GRIZZLY BEAR VIEWING DAY TRIP

Many of our guests add a grizzly bear viewing day trip with Sea Wolf Adventures before or after they join us kayaking. Grizzly bears are not normally found on Vancouver Island but are regularly seen on the nearby mainland coast.

Your First Nations guides will take you on an intimate and immersive wildlife experience in their traditional territories. This all in one experience brings you to the natural habitat of Western Canada’s grizzly bears, while looking out for whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins, wolves and eagles while you cruise towards the coastal Mainland’s viewing sites. Listen to the guides interpretation of local landscapes, and the ancient villages that were once occupied by the Musg̱a̱makw Dzawada̱’enux̱w people.

t is important to note that every season is different and we will take you to wherever we believe you will have the best grizzly viewing experience.

Viewing is mostly boat based as the grizzlies will be foraging on sedge grass and turning over rocks on the beaches looking crabs and mussels. June and early July is the mating season with lots of interesting interaction. The big boars chase the not-too-interested females, displacing other bears along the beach. July is the season of cubs scrambling along behind their mom as they first explore their wilderness home. Later in the season the salmon return to the rivers which may bring viewing opportunities on land.

2026 Adult Price:
$701.40 ($595 plus plus 12% fuel surcharge, plus $35 Salmon Stewardship Fee per person) plus 5% GST

2026 Youth Price (10 to 16 years old):
$642.60 ($542.50 plus plus 12% fuel surcharge, plus $35 Salmon Stewardship Fee per person) plus 5% GST

Departs: At 7:00 am daily from 1514 Broughton Blvd. in Port McNeil (same building as MacKay Whale Watching), Vancouver Island.

Duration: 8 to 9 hours

How to Book: When booking any of our Port McNeill departure kayak tours you can add the grizzly bear viewing option the day before or the day after your kayak tour. A $100 deposit is required to reserve your spot on the grizzly bear tour and the remaining balance is due at the same time as the balance for your kayak tour.

Please note: That due to possible windy and bumpy conditions on the boat ride to view grizzly bears, this tour is not suitable for people with back and neck issues, people with osteoporosis, or pregnant women. If this may be an issue please contact us to discuss this in greater detail.

Includes: The grizzly bear tour includes boat transportation from Port McNeill to the viewing areas and back. Breakfast, lunch, snacks, and drinks, binoculars, a rain poncho (sizes small to large) and a cultural sustainability fee are also included. Most dietary restrictions can be accommodated given sufficient prior notification.

Remember to bring: Come prepared with proper footwear and clothing for moderate hiking in the forest and on rocky
terrain. Bring your a wind and rain proof jacket, a hat, camera, medication (if needed), and insect repellent. When it is raining you will also want to bring waterproof pants and waterproof hiking boots or knee-high rubber boots. When it is sunny don’t forget your sunscreen and sunglasses. To ensure that our tour has a minimal impact on wildlife, we ask that you wear dark clothing. If you bring a camera, please turn your flash off, it scares the bears.

Deposit, Payment, and Cancellation Policy

A 25% deposit is required to permanently reserve your spot(s) on all tours.
Deposits are fully refundable up to 72 hours after your booking. Please notify us by email if cancelling within this 72 hour period for a full refund. After 72 hours the deposit is non-refundable.
Payment of any outstanding balance is due 60 days before the tour’s departure date.
If you must cancel your tour with 60 or more days notice of your tour’s departure date, a full refund of any amount paid above your required non-refundable deposit is provided.
If you must cancel your tour with less than 60 days of your tour’s departure date the full amount of the tour is non-refundable.
All cancellations must be received by email.

Kingfisher strongly recommends all booked guests to purchase travel insurance for their trip that includes coverage for cancellations and trip interruptions and medical expenses and evacuations in Canada. Most insurance policies need to be purchased within a short time of booking. For more information on different types of insurance, click here.

Additional details to consider…

Please do not book before first reading and understanding the Deposit, Payment, and Cancellation Policy.
If you book and cannot join your tour for any reason, including vaccination status or travel restrictions, our regular Deposit, Payment, and Cancellation Policy applies.
You fully assume the risk concerning entry requirements into British Columbia and Canada.
For the latest information on travel to Canada including the updated federal requirements and restrictions, please visit the Government of Canada’s Travel and Tourism page.

