our week we will also visit dramatic steep-sided fiords piercing deep into the coast mountains, their granite cliffs a contrast to the low windswept landscape of the outer coast.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Accomodation: Boat

  • Day
    6

    The broad river estuaries in the fiords in June and July are bright blue with carpets of wild lupines, a beautiful sight to see! Wolves often wander through these meadows and grizzly bears dig for roots and graze on the sedges. In August and September the wolves, grizzlies, and eagles all search for salmon along the rivers. Often called the backbone of the coast, salmon are an important keystone species, feeding innumerable other species as they arrive at their rivers of birth each year to spawn

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

    Accomodation: Boat

  • Day
    7

    On the last day our return to Bella Bella again depends on Pacific Coastal Airline's schedule. We always make sure our guests arrive at the airport at the correct time and plan the morning accordingly. There may be a before- breakfast paddle for the early risers. The Columbia III then makes her way back to Bella Bella as we watch for wildlife and experience the beautiful sea, forests and mountains of the Great Bear Rainforest one last time before leaving.

    Meals: Breakfast

    Accomodation:

North America: 1.800.255.5057 - UK: 0.800.051.6364 - Australia: 1.800.143.454

Find A Tour

Queen Charlotte Strait Johnstone Strait Haida Gwaii Gulf Islands Broken Island Group Clayoquot Sound Nuchatlitz Great Bear Rainforest Desolation Sound
As featured in National Geographic Adventure

From Our Blog

Great Bear Rainforest

Wednesday, March 3 2021

Sorry to report that we're now taking a waitlist on our 10 day Great Bear Rainforest kayak trips. Please take a look at our 6 and 9 day Mothership Adventures of this area, which centre on kayaking. 

...read more