A unique Canada holiday experience.....City and Wilderness

Western Canada is the perfect destination to combine a city break with a bear watching tour creating a unique holiday experience. Our Vancouver & Great Bear Lodge package combines a cosmopolitan stay in the 'City of Nature' with a wilderness experience at Great Bear Lodge situated in the pristine Great Bear Rainforest. The package starts in Vancouver where your can explore its unique neighbourhoods, sample the exquisite culinary scene, shop on chic Robson Street or relax on English Bay Beach. You will be introduced to the best sights on an included city tour. Next, fly from Vancouver to Port Hardy and take a floatplane to Great Bear Loge for a 3 night stay in this rustic floating lodge. You will get up close to grizzlies in their natural habitat on several bear viewing sessions and also get the chance to hike in the rainforest or try sea kayaking. This is the perfect 'back to nature' experience. Tour Highlights • 4 nights in Vancouver • Vancouver city tour • Flight to Port Hardy and scenic floatplane to Great Bear Lodge • 1 night in Port Hardy • 3 nights at Great Bear Lodge • Multiple bear viewing sessions • Meals at Great Bear Lodge • Activities at the Lodge including: Guided rainforest hikes & sea kayaking Itinerary Day 1: Arrive Vancouver Arrive into Vancouver and make your way to your chosen hotel for your 4 night stay. The rest of the day is free to explore this cosmopolitan city. Standard - Holiday Inn Downtown; Superior - Sheratron Wall Centre; Deluxe - The Fairmont Waterfront Day 2: Vancouver City Tour This morning enjoy a sightseeing tour of the city. Visit the world class shopping along Robson Street, beautiful Stanley Park, the English Bay Beaches and the culinary mecca Granville Island, before ending your tour in historic Gastown. Final stop is the Vancouver Lookout where you will enjoy spectacular 360 degree views of the city. Days 3 & 4: Explore More It is easy to have an authentic experience and get to the heart of what makes this city so different. With vibrant neighbourhoods it doesn’t matter where you go today – you’ll enjoy discovering the sights and simply wandering, dining and shopping. Check out colourful neighbourhoods like the beachside West End area, Gastown’s hip and heritage streets and uber-hip Yaletown. Day 5: Vancouver – Great Bear Lodge Enjoy your last morning in Vancouver before you head to Great Bear Lodge. Enjoy a 70 minute flight to Port Hardy and head into town where you will have time to explore. Mid-afternoon you will be transferred to the floatplane base for your scenic flight over the Queen Charlotte Strait to the floating lodge. After a brief introduction to the lodge you will head out on your first Grizzly Bear excursion. Day 6: Great Bear Lodge You will be on the trail of the grizzlies again after breakfast. A typical viewing session lasts three hours. After a morning of adventure, return to the lodge for lunch and a chance to relax. Spend the early afternoon exploring the surrounding area with a guide, before you venture out to see the bears before returning to the lodge for dinner. Day 7: Great Bear Lodge As your stay at the lodge continues, you begin to settle into the natural rhythm of the valley. The bears are generally most active in the early morning and late afternoon hours, so over the course of your stay you will be taken to a variety of sites. You may also wish to take a guided sea-kayaking tour of the estuary, or a boat cruise to explore the glacier-carved inlet. Or you may prefer to relax and enjoy the view from the lodge. The Great Bear Rainforest is home to many animals, including grey wolves, otters, black bears and mink. Day 8: Great Bear Lodge - Port Hardy After your parting session with the bears you will enjoy lunch at the Great Bear Lodge. Return to Port Hardy in the afternoon were a nights accommodation is included. Day 9: Port Hardy - Vancouver All good things must come to an end as you fly back to Vancouver. Now it’s time to head home with lots of amazing stories to share with friends! Great Bear Lodge Great Bear Lodge has been upgraded with the unveiling of a new floating lodge. The charming two-storey lodge is covered in red cedar, a signature tree from the forests of coastal British Columbia. In keeping with Great Bear’s eco policy the lodge is powered by wind, solar and micro-hydro. Each bedroom is located on the second storey, with views out onto the sublime Great Bear Rainforest. The bedrooms have welcoming touches like snuggly robes, hypoallergenic duvets and quality binoculars, as well as en-suite showers. You can join your fellow guests in the comfortable lounge and dining area downstairs, which has an extensive library of natural history books and a place to watch presentations by the lodge biologists. With a maximum of 16 guests, the experience is designed to be personal and welcoming. Natural wood decks surround the lodge, a perfect place to enjoy a glass of wine while enjoying the beautiful scenery. Wilderness-gourmet meals await you at the lodge on your return from your day’s adventure. Only the freshest possible local ingredients and all organic food are used when it is available. A typical dinner might feature freshly caught salmon roasted on a cedar plank with a marinade of maple syrup, mustard seeds and balsamic vinegar. Prices start from £1890 per person , based on two sharing EXCLUDING flights... Price includes: 4 nights accommodation as chosen in Vancouver Vancouver city tour Flight from Vancouver to Port Hardy Transfer Port Hardy Airport to seaplane terminal & seaplane terminal to hotel Return floatplane from Port Hardy to Great Bear Lodge 3 nights’ accommodation at Great Bear Lodge 1 night in Port Hardy All meals whilst at Great Bear Lodge including wine with dinner Interpretive discussion and welcome orientation for wildlife viewing Morning and afternoon bear viewing sessions Slide shows and video presentations of the local natural history Lodge activities such as guided hikes, boat cruise or sea kayaking Boots and rain wear if required Not Included: Flights to / from Canada Meals other than specified Transfers within Vancouver Gratuities