Whales and Grizzly Bears Base Camp Kayaking a wonderful experience. I feel very privileged to have been able to stay in such a unique location, teeming with wildlife. Highly recommend the Sea Otter safari add-on too. It is the often the same wildlife, but it's a very different experience for wildlife and viewer from all 3 watercraft types. Guides & facilities excellent. Recommend staying in the Black Bear too, at both ends of the kayaking trip.
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Tanya J.
9/20/2024
WOW - The best experience with a professional no what they are doing company! From start to finish, our trip exceeded all expectations. Every detail of the trip was even better than we imagined. The guides fantastic, made us feel safe and looked after their knowledge and expertise on the surroundings and wildlife, The equipment - 5 star, The camp and food fantastic. We all have family memories to cherish and its a trip our 10 year old will never forget especially eating at camp watching & listening to the Orca's.
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Camper20741411979
9/10/2025
I did the 4 day family base camp whale watching tour with my husband and 2 kids (6 yrs and 9 yrs) and it is one of the best things we've ever done. The guides were amazing, the food was delicious and we were lucky enough to see humpbacks and orcas.
Andrew the owner was super accommodating of all our needs and was so passionate and knowledgeable about the local wildlife and the local area, and we loved our guides who made the whole experience so smooth and fun.
Definitely book a family tour with Kingfisher if you want a unique experience with your kids that they'll always remember.
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Sarah J.
8/09/2023
Kingfisher and Johnstone Strait ROCK! The guides were thorough, friendly and safety-conscious. Base camp was fantastic, with roomy tents, comfy beds, terrific views Paddling distance increased each day to allow us to get used to the boats and improve our skills gradually. Guides made it possible to run the trip easily with everyone from non-paddlers to experienced ones. The amount of wildlife we saw was outstanding. We were able to view humpbacks, transient and resident orcas, dall's porpoises, pacific white-sided dolphins, seals, sea-lions, bald eagles, cormorants, ducks, auks and many species of invertebrates, many of them id'd by our guides. Each night at dinner we helped the guides enter all species seen on the day in a logbook.
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Doug S.
7/31/2025
Perfekt 4 days Our trip was the highlight of my entire stay in Canada – four perfect days! We saw so many animals: humpback whales, seals, deer, bald eagles, oystercatchers, salmon, starfish, jellyfish, and even orcas. Our guides Wendi, Kailey, and Emma made the experience unforgettable. They shared their vast knowledge about the ocean, tides, sea life, plants, and wildlife, and also gave us great paddling tips that made kayaking easier and more fun each day.

The camp on Hanson Island has several beaches where you can watch wildlife. The tents are well spaced out and very comfortable, and there’s an outdoor kitchen with a big table where meals are enjoyed together when at camp. In good weather, we also had meals on the beach or at a viewpoint on the rocks – simply magical.

The food was outstanding – fresh, creative, and delicious, with three meals a day plus snacks and desserts. As vegans, we were always provided with special dishes that were just as tasty and inventive as everyone else’s.

At night we could hear whales blowing near the camp – an incredible experience. Sea kayaking was new for us, especially with the pedal-operated rudder in addition to the paddles, and it was so much fun.

I would book this tour again without hesitation and recommend it wholeheartedly.

Michèle
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Michèle F.
8/16/2025
Guiding at it's very best!! Our Whales and Wildlife Kayaking trip was a fabulous experience from start to finish. Our guides, Ben and Jeff were super knowledgeable and friendly. They looked after us all amazingly well and the whole experience totally exceeded our expectations.
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Wendy J.
7/27/2025
Amazing! Organized very well, great and attentive guides.
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Katharina
11/02/2025
Our trip was the highlight of my entire stay in Canada – four perfect days! We saw so many animals: humpback whales, seals, deer, bald eagles, oystercatchers, salmon, starfish, jellyfish, and even orcas. Our guides Wendi, Kailey, and Emma made the experience unforgettable. They shared their vast knowledge about the ocean, tides, sea life, plants, and wildlife, and also gave us great paddling tips that made kayaking easier and more fun each day.

The camp on Hanson Island has several beaches where you can watch wildlife. The tents are well spaced out and very comfortable, and there’s an outdoor kitchen with a big table where meals are enjoyed together when at camp. In good weather, we also had meals on the beach or at a viewpoint on the rocks – simply magical.

The food was outstanding – fresh, creative, and delicious, with three meals a day plus snacks and desserts. As vegans, we were always provided with special dishes that were just as tasty and inventive as everyone else’s.

At night we could hear whales blowing near the camp – an incredible experience. Sea kayaking was new for us, especially with the pedal-operated rudder in addition to the paddles, and it was so much fun.

I would book this tour again without hesitation and recommend it wholeheartedly.

Michèle
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Michèle F.
8/16/2025
My trip with Kingfisher Wilderness Adventures was nothing short of extraordinary. The combination of expert guidance, intimate group size, and the stunning scenery of British Columbia made for an unforgettable experience. Each day brought new adventures and a deepened appreciation for the wilderness. Can't wait for my next adventure with them!
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Ian H.
7/20/2023
It was fantastic! We highly recommend the kayak and grizzly tour. We started our vacation with Kingfisher in late August and this tour set the benchmark very high for the rest of our trip through Canada.

Camping on an island close to nature and wildlife was an exceptional experience. The guides made it even better by taking care of us on land and on water, sharing their knowledge with us. Not only did we watch whales, but we also met more marine life and learned about currents and flora. Many thanks to Audrey, Jess and Kayleigh.

Environmentally friendly, with high respect for wildlife, far from mass tourism. Kayaking for beginners and advanced. Nice mix of people and good group size.

The grizzly tour with Sea Wolf Adventures on the last day was a great way to end the tour. Sherry and Brandon shared their indigenous knowledge of the wildlife and islands with us. We watched orcas on the way to see the grizzly bears. Visiting the cultural center in Alert Bay and hearing personal stories was also a highlight! Thank you so much.
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Julia S.
10/02/2022