Grizzly Bears & Wildlife - Canada
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Bella Coola,
BC
After our group flight from Vancouver to Bella Coola (booked by
our partner NHA), we are met by our Expedition Leader and
transferred to Tweedsmuir Lodge, a remote but very comfortable base
for our wilderness explorations. Set in a river valley at the base
of a massive 8,000-foot rock mountain in Tweedsmuir Provincial
Park, the views from the lodge are dramatic. The deck of the main
lodge, as well as the porches and windows of each cabin, overlook a
broad meadow that is a well-known bear sanctuary where grizzlies
are often seen.
Day 2: Bella Coola River Float Trip & Helicopter
Flightseeing
A slow drift down the Atnarko and Bella Coola rivers offers an
ideal pace and proximity for wildlife viewing. During the summer,
the rivers are crowded with spawning salmon that attract bald
eagles and bears, and we may see both on the banks as we float
past. The peaks of the Coast Range rise all around, their serrated
ridgelines veined in snow and ice. This afternoon we are afforded a
different perspective as we soar above them in a helicopter,
dipping through passes where mountain goats are often spotted
clinging to the granite above timberline. We fly over Hunlen Falls,
Canada’s third highest, which offers yet another spectacle as it
pours a thousand feet off a sheer rock precipice, its plume
freefalling into spray over Lonesome Lake. If time allows, we may
explore a secluded trail in Tweedsmuir Park to look for the rare
cougar, gray wolves, bald eagles and other northern birdlife.
Day 3: In Search of Grizzlies
British Columbia is home to an estimated 6,000 to 14,000
grizzlies, among the highest bear concentrations in North America.
The summer and early-fall salmon runs attract dozens of bears to
this area, and though it is very likely we will see them during our
other activities, we spend this entire day focused on these
magnificent creatures. We take another float trip, pausing along
the riverbanks to watch for bears. The floor of the temperate
rainforest is covered with giant sword ferns, devil’s club and
tangles of huckleberries, blueberries, raspberries, salmonberries
and thimbleberries. Though they gorge on salmon, bears love
berries, too, and this vegetation is a draw for them. Of course,
grizzlies are unpredictable and we can never guarantee their
appearance, but the Bella Coola Valley is so rich with their
presence that we feel confident in our sightings.
Day 4: Native Cultures, Rainforest Exploration
Along with prolific wildlife and spectacular scenery, the Bella
Coola Valley is home to a group of First Nations peoples, the
Nuxalk, a vibrant culture present here for millennia and still
thriving today. On a visit to the village of Bella Coola, we are
introduced to the Nuxalk culture through local artisans,
storytellers, drummers and singers. We’ll also take a walk to a
newly discovered set of petroglyphs (ancient rock carvings)
engraved along a forgotten trail through a tract of lowland
rainforest.
Day 5: Tweedsmuir Park
Where lush coastal forests exist, moisture abounds, and due to
the unpredictable weather experienced in the Bella Coola Valley, we
are occasionally precluded from travelling by helicopter on our
flightseeing excursion. We have arranged a “backup day” in case of
bad weather on our proposed flying day. If we have been able to
keep our regular itinerary, then we may hike a trail upriver on the
Atnarko, where we may see eagles and bears fishing for salmon, and
other wildlife.
Day 6: Free Morning - Bella Coola / Home
After free time this morning at the lodge, we travel back into
town for our group flight back to Vancouver, where we catch our
return flights home.
Note:
This itinerary is meant as a guideline for the
activities we have planned. The activities we are able to
participate in, the exact itinerary, the duration, and order of the
activities will be determined by weather, tides, permits, equipment
availability, and the guide’s discretion.
Quick Links:
grizzly bears & wildlife canada -
introduction
grizzly bears & wildlife canada -
factfile
grizzly bears & wildlife canada -
dates & prices
grizzly bears & wildlife canada -
booking enquiry
grizzly bears & wildlife canada -
before you go
REF: Grizzlies & Wildlife of British Columbia - NH0005